MairiAliciaDesigns

I majored in theatre (costume designs & acting) in college, but had lost touch with sewing after graduating and found it more lucrative to get a full time office job. Sadly, it was also more mind-numbing and depressing. I still did theatrical jobs here and there, but my creative side was muffled.

After years of struggling and crying on the way to my full time job, my now-husband convinced me to bail out and try my own business. It took some convincing, but I finally jumped ship and I haven't looked back since.

Mairi Alicia Designs was originally conceived as Trapped In Time Designs.

I originally looked to create women's costumes that weren't just the standard "Sexy fill-in-the-blank" junk that you find everywhere at Halloween. We don't all want to be wearing a swimsuit for costume events (no shade if that's your jam).

Over the years I have continued to make costumes, as well as ready to wear clothing. Recently, I have branched out into home decor and even have some of my own art work available for sale. I have also become much more conscious of the planet, and concerned about the huge amounts of waste produced when creating. I have transitioned my business to be a no-waste company. I save all fabric scraps and even thread scrap for future use in costumes, clothing, and artwork. It's so rewarding (and fun!) to come up with new uses for things that would otherwise be dumped into a landfill.

I have a deep love of all things vintage and unique. I love to repurpose and upcycle pre-loved clothing and linens into new and one-of-a-kind pieces.

I'm pretty much a hobbit, and I love so many different styles, I realize that sometimes my shop can look very eclectic! But I'm cool with it--we're all unique, why shouldn't our clothes be too??

I work in my home studio on industrial JUKI machines. I also have a 1946 Singer, a 1970s-era Singer and a 1990s-era Bernina--the '46 Singer is my favorite of the bunch. I love that I'm creating beautiful garments on the same machine that my grandmother used for years.

I'm a one-woman show, designing, creating, shipping, marketing--all of it. I take great pride in my business and the quality of my product.