Born and raised in Pusan, South Korea, Kae Bae moved to the United States after earning a degree in Information Science. As early as she could remember, the center of Kae’s memories focused on a crimson chest, which was exactly her height when she was 4 years old. The chest was inlaid with two mother-of-pearl peacocks and held a sewing machine inside it. Kae used to stand on tiptoe to watch her grandmother use the sewing machine to make traditional Korean costumes for her and her siblings. When she was tall enough to reach the needle, Kae would thread the needles for her grandma. Kae’s mother and father still use and care for the sewing machine in the crimson chest.

Kae has a dream that someday she will make the dress of her life using that old machine—without breaking it. Luckily, she has an engineer for a husband. Kae currently lives in Brookline with her husband and young son.

Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Victoria Dominguez was raised in a middle-class family where fashion and art were part of her everyday life. Though her family did not have the money to buy the latest trends, Victoria’s mother managed to design and construct her own outfits for any particular occasion. Victoria remembers standing in front of the mirror in her mother's shoes while she got dressed to go out. Her dad was an innate artist, who worked as an art teacher in different high schools while also holding a full-time job in order to make ends meet.

Victoria was inevitably influenced by fashion and art, which were present in every aspect of her life. Because a career in fashion wasn't a viable choice in terms of work opportunities in her country of origin, she started a career in language teaching. Once she moved to Boston, with the support of her husband, she decided to pursue her true vocation in life. Victoria is excited to be able to continue the family legacy and can't wait to see where things will go from here.

Growing up in Pembroke, MA, Kelly Higgins was inspired by her mother’s and grandmother's creativity; she began designing at a very young age. She dreamed of one day combining the elements that she loved in life—fashion, art, and fitness—into a career. Kelly’s background as a certified group fitness instructor helped her to see what women actually want to wear, and her training at the School of Fashion Design in Boston has given her the skills to actually give women what they desire. Kelly enjoys combining French draping techniques and couture methods with sportswear to create new and innovative designs.

Always active with an eye for fashion, Kelly fuses runway style with lifestyle. She strives to create classic body-conscious garments with a twist. The wearer's comfort, ease of movement, and, of course, looking fabulous are important considerations for her. Kelly’s most recent accomplishment was designing the costumes for a small company of dancers at the Boston Ballet.

Growing up with a brother who is a graphic designer, Jessica Lee was immersed in an art environment at a young age. Jessica developed a focus on fashion around the age of six, when she was exposed to an older crowd of friends. Just like any other little girl, Jessica wanted to look, dress, and act older to fit in with those teenagers, so she began rummaging through her own clothes to create 'cool' outfits. It was then that she began to alter the fit of garments and embellish their designs.

Jessica started at the School of Fashion Design in 2006 after graduating from Salem High School in Salem, NH. She commutes on a daily basis from New Hampshire to take classes and hone her skills, while working at J. Jill in Quincy as an intern in the technical design department. Jessica finds her inspiration comes from people, past and present. Her passion is art, and her medium is fashion design.

Inspired by her grandmother who had a small business making porcelain dolls, Kira McClellan started making dresses and clothing in high school. Following her dream of becoming a designer, Kira enrolled in the School of Fashion Design in 2004. Her work experience includes coordinating the men’s and children’s departments at TJ Max and setting up displays and merchandising products for Forever Kids.

Kira lives in Harvard, MA, with her parents, an older brother, and her pets—a dachshund, two cats, and a tortoise. Coupled with Kira’s love of animals is her strong relationship with nature and spirituality. Upon graduation, she would like to work in Massachusetts as a designer, staying close to her family and friends. Kira enjoys Gore Vidal’s quote: “Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.”