My relationship with Dress for Success Vancouver began in 2011, long before I ever became a staff member. I started as a volunteer, fueled by the mentorship and warmth of women like Lucia, Val and Deb…in addition to the laughter and good times spent with Catherine Palmer and Sandy Sucloy and the many other shining faces at Dress for Success Vancouver. At the time, I did feel that the organization would become the steady, supportive thread running through every major chapter of my life, but I didn’t know how.
I moved to Europe in 2015 and after graduating from the London College of Fashion, I returned to Vancouver with a world-class education as a personal stylist and incredibly high hopes. But I quickly hit a wall that many of our clients know all too well: Canadian businesses wanted Canadian work experience. Despite my credentials from one of the best schools in the world, I remained un- and underemployed for about a year. I was offered a job as a part time bra fitter, I worked as a greeter at the outlet mall, I was doing content for free for blogs. I specifically recall a sad feeling when working at the outlet mall near the airport and seeing my regular flight from YVR to Heathrow fly overhead, with me on the ground spinning my tires in the mud of underemployment. It was a discouraging period of feeling “overqualified” yet overlooked, and it was Dress for Success Vancouver that finally gave me my first real break into the fashion industry here at home.
Joining as staff was a turning point. Working in the Dressing Services program, I wasn’t just “styling” – I was witnessing transformations. On the boutique floor, I learned that the right outfit is often the first piece of armor a woman puts on to reclaim her confidence. In those early days, helping a client see her own power in the mirror taught me more about the psychology of fashion than any lecture in London ever could. I also learned about the power of what I like to call “Girl Culture.” We can go through absolute hell in our lives, but given the opportunity to put down our armour for a few hours and just try on clothes and lipsticks so dramatically refuels us, and readies us for battle.
In January 2020, my world came crashing down. I found myself suddenly single with only $1,000 to my name, two mortgages, a maxed-out line of credit, and mountains of credit card debt. I went to the then-Executive Director, Amy Robichaud, and told her the whole story. She immediately promoted me to full-time, and that was the moment my journey as an “internal client” truly began.
I wasn’t just given a promotion, I was given a career; a place to grow, and learn, and heal within the supportive walls of the Dress for Success Vancouver community. DFSV walked its talk by providing me the stability I needed to survive while I was helping others do the same.
Throughout my four-year career at Dress for Success Vancouver, it felt like I was getting an MBA while getting paid for it – DFSV style, with heart. With the guidance of teammates like Sydney, I mastered the systems and platforms that keep a business running. I learned how to style anybody to perfection in an hour regardless of age or body type, and I learned the technical side of the house, like managing multiple inboxes, recruiting, MailChimp newsletters, using Canva for everything, and making cold asks to industry leaders. I learned that it pays to stay open on Christmas Eve if a refugee client needs a warm coat, and that regardless of where someone is from, their kids will always be entertained by a ream of blank paper and some crayons.
I still use the systems I learned from Sydney in my own business today; they gave me the technical tools to be a CEO and the emotional intelligence to be a leader. At the end of my time there, I finally had the skills and the systems to fly free and launch my own business – and I did it debt-free.
Looking back from three years out, I know in my heart that I would not have made it, and certainly would not be the successful business owner I am today, if it wasn’t for this community. I stay involved now because I believe in the power of this circle. I gained a career, yes, but I also gained a family that caught me when I fell.
Dress for Success Vancouver doesn’t just dress women for an interview; they equip us for a lifetime of personal success.
Thank you, DFSV!
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