Katya Moorman

“I’ve always loved fashion. I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was little but the cost of fashion school was beyond my reach. But what I loved about it was the opportunity for self-expression. I went to Catholic schools and had to wear a uniform so I was constantly trying to modify it and getting called into the Principal’s office. I was definitely the weird girl. The loner.

The advent of street-style blogs in the early 2000s, such as the Sartorialist and “Models off Duty,” offered a new lens into fashion. However, I noticed a lack of representation of the unconventional and the DIY enthusiasts. This gap inspired the creation of my first venture, StyleDefinedNYC, a street-style blog celebrating those who daringly turned everyday materials into unique fashion statements.

Simultaneously, my awareness of the darker facets of the fashion industry grew. The devastating Rana Plaza factory collapse was a stark revelation of the industry’s lethal impact – from exploitative labor practices to environmentally harmful production methods. 

This awakening led to the birth of No Kill Magazine, founded alongside my partner Karen Dunn. Our ethos is simple yet profound: no killing people, no killing the planet. We advocate for ethical fashion, a circular approach to design, and spotlight stories of designers and brands who prioritize planetary and human welfare.”

What do you think about fast fashion?

“Regarding fast fashion, I believe terms like “sustainability” and “fast fashion” have become muddled. Fast fashion, characterized by rapid production and synthetic materials, is a prevalent issue. But it’s crucial to recognize that this isn’t an issue confined to budget brands; it’s an industry-wide problem. 

Almost all traditional fashion brands rapidly produce high volumes of clothing. For example, I searched for men’s t-shirts on a popular department store and there were over 15,000 men’s t-shirts on one shopping site. Why? Why do we accept a business model that produces so much excess and waste? So while the fashion industry loves to point a finger at “bad fast fashion” (and it is bad) most brands are over-producing. 

The other thing associated with fast fashion is synthetic fabrics like polyester – a material that I think is so bad for the environment it should be banned. Why? It’s made from a non-renewable resource, sheds microplastics and has even been linked to cancer. If nothing else, if you vowed never to purchase a garment made from polyester again, the earth would thank you.

My philosophy is straightforward: we must recalibrate our perception of clothing costs. Quality garments, ethically made, should be the norm, not the exception. This means buying less but choosing well, embracing secondhand fashion, repairing existing clothes, and supporting innovative brands.”

More about Katya Moorman

“I’m the co-founder and editor of No Kill Magazine. In addition to the magazine, we’re launching a creative agency to develop responsible fashion awareness and campaigns.

I also teach in the graduate communication design program at Pratt Institute where I’ve developed a course called “Fashion, Climate, and Communication.” This course examines the intricate relationship between the fashion industry and climate change, shedding light on the phenomena of greenwashing and strategies for impactful public education through thought-provoking campaigns.”