001. The Story of Eden and Sable: A Journey of Passion, Persistence, and Crochet

My original collection folded on a stool in my old studio. My yarn balls are never far away.

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Let me take you back to 2015. My younger sister was heading off on a summer trip to St. Lucia and asked me to make her a swimsuit. She sent me a blurry reference image—lol, thanks sis—but I did my best to interpret the design. The result? A lacy crochet swimsuit, something I hadn’t really seen before in crochet swimwear. Turns out, neither had anyone else. My sister was showered with compliments on her trip, and that moment planted a tiny seed in my mind.

I had been crocheting for over 20 years by then, but I hadn’t considered turning it into a business since my teenage years, when I made custom pieces for upperclassmen. Back then, it was just a side hustle. But in 2015, fresh out of engineering school and struggling to find a job, the idea of starting a crochet brand felt…right.

Honestly, it wasn’t that surprising. I’d always dreamed of starting a fashion brand. I even got accepted into fashion school! But coming from an immigrant family, fashion didn’t seem like the most financially secure path, so I chose engineering instead. Yet, despite earning my degree, the job market was tough. So, in a twist of fate, I found myself circling back to my original passion—crochet.

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Between 2016 and 2017, I threw myself into designing an entire collection while searching for a manufacturer. My brand name? Well, let’s just say I was all over the place—first, it was Amazon Beach, then Artisan’s Closet. I was brainstorming, designing, re-designing, and trying to figure out how to start a business all at once.

Eventually, I landed on the name Eden and Sable. It had to be something meaningful. I wanted a name that reflected my family—especially my younger sisters, who had inspired this journey in the first place. Eden represented a sensual, confident woman, while Sable (French for sand) embodied a more understated, introspective personality. I realized that as women, we shift between these moods—some days, we want to be bold and striking; other days, we prefer simplicity. Eden and Sable captured that duality perfectly.

Even with the perfect name in mind, I faced more challenges than I could count. Finding a manufacturer was nearly impossible—most required large orders, and I simply couldn’t afford that. So, I pivoted to a “Made in Canada” model, focusing on handmade, made-to-order pieces. But that had its own complications. I quickly learned that paying artisans hourly for crochet work wasn’t sustainable. Plus, there was the issue of sizing—how could I standardize crochet designs?

Despite the uncertainty, I kept going. I decided I would make the swimsuits myself. But just as I was gearing up to stock up on yarn and elastic, I hit an even bigger roadblock: money. I needed funds to sustain my business, so I took a summer job in 2018 to save up. The plan was simple—work for a few months, stack some cash, then focus on my brand.

But…life happened.

When the summer ended, I was offered a full-time position. The stability was tempting, and honestly, it felt foolish to turn it down. So, I stayed.

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From 2018 to 2022, I worked my 9-to-5 while keeping Eden and Sable alive in the background. You’d think I’d resent it, but in hindsight, working for a luxury fashion retailer was one of the best things that could have happened to me. I learned so much—not just about fashion, but about the limitless ways designers can express their creativity. That realization reshaped how I envisioned Eden and Sable.

During that time, I also leveled up my skills. My mom taught me pattern-making and sewing. I developed a system for sizing crochet designs, making them easier to replicate without a traditional pattern. By mid-to-late 2022, I was ready to give manufacturing another shot. At first, it seemed like nothing had changed since 2017—minimum order quantities (MOQs) were still too high for my budget. Just as I was about to give up hope, a manufacturer reached out offering low MOQs. It felt like fate—a sign that it was time to relaunch.

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From 2023 to 2024, I worked closely with the manufacturer, perfecting every design. There were countless revisions (and a painful amount of money spent on sample shipments), but eventually, they nailed it. The moment they could replicate my designs exactly as I envisioned them, I knew I was ready.

In August 2024, I made it official—I announced Eden and Sable’s 2025 launch on Instagram.

It was a huge moment. Years of learning, strategizing, designing, and re-designing had led to this. And I couldn’t have done it alone. My mom, for teaching me everything about pattern-making and garment construction. My partner, for believing in me every step of the way. My sister, who started it all—the original Eden and Sable muse. A true ride-or-die who has been my biggest supporter since day one. And my manufacturer, who helped turn my vision into reality.

So here we are—Eden and Sable is back, and this time, I’m ready. Ready to share my designs, my passion, and my love for crochet with the world. To everyone who has supported me on this journey—thank you. I can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes us.

#EdenandSableClan