Karen Hardie

Student Member

Recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women (WXN 2016), Karen's corporate executive career reached a pivot point during the pandemic crisis of 2020. Overwhelming stress and burnout led her back to her creative roots, to her third-generation-sewist heritage. In the mindful practice of design and construction she forged a new path, one that led to Fashion Design school and a vision for the future supporting sustainability through circular design. Karen looks forward to launching her new business following graduation this Summer.

What professional title do you use?

I like there term "designer" or "re-designer". I also call myself a third generation sewist. My grandmother was called a "tailoress", my mother, a "seamstress". I would be flattered to be referred to by any of these names.

What is something that you have always wanted to learn?

Minimizing waste through design

What is your favorite task to do in your business?

Coming up with new ideas - on either the business, or the sewing side.

What goals do you have for your business (or yourself professionally) in the next 5 years?

I will graduate from Fashion Design school in June. My goal is to start my own independent design business incorporating the principles of circularity #makefashioncircular

What else should we know about you or your business?

I am very focused on the challenge of redirecting consumer desire to garments/objects that support circular design for fashion (as defined by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation) - moving away from take-make-waste to intentional design supporting 3 principles of eliminating waste and pollution, circulate products and materials, and regenerate nature.

Instagram ~ @fashion.re.designed