Kathy Malone, director of the Brooklyn Indie Market, which opens in its new location on Smith Street at Union, is a talented clothing designer in her own right.

Her career journey is an interesting one maked by her love of sewing and clothing and a penchant for building community and helping others.

After moving to New York at the age of 18, Kathy studied
millinery at the Fashion Institute of Technology. "That absolutely
delighted my parents," she  writes on her website.

Kathy learned to sew on a
second-hand Elna built in the 1970’s, when they were still manufactured
in Switzerland. "That sewing machine," says Kathy, "still runs like a
dream." 

After graduation, Kathy apprenticed with numerous New York
milliners, including Lola Millinery (hey, that’s the woman who made OTBKB’s beautiful wedding veil).

Because of her skill, she was
enlisted to repair some elaborate head pieces needed for a production
about Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo for the Jose Limon Dance Company,
This led to more work with Jose Limon and other dance and theater
companies.

When her son, Milo, was born in 1998, Kathy decided that the
demands of the theater and dance world were incongruous with the needs
of her new family, so she got a job in the wig making department at the
Metropolitan Opera.

In her "spare time" she began to design children’s
clothing. Her quilted skirts with their trippy, vibrant, floral linings
and inside-out style were a particular success. Kathy even began to
have some admirers among the 7-year-old set in Brooklyn. Apparently,
their mommies liked the skirts too, because she began to get requests
for adult sizes. And so began her line of women’s clothing, fofolle.

Today, Kathy’s adult designs can be found at Brooklyn’s Flirt (Fifth
Avenue and Smith Street shops), and Ai Ai Gasa in Park Slope.

In 2005, Kathy established the Brooklynindiemarket, a group of Brooklyn clothing, knit-wear, jewelry, and home designers, who were in need of a venue in which to sell their wares. The group set up shop in numerous temporary venues around Brooklyn. But Kathy longed for a permanent home for this group. Now they have it on Smith Street and Union.

And that’s just the latest stop on Kathy Malone’s interesting journey. Good Luck, Kathy.