EARLY LIFE

I was taught to sew by my maternal grandmother when I was very little. I made my first quilt (with lots of help) in first grade and it was space themed! I always loved watching her sew and she was always game to teach me. Though it was a really long time until she would let me near a rotary blade.

 

There were a few big projects that I did during high school like Belle’s blue peasant dress from Beauty and the Beast, Emily’s wedding dress from Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride - both created from thrifted materials as me and my friends were broke teens.

I notably made a broken umbrella into a skirt my senior year in high school (And yes, it is memorialized in my senior portrait.) 

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PANDEMIC

During the lockdown, I joined a group of women who were sewing masks and giving them to the community. We were doing it separately but it made me feel connected and useful. I went through much of my fabric stash and ran through most of the local options for fabric as well. My love of sewing kept me going through one of the darkest patches and I emerged on the other side with a renewed love for my Bernina and seam ripper.

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PARENTHOOD

Since 2021, thrifting has become a huge part of my life. Becoming a parent, experiencing the sticker shock of new onesies for $20 each in big stores while finding “new with tags” outfits for $2 at the thrift shop changed my brain chemistry a little bit. Or a lot. When I had to completely change my wardrobe because the transition to motherhood moved me from a 6 to a 16, I found that I didn’t need “new” clothing to suit my needs. And I know that is hugely due to the fact that this time period in my life meant there was a 99% chance that any shirt would be stained by 8 AM on any given day. (I admit, lots of thrifted items are stained and ripped and the average person doesn't know how to sew a patch or dye the material to mask a tough stain.) But I didn’t need new. I just needed “doable.” I couldn’t buy 7 nursing tops brand new when I was also needing to buy diapers. 

 

I wanted to save my money, save my sanity, save the earth for my babies to enjoy, and look cute doing it, damn it!

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2024

Right before a big move, a dear friend asked me to alter their jacket. Hawai’i is not the best place for those who with to accessorize with a cute jacket. I was given free rein and no timeline. It turned out to be the most fun I had had in years!

 

They gave me an idea and it just ran away with me. I was emerging from newborn-land for the final time and desperate to find myself again. Wouldn’t you know…Sewing snatched me back up.

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Since beginning my side hustle, I have done several commissions, designed for a Drag Show, and participated in two fashion shows. Now an original of mine is on display for Viva Botanica!

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FASHION

I have never thought of myself as a business owner. Merely, a creative. 

Being aware of how much damage is done to our ecosystem by huge industries like fast fashion have solidified my desire to minimize my impact. I’ve always loved fashion and creating but not at the expense of the environment. I also have the desire to create completely unique pieces. I don’t want a line of clothing that pushes thousands of cookie-cutter items onto the public. It’s just not my style. I want to be unique, and I want to help others show their uniqueness as well through mutual creation and commissions. This was the soil that grew my love of thrifting into a business. 

 

Sustainable practices in small steps like thrifting, repair, and buying from small businesses are ways I live my life. I figured, why not share it with others? 

 

Even if people don’t purchase or commission me, I hope that I inspire others. I want to encourage anyone to experiment with what they have.