Katheryn Basso is a Marine and the founder of KADRI Clothing. We discuss her journey into sports medicine, joining the Marines, the female tactical athlete, the injury risks from ill fitting military equipment, international cyber threats, the obesity epidemic, entrepreneurialship, the genesis of KADRI and so much more.
KADRI Clothing:
We are for that go-getter; that pathfinder; that woman who looks at the uphill battle outdoors or in the workplace and says, “bring it.” We are for that hard worker; that innovator; that woman who shatters glass ceilings. We are for those 34% of EMTs, 21% of paramedics, 15% of police officers, 4% of firefighters, and 15% of active-duty service members who chose an extraordinary occupation. We are for these women because we are these women.
This is us…
We were tired. Tired of searching online and through outdoor retailer stores to find functional clothes we could wear in the field. And I say functional with a heavy, slow tap of the keyboard. Functional because we wanted pants that were moisture-wicking, quick-drying, breathable, abrasion-resistant…with pockets. You know, like the guys had. And that’s where most of us ended up—in the men’s section, trying on and buying functional pants that did not fit right; tailoring them to cinch in the waist and get rid of the excess crotch fabric (because, ya know, we had to buy them large enough to fit our hips). And so we’d show up to work in a now-expensive tailored pair of pants that we still didn’t like. Why? Because we needed a little something extra—we needed a little stretch for comfort; for those weight fluctuations every month; for those things-guys-don’t-have-to worry-about-so-designers-don’t-care-about issues. So we designed our own.
And here we are. Dedicated to proper fit, practical function and durable design, we are ecstatic about sharing our line with you.
Our first item, the Valkyrie Field Pant, launched Nov 2019. This nylon/spandex-blend pant has 11 functional pockets and utilizes our revolutionary WHVR Matrix sizing system. Best of all, it’s made in the United States!
Please take our survey on fit and function to help us design more items in our line! Remember, this is a line for women, by women; we want to hear about your issues and needs.
KADRI Clothing Website: Click Here
Interview Transcript: Click Here