Alumni

California Apparel News Spotlights FIDM Alumni Denim Brand AMO

Fashion Design Graduates and AMO Denim founders Kelly Urban and Misty Zollars first met while working together as designers in the industry. The longtime friends and self-proclaimed “denim soulmates” founded AMO in 2014 to fill a void in the market for decidedly modern vintage-inspired jeans. The duo have plenty of experience under their fashionable belts: Kelly was most recently the Women’s Design Director at Current/Elliott and Misty was previously the Senior Design Manager at True Religion Jeans. Their made-in-Los Angeles label AMO, named after the Latin root word for love, was recently profiled in California Apparel News. 

By creating denim from a woman’s point of view and focusing on sustainable practices, AMO has succeeded online and in boutiques such as American Rag, Ron Herman, The Alcove, Lake Boutique, and MARKET. Their product is made from fabrics comprising natural fibers in linen, Modal, and cotton, according to the publication. The company sources from suppliers that provide organic materials or are Better Cotton Initiative certified, and in 2020, AMO introduced packaging based on fully compostable shipping bags. Kelly and Misty are also dedicated to producing locally. 

“Every single piece of clothing we have ever made has been designed and produced here in Los Angeles,” Kelly told California Apparel News. “I believe in keeping made-in-L.A. alive and hope to see more brands keeping their businesses close to home and working with our local vendors.” She added that Los Angeles has always been the top denim-manufacturing destination and noticed an industry shift of consumers preferring to purchase locally manufactured denim. AMO also gives back to organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council, Planned Parenthood, and the Spay Neuter Project of Los Angeles.

Their Spring 2021 collection features dye processes in hues that promote “new beginnings and hope,” according to Kelly. By applying colors in citron, sherbet, lilac, and sea glass, she said she wanted to relay the optimism she felt as she pulled together the line and art direction for the campaign while eight months pregnant with her second child, according to the publication. “I wanted to convey a light and happy feeling, a reawakening of sorts,” Kelly said. “Spring 2021 is really about a love for today and being optimistic about what’s next.”

Learn more at amodenim.com and on Instagram @amodenim.

Categories:  Fashion Design Alumni