In 2012, Kidde Itto was an Edmonton nurse who had just launched a new line of women’s clothing that would debut at Western Canada Fashion Week.
On Friday, her line of womenswear — described as modest but with an edge — were part of opening day at New York Fashion Week.
Itto is the 30-year-old South Sudanese-Canadian designer behind QiQee, a fashion house based in Abbotsford, B.C. This year, she was one of the independent designers invited to open the New York fashion extravaganza, which is the first of four major fashion events that happen each spring and fall.
The opportunity to showcase at both the New York City fashion event and Paris Fashion Week later this month is a dream come true for Itto, whose artistic passion started as a baby in Sudan.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Itto said in an interview on CBC Edmonton’s Radio Active on Thursday. “To see what other designers are doing as well … it’s really, really cool.”
Itto describes her line as modest wear with an “edgy, fashionable look.
“Modest wear is not out there like that,” she said. “And even if you find something that’s modest, it’s not very fashionable. So that’s where I come in.”
Her designs also have African print options, reflecting her background.
African upbringing
Before her family sought refuge in Egypt from the war-torn Republic of the Sudan, Itto’s constant drawing led her mother to suspect that she would one day be an artist.
Itto said she was lucky that her mother was supportive of her creative side.
“Arts are not something (African parents) are a big fan of,” Itto said. “They think it doesn’t bring money in but my mom stood with me from day one. She actually encouraged it.”
As a high school student in British Columbia, where the family sought refuge when she was in her early teens, Itto and her mother would spend hours picking out fabrics as Itto worked on her sewing skills.
She studied fashion at the University of the Fraser Valley. Then she studied nursing, which brought Itto to Edmonton for a stable job.
She launched her QiQee brand in 2011, while working as an LPN at CapitalCare Dickinsfield, an Edmonton long-term care facility, and started making waves in Canada’s fashion industry.
Entering competition was a big break
In 2009, while still a student, her designs were included in an emerging designer showcase at Montreal Fashion Week, then in 2012, her work was included in the 10-day Western Canada Fashion Week held in Edmonton.
Her big break came when she entered herself in a competition to showcase at Paris Fashion Week this year.
“They were asking if you think your collection is good enough to be showcased at Paris Fashion Week, and I’m like, ‘Well I was selected a top 25 (designer) across Canada and I got to showcase at Montreal Fashion Week’ … I think I could do that,” Itto recalled.
As part of the deal to showcase in Paris during the Sept. 23 to Oct. 1 event, she was also invited to showcase in New York.
Itto, who has moved back to Abbotsford to continue her education, plans to continue nursing while growing her fashion line. She hopes one day to do charitable work with refugee orphans from South Sudan.
“That’s the biggest part to why I’m actually doing what I’m doing,” she said. “So I think nursing comes in handy just because those kids will need some sort of services nursing-wise, medical-wise. So it’s really cool to be in the medical field as well.”