Inside Colour Queen Katie Kortman’s Technicolour World of Wearable Art
- Words by Peppermint
Drawing on her background in fine art and painting, colour queen, textile and (now) fashion designer Katie Kortman uses bold brushstrokes and joyous, chaotic hues to bring wearable art into daily life.
photos KATHRYN BAGLEY
Tell us a bit about you, your inspirations and your creative design process…
I’m a freelance textile designer as well as a fashion designer with my own clothing line. I used all my prints in this line to create fun clothing with lots of punch and whimsy. When it comes to fashion, I design with myself in mind. I want to look like a walking piece of art yet be comfy enough to live my everyday life in them. My prints are an extension of my fine art background. I studied painting in college and my work is very colourful and abstract. I’m inspired by colour, texture and shape: all the elements of art! I usually just start painting and each brushstroke informs the next. It’s very organic and rarely thought out beforehand.
Why is colour so important to you?
Colour brings me joy and I want to bring that to others. I spent years having to search high and low for clothing that felt joyous and colourful enough for me. In the end, I had to learn how to make my own instead!
Colour brings me joy and I want to bring that to others.
Why do you think your Insta movement encouraging people to wear more colour resonated so much?
Adults have largely become scared of colour and how to use it. #WearHappyColour gives them tools and info that helps, but also permission to try out wearing colours again and in new ways. Every year I get myriad messages from people telling me how it made them feel joyous and how others noticed and gave them so many compliments. It’s really exciting to see how wearing colour positively affects people.
Maker or fashion designer – what came first?
Maker for sure. I was an artist who wanted to wear art and who loved working with her hands – I hate it if I don’t have a project to work on! After sewing for myself for a few years, I got to go on Project Runway, which led to me becoming an actual fashion designer. It was a dream I’d had since my undergrad and I never thought it would be possible given that I didn’t go to fashion school.
What inspired Katie Kortman Clothing?
After going on Project Runway I realised that even if I didn’t win, I loved doing it so much. Before that show, I didn’t know how to design clothing, only how to sew with patterns. It was the impetus for me to learn that skill – I had to get textbooks! And then it lit a fire under my bum to actually do something with it. It was definitely the natural next step… I had been sewing clothes for myself for so long, but my closet is really full! It was better for me to start sewing for others. Plus, people had been begging for this for years!
I design with myself in mind. I want to look like a walking piece of art yet be comfy enough to live my everyday life in them.
Tell us a bit about the fabrics in the range…
I love using Spoonflower’s sport Lycra for my headbands and the organic cotton sateen for custom dresses, shirts and in linings and ruffles on different pieces I create. I plan to make some custom quilted jackets and will be using the linen cotton canvas for that. Another of my favourite substrates is their Dogwood Denim. I haven’t produced pants yet, but when I do I want their denim! It’s the best!
Why is print-on-demand fabric so popular?
Because it’s accessible. Before places like Spoonflower existed, you would’ve had to buy hundreds of yards from a fabric manufacturer to have your own fabric printed. And how would you even go about finding those places anyway? This is an easy way to make something custom. I know people who’ve made prints of old photos or family heirlooms. And then if you’re underwhelmed by the fabric options in the stores, you can search and find a print just like what you’re looking for – and even pick the substrate you want. Get it in swimsuit fabric and denim! I’ve done that!
What’s your favourite part about working with Spoonflower?
I love the quality of the fabrics but also the people who work there – they’re wonderful. I’ve toured the facilities and taught a class back when I was their first brand ambassador. I was incredibly impressed with their ethical practices but also the fun-loving work environment. It’s evident in everything they do.
Where to next?
I hope to have my own runway show in the future and to expand my brand in all sorts of ways! The sky’s the limit – but it will take a little time, as I do have four kids and I don’t want to miss their childhoods!
Read more – Clever Cookie: Want to Get the Alice Nightingale Look?
THIS SERIES WAS CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR FRIENDS AT SPOONFLOWER. POP OVER TO SPOONFLOWER.COM FOR MORE FABRIC FUN.
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“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.”
Crafters have often been at the heart of many protest movements, often serving as a powerful means of political expression. @NeedleAndSkein, a yarn store in Minnesota, are helping to mobilise the craftivists of the world with a ‘Melt The Ice’ knitting pattern created by @Yarn_Cult (with a crochet pattern too), as a way of peaceful protest.
The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations – or you can donate without buying the pattern.
Raise those needles, folks – art and craft can change the world. 🧶
Link in bio for the pattern.
Images: @Gather_Fiber @NeedleAndSkein @a2ina2 @KyraGiggles Sandi.204 @WhatTracyMakes AllieKnitsAway Auntabwi2
#MeltTheIce #Craftivism #Knitting #CraftForChange
TWO WEEKS TO GO! 🤩
"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation – choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customer’s conscience. Consumers don’t need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."
Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle – Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite – and mindful – products, and see firsthand why this is Australia’s go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! ✨️
Life Instyle – Sydney/Eora Country
14-17 February 2026
ICC, Darling Harbour
Photos: @Samsette
#LifeInstyle #SustainableShopping #SustainableShop #RetailTradeEvent
Calling all sewists! 📞
Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making!
This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pockets 🙌🏼
If you need a nudge, @ePrintOnline are offering Peppermint sewists a huge 🌟 30% off ALL A0 printing 🌟 when you purchase the Special Release Waratah Wrap Dress pattern – how generous is that?!
Head to the link in bio now 📞
*Not a real number in case that wasn`t clear 😂
#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. It’s time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
✊🏽 Blog written by Yorta Yorta woman Taneshia Atkinson.
🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
#ChangeTheDate #InvasionDay #SurvivalDay #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ClothingTheGaps
As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
If your fingers are twitching for some crafting, take a peep at this massive list of marvellous makes that can be whipped up in a flash, put together by our Sewing Manager Laura. Ok yes, it was originally a roundup we created for easy Christmas gifts, but now it can be your blueprint for easy craft wins to go on your 2026 making must-do list!
If money and time are slim for you right now – as they are for many of us – these 22 projects will help you avoid the chaos and consumerism of the malls, scratch that creative itch and produce a fun me-made make that won’t break the bank.
Link in bio! 🪡🎨✂️
#PeppermintMagazine #MeMadeGifts #DIYs #EasyWins
