When artist Kathy Kyle painted a piece of gift wrap for her child’s birthday, she had no idea it would grow into a business built on wearable art and silk. A friend looked at her hand-painted paper and said: “I could imagine that on silk and wearing it. Could you make that for me?”
That moment of recognition planted the seed for Kathy Kyle Studio – a brand built around ethical, sustainable wearable art and luxury stationery, each piece hand-painted, sustainably printed and entirely human-made. Now, with the support of matched funding through the Surrey Economic Growth Fund, Kathy is taking her business to the high street – with space in a shop on Dorking’s historic West Street.
Kathy spent nearly 25 years working as a communications and marketing director for global consultancies and agencies in Washington D.C. before making the leap to follow her creative calling.
“I decided to follow my dreams and become an artist,” she says. “I did that only a year ago and it’s been incredible how fulfilling it’s been.”
The business grew organically from her art practice – a stained shirt rescued with hand-painted designs; scarves commissioned by friends; gift wrap that became fabric.
“I don’t want to overproduce,” she says. “I wanted to create wearable art that adds value to people’s lives. For me it is about purpose and intention – how can I create something beautiful that endures?”
Growing the business from idea to High Street
What followed was a rapid series of milestones: a launch at a Soho gallery; a debut at Top Drawer trade fair, which brought her first stockists; scarves shown at London Fashion Week through her Buy Women Built network; and a pitch at the Great British Pitch exploring international trade. Yet without external funding, scaling remained out of reach at this early stage.
“We needed this seed to help us grow,” she explains. “I was just using my savings and earnings. We needed to expand and diversify our approach.”
As one of nearly 30 local Surrey businesses to receive grant funding through the Surrey Economic Growth Fund, Kathy describes the award as transformational. The investment is enabling her to expand her core pure silk accessories range – with luxury scarves and wraps – as well as extending her stationery line into interiors, including wallpaper, cushions, linens, and bespoke fabric and commissions.
“People have said to me, I really want to see your art on cushions, fabric, or wallpaper,” she says. “I can now do those things.”
The new studio space is in Sandrock House on Dorking’s West Street – an award-winning interiors shop, and a fitting home for a brand that believes in collaboration and community.
“The world of retail is changing,” Kathy says. “It helps everyone to collaborate to be successful. Lift each other up.”
It’s a philosophy that runs through everything she does, including her commitment to making every piece ethically and as sustainably as possible, and by hand without AI. “I have taken great care to collaborate with suppliers who share our values and I think you can see this ethos in the quality and craftsmanship of our products.”
“I am thrilled to receive this boost to the business,” says Kathy. “I am looking forward to not only bringing our vision to market, but doing it in online and offline: in real life, in my community, and in a shop.”
The Surrey Economic Growth Fund
To date almost £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients across the county via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This funding has helped to unlock significant match funding and private investment, growing Surrey’s economy by £9 million.
Any Surrey business looking for funding or help to grow can receive fully-funded support from Business Surrey. Get in touch to find out more via our Contact us form.
