Kiana Geditz opens to the door to her home wearing cutoff jean shorts, sandals and a camo kimono–looking at once casual and put together. Breezy. Effortless. Classy. The kimono carries the outfit. It makes the statement.
“You can dress it up. You can dress it down,” Geditz says.
The Inspiration
Several years ago, Geditz was at her favorite restaurant in Las Vegas when a woman walked by wearing all black and… a kimono.
“That really pulled that outfit together for her,” Geditz says.
The longtime real estate agent, wife and mother of two resolved to create something like that for women of all shapes, ages, sizes and skin tones. A simple garment that could travel seamlessly from day to night, instantly elevating any ordinary outfit.
She enlisted a friend to help her mock up the first design and hired someone to help her design the first fabric, which features elegant cranes, cherry blossoms and the words “peace” and “love” written in Japanese.
Then, she found a manufacturer in California and settled on a name: Ziba Kimonos by Kiana Kouture. "Ziba" means beautiful in Farsi... the native language of her father, who grew up in Iran. To Geditz, the word signifies strength, confidence and beauty, a concept she learned early in life from her father and grandmother after her mother died of cancer when Geditz was five.
Fashion has always been part of her life. She has lived most of her life in Colorado. But as a child, she traveled to New York each summer to spend time with her grandmother, who took Geditz to work with her at Wallachs, a high-end men’s clothing store on 5th Avenue. The pair has remained close and Geditz jokingly asks with her grandmother, now 96, to please stay alive at least until The Broadmoor begins carrying her line of kimonos.
The Evolution
These days, Ziba Kimonos come in three different styles–the ankle-length Geisha, the mid-length Kawaii and the just-covering-the-derriere Tanoshi–and about 10 fabric patterns. The best part? They are all polyester or poly blend and machine washable.
Geditz recently moved the manufacturing from California to American Made Apparel Manufacturing in Denver.
“I want to keep it in the United States,” she says.
It’s a little costlier than farming it overseas, but it's important to her. And having the facility close to home allows her to personally visit about twice a month to oversee production and to work more closely with the manufacturer. They recently began using the fabric scraps to create matching hair scrunchies and mini scarves to wrap around hair claw clips.
Next up? Boat-neck pullover dresses/cover ups. She is hoping to have those available by early next year.
“I really have a lot of fun with this,” she says.
At the moment, her wares are available at Strata Spa at Garden of the Gods Resort and The Spa at Flying Horse as well as on her website. She also regularly does pop-ups around town. Her kimonos range from $60 to $120, depending on style and fabric.
When women feel beautiful, they look beautiful and Geditz encourages women of all walks to try a Ziba—even those casual types who typically don jeans or leggings.
“Just pair it with a kimono, then you’ll have a pop of color,” she says. “There is something in my collection that will work for you.”
Website: https://kianakouture.com/
Facebook: @kiana.geditz
Instagram: @zibakimonos
