SAVE 20% ON EVERYTHING UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15th! THE MAKEHOUSE IS CELEBRATING 8 YEARS OF SEWING IN VICTORIA!

People

Jenny Ambrose

Jenny Ambrose is the owner / founder of The Makehouse.  She first founded her own eco-fashion and lingerie label over years ago in the United Kingdom where she lived for more than a decade. Jenny returned to Canada in 2011 and opened The Makehouse in September 2012. She has over 15 years of experience in the fashion industry including design, tailoring, manufacturing, wholesale, and retail.  Her portfolio also includes fashion shows, photo-shoots, teaching /mentoring and marketing / PR.Jenny grew up in the heart of Saskatchewan watching her mother cut and sew everything from garments to home furnishings.  Her inspirations have always come from past decades focusing mainly on the 1920′s to 1960′s including fashion, interiors, cars, lingerie and of course music!  The 1980 newspaper clipping below shows Jenny helping her mother Jeannette with a sewing project when she was just 2 years old! 

Tanya King

Tanya King

Tanya King grew up in the interior of British Columbia and as a child was creative, artsy and loved dressing in oddly unique clothing. As a teen she was inspired to pursue a career in Fashion from her creative mother who is was a freelance writer, painter and had made Tanya’s clothes as a child. She attended UFV in Abbotsford, BC where she graduated with a Diploma in Fashion Design and Technology. For over 10 years, Tanya had worked in the Fashion industry honing her skills in many areas, where later she developed her own Fashion Consulting Company. Here she did everything from custom design, alterations, styling (print, film, and theatre), fashion retail merchandising, draping teacher, private lessons and more. In 2012, she made a brave move to close her business, move to the Victoria, BC and pursue other interests in Mental Health and Herbal Medicine Studies. However, to this day she still enjoys being creative by painting, drawing, crafting and loves to teach and inspire others to create beautiful things for themselves. 

Alice Hawes

Alice Hawes

I've been designing clothes and sewing for as long as I can remember.  Inspired by my Grandmother, who every year made my sister and I what I thought were the most beautiful dresses ever.  I started on a Holly Hobby machine, making dresses for my dolls.  Wanting to make clothes for myself soon followed, and with the help of my mother, my grandmother and my Aunt Ruth, I learned.  

My imagination and passion for sewing lead me to study costuming and theatre arts.  I received a BA from San Jose State University.  I had the good fortune to spend several years working at the San Francisco Opera and then at the Metropolitan Opera in New York where I learned how to make elaborate period costumes and worked with many talented people.

I've  now been sewing costumes  for performing arts companies for 25 years, sewing everything from opera gowns to bow ties.  As a seasonal employee for Pacific Opera Victoria I enjoy sewing for designers from all over Canada helping to make their vision come to reality.  In the past year I have also worked for the Belfry Theatre, Kaleidoscope Theatre, Theatre SKAM and the TV shows Spooksville and Gracepoint.

Lucie Duclos

Designer Lucie Duclos

Lucie Duclos is a local graphic and surface pattern designer, illustrator, teacher and mixed media artist. She designed and manufactured her own line of children's clothing under the “Zookini” label and has been in the top 8 winners of the fabric8 contest sponsored by Robert Kaufman, Moda Fabrics and Spoonflower. She has done packaging and illustration work for Harry & David, Danone, Salesforce and Rolland Paper among others. She has published 2 coloring books and is now working on a book on creativity coming out next year. She teaches workshops online and in person. www.duclosdesign.com
Katy Biele
Katy Bielefelt is a Chilean designer and artist currently in Victoria BC, Canada. Continually exploring and experimenting with various hands-on mediums of design. Most of her paintings and textile art are inspired by different cultures and colors around the world. Follow Katy on Instagram!