The Accountant-Turned-Fashion Phenomenon On Personal Style, Luxury’s Gen Z Problem, Building Real Community, And Why The Best Investment Might Be Being Yourself
By Dao Tran
What happens when an accountant with a taste for Margiela, avant-garde tailoring, and a very photogenic office bathroom decides she needs a second source of income? In the case of Kat From Finance, the answer is an unexpected fashion phenomenon.
Since launching her account in February 2025, Kat’s rise has been startlingly fast, taking her from finance to Vogue, Paris Fashion Week, and collaborations with Saint Laurent, Vivienne Westwood, and Dior – all while keeping her day job. But behind the viral fits and deadpan humor is a sharp observer of the industry, with plenty to say about Gen Z’s media and luxury habits, how you can’t buy or manufacture community, and why personal style matters more than anything.
Dao Tran caught up with Kat to talk fashion and finance, the challenges and opportunities of becoming a content creator, her obsession with secondhand and print, and how what began as a creative outlet might be turning into something much bigger. Sometimes, dreams have a fun way of coming true.
Dao: Let’s jump right into it – how did it all start?
Kat: So, actually, it started because one of my finance colleagues gave me some brilliant advice. He said: “Never have just one source of income.” He also advised me in terms of where and how I should invest my money, the type of accounts I should open. So I thought, what am I going to do, what do I like? Well, I really like avant garde white shirts so I’m just going to design them to have a creative outlet. I always wanted to be a designer when I was younger. I’ll draw some stuff, contact sample makers, and then I’ll go from there. So I started doing that, but then I thought, okay, how can I monetize this? That’s when the finance brain cuts in, I realized I need a platform because you can’t sell anything without one of those. So that’s when I started posting on Instagram, and I had that lovely bathroom, and Willem Dafoe does those amazing shoots, I just love him as an actor. They’re quite uncomfortable. They make you feel something, and get his personality across. So I just started doing that, and it kind of took off. Never actually got the opportunity to make these shirts. I’m hoping maybe one day.
Dao: Oh, should we put this out into the universe?
Kat: I really hope one day I get to make them because even if I’m the only person with one, it would be so special to have something that you’ve seen that whole creative process through and get to wear something that’s solely your own.
Dao: Ooh, what about a collaboration?
Kat: I’d love one. I’d love one of those very much.
Dao: Who would you ideally do that with?
Kat: Oh, my. It feels like too big a dream, but one day, I’d love to work with Margiela. You know, your first ever designer that you just think about all the time? My first luxury purchase was my Tabi loafers. Oh my gosh! And I wear them to death because they’re Margiela, and it elevates everything. That’s just all their pieces, with the beautiful stitching and—oh yeah, it gets me excited. You know that passion for clothes…
Dao: Oh, yes! But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Are you more TikTok or Instagram? What’s the difference?
Kat: So, I was actually very anti TikTok prior to this whole thing. I was always Instagram, so I started my Instagram account. And my boyfriend at the time said, “I think you’ll get more traction on TikTok.” I was a bit apprehensive over this because it feels a bit doomscrolly. But I then started posting on TikTok, and that’s how it kind of blew up initially, and then that transferred across to Instagram. The two kind of go hand in hand. And I’m very grateful for the pair of them working together.
Dao: Are the demographics different, or the vibe, or the kind of interaction that you have?
Kat: Yes, I’d say so. I feel like TikTok makes you far more accessible, and I think there’s a lot more anonymity from accounts on there. So you tend to get more of the trolling because people can hide more easily, whereas Instagram seems slightly more refined in some ways, I think people are less inclined to leave such negative comments because I think it’s easier to trace back to them.
Dao: People are more who they are and not anonymous.
Kat: Yes, at least that’s been my experience between the two. I also feel like you can be a bit more casual with TikTok, whereas with Instagram, it has to be slightly more polished. I think people are looking for different types of content on the two, and trying to navigate that is quite interesting. People don’t want that heavily edited content on TikTok. They want it to be silly, lighthearted. Whereas I feel like on Instagram, it needs to be a lot more curated and artistic and look a certain way.
Dao: But you don’t produce different content for them. You produce the same content and just put it out on both.
Kat: I do, because I just haven’t got enough time to try and navigate those landscapes. It’s going well, but I think with TikTok, people want to have more insight into your life. That’s sometimes what other creators use it for, but because I’m doing this alongside my finance job, I don’t quite have the time to navigate both spheres. I try and do one size fits all.
Dao: Managing how public or private you want to be.
Kat: Yeah. Which I find very difficult. I was actually thinking about it today because “Kat From Finance” is almost like a persona that I’ve adopted, and it’s separate from me in a way, but also still linked to who I am in a corporate setting. So I feel like I need to present myself in the way that I would in the workplace. That’s another thing that I kind of struggle with navigating because I don’t want to bring anyone that I ever work for into disrepute by anything that I say or do. Not that I think I’m doing anything offensive, but it’s something that I do grapple with because if there is something going on in my life that I wouldn’t share in a work environment, then maybe I shouldn’t share it on social media.
Dao: Right. So, the timeline is pretty crazy. You started in February of 2025. Come April 4, you’re in Elle Croatia.
Kat: Yes, that was when I had to tell my parents. I got an email from my dad, and he went, “Someone at church showed me this,” and then he went, “And Father John sends his love.”
Dao: Awesome.
Kat: I thought they were going to be really angry.
Dao: Why would you think they would be angry?
Kat: I thought they’d be like, “Oh my gosh, what are you doing? Why are you taking photos like this in the bathroom?” But actually, I think they’re just fascinated by the whole thing. I think I just felt really nervous about people finding it because it’s putting yourself out there. You’re a bit more vulnerable because suddenly you’ve got a stage. It’s the first time that I’ve put myself out there, and it just makes you a bit nervous, doesn’t it?
Dao: I think the reason why it resonates with so many people is because you show them how to have fun with fashion and make it theirs.
Kat: I was trying to show that you don’t have to be siloed, and that fashion isn’t just for people in fashion. It was making it more accessible by showing you can bring it into your own life, you can do finance, you can do fashion, you can do all these things. That’s kind of the purpose of it, and I think that’s where the humor feeds into it as well. You can have fun with it, you can wear all these amazing things, but it doesn’t have to be pretentious. Bring the joy back!
Dao: So, it’s kinda chic for people in fashion to complain about the lack of creativity, but I think they’re looking for it in the wrong place. There’s not a lack of fashion, there’s not a lack of amazing clothes. There’s a lack of style. You have a very signature sense of style. I think the reason why your work resonates – in this way that Alessandro Michele at Gucci opened up fashion to more people participating because they could be creative, they didn’t necessarily even have to buy Gucci, but they could put together Gucci-esque looks. I feel like what you’re doing can inspire people to develop their own sense of style. You made a post about somebody trying to imitate you, which made me think of what we could call your followers: the KopyKats. You know, like the BeyHive.
Kat: Oh, I’ve not even thought about that. Oh, my gosh, I’d love to have a collective name for it. Yeah, let’s call them the KopyKats. Or Kommuters with a K. I don’t know.
I don’t think there’s a lack of creativity. I think there’s so much overconsumption. Everyone’s looking at so much that it dilutes your thought process and you feel like you’re dragged in so many different directions. It’s like if you go to a restaurant and the menu is overwhelming, it’s too much, you don’t know what you want. I think it’s the same in fashion. There’s too much. It’s overwhelm. It’s creative overwhelm to the point where it needs to be stripped back; we need to go back to basics and understand what we like again and what we want. It’s actually far simpler, and everyone’s overcomplicating it. Just do what you like, do what you want.
Dao: Were there other growing pains with this very quick rise?
Kat: Learning to navigate it. I remember the first sorts of events that I went to. I felt like a fish out of water, it was just such a different realm. I think I approached it with such a naivety, but obviously fashion is a business and it can be quite transactional. It has been a very steep learning curve.
Dao: When did you onboard an agent?
Kat: That was really quick, that was in end of April. I knew the way it was going because I had set up a separate email account because I like having my anonymity, and when I came home after work, that inbox was full. I was getting really stressed out by all these offers, and I don’t want to get exploited. So I met with a few agents, and it felt a bit like dating. But then I met with mine, I think they’re absolutely wonderful, and I’m still with them. That’s made navigating this whole thing significantly easier. I don’t think it would be where it is today without them. Yeah, they’re brilliant. I needed that helping hand.
Dao: That makes a lot of sense. How did it feel to be featured by all these magazines? Was there a point when you were like, “I made it!” Was it Vogue? Was it Paris Fashion Week?
Kat: I don’t think I’m ever going to have that feeling. Like, all these things happened, which is so wonderful. But I don’t think I’ve properly processed them, and I don’t think I’m ever going to have that “I made it feeling,” which sounds ridiculous because being in Vogue is so crazy, and I’m so unbelievably grateful for it. But I think it’s because there’s such a harsh comeback to reality from whatever that’s happening – like, these articles can come out, but I am sat at my desk in an office. Whilst I’m doing the two, I think it has this amazing grounding effect, and I think I’m going to need that forever because it just keeps you who you are. But it was crazy. I did a Tommy Hilfiger campaign quite early on, I went over to Barcelona for it, and there was a big crew and everything. And when it came out, I was in the office, my boss was sat next to me. We went on the website and there was a video of me on the homepage, and we’re all just sat in work. That was a bit surreal. I think it’s surreal more than anything.
Dao: Tell me about the Saint Laurent video.
Kat: This was incredible. I got to wear two looks from A/W 25, which was an absolute dream. You really can’t comprehend the beauty of these pieces until you see them in person – the shape, the weight, the craftsmanship. Opening the box felt like Christmas.
I absolutely love Anthony Vaccarello. He’s such an incredible designer and truly one of the most innovative voices in fashion. I think it’s such an achievement that, after being at the helm of Saint Laurent for so long, he continues to keep the house feeling fresh, sexy and exciting, while still making it feel completely his own.
Dao: Did it open up an interest in doing more ads, or modeling?
Kat: It did. But more importantly, it suddenly opened everyone else’s eyes to the possibilities as well. I think it made them see the potential, and then it opened all these doors to get to do these things that I couldn’t have possibly imagined, work with these phenomenal brands that I’ve liked and admired for such a long time. And more than anything, it’s getting to hold these pieces in your hand that you’ve seen on runways. That’s the main thing, like, oh my gosh, just thinking about that gets me excited. Working with Saint Laurent felt like this big signal to the market, and it piqued their interest, so now I get to work with these people that you could only dream of. That was quite a significant point.
Dao: When you were in Berlin recently, you were doing something for Balenciaga?
Kat: No, it was with Balmain and Farfetch. Oh, I’d love to work with Balenciaga, that would be a dream. I’d shave my head for them if they wanted. Honestly, anything they said, I’d do. Put that on the record. That was a collaboration with Balmain, which was quite exciting. It will be interesting to see what kind of direction they’re going to take the brand in. I think there’s going to be a new lease of life breathed into Balmain, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it all goes. I hope to continue working with them in the future. That would be amazing.
Dao: With all these great fits, how do you shop? How do you build your wardrobe?
Kat: If I talk about my work wardrobe – because that’s kind of the majority of what I wear since it’s such a big part of my life – I started off buying pieces on Vinted that I probably couldn’t afford because it gave me that accessibility. For example, the Margielas, or Ann Demeulemeester. I was always buying stuff from Miista, because I do quite like a witchy shoe. Y/Project I really liked because I love Glenn Martens. I would build looks with a bit of a statement piece, something tailored, and then I’d add a weird shoe, and that seems to work. In terms of how I dress, I think I’ve become more confident. The more confident I was, the more of myself I brought to work, and then the better I was at the job.
Dao: That has to do with what you wrote on Substack about how Gen Z is changing the luxury market. Speak to that.
Kat: I feel like with Gen Z particularly, they’re not wanting to buy items new. I mean, there’s such a surplus of things, and sometimes you can get stuff with labels on on the secondary market within the first year. The set consensus is, why buy at full luxury prices? Gen Z aren’t buying new, and I wonder if, as a result of that, it’s then prompting all this discounting. Then there’s even more reluctance to buy new because you think, well, just wait six months and it’s going to be on sale. I feel like some of these luxury items have almost lost their prestige because the price point that they’re at, people aren’t going to pay, and don’t want to. It begs the question: Are you pricing these things incorrectly? Where’s this value coming from? That’s something that I’m quite interested in. Do you know what I also love about the secondary market as well? There’s a bit more of a story behind a piece. I get a bit poetic about it and wonder who’s worn it before me, and what sort of life this has lived. Also, I love telling people when I got something for an absolute steal.
Dao: Are you selling as well?
Kat: I sell some pieces. I actually worked with Vinted a little while ago, and listed some of my stuff. I’m very pro-secondary market. But the problem is I get very sentimental with some of my things, and I want to keep hold of it. A lot of stuff I actually donate to charity shops near me. I’ve got one on my doorstep, and it just makes my life a lot easier. Because even if it’s something that is sentimental to me and it could be worth something, you don’t really recoup a lot of that original value anyway. So sometimes I’d rather it goes into a charity shop and someone gets a steal and feels the way that I do when I find something.
Dao: Do you think of things that you want to keep in this kind of archival way? Because being older, I have this perspective and think of building my wardrobe like building an art collection over the years.
Kat: Yes. Oh, and yours is so curated and beautiful. I love your stuff. I’ve been lucky enough to see it. I do, actually. There’s some stuff where I know I don’t wear this day to day, but I think, oh, if I eventually had children, or my brother’s got kids. Oh my gosh, could you imagine, their excitement? My mum was not a fashion person but my auntie was. She gave me my first ever pair of vintage Gucci sunglasses, they’re quite 90s. I’ve still got them. I remember I was like, “Oh my god!” And that feeling – I want that to be passed on, that would be amazing.
Dao: For sure, I love that. How do you consume fashion information? Is it mostly through Instagram and TikTok?
Kat: It’s mostly Instagram, but I have to admit, I do love a good print magazine. Oh, there’s nothing like seeing something in print, that just speaks to my inner child. I want to have print magazines. I know Outlander recently did their first in print magazine, which was super exciting. Dazed, Numéro, Pop, everything like that, love.
Dao: I think it’s really interesting that we are seeing this return to print, especially platforms that started on Instagram are starting to do print. The move in that direction is curious, what do you think that is? We were talking about this when you were here, and I was saying that you have a different memory of an image when it’s printed, when it’s a physical thing, as opposed to scrolling, you don’t remember any of those thousands of images.
Kat: Yeah, when it’s tangible, you’ve got it in your hands, you can feel it. And I think it’s just sensory overload on social media. But do you know what’s ridiculous? I love the smell of anything in print. Just everything about it. It’s a sensory experience that you don’t have on your phone. Also, I think with phones, you’ve got all these other things, it’s a hub of stress, and you don’t retain anything. I think it’s exactly as you said, you want it in your hands.
Dao: What was the thinking behind starting the Substack?
Kat: I think it’s because it felt like I was ultimately showcasing these outfits, which was wonderful because it gave me this platform. But then again, I feel like with the role that I have and all the work that’s gone into it, I want to bring my brain and my thinking into it as well. And it felt like Substack was a nice sort of gateway for that. Now it’s kind of becoming a bit more talking head videos, which I found a bit nerve wracking at first. But again, that then helps in my actual work because it gives you that confidence to speak and give your opinion. It all is part and parcel of helping me improve.
Dao: I apologize that I’m not on Substack, so I didn’t read your entries. But I quite appreciated this piece on brands not being able to just throw money at building community.
Kat: I wanted to talk to you about that, because it actually came off the back of a conversation that we had had together in Berlin. It really resonated when we were having that conversation about Rick Owens, that it is a case of his authenticity that has shone through, that has brought people together, these like-minded people. Yet you see it all the time with other brands, particularly the larger ones, where they have these huge budgets and they’re inviting all the people they feel like they should invite, but they’re not the people that resonate with the customer or the brand – I think that’s where it’s lacking in terms of community, and I think that’s why they’re not successfully building them in the way that perhaps Rick Owens or the Row are building community. For example, with the Row, the Olsen twins literally created that brand because it’s what they wanted to wear. It’s authentic because it’s them, and that is what’s resonating with their consumer. That’s kind of my take on the whole thing and the concept of community.
Dao: Absolutely. So, do you see a kind of future with more of these kind of think pieces?
Kat: I’d love that to be the case, just because I enjoy it so much. Because it’s encouraging me to think, and I hope in turn it also encourages those that are consuming my content to think, and build a dialog. It comes back to that theme of community because you’re then having these conversations with people, which you maybe wouldn’t have prompted if it was just a photo of you in an outfit. Maybe they’d like it, but it’s not encouraging you to think more than surface level. That’s what I want: to interact with like-minded people and see what their views are, and also educate myself and them in the process. I want it to be a two-way street.
Dao: And is that more active on Substack than, for example, TikTok or Instagram?
Kat: I’m only recently building that and working up towards it. It’s kind of a goal for me. I started Substack a couple of months ago, and things just got quite busy, so I’d taken a step back. But now I’ve got this free time and am thinking of what I want to do, and what I want to do with my platform. I’m trying to start doing that again. My intention is to have the reels where I speak about a topic quite high level, and then I do a deep dive on Substack. That’s the way that I’d like it to work, like, here’s a bit of a teaser, but there you can see my full thought process and a more balanced argument, because I feel like you can’t get that across in a reel. It’s very two-dimensional and it misses out so much information, and people just don’t absorb it. I mean, our attention spans are just so lacking now, including mine.
Dao: I actually wanted to bring that up, this kind of fear or skepticism the Old Guard often has of the New Guard, yet it’s not like you’re coming for anyone’s job, you’re creating a new one, you’re creating your own job. And you’re packaging it, on the one hand, in a way that is more relevant and user friendly for the reality of our media consumption, and backing it up, on the other, with the Substack deep dive.
Kat: Yes. It’s catering to what the consumer wants, and also what I want to do because I love doing that deeper analysis. It almost feels like I’m doing myself a bit of a disservice by doing the one-minute reel because I do get comments where they go, “Well, that’s a silly opinion” or “Have you thought about this? This, this?” But if you read my Substack, you’ll see yes, I have. So it’s both for them and what sort of level of detail they want, but also for me because I’m quite detail oriented. It is like a labor of love for me, and I’m so grateful that I get to do this; if there’s just one person who reads it and has an opinion, that to me is amazing because it’s such a wonderful outlet that I’ve found.
Dao: This is going to sound like a stupid question, but did you grow up wanting to be a content creator? Like, when I was little, you know, every girl wanted to be a model, and every guy wanted to be a DJ.
Kat: My first ever memory of what I wanted to do was design, I just never pursued it. My parents raised me to pick a vocation, go to university, do that, and I did – I’m an accountant by trade. So it was never really on the cards, and it feels like such a bizarre thing for it to have happened, at the point in my life I was at. It felt like this is my pathway, this is where I’m going, and then that was such a curveball. But it’s made me so much more open to other things, and it just shows that you can really just pivot and do anything that you want if you really want to. You really can.
Dao: You’ve been on sabbatical so it’s been fun to see Kat in France, Party Kat. Also: love the “Outfits to break up with my boyfriend.” Are we in for some diversification?
Kat: I feel that kind of stress with being a content creator, like you constantly have to be churning, and I find it very difficult now to not. It’s difficult to know when to not work because you don’t have those set boundaries that you’d have in an office and in a workplace. Like now I’m on holiday, but I feel like I should be doing something, I should be creating. I just hope that this whole thing gives me all these opportunities to explore interests I had in other things like interiors, writing, fashion, travel, everything. I want it to be limitless and to be able to go on and do all these things and try all these things. That’s my main hope.
Dao: What a hopeful note to wrap up on. Good luck with everything, and looking forward to seeing all of it!
Kat: Oh, that was lovely. I really enjoyed that.