When searching through Etsy's vast array of designers and styles I came across this charming new boutique. I liked what I saw and decided to contact the seller for more information. She is professional, polite, and quite knowledgeable about fashion and design - among other things. I wanted to know a little more about her background and inspirations. This is what she had to say:
"When I look back on my most defining years, I see all the signs of becoming a designer. Not just a clothing manipulator, but a truly creative, artistic fashion designer. It goes all the way back to when I had my first communion. You know that when you're the only girl in a pink taffeta first communion gown, you're going to grow up to be creative in fashion.
It didn't hit me then, but when I decided to design every formal gown I needed for school (both in high school and college), I began to wonder if this would be in my future. But, as my studies in Biosystems Engineering furthered away from design and creativity, my need for artistic release increased. Since there was no room in the curriculum for art classes, I began to express my right-brain power more energetically. And when I studied abroad for environmental classes in Costa Rica, a classmate asked me if I carried my clothes in a vacuum sealed bag because my outfits seemed to change so much and I was always color coordinated. I laughed and replied in the same manner, "I just mix-n-match, but everything goes together!" When I eventually earned my B.S. degree in 2002 with a GPA well above a 3.0, I still had a passion for design. All my formals had passed, and I needed something creative to do.
Then, I found The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM). Through my (what seemed to be) endless searching, I had finally found it: An actual place where I could express my inner artist through fashion. Much to my parents' and friends' dismay, I moved from a small town in Michigan to the busy and outgoing metropolis in LA. At the age of 23, I finally learned how I could express my passion. I used my detailed problem solving skills from engineering and graduated with an A.A. degree Magna Cum Laude. My designs were a hit with my teachers and classmates. My attention to detail and my portfolio were one of the best in my class. It was the best experience I could have had at a fashion school.
My time in LA was worth every penny, and I didn't want to leave once school was over. But, life has a way of changing your plans. At the age of 27, I now live in Saint Augustine, FL with my husband, David, and two children, Tyler and Lillian. Since, I've been busy creating a family, I haven't had time to add to my portfolio. As you can imagine, two children under the age of two is a handful in itself! But, now my passion is creeping back into our lives. I am grabbing hold of that passion and starting production of my first line for Coastal Couture, Inc. My label is inspired by my home here by the beach, but is still a high-end designer brand. I hope you enjoy the collections as they debut in Spring 2008. Look for new collections for the Spring and Fall seasons in the upcoming years. And remember to "release the daydreamer within, it's a euphoric kind of thing."
For more information about Coastal Couture Designs check out their website here and their shop here.
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