Sar Couture by Sarah Nicol: Custom Made Clothing For Every Woman

Fashion was something Sarah Nicol was interested in all her life.  As a child, she would be watching fashion-related TV shows while other kids were into cartoons. Later, as a teenager, she decided that she wanted to create a line of clothing which would be custom-made so that it would look good on every woman, regardless of shape or size.  This became a reality in 2007 when Sarah the Toronto Fashion Incubator/Elle Canada’s New Labels contest in 2007, leading to the launch of her line, Sar Couture by Sarah Nicol (Sar is Sarah’s nickname). This was followed by other events throughout the city, bringing her more publicity, and eventually placed her at her first-ever Fashion Week less than a year after winning the award.

Sarah on her favourite collection (of her line) so far:

Fall 2008, as I had the most creative freedom to do whatever I want with my collection. This was also the collecion which was presented at Fashion Week.

On challenges she’s faced so far:

A company still at start-up mode during a recession faces more challenges than one when the economy is booming.  Fortunately, I have a lot of support from people both in and out of the industry and take these challenges as a learning experience.

On fitting different body-types and whether short, slim women (e.g. under 5’3″ and smaller than a size 2) have more issues or average-to-tall when it comes to clothing:

I feel there are many pieces in each of my collections that are flattering to a wide variety of body types.  When someone places an order with me, I work with them to customize the garment so it is flattering to their figure.  As far as which body type has it harder when it comes to finding clothing, I believe that every woman has her challenges and we learn where to look and to work with what flatters us.

On where she sees herself in five or 10 years:

I see myself still working hard and doing what I love – one day I would love to own my own little boutique with a studio in the back where I can just create and share my passion with the world.

Tips for future designers:

Love what you are doing, be passionate about it and stay true to your vision.  Also, it’s important to educate yourself in both the business and creative side of the industry – it’s hard to have one without the other.