Winning by Coming Home to Myself

By Sonia Smith Kang

I didn’t start in fashion. I was a critical care Registered Nurse who loved my patients and the purpose behind that work, but I felt a pull toward creativity that never went away. That pull grew louder when I became a mom. My children carry AfroLatina and Korean heritage, and I wanted them to see themselves in the clothes they wore every day. So I cashed out my 401k, took the leap, and started sewing pieces that felt like us.

Those first outfits were simple but full of meaning. They carried prints featuring our foods, our stories, our languages, our cultures. People stopped us everywhere to ask about the designs, and those moments opened the sweetest cultural exchanges. 

Folks wanted to share who they were, where their families came from, and what the prints reminded them of. It created a space where everyone felt seen, and that’s when I realized representation wasn’t a niche idea. It was a need.

When I pitched retailers early on, I heard the same line more than once: “There’s no market for diversity.” It shook me for a second, then it pushed me harder. Instead of shrinking, I created my own lane and went straight to community, the people who knew exactly what it felt like to search for themselves and come up empty.

As I leaned in more, the clothes began to come alive in a new way. 

I was inspired by the architecture in Korea, fresh fruits and island views from my birthplace of Puerto Rico and my childhood on O’ahu. Prints with “hello” in different languages, pan dulce patterns, and calabash inspired designs. It felt like home with each stitch. For kids like me who learned to leave their culture at the door, seeing themselves reflected in something as simple as a T shirt or dress matters. It reminds them they belong in every room they walk into. That is why representation isn’t optional. It is essential.

The more I brought my full identity into the work, the more things clicked. Mixed Up Clothing grew from a kitchen table sewing machine to being carried in Macy’s, Target, Nordstrom, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, and BuyBuy Baby. We didn’t grow because the industry suddenly opened up. We grew because culture and commerce can thrive together when the work is rooted in truth.

The real shift was internal. I stopped trying to fit in and let the parts of myself I used to hide take the lead. The fabrics, prints, and trims began to reflect my life and my family’s story. That’s when the brand became more than clothing. It became connection. Parents told me their children finally felt seen. Educators used our pieces in classrooms. Families found pieces of themselves in the details.

Mixed Up Clothing is more than a fashion brand. It sits at the intersection of culture, education, and commerce at a time when multicultural kids are no longer the margins, they are the mainstream and one of the fastest growing populations. Families are shopping with their values. They want products that feel like them, founders they want to champion, brands that see them, and stories that honor where they come from. At the same time, parents are pushing back on fast fashion by choosing small batch pieces and supporting resale programs that keep clothing in circulation longer. We offer all of that, from culturally rich storytelling to our ReMixed resale initiative that gives our garments a second life. Retailers are finally realizing that representation is not charity, it is smart business. The demand is here, the opportunity is here, and we built this company with the authenticity, intention, and quality to meet that moment. We are creating the future of kidswear, and we are just getting started.

Living my truth became my moat, something no one else can replicate. What I once saw as a vulnerability became my biggest win, and it’s what I hope to pass on to the kids I design for.

Once I stopped trying to fit in and let the parts of me I used to hide take the lead, everything shifted. I let go of blending in and my truth and authenticity became my moat, the thing no one else can replicate, and the vulnerability that grew into my biggest win. It’s also what I hope to pass on to the kids I design for.

Actionable Tip

Redefine success by centering purpose over perfection. When your why stays rooted in community and representation, every step forward, even the scrappy ones, is a win.

Connect With Sonia

@mixedupclothing

@centenoportraits

@mixedupclothing