Willie Otey Kay

Willie Virginia Otey Kay (March 17, 1894 – September 25, 1992) was an African-American dressmaker. She was known for making wedding dresses and debutante gowns for almost sixty years, becoming one of the most sought-after designers for women's formalwear in North Carolina. Kay began her dressmaking business during the Jim Crow Era, catering to both black and white clientele. She dressed young women being presented to society at the all-white North Carolina Debutante Ball and the all-black Alpha Kappa Alpha Debutante Ball, often attending the balls as a guest. In 1935, McCall's did a story on Kay and her work. In 1951, one of Kay's debutante gowns was featured on the cover of Life. Her work was also featured in The News & Observer and, in 2016, the North Carolina Museum of History presented an exhibit on her life. Kay was the mother of civil rights activist June Kay Campbell and the grandmother of politicians Ralph Campbell Jr. and Bill Campbell.

In 2016, the North Carolina Museum of History opened an exhibit on Kay titled Made Especially for You by Willie Kay. Her work has also been exhibited at St. Augustine's University and the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center.

Early life Kay was born Willie Virginia Otey on March 17, 1894, in Raleigh, North Carolina to Henry Gaston Otey and Josephine Alston Otey. She was the eldest of eight children and grew up in the family home on Cabarrus Street, near downtown Raleigh's African-American Business District. Her father was a prominent African-American businessman who owned an upscale barbershop inside the Yarborough House Hotel on Fayetteville Street.

Kay was first taught how to sew by her grandmother and mother, who were both seamstresses. She majored in home economics at Shaw University, graduating in 1912. While a student at Shaw, Kay won first prize in the school's dressmaking competition. She set up shop as a seamstress at her family's house, so that she could work and watch after her children. She was helped by her sisters, Mildred Otey Taylor, Chloe Otey Jervay Laws, Josephine Otey Hayes, and Elizabeth Otey, who all became successful dressmakers. She was known for dressing debutantes who were to be presented at either the all-black Alpha Kappa Alpha Debutante Ball or the all-white North Carolina Debutante Ball and received tickets to attend both events. Kay was known to later convert debutante dresses into wedding dresses for clients. Kay made christening gowns, debutante dresses, party dresses, women's evening wear, wedding dresses, clerical vestments, and bridesmaid dresses.

Kay, like the other women in her family, did not use commercial patterns.

In 1935, McCall's did a story on Kay and her work. The exhibit included a dress worn by Doris Doscher to her son's wedding at First Baptist Church in Raleigh; a wedding gown and veil for Carolyn Dorcas Maynor; a wedding dress worn by Carolyn Cheek Palmer and later by Cathryn Cheek Zevenhuizen, an evening gown for the debutante Louise Wooten; an evening gown and overbodice worn by Kay's daughter, June, at the debut of June's daughter, Mildred Campbell; and her grandson Ralph's christening enesemble. The exhibit ran from January to September. More of Kay's designs are on display at St. Augustine's University in Raleigh and the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center in Ohio. A stained glass window at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church is dedicated to Kay.