My passion for sewing and fashion started when I was very young. My mother was sewing clothes for me and my sister. She made us matching jumpsuits and Halloween costumes. She passed away suddenly when I was 8 years old and I was given her sewing machine. I took on her roll as creative person in the family and started sewing for my sister and I, whos pants were always just a little too long.
I was also given a paper doll collectors book of Princess Dianna and all her famous outfits. I became obsessed with paper dolls and designing new clothing for them. I still think of those paper dolls often when I see some of the designs I thought I had created walking down runways today.
When I was 16 years old (1992-93) I got my first “real job” at a Costume House in Kingston. I was a general shop assistant but they taught me how to use a serger and I made accessories and simple garments for theatre productions. This further installed my love for Halloween and I became the go-to for my sister and our friend’s for costume creation at Halloween.
I spent the summer of 1994 hand sewing sequins and steam pressing wedding dresses in a basement sweatshop with two Korean ladies. Then a year or so working in a floral crafts store making head pieces, cake toppers, and bonbonnieres.
After attending a private business college in Ottawa in 1997 and I moved to Toronto in 1999 and spent the next 10ish years in office administration, tech support, word processing/desktop publishing, and web development.
I gained valuable experience in various sectors through temp and contract work. I worked with prestigious organizations such as the Toronto Stock Exchange, Canada Life, and the Law Society of Upper Canada. I also spent several years in the CIO Division at eHealth Ontario, where I contributed to the development and implementation of innovative health information systems.
I then moved to Montreal and became an industrial seamstress, where I honed my skills for a decade. I worked on various projects involving clothing, accessories, and upholstery. I also learned how to operate different types of sewing machines and equipment. I returned to Toronto and took on a managerial role that combined my technical, administrative, and sewing expertise at a backpack manufacturing company. I oversaw the production process, quality control, inventory management, product development, online sales, and customer service.