Kaylan Rexer
v by Clémence Polès Kaylan Rexer’s professional path started in a New York editing house, where she worked on visual design for Roger Water’s “The Wall” tour. But in 2006, […]
Kaylan Rexer’s professional path started in a New York editing house, where she worked on visual design for Roger Water’s “The Wall” tour. But in 2006, when her uncle John was about to launch a new mezcal brand, Ilegal Mezcal, she made a quick career change. She joined the team and moved to a “beat-up old NYC loft, with no stove or fridge,” Rexer recalls. But the modest dwelling quickly became more than that. “It became home, office, and a creative haven for the brand.” Now, ten years later, Rexer works as the Chief Marketing Officer at Ilegal Mezcal and is proud of both the success of the brand and the work it’s done for the community. “Knowing I helped create a brand that is not afraid to make a statement is an incredible feeling,” Rexer tells GO. “Ilegal is an activist brand that takes to the streets and walls to support freedom, human dignity, uninhibited creativity, and a habitable planet.” Since launching, the brand has won numerous awards, including a Gold Honor Shorty Award in Brand Identity, and is recognized as the number one mezcal brand by recognition in the world. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Rexer is conscious of her privilege in being able to be out, which is another driving force behind her activism. “I have always felt safe to be myself, and I know that is not the case for everyone,” she says. “So, I feel a responsibility to be very open about who I am and who I love, as well as work with educators and organizations fighting to make the world a better place for the entire LGBTQIA+ community.” —IL
