I was born into a family of expensively dressed women who travelled. My grandmother loved the iconic ludicrously expensive Leonard knit dresses and tops. My Immaculately dressed mother followed in her footsteps, travelling 12 weeks a year with a wardrobe of expensive knit garments perfect for travel.
When I set out in life I could not afford any of these luxuries that I aspired to. South Africa had fallen on hard times. Earning money was paramount, therefore I accepted the best paying job I could, which was as an accountant.
Clothing was my passion, I longed for the designer clothes I saw in the Malls. What was I to do? After my working day, I went to night school to learn to sew and design.
I started to make all my own clothes. I trawled the anti-waste store and expensive fabric store sales in order to source what I desired. Only in later years did I discover so many of my family from generations before were also in the clothing business.
My passion for beautiful fabric developed at a young age when I went to the theatre and saw the velvety stage drapes. At 6 years old I was visualising them as a dress. I spent hours dressing my Barbie dolls and outfitting them out the best I could. Since I could do maths, to my dismay my parents did not want me to study “Domestic Science” at school. When I bought my first sewing machine my mother told me I was buying “a cross to bear.”
I did not have the perfect figure of my mother, so I learnt to custom the styles I fell in love with to my more difficult body.
I love all fabrics but I did discover knit fabrics are most versatile from a body shape point of view; weight gain, and weight loss, furthermore they are ideal for their ease of packing and care. (No Ironing!)
Good Quality Knit fabrics were and still are very hard to source in South Africa. I do have an Agent who brings in very small quantities of a style and I always travel with an empty suitcase in search of fabulous fabric. This keeps my line exclusive and ever-changing.
I am passionate about creating, designing and sourcing fabric. Since this is my hobby and not my job, I try to keep prices as affordable as possible. They are individually crafted and not mass-produced.
