From childhood curiosity to the runway at New York Fashion Week, award-winning Canadian designer Amanda Maria brings conscious comfort to timeless luxury and sophistication.
With so many large corporate fashion brands out there, it’s getting harder to trust where our favorite styles come from. Many companies might use names as their label when that named designer never really had their eyes or hands on what is being sold. That’s why it’s becoming so valuable to identify brands with strong core values and a clear vision.
Amanda Maria started her brand because she knew there was room to make a difference and an opportunity to contribute to society and the planet, all while making women look and feel their best—no matter what their agenda is for the day. With a natural-born instinct for design, Amanda’s journey in the fashion world is something most girls dream of, but very few get to bring to life.
Early life and aspirations
Ever since she was a young girl, Amanda has been mesmerized by the notion of creating something from scratch. As a child, she would show off her keen eye and vision by cutting up old pillowcases and sheets to make fun skirts and dresses for her sister to wear. She always found a way to identify fabric or material that could be used to make something beautiful and new.
Eventually, her interests transformed from childlike wonder to a deep passion for the luxury fashion industry. Luckily, her talent was evident from a very young age, and she grew up with support to follow her wildest dreams of becoming a successful fashion designer.
After enrolling in the design school, Amanda was on track to learning everything she would need to know to launch her very own fashion line. Taking all kinds of courses on design, textiles, production, management, and fashion gave her the confidence to set her sights high and accept nothing less.
Fashion with an ethical foundation
While most students are planning for their first big job out of college, Amanda was determined to forge her own path, unaffected by someone else’s control or limitations. Rather than spend years working under someone else’s direction, her creative spirit allowed her to believe in herself and take the leap.
In 2014, upon graduating from the design program at George Brown College in Toronto, Amanda decided she was going to make her debut in the fashion world with a forward-thinking mission and designs that make an impact. It was then that the Amanda Maria brand was born, named aptly to reflect the passionate mind behind the brand’s initiatives.
Most people wouldn’t want to take the risk of starting out on their own, especially in a space as competitive as the fashion industry—Amanda admits that this was no simple feat. The startup process is full of challenges and uncertainty enough as it is, but when you incorporate something like fashion, you take on even more risk.
Amanda found that sourcing the right fabrics is an especially difficult part of the startup phase. Finding the right source for materials is essential, especially when quality is your priority and you want to provide a reasonable price point. At this point in her career, Amanda was totally rogue, doing everything from sourcing to making samples with herself and a colleague from design school. This is usually the part of the journey where a designer becomes overwhelmed and debates whether it’s worth the time and money invested.
Deciding to push through regardless of any hurdles is what sets a successful designer apart from those who will only ever be dreamers. Soon enough, Amanda would get the validation she needed from the industry, making an impact that would change the trajectory of her career forever.
NYFW debut in 2016
If you care about fashion and style, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of New York Fashion Week. Taking place twice a year, designers are invited to showcase their collections in either the Fall/Winter or Spring/Summer series of shows. Back in the day, these events were very inaccessible to the public, but with the rise of social media, these events are a huge opportunity to increase brand visibility and reach an audience that might have not otherwise discovered you.
Only two years after founding the brand, Amanda Maria was on the fast track to success and notoriety with an exclusive invitation to the famed New York Fashion Week in 2016. As one of the most iconic fashion events worldwide, this is no small accomplishment. Amanda Maria made its debut surrounded by some of the most prominent designers and influencers in the industry.
Today, the brand continues to expand and gain international recognition. With the more recent attention to environmental issues, Amanda Maria already has a strong foothold in an industry that is only projected to grow.
Designing for women and the future
The Amanda Maria brand was founded on the idea of creating clothing from carefully sourced fabrics and providing women with styles that will keep them feeling empowered at work and in their downtime. With designs that are made to last and stand the test of time, you’ll never feel like your wardrobe has any missing elements. Whether you want to feel chic and sophisticated or comfortable and cozy, there’s a style for every moment of the day.
Creating a brand that truly empowers women can’t be done without the perspective of a woman who understands what it means to be confident and in control. The Amanda Maria brand embodies an entrepreneurial, creative spirit that helps women feel more comfortable with themselves while creating a sense of awareness that we truly have the power to change the world.
Quality, comfort, and the environment are the three fundamentals of Amanda Maria that show through in each collection. Using high-quality materials and a small-batch process ensures that sustainability and style are never compromised. When you wear Amanda Maria, you’re not just in control of your closet, you’re wielding your power to contribute to a better society, and even better style.
