Toronto Designer Debbie Sutton is an independent spirit with a knack for creating fierce, tailored pieces that guarantee a put-together look in even the most hectic of wardrobes. She spoke with She Does The City about focusing your passion, the vintage  inspiration behind her line, snoflake, and the creative process.

What is it like to strike out on your own as an independent designer? What was your path from school until now? 

I remember exactly when that happened. After graduating from The International Academy of Design, I had the first incarnation of my business called Debs, worked as an assistant designer, then a merchandiser for a large women’s retail chain, then a stylist for Le Chateau, a visual display person for the Bay and finally a cutter for a bridal company.  

I was working for the local bridal designer as a cutter and doing snoflake simultaneously. Snoflake was growing and demanding more of my time so I started to rush the cutting and started making a lot of mistakes with very expensive fabric. As a result, the bridal designer decided to let me go. It was the first time I was ever fired from a job! I decided to focus all of my time on snoflake from that point on. 

You list the architect Gaudi as one of your inspirations. What are some other things around you that inspire your designs? 

I am inspired by everything vintage – clothing, ceramics, furniture, movies. I’m also inspired by people I see everywhere, from really crazy street styles to my grandmother’s polyester pants.  

If you could design for any person, alive or dead, who would it be? 

I don’t get too excited about designing for any particular person. I am excited about experimenting with designing wearable fashion with interesting ideas for creative women who love to express themselves through fashion.  

What is your favourite thing about your job? 

I love organizing and planning. I have a love/hate relationship with designing. I love to be creative but find the process very difficult. It’s always very interesting to see the collection once it is finished. At first I always have a strong desire to start over and make it better and after a couple of months have passed I appreciate what I designed and love it all over again. I guess I love the fact that the design process remains exciting to me.

What kind of girl wears your clothes?

Creative, confident, successful, fun and adventurous women.  

Who are some of your favourite Canadian designers? 

I love my peers’ lines like Futurstate, Dagg and Stacey, Smitten Kitten, Buttercupdays, Susan Harris, Passenger Pigeon, and Moonrox. I love the local indie designers across Canada.  

What is your favourite piece you’ve designed this season? 

My favourite Spring/Summer 09 piece is the Madeline Dress. What I love about it is the way it came to be. I was sitting in the park visualizing what type of dress I wanted to design that day and it just came to me and I sketched it. I then made a sample in a different fabric than what it’s made of now and it looked awful! Then at the 9th hour, I found a new fabric that brought the whole collection together and the ugly duckling dress made in this new fabric transformed into the Madeline Dress. I just love the process that it went though to become what is now.

For retailers: www.snoflakefashion.com