Kelly Lane spreads her wings in fashion

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Monday, 07 March 2011 01:00

Written by Sarah Sudar

Local designer, Kelly Simpson-Scupelli, better known in the fashion industry as Kelly Lane, is putting Pittsburgh on the global fashion map for her alluring, eco-friendly designs. Even though her brand has gone global, Kelly, 38 from Stanton Heights, remains rooted in Pittsburgh.

The idea for the Kelly Lane brand started six years ago, when Kelly's husband, Peter, gave her the gift of a sewing machine. Kelly worked for over 10 years as a graphic designer before trading in her Mac computer for the Singer sewing machine. After learning the workings of her gifted Singer, Kelly officially launched her fashion line, Kelly Lane, in 2006. She is often asked where the name, Kelly Lane, comes from. She says that Lane is her middle name that has a rich tradition in her family. Her grandmother bears the first name Lane, while her mother carries it as her middle name.

The Kelly Lane brand features women's dresses, skirts, jackets, tops and pants in styles that range from classic neutrals to bold, printed patterns. Customers flock to Kelly's creations because of their sophistication and versatility.

Kelly recently launched her Spring/Summer 2011 collection inspired by butterflies. Kelly has always had a fascination with these beautifully-winged insects, though it wasn't until a trip to Phipps Conservatory's Butterfly Forest that she knew they would be the muse for her Spring/Summer 2011 collection.

"Butterflies capture the essence of what it means to be a woman because of their transformative process," says Kelly.

Armed with her Spring/Summer collection, Kelly attended a fashion trade show in Paris this past January, and now the Kelly Lane brand will be sold internationally in France and Italy. Even though Kelly can now call herself an international designer, she's dedicated to staying in Pittsburgh.

Kelly recently moved her creative, design space from her home in Stanton Heights to the Ice House Studios Factory in Lawrenceville. Kelly says Pittsburgh is a great place to be a designer because the city allows you to take risks and try something new. Besides being an affordable place to live and work, Pittsburgh is also home to a tight-knit community that offers support and encouragement to local artists, which Kelly finds the most compelling.

Kelly will launch a new side business called, "A-line" this May. Customers will be able to create a one-of-a-kind A-line skirt made from remnants of Kelly's fabrics. Orders will be sewn in Kelly's studio in Pittsburgh and shipped within two weeks of ordering. To learn more about this new venture, be sure to "like" Kelly Lane on Facebook here. 

Kelly Lane is sold locally at Pavement in Lawrenceville and at The Picket Fence in Shadyside. You can soon find the brand at Ona Boutique in Mt. Lebanon and La Perla in Oakmont. Visit Kelly Lane online at http://www.kellylanedesign.com/. Also, you can meet Kelly in person at her trunk shows: March 18 & 19 at Pavement, April 3 at Ona Boutique and April 9 at The Picket Fence. 

Check out tomorrow's print edition of the PG for a more-detailed story about Kelly, and be sure to check back on Wednesday for another Clutch post! 

Images of Kelly's Butterfly Collection photographed by Kathy Wolfe. 

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