Alexander: The idea for Gaâla first emerged when we were newlyweds. Kelly had long envisioned a clothing line filled with designs she loved but found difficult to find on the market. From the beginning of our relationship, she often shared this dream. We would joke that one day, when we were rich, we would make it a reality.
Kelly: In the meantime, Alexander encouraged me to start working with a tailor he knew personally to bring my designs to life.
Alexander: This artisan's craftsmanship was so inspiring that we found ourselves visiting her every evening after work, eager to see the progress. We affectionately called our little operation "Kelly's Brand” back then. ”
A few months in, inspired by the incredible work the tailor was doing, we realized that waiting for the "right time" was no longer an option. We decided to take a leap of faith, selling our apartment to invest in what would become Gaâla.
Kelly: We had no experience in fashion, production, or e-commerce—no Instagram presence, and we barely used Facebook. Our backgrounds were in business, without knowing anything about the specifics of the fashion industry. Looking back, this lack of experience was a blessing in disguise; it allowed us to approach things differently and without fear. From day one, we've been committed to investing and running Gaâla our way without relying on outside investments.
We initially thought we would launch within six to eight months, but the launch was postponed for a year, just as COVID-19 hit. During this time, we brought in a tailor who used to make Alexander's suits, along with a friend who spoke Italian to help us source deadstock fabric in Prato. We bought 2,000 meters of fabric (which seemed like a massive amount then, but now we go through that every couple of weeks.)
We started small, working with one retired tailor who decided to take a chance on us. Our first collection was crafted in a rented space at a friend's workshop, with our initial tailor working out of our apartment for a few weeks.
At times, it feels like we blinked, and Gaâla expanded. We quickly outgrew our initial workspace and moved to a larger facility, which soon filled up, prompting us to open another workshop in Lithuania.
Alexander: Gaâla has completely transformed our lives— Kelly left her job just six months post-launch, and I followed shortly after. In the early years, we sold our apartment, car, and other belongings to finance Gaâla. We're finally beginning to see the fruits of those sacrifices, which is a feeling unlike any other. We're deeply grateful for the support and trust of our community and our incredible team spread across Europe.
Kelly: Balancing work and family life has undoubtedly been challenging, especially since the arrival of our two beautiful, active boys since Gaâla's inception—ha! But the journey has been incredibly rewarding. We're constantly learning and evolving, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
If life is about the company we keep, we are honored to find ourselves among the very best.
Thank you for being here.
KELLY & ALEXANDER
