off limits. I would find ways to turn these
things into something new to play with.
Old fabric scraps, tinfoil, glue, all were fair
game in my creative process back then.
That is where my love for old music and
movies started. This led to the most im-
pactful influence of all—the beauty icons
of years gone by. Audrey Hepburn, Prin-
cess Grace of Monaco, Chanel and their
contemporaries are all still a big part in
what fuels me in my creative process.
This, of course, fuelled my desire to get
involved in the fashion industry, and it
quickly became a way out for me. A way to
maybe make my dreams unfold.
You see my childhood was not a very
happy one; there was a lot of drama and
dysfunction around me while I was grow-
ing up. That paved the road to a very rough
adolescence, but that is another story for
a different time.
Now many moons later so
much has changed.
After getting married and
having three children, my
husband and I decided that
we would home-school them,
a process that continued for
20 years. During that period, I
had the privilege of studying
right along with my kids,
learning about great artists,
musicians and writers. It was
a time in my life that I would
not change for the whole world.
It was during this period that I would
sometimes sign up for the odd drawing or
painting class, which then led to folk art
and sewing. It was through my adventure
in sewing that I was led to quilting and
that was where I parked myself for a num-
ber of years. I took many master classes
on surface texture, hand-dying fabric,
machine work and so much more. I also
graduated with merit from the City &
Guilds of London Art School.
That was how and when I rediscovered
my love of fashion. I began experimenting
on fabric and applied my learnings to den-
im, and the results have been and contin-
ue to be spectacular. To say I was shocked
when I sold my first two denim pieces
would be a bit of an understatement.
I have gone on to expand my designsPhotos above,
left to right:
Heather in her
“Fleur de Lis”
jacket, photo
by Nicholas
Mignani, My Way
Studio Paris;
this kimono is
part of Heather’s
Classic line,
photo by Stephen
Vacheff; “Marie
Antoinette”
wedding ensemble
(with matching
hat), followed by
a customized
skirt and yoga top
combo, both
photos by Pete
Paterson.39