Cara Santana Is Bringing Diversity To Mainstream Fashion With Her Apt 9 x Kohls Collection – Forbes

Cara Santana in Apt 9 x Kohl's with Nancy Santana: Lawyer & Proud Mom, Elle Valera: Opera Singer, ... [+] Model, & Influencer, Amanda Gullickson: Model & Influencer, Najwa Zebian: Activist, Author, Speaker, Steph Shepherd: Entrepreneur & Activist, Lily Oakes: Singer/Songwriter, Victoria Villarroel: Influencer & Model, Candice Nikeia: Content Creator.

Actress, influencer, philanthropist and global engagement officer at Glamsquad, Cara Santana, recently launched a collection with Apt 9 for Kohls. Santana spent almost a year designing this collection alongside Reunited Clothing. In addition to designing the collection, she directed the marketing campaign for the Apt 9 x Kohls collection. Instead of using standard models for the photoshoot, Santana did something unique and different. She used real women from all different types of backgrounds to model the clothes. It may seem like common sense to have real women model clothes that real women would wear, but that rarely is the case in mainstream fashion.

Santanaand the women featured in this campaign represent that diversity and message of empowerment, as behind each woman featured is a unique story. The cast in the marketing campaign surrounding this collaboration include actresses, models, singers, activists, lawyers, and creators, showcasing diversity across body types, sexual orientation, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and lifestyles.The inspiration behind this collaboration stems fromSantanas desire to allow every woman, everywhere the opportunity to look and feel their best by designing a collection for dynamic and multifaceted women.Santanas collection, stands for style and empowerment for every woman, regardless of size, age, background and lifestyle.

Cara Santana in Cara Santana for Apt 9 x Kohl's.

Santana shared why she decided to bring diversity into mainstream fashion through her Apt 9 x Kohls collection.

Yola Robert: Why did you decide to choose real women from diverse backgrounds for your Apt 9 x Kohls campaign?

Cara Santana: Growing up there werent a lot of women that look like me in magazines or in advertising campaigns. The older Ive become the more I hear that from other women that I am friends with and so I wanted to create a campaign that represented the country in a more inclusive and diverse way. We all have to get dressed and why should we not be able to see ourselves when we look at a fashion magazine or campaign?

Robert: Why is prompting diversity important as a creative?

Santana: Representation is something that I am passionate about. I feel as though I have a responsibility to include women from as many backgrounds as possible to give young women the ability to not compare themselves to what they see but instead identify with what they see.

Robert: How did you design the line for all types of women in mind?

Santana: I looked at the staples in my wardrobe and then I thought about how I could make it so that my designs translated to a broader audience whether it be size, shape, age, or lifestyle. Then I worked with the design team to incorporate all of those ideas to create a line that would reflect the needs of the general consumer.

Robert: Why did you want to partner with Apt 9 and Kohls for this collaboration?

Santana: As a little girl the only outlet I had for self expression was through my local Kohls. It is where my mom would take me to shop, and its also where I learned many fashion tips and tricks that I still live by today. Naturally, I wanted to partner with them on my collection because it felt very organic being the place where I loved to shop growing up.

Robert: Where did you pull inspiration from for the collection?

Santana: I pulled my inspiration from women that I know and from the inspiring women I see out in the world everyday. I find women to be multifaceted and layered, and I want my clothes to reflect that. Growing up, for instance, I always watched my mom get ready for work and she would put on her suit and even though she was dressed with a much more masculine flare than I saw on some of the other women in the carpool line, she still retained a sense of femininity with her wardrobe. Thats something that I have adopted into my own personal style. I look at young women who are entering the job force, I look at stay at home mothers, and I look at all of the women around me and thats really what inspires me.

Robert: Tell me more about the women you chose to be in the campaign?

Santana: First off I had to have my mother by my side. She is a 60 something-year-old attorney who lives in Houston Texas. Shes a modern working woman who likes her style to be effortless,no fuss and comfortable.

Lily Oakes is an incredible musician and fashion model who lives a bicoastal lifestyle with her partner between London and LA.

Najwa Zabian is a Lebanese Muslim author and poet with 3 number 1 best sellers (Mind Platter)who up until a year ago dressed in full hijab.

Amanda Gullickson is a successful LA based commercial model with campaigns like Sketchers and Reebok under her belt and a Masters degree in business, who is now focusing on entrepreneurial endeavors.

Stephanie Shepherd is a Japanese American entrepreneur and environmental and human rights a activist, who within 5 years went from personal assistant to COO of one of the Worlds largest branding empires and is now focusing on her work with The Environmental Working Group, while also advocating for gender equality in Uganda with Khana Panties.

Candice Nikeia is an outspoken advocate for diversity in the digital influencer space and active philanthropistwho started an organization bringing beauty products for women in need.

Victoria Villarroel immigrated to the US from Venezuela, received her degree from FIDM and is pursuing a career in creative direction after helping support one of the most successful influencers build their cosmetic company to over a $1B valuation.

Elle Valera is abody positivity model as well as a classically trained opera singer who lives in LA and advocates for the empowerment and inclusion of body positivity and diversity.

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Cara Santana Is Bringing Diversity To Mainstream Fashion With Her Apt 9 x Kohls Collection - Forbes