Kilee Hughes, wearing Tory Sport’s Color-Block Track Pant, photographed in New York
Hughes in Tory Sport’s Long Sweater, photographed in New York
Growing up in California, sports have always been important to Kilee Hughes, from playing basketball with the family to volleyball at USC. Hughes was even on track to become a professional athlete before she moved to New York, switched career gears and entered public relations, racking up one impressive stint after another: at Net-A-Porter, Nike, Luxottica, Saks Fifth Avenue and L’Oréal. Now, she heads up her own brand-strategy agency, Six One, which focuses on individually tailored programs for beauty, lifestyle and fashion companies — the name takes after her height — and has even spun off her flower-arranging hobby into its own separate business, Mariama Florals. And Hughes still maintains a fitness-filled life. We talk to the busy entrepreneur here.
Playing pick-up basketball games with my siblings and club volleyball with friends.
And my favorite exercise routines now…
Bike/spinning and hiking.
And why I love the above…
I love the outdoors and hiking really sets my mind free.
Favorite place to do it…
Outdoors on the trail in my neighborhood of Silver Lake or Griffith Park.
Favorite time of day to work out…
Morning, if I can get up. Evenings, if I have time on my hands
My workout playlist includes…
Wale, Common, Rihanna, Miguel, Drake.
My motivation mantra…
Invest in people who invest in you.
Favorite healthy snacks/drinks…
Smartwater, avocado on toast with a dash of sea salt, bananas, kettle corn (not really healthy, but tasty!).
I define wellness as…
How I relate to myself and others. Having supportive relationships and a sense of belonging in the world.
My family affinity for sports…
My brothers Solomon and Gabriel Hughes both played at University of California, Berkeley. One later went on to play for the Harlem Globetrotters while another saw success playing oversees and the Laker’s D-League team, which is owned by the Los Angeles Lakers. My sister played basketball at UCLA and I played volleyball at the University of Southern California. My parents clearly had a plan and it worked!