When Hannah Hale Redfern became a mother, everything changed. After years working in finance and fashion, the westside resident suddenly found herself navigating a new reality: baby appointments, coffee meetings, errands and endless to-do lists, all while trying to maintain a sense of personal style. "I still wanted to feel like myself," she recalls. "I wanted clothes that looked polished but were practical enough for real life."
As she talked with friends, colleagues and fellow mothers, Hannah realized she wasn't alone. Women everywhere were juggling careers, families, travel and countless responsibilities while searching for clothing that could keep up. Luxury knitwear existed—but it often required special care. Comfortable clothing was easy to find—but it rarely felt elevated. "There was something missing from our closets," she says.
That realization became Kilte. Officially launched in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, the female-founded knitwear brand has become known for its signature machine-washable cashmere and cotton-cashmere collections, thoughtfully designed for women who do it all. Built without outside investment, the company has grown from a handful of samples into a nationally recognized direct-to-consumer brand with a devoted online following. Yet Kilte remains deeply rooted on the westside: Hannah lives just minutes from her shop in the Santa Monica Flats with her husband, Luke, their daughter Rowan and two younger sons, and much of the community that first embraced the brand came from the interconnected neighborhoods of Brentwood, Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades.
Raised between Portland and a small farming community in Eastern Oregon, Redfern grew up watching two entrepreneurial parents build successful businesses from the ground up. While fashion had always been a passion, she initially pursued finance, moving to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California and then beginning her career in investment banking before moving into private equity. At Stanford Business School—which she attended alongside her now husband, Luke—she found herself drawn back toward apparel, spending one summer working on a knitwear startup before ultimately deciding she wanted to create something of her own. "I've always known I wanted to do something entrepreneurial," she says. "I just didn't know exactly what that looked like."
Returning to LA after graduation, she joined Lucky Brand as Director of Strategy, gaining broad exposure to the inner workings of the fashion industry alongside executives across merchandising, production, sourcing and planning. Looking back, she credits that experience with preparing her for entrepreneurship. "I wasn't necessarily the expert in one area," she says. "But I had exposure to every part of the business."
Motherhood transformed that entrepreneurial ambition into a business idea. Like so many new moms, Redfern found herself living in leggings while searching for something that felt both luxurious and practical. Before there was a website or social media following, she developed a handful of knitwear prototypes and invited friends into her home for a trunk show, asking every guest to try on the pieces and complete detailed surveys about fit, styling and fabric. "I wanted proof of concept," she says. "I wanted to know that women actually wanted this." They did.
Kilte officially launched online in October 2020. Without outside funding or a large marketing budget, Redfern relied almost entirely on word-of-mouth, personally reaching out to friends, customers and anyone willing to support the fledgling business and asking them simply to wear the pieces and share them on social media. Early organic support from influencers including Julia Berolzheimer, Mary Orton and Arielle Charnas helped introduce the brand to an even wider audience, while later collaborations with Berolzheimer and Orton became defining milestones in Kilte's growth. Trunk shows and pop-ups soon followed in cities such as New York, Dallas, Palm Beach and Charleston, building an even stronger sense of community around the brand. "I've been incredibly fortunate," Hannah says. "The women around me have been so supportive from the very beginning. They believed in the brand before it was really a brand."
As demand grew, so did the collections. Determined to create knitwear that fit the pace of modern life, Hannah spent months working alongside Italian mills to develop what would become one of Kilte's defining innovations: machine-washable 100 percent cashmere. Many told her it couldn't be done, but she found partners willing to experiment, combining specialized yarn construction and finishing techniques to create cashmere that could be cared for at home without sacrificing quality. The breakthrough came with the Liz Set, which quickly became one of the brand's signature offerings. Today, along with the Elizabeth, Taylor and Clara sets, it's a favorite among women looking for elevated everyday dressing that transitions effortlessly from day to dinner or travel. Every Kilte detail is intentional—from mother-of-pearl buttons and zippers to intricate pointelle stitching and premium Italian yarns.
Even the names carry meaning. Every style is named after a woman who helped Hannah along the way—friends, mentors, employees and supporters who believed in Kilte from the beginning. "It takes a village to build a business," she says. "It's my way of saying thank you." That philosophy extends beyond the clothing itself. Hannah intentionally built Kilte around flexibility, with much of her team made up of women—many of them mothers—working in well-balanced or fractional roles that allow them to build meaningful careers while raising families. "It was important to create the kind of workplace I wished existed when I became a mom," she says.
Earlier this year, Kilte reached another milestone with the opening of its first flagship boutique on Montana Avenue. Created by Los Angeles interior designer Georgia Howe—who also decorated Hannah’s own home—the warm and inviting space reflects the ease and comfort of the brand with vintage furnishings, thoughtfully curated books, colorful textiles and a commissioned painting by artist Isabella Innis, who once taught Hannah's daughter. More than a retail destination, the boutique has quickly become a gathering place for the community, hosting conversations with Mother Untitled founder and author Neha Ruch, charitable fundraisers benefiting Children's Hospital Los Angeles, collaborations with fellow female founders and neighborhood events. "It's much more than a store," Hannah says. "It's a place where people can connect."
Looking ahead, Hannah sees continued growth while staying true to the values that shaped Kilte from the beginning. Conversations are already underway for a second boutique in one of the brand's strongest markets, while new collections continue to introduce fresh silhouettes and the thoughtful details synonymous with the brand. Yet even as Kilte expands nationally, its mission remains simple: not just creating beautiful sweaters or matching sets, but clothing that helps women feel confident as they navigate careers, motherhood, friendships and everything in between. "I wanted to build something that worked as hard as the women wearing it," Hannah says. "Because if there's anyone who deserves that, it's them."
Kilte
1306 Montana Ave., Santa Monica
310-310-8798
kiltecollection.com
“I wanted clothes that looked polished but were practical enough for real life."
"The women around me have been so supportive from the very beginning. They believed in the brand before it was really a brand."