If you have been reading this blog for a while I’m sure you are familiar with Emily Kornya, a Canadian born fashion freelance photographer residing in Europe and working with designers in children’s fashion, toys and accessories in Europe, Toronto and New York. She is known for the natural and playful style of her shoots. She finds working with children an absolute joy and advocating for children’s mental health is a passion of hers. State of Kind was inspired by Emily’s passions, her life story and her intrinsic sense of purpose.
When brainstorming names for her online store, the question arose, what will be the values upheld by this store? At the core, Emily wants to promote and develop a community (“state”) with a “state of mind” of positivity and “kind”ness. To honour her place of residence, the fashion sector in which she works and the age group in which she want to focus on promoting mental wellness, the German word “kind” was appropriate, as it means “child”.
State of Kind
is not your ordinary online shop, along with offering high quality children’s positive fashion clothing, it offers a platform & community to inspire kindness and raise awareness for children’s mental wellness. All brands represented by State of Kind are brands of integrity who produce high quality clothing. Each item represents messages of kindness and mental wellbeing.
Photography used on the site highlights children being their authentic selves, in moments of joy. With each item sold, a percentage of the sale will be donated to a mental health charity. Emily hopes that children wearing these positive fashion items will ignite conversations around mental wellness in children and contribute to breaking down the stigma that surrounds mental health.
More about Emily’s story.
Emily first picked up a camera when she was 16 years old while taking a photography course in Europe. After the course, she was hooked on photography! She had always been interested in fashion and design, as well as working and volunteering with kids. Fast forward three years, she entered the fashion world as a photographer in 2013, at 19 years old, shooting at Petite Parade in NYC under the name of my first photography business, Controlled Chaos. Since then, Emily Kornya Photography emerged and has grown to shoot for well known and reputable brand designers like Flik Flak (the kids line by Swatch Watch), Bisgaard, Baghera, Telyoh, Senger, the runways at Pitti Bimbo, Playtime Paris as the Official Photographer and more.
As a children’s photographer, Emily is known for her ability to create and design shoots where the children have fun, are able to build confidence in being themselves and experience positive interactions with herself and new friends made during the shoot. The beauty in her imagines is a result of these natural moments that happen when children play, use their imaginations and are encouraged to be their authentic selves in their interactions.
Currently, Emily is involved with the non-profit, “YourMomCares”, which funds and supports children’s mental health initiatives. Your Mom Cares is co-founded by Sharon Feldstein (Mom of actors Jonah Hill & Beanie Feldstein), Patsy Noah (Mom of Maroon 5’s Adam Levine) and Terria Joseph (Mom of Alicia Keys). Working with YMC is personal for her as, at the age of 14, she was diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In Emily’s case, she was fortunate to have very supportive parents who were dedicated to her recovery and wellness. Under the guidance of a therapist, she worked hard to learn and implement tools like Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to manage her anxiety and OCD. These tools have empowered Emily to be able to lead a successful, productive international lifestyle. Not every child is so lucky. Inadequate access to mental health care and the stigma attached to mental health is a devastating barrier to achieving mental wellness for many children. Emily hopes that the beautiful items, hand selected from the heart by her, for State of Kind, can have the impact of extinguishing the stigma, promoting kindness and supporting mental wellness in all children.
Join Emily Kornya’s Zoom virtual launch party for her new virtual Pop Up Shop. Take a first look at the products, hear Sharon Feldstein (CEO & Co Founder of Your Mom Cares – the kids mental health nonprofit State of Kind will donate too) speak & listen to a kids health care professional!
If interested in joining, please email Emily or send her a private message on her Facebook or Instagram Page.
Maybe you’ll find some great Christmas gifts at State of Kind and both give a beautiful gift & give back.
www.stateofkindbyemilykornya.com
