In 2009 I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. 

It was stage two so was treatable, thank goodness. I can recall the day my consultant told me "this time next year it will all be over". What he couldn't know then was that I had years of treatment ahead of me and that my life would never be the same. 

No one could have predicted that I would have in excess of twenty surgical procedures and that I would contract Pseudomonas Aeruginosa - a potentially life threatening infection.  

This infection meant that my reconstruction surgery failed over and over again leaving my body and confidence shattered. The ongoing issues meant that I was always at one of the breast reconstruction stages: no breast, a partially inflated breast implant, a fully inflated breast implant, a reconstructed breast.

I used clothes to hide the parts of me that looked wonky, misshapen or weird. I had zero confidence and felt ashamed of how I looked. 

I was unable to work for many years and wasn't practising any type of creativity either which added to my feelings of depression and hopelessness. 

A friend and I attended a two hour workshop to make a cushion cover. Neither of us had much sewing experience but we both enjoyed the session. For me it ignited a creative spark and I was hooked. I didn't have a sewing machine but was gifted a basic machine and taught myself how to sew. 

It was a childhood dream to design clothes but somewhere along the line I told myself I wouldn't be good enough and focused on graphic design instead.

Fast forward a few years (and lots of practice) for me to realise that I was more than good enough and designing and making clothes became my reality. 

So now I design and make clothes that I know I will feel flipping fabulous in. 

I use beautiful, forgotten fabrics giving them a new lease of life whilst slowing the impact regular clothes production has on the planet. 

My designs are influenced by the past with a nostalgic nod to the 1970's. The Socorro dress is a floaty dream with different sleeve options and in-seam pockets. Her A-line silhouette is super flattering and super comfy. 

The Joanna dress has been designed to float never cling and her slightly outsized silhouette ensures you'll hardly know she's there. Of course she has pockets and she is available in 'made for you' options where you can choose your fabric and size. 

It is hard not to feel fabulous in one of my dresses and I am always over the moon when another woman compliments me when I'm wearing one. 

I guess what I want to convey is that out of one of the most difficult times of my life came the start of a new life. One where I finally got to fulfil a dream and started to believe in myself.