How Crescendo Apparel Was Founded?

Crescendo Apparel was a new fashion label for women who struggle to find stylish clothes that fit off the rack. The brand, which launched in August 2009, offers pants, skirts, dresses, tops, jackets and wraps designed specifically to fit and flatter women with small waists and full hips.

Typically, women with those proportions buy pants and skirts a size or two too large—to fit their hips—because there’s no better option. Then, they spend extra to take in the cavernous gap at the waist.

For many pear- and hourglass-shaped women, the dressing room can feel more like a war room. Only crying happens in this one. As one Crescendo client puts it: “After a lifetime of trying on clothes that don’t fit, you start to look in the dressing-room mirror and conclude:  ‘Whoever shaped me, shaped me wrong.’ ”

Other women look in that mirror and decide that they’re just not made for high fashion. The reality, of course, is that high fashion isn’t made for most women. In 2009, Crescendo was founded to change that.

Crescendo’s Founder and President Kathryn McKechnie understood her consumers’ dressing-room challenges so well because they were her own challenges, too. The fashion enthusiast spent most of her adult life loving clothes that didn’t exactly love her—or her curvy figure—back.  So as a student of fashion merchandising, McKechnie decided to investigate.

She found that a mere 4 percent of American women have the narrow hips necessary for the straight, unforgiving cuts of most upscale design houses. Meanwhile, more than 64 percent of American women have waists at least 10 inches smaller than their hips, according to a 2003 survey by SizeUSA.

McKechnie always knew she had been left out of high fashion because of her figure. Now, she understood that the fashion industry was leaving out the clear majority of American women, too.  

McKechnie founded Crescendo Apparel in 2009 so that women could look in the mirror and, finally, see the truth: That whoever shaped them, shaped them beautiful.

Transitioning To Crescendo Experiences

In 2024, we embraced the evolving digital landscape and our community’s desire for deeper, more personal connections with the products they love. Crescendo has transformed from a pioneering fashion label into Crescendo Experiences, a blog dedicated to personal product experiences. Carrying forward the spirit of inclusivity and personal empowerment, Crescendo Experiences is a platform where we share not just products but the stories, the authenticity, and the real-life applications that make them matter.

What We Do Now

Crescendo Experiences is about more than just fashion; it’s about the entirety of your lifestyle. From beauty products that celebrate your natural beauty to home goods that reflect your personal style, we bring you insights, reviews, and stories that resonate with your life. Every product we feature is chosen for its potential to enhance your day-to-day experiences, reflecting our ongoing commitment to see you, hear you, and celebrate you.

Our Promise: To You, For You

As we continue to evolve, our core remains unchanged: to uplift and empower. We’re here to remind you that beauty and functionality go hand in hand, and they’re as diverse as we are. Crescendo Experiences promises to be your trusted guide, bringing you closer to products that aren’t just good but are right for you.

Join Our Journey

We invite you to explore, engage, and be inspired. Crescendo Experiences is more than a destination—it’s a community. A place where your voice is heard, your style is celebrated, and your experiences are shared. Together, we’re not just shaping trends; we’re shaping a lifestyle that embraces every curve, every line, and every aspect of who you are.

Welcome to Crescendo Experiences—where every product tells a story, and every story is yours.

Our Address: 311 West Superior, Suite 209 Chicago, IL 60654 | 888.215.0270

Author Profile

Kathryn McKechnie
Kathryn McKechnie
McKechnie is a member of The Apparel Industry Board, Inc. (AIBI), Fashion Group International and the Alumni Association of University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. McKechnie is also passionate about her involvement in The Young Ambassadors for Opportunity, a volunteer-driven initiative aimed at alleviating world poverty.

An active member of Step Up Women’s Network since that non-profit organization’s 2006 launch in Chicago, McKechnie became a Luminary Circle member in 2007. Since then, she’s chaired Step Up’s Teen Programs Empowerment Committee. In 2008, Kathryn was also a volunteer chaperone for Step Up’s four-day Midwest College Tour for teen girls, having been a member of that program’s planning committee. Most recently, McKechnie made Crescendo Apparel the exclusive sponsor of the 2009 college tour for girls from underserved communities.

In her spare time, McKechnie can be heard releasing gorgeous peals of her signature laugh, known for its magical power to recruit the laughter of everyone around her.
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