FASHION STYLIST WELCH EMBRACES CONTROVERSY
Designer speaks her mind about clothes, guns, the #MeToo movement and Donald Trump
Karla Welch isn’t afraid to be a disruptive voice in the fashion world.
Her unapologetic approach — one quick scroll through her social media feeds yields a pointed and poignant stance on issues ranging from the #MeToo movement to U.S. President Donald Trump — is one thing that has set her apart from her more politically correct counterparts.
“That’s just how I am,” she says matter of factly. “Always.”
Speaking from the Vancouver International Auto Show where she was helping promote the new tech-centric Escala concept car from Cadillac Canada, Welch said she decided early on to use her social presence to share all of herself — from her work as a stylist, to her opinion on the state of affairs.
“I got on social media quite late. My husband said ,‘ you know, you should be on social media,’” she says with a laugh. “He rues the day.”
It wasn’t long after Welch joined the social media masses that she realized she wouldn’t be staying mum on anything.
“I remember thinking, I’m never not going to post about my politics,” she says, pointing to her mother as the inspiration for her speak-her-mind mentality.
Welch admits, in the early days of her social media experience, that she was often advised to be “a little less political.”
She didn’t listen.
“We’re in crazy times. And we’re in a perfect time for change,” she says. “We’re only here once.
“I’d rather my legacy be that I was someone who stood up for something than (someone) who zipped up a dress.”
Welch admits she’s sometimes envious of those who can tune out the negative and focus on posting about what they ate.
“There are people who, it just escapes them, and, in many ways, God, I’m jealous of them, that you don’t have to feel as much and have grey hairs and feel the constant stress of the news every day,” she says. “Those people are laughing. They’re off doing whatever they want. They live in that. For better or worse, that’s their reality — but it’s not mine.”
Perhaps it’s her critical voice and outspoken approach that has made the Powell River-raised, Los Angeles-based stylist become one of the most respected in her field.
These days, Welch’s client list reads like a who’s who of welldressed Hollywood stars: from Olivia Wilde and Tracee Ellis Ross to Lorde and Justin Bieber.
Don’t expect to find an ever-revolving door of new A-list actresses — the ones who are perfect for posing in pretty clothes but don’t say much else — on her client roster. Welch doesn’t have time for that.
“I’m the first person to say that I don’t have the super-hot, young Hollywood star who can zip into the tiniest dress,” she says with a laugh.
“But what I have is women of undeniable merit and cool, who I have always believed in, and who everybody else has caught up to believe in as well. That’s by design.”
To get a coveted spot on Welch’s styling list — and after being named the most powerful celebrity stylist by The Hollywood Reporter in 2017, one can only imagine how coveted it is — there’s a certain level of consciousness required.
“I’m not working with people who aren’t aware,” she says emphatically. “It’s a choice, and it has always been a choice. I’ve always really wanted to have clients who are (aware).”
That determination to align herself with clients who mirror her mission of making a difference is something Welch also carries through to her partnership opportunities with brands.
She’s the first to admit that her trademark level of transparency has turned some brands away from working with her.
“They say ‘we don’t want to work with her’ or ‘we don’t want to carry her stuff,’” she says. “And I’m like, I wasn’t going to sell to you anyways. Like, no way. Bye.
“I’m not for everybody. If you’re coming to me, you know you’re getting someone with a very strong point of view and politics. And that I say what I believe in. Take it or leave it.”
Welch recently released a line of T-shirts with Hanes, called X Karla, which is an edited down offering of the closet staples including a cropped iteration as well as an oversized option inspired by Bieber (also the face of the launch) called The Original.
The reaction to the line has been positive, with many styles selling out soon after they’re made available. The line’s popularity further underscores Welch’s role as a disrupter in a fashion industry that’s being rocked by change.
In recent months, the dialogue surrounding fashion keeps growing, especially following the socalled blackout of the Golden Globes.
“That moment was a part of a movement,” Welch says of the protest, where many celebrities wore black clothing to show their support for the #MeToo movement.
“Your clothes are your cloak,” Welch says. “And sure it’s fun and it can be superficial. But there can be so much tied to it.”
She also pointed to American kids and teens who wore orange to express their desire for gun control as another recent example of the power of fashion.
“Donald Trump is horrifying, but maybe he will end up being the best thing for America. Maybe it will hit a nerve, in a way,” Welch says.
“You can have thought behind everything that you do. You should support companies that you believe in. Your dollar is your vote. Your vote is your vote — get out and vote — but also how you spend your resources is super important.
“That’s why I won’t work with a brand that I don’t believe in. I won’t shill for a store that I think destroys communities or carries guns. That’s not who I am.”
I’m not working with people who aren’t aware. … It’s a choice, and it has always been a choice. I’ve always really wanted to have clients who are.