Designed in Victor, Idaho

Founder Kathleen Crowley began sketching designs for KAUTE in 2019.  Within a year, she reached out to pattern and sample makers, first in New York City and then in Los Angeles, who could help her bring these designs to life.  After many rounds of patterns, samples and fitting sessions, GAIA emerged as THE top for the first official KAUTE launch.   

Kathleen designed GAIA to evoke “freedom of movement,” a bygone era (growing up in the 1970s) and the modern West as is evident in the top’s soft and easy fabric, its regular fit and in its yoke detailing. She chose simple construction, using just one natural fiber fabric and biodegradable mother of pearl buttons. And, she prioritized simple care, by opting for a fabric that’s easy to clean and doesn’t require ironing.  

GAIA is simple and yet incredibly versatile. Kathleen designed the top to be worn casually or dressed up, buttoned or unbuttoned and as a “stand alone” or layering piece. It easily transitions between all the activities in a day, whether at home, at work or traveling the world. Kathleen created GAIA to be that one stellar top (in different colors!) that wears beautifully, day in and day out, all year around, moving with you as your life magically unfolds.

Cut and sewn in Los Angeles, California

KAUTE’s first clothing launch will be sewn in small batches in Los Angeles, CA. Small batch production is a “small production run of garments,” typically constituting 100 to 500 units. Small batch production can be an effective way for a brand to test its products in the marketplace before committing to producing larger amounts of inventory, thus limiting overproduction and industry waste. 

L.A. Get Up (LGU), a full-package service clothing production studio, is managing KAUTE’s small batch production run. LGU works closely with micro-factories, those that number less than ten (10) employees, for both the pattern cutting and sewing of KAUTE’s garments. This means that these factories, and the unit numbers produced, fall on the smaller end of the spectrum in the fashion industry. It also means that each KAUTE garment is handled by very few people from start to finish. Each shirt is cut by a small group of pattern cutters and then sewn on an industrial sewing machine. Each shirt is cut by a small group of pattern cutters and each sewer focuses on a single operation to bring the shirt to life.