My mother had taught my three sisters and me everything about making a garment from creating patterns to sewing and knitting. I am from a family of nine children, so we made most of the clothing for the family growing up. My mom was known as a “petite hand” in the 1960s fashion industry in Paris at the time of Coco Chanel’s rise to fame.   

I was introduced to a businessman who had a group of lingerie stores in Paris. This led to my first contract making a women’s lingerie collection. I can’t say it was a huge success, but it opened my eyes to new opportunities in the world of fashion.

From Paris, it was on to Montreal as I always wanted to explore other countries, so I decided to go to Canada where I initially worked as a backup singer one summer. I lived there for over twenty years.

At first, I would also again do odd jobs to make enough to survive. I even cleaned fish in the fish market as one of my odd jobs. Out of all the odd jobs I did, I found a passion for fashion and began to focus my attention on contracts in the fashion industry.    

Eventually, with enough experience, I was offered more permanent contracts with growing private label companies as a designer but also, in development and production. 

Pretty quickly I got more responsibilities to the point, to my own surprise, I really enjoyed being in business.

e sisters and me everything about making a garment from creating patterns to sewing and knitting. I am from a family of nine children, so we made most of the clothing for the family growing up. My mom was known as a “petite hand” in the 1960s fashion industry in Paris at the time of Coco Chanel’s rise to fame.   

I was introduced to a businessman who had a group of lingerie stores in Paris. This led to my first contract making a women’s lingerie collection. I can’t say it was a huge success, but it opened my eyes to new opportunities in the world of fashion.

From Paris, it was on to Montreal as I always wanted to explore other countries, so I decided to go to Canada where I initially worked as a backup singer one summer. I lived there for over twenty years.

At first, I would also again do odd jobs to make enough to survive. I even cleaned fish in the fish market as one of my odd jobs. Out of all the odd jobs I did, I found a passion for fashion and began to focus my attention on contracts in the fashion industry.    

Eventually, with enough experience, I was offered more permanent contracts with growing private label companies as a designer but also, in development and production. 

Pretty quickly I got more responsibilities to the point, to my own surprise, I really enjoyed being in business.

   PEOPLE & GENTE

          COUTURE FASHION WEEK

photography by:Marco Munoz Ortega