Kimberly Osborne '98 & Christen Gedeon-Loeser '98
Ursuline was the start of both a great friendship and a creative business venture for grads Kimberly Osborne '98 and Cristen Gedeon-Loeser '98.
Osborne began modeling with the Ford Modeling Agency at age nineteen. With a portfolio that included photos in national magazines such as Bride, Modern Bride and Teen, she found it difficult to juggle both her career and college until she transferred to Ursuline's fashion merchandising program. There she found the help she needed to focus and succeed.
"The teachers and nuns were so kind and caring, flexible and inspiring," said Osborne. "For a person like me who is as mentally 'hard of hearing', I was finally able to really listen, concentrate and understand what was being taught. The soft approach really worked for me. My teachers were great about working around my modeling schedule and I knew their concern for my success was sincere."
Gedeon-Loeser also transferred from another college to Ursuline to study art and education after feeling lost at a larger university. In her first class titled, Ursuline Studies, she found herself right at home. "It was a world of difference. I loved the small classes and every single one of my teachers. It was so personalized," she said. "Coming out of Ursuline, I was a whole new person. My father said it was the best money he ever spent, because I was so happy."
Another student introduced the two girls, and they soon became friends. They remained close, even after their graduation. Gedeon-Loeser taught art, while Osborne continued modeling in Los Angeles and other cities and appearing in the HBO film "Proximity," with actor Rob Lowe. She also was featured in television commercials for Coca-Cola and Budweiser.
Now the friends, both 30, live near each other in Highland Heights and have started another venture, their own Kimberly-Cristen design label. It began when Osborne asked her current business partner if she would teach her how to sew a pillow. "It was so random. I had bought some fabric, and we just started brainstorming," Gedeon-Loeser said. Along with the pillow, they made bags, belts and other items, many from tapestry fabric. "We made so many things for ourselves that we wore that people would stop us and ask where we found them. The business just spring boarded from there."
Using design and color combination skills gained at Ursuline, they created a variety of items to display at a small art show, to see what took off. Kimberly-Cristen belts and bags are now available in the Cleveland area boutiques including Aurora and Shaker Heights as well as in Chicago. "We make the belts. Cristen puts the parts together, and I sew everything. The handbags that coordinate with the belts are manufactured for us," Osborne said.
The friends plan to take their craft to a major trade show in Boston to help them expand into additional boutiques in the east and midwest. The entrepreneurs also keep in contact with Dr. Constance Korosec, Ursuline's Fashion Department Chair, who continually helps them with business contacts.
