I remember it well... the wall of mirrors ~ clusters of children ~ the calls of dance instructors ~ and me, in my favourite dress, bouncing back and forth to the buzz of a sailor's tune blaring from a cassette player.

It was 1991 in Quebec, Canada, and I was 4 years old.

I had helped make the dress, sitting under the table, hands over the sewing pedal, waiting for Mummy to say"Go!" During class, as I skipped past the mirrors, I would admire it's reflection . It had huge puffed sleeves, loads of ruffles, and was covered in gigantic rosey blossoms ~ and I loved it more than any other dress I had ever owned.

Growing up, my parents often exposed me and my siblings to the exciting diversities of other cultures. Birthdays were just another excuse for international celebrations ~ and with these parties came the resurgence of music and dance which gives so much inspiration to my designs today!

Imagine the excitement of entering a room transformed into a living souvenir from another land! The rich colours, Matrioshkas, the taste of cabbage or melt-in-your-mouth poppy seed confections, the sound of balalaikas and Tchaikovsky - and the smell of beeswax melting down the surface of an eggshell while you watch the designs you've painstakingly drawn unveil themselves in an explosion of hues....all this to me spells out an unforgettable life experience "in Russia", the first of many global adventures.

It was like I had really been there.

When my family discovered the Duquesne University Tamburitzans in 2003 the lights suddenly went on full power.

It was the exclamation mark to my past. The beginning of my future.

At that time the Tammies were richly traditional.
Their performances breathed authentic brilliance. Their folk dress was like nothing I had ever seen.

Embroidery, pleats, beadwork...under the stage lights, art and culture came to life!

Through the dances and music and singing voices another people told their story ~ people who had wrestled with the land and with the times, yet whose joie de vivre was unquenchable as they borrowed from the beauty of creation and wove it back into their own works of art!

And I knew I wanted to recreate that, to bring this history and art to life again.
And give it back to the world!

In 2008 Nonpareils Designs was born.

Customers can now experience for themselves the beauty of past traditions in globally inspired clothing and jewelry ~ created for today!

Nonpareils is a celebration of life. What we wear should be a source of motivation in our lives, children and adults alike.
My desire for Nonpareils Designs is to bring together history, art, and fashion ~ and to bring out your personal "exclamation mark" every time you put on one of my unique creations!

Creating and sewing clothing and costume designs has been a huge part of my life since I was 10 years old. Join me as I continue this exciting creative journey right here on Etsy! Happy browsing!!