Quickly About Me

Alterations, custom clothing, and Tipis are my side business. Currently, I work full time as a product developer, at Columbia Sportswear, working on special projects and collaborations with high-end accounts. I do alterations on the side because I enjoy the problem solving aspects, the hands on approach, prompt resolutions, and the transformation of an unused or ill fitting garment to its new life and getting the client excited about wearing it. Also, being able to stretch the creative muscle when working on custom clothing commissions and Tipis. 

It all started when…

I was around 6 years old and my Mom asked why I wouldn't play with my new Troll Doll, and I blushed with embarrassment when I admitted to her that it was because they were naked. My Mom smiled and led me to her sewing room, where I had been many times before, but this time she gave me a sewing needle, with bright pink thread, and a small bit of scrap fabric from a dress she made me that summer. Together we made a small dress that matched mine, and I beamed with joy while thinking about all the other outfits I could make them. 

My Mom’s encouragement, patience, and trust is the reason I found joy in sewing. I would have these wild ideas, in which my Mom would reply “Hmm…okay, show me what you mean”. She would let me try and fail, try and succeed, and was always around to set the zipper in.

 Fit was always an issue I dealt with growing up, nothing fit me off the rack. Shirts were always too short for my long torso and pants would fit my thighs but not my waist. I always wanted to alter my clothing or mix and match patterns from the fabric store to align with my idea of the perfect fit. Just like any teenager, I thought I was the only one dealing with this problem. But after I started making my own clothes, girls would come to me ask me to make them a dress because they couldn’t find anything they liked that fit them. 

It was in High School when I realized that fashion and apparel was an attainable career. My Uncle, who was working in the industry, introduced me to colleagues and took me to fashion shows and events. Eyes wide with ambition, I knew what I wanted to do. 

Upon completing my Bachelor of Science degree from the Art Institute of Portland, I was on my way to Italy to work with a designer while prepping for their Milan runway show. Working in their design house was another key moment in my realization that this industry was where I was supposed to be

My next adventure took me to Los Angeles, where I resumed my work in couture. Patternmaking being my strong suit in school, I continued my education working alongside a 4th generation Italian patternmaker. He taught me industry knowledge that couldn’t be explained in the classroom, mastering the rules and knowing when to break them. 

From my own shopping experience, I know that finding that perfect fit off the rack is a challenge. So, with my 15+ years of experience, creative problem solving, industry knowledge, I aim to make your clothes fit to you.