The gowns her mother created for special occasion wear clients shaped the beginnings of Kelley’s design aesthetic. Sitting at the foot of the machine while her mother worked, Kelley learned to sew before learning to write. At Parsons her exposure to fashion history and construction techniques grew considerably, refining her attraction to fine fabrics and the unbridled exploration of form.

Upon graduation from Parsons in 1986 Kelley joined Geoffrey Beene’s atelier as an Assistant Designer. Working alongside Jesper Nyeboe and Gene Meyer she submitted designs, selected fabrics, trims and finishes, accessorized the collection for shows and sketched for editorial coverage.