Upon Kim Erasmy's graduation from Parson's School of Design in Paris, the school presented Kim with a special award for her outstanding menswear collection. The judges included Nathalie Rykiel, from Sonia Rykiel, and Phillip Waghorn from Nina Ricci. Kim worked under Thomas Maier at Rykiel Homme and at Plein Sud in Paris. After successfully establishing herself in California as a freelance designer, she started Kim Erasmy Neckwear with her husband, Garret Murphy, in 1996.