by Maria Koropecky
the Peninsula News Review newspaper
Wednesday, August 19, 1998, page 11
Up and coming local fashion designer Denise Williams is stitching her way across Canada with her line of clothing. Under the guise of her own House of Win-Chee Aboriginal Fashion, the 27-year-old Brentwood Bay resident designs mainly women's wear, primarily for professional Aboriginal women, but also creates vests for men and some children's wear.
As a designer, Williams said she feels her line of clothing helps women convey a certain confidence, "communicating without words" who they are and where they come from.
Graduating in 1992 with a diploma in Fashion Design & Clothing Technology from Kwantlen College, Williams has already done well in her chosen career.
Her work is centered around traditional Native designs, including U-shapes and oval eye shapes. Creating templates with variations of those forms, she then attaches her designs to fashions she makes from scratch.
When requested, she also incorporates traditional family crests in her clothing.
"Appliqués are hand cut and fused into place. I place it on the garment, iron to hold it in place and then I machine stitch it."
From conceiving her own design ideas, through to actually selling her line of fashions, Williams' business is a one-woman operation.
"Anything that I do, I'm on my own. All of the cutting, all of the sewing. I'm really fast at sewing on the appliqués, and the cost would be too great to get anyone else to do that," she says.
Williams started developing her own style as a fashion designer when she worked at an art gallery in Vancouver.
She studied how artists approached their subjects, a learning experience she says helped her create a distinct look for her fashions.
Today, Williams uses primary colors in all her pieces.
"I use a lot of black and red. Those are the bread and butter colors. When I'm given the freedom to create, I like to use more contemporary colors, like turquoise, purple, and brown."
Working from her home, Williams has quickly developed a clientele for her First Nations fashions. She attends trade shows and conferences regularly, such as Aboriginal summit meetings.
"That's where all of the chiefs from around the province meet. That's my main market."
In March 1993, her creations were recognized in Toronto at Winds of Change, Canada's first aboriginal designers fashion show, where she was chosen as one of five finalists in the new designers category.
Today, her designs range in price from $40 for hats to $450 for coats.
"Each hand-produced piece reflects different aspects of my goals. Some are used for traditional purposes with traditional designs and colors, others for their ability to express cultural identity in main stream society.
"It's important to me that my work is accessible. I try to keep pieces within reach of a broad range of people."
As for her future in the world of fashion, Williams has set her sights on raising her profile as a First Nations designer.
"I would like more gallery representation on the Island, but not just any gallery. It's important to me there's integrity in how the work, not just mine, is shown and handled," she says. "I don't sell my work in any galleries in town. I would like to get into Government Street but it's hard to get into that. There's a big waiting list."
Born in Nanaimo, Williams moved to Brentwood Bay two years ago from Vancouver. "I love Victoria. The pace is nice. The only thing I miss about Vancouver is the fabric."
Though she says Kwantlen College did not teach her how to run a business or how to market her work, Williams has become a dedicated entrepreneur.
"Sometimes I've got so much stuff going on, it seems so overwhelming, like a rock is holding you down. I try to do one thing at a time to keep a continuous pace going."
