Stitching Together a Dream: Turning Creativity into Opportunity with YWCA BC
The term "struggling artist" isn’t reserved just to romanticize artists and writers in 1920s Paris. It is a difficult reality for many creatives trying to make it in Vancouver during one of the most difficult economies we have witnessed. One such local artist is Leif Mader (they/them), whose passion for sewing is finally being monetized, thanks to the YWCA BC MicroEnterprise Collective. However, the path to success has not been straightforward and is still an uphill climb.
Originally from Squamish, Leif began sewing when their grandmothers on both sides realized their knack for the craft and were eager to use their skills for repairs. Their father was also big into Halloween, so they began making costumes for him and creating cosplay outfits.
Leif then went on to study Speech Sciences at the University of British Columbia, which is when their motivation for fashion began.
“It wasn't until halfway through university that I started thinking, I can't find things that fit me. That's sort of the time when your body fluctuates. When you're becoming an adult, things are always changing and I cannot be repurchasing an entire wardrobe every two years because I'm a different shape now,” shared Leif.
One of many who don't feel that fast fashion is designed to represent them, their bodies or their identities, Leif took matters into their own hands.
“A lot of my friends and I all figured out around the same time that we're all genderqueer and clothes fit weird. If you’re trying to make a certain silhouette to be more gender affirming, they're not going to fit properly. I realized it would be easier if I just made clothes for me and my friends and then we would be able to fit things in a way that doesn't make us upset.”
After university, Leif needed to move back to Squamish, as living in Vancouver was getting too expensive. Adding to that, the pandemic hit, so a lot of their plans seemed to be forced to halt. But creativity won’t be stopped and being home offered Leif time to regroup. Leif teamed up with their sister, Rue, and together they started their own eco-friendly, inclusive clothing business, Dark Days Art & Apparel.
“I do anything related to clothing and sewing and my sister is the graphic designer and does screen printing,” explains Leif.
After six months of growing their business rent-free at their parents’ house, Leif decided it was time to “live again” and moved back to Vancouver, even though the cost of living was a struggle. It was at this time that Leif took their craft to the next level and enrolled at Blanche Macdonald for fashion design and networking at school introduced them to the world of pop-up craft markets.
“I have a friend from fashion school who runs the Vintage Barn Market in Chilliwack twice a year, so she invited me to participate [with my designs]. That was the first one I did and thought, ‘OK, this seems doable, so we kind of kept going.’”
YWCA BC Helps Turn a Dream into a Reality
It’s one thing getting started with craft markets; it is another funding them. With booths costing upward of $100, Leif couldn’t continue attending long-term without help.
Working as a Communications Health Assistant, Leif continued to work on their business when their body allowed. Being a person with a disability, Leif’s energy can be unpredictable, but they persevere when time and strength allow. With their job being part-time and the demands of rent in the city straining, Leif looked for extra work to fund their lifestyle and business. At a pop-up, Leif met a manager from the YWCA Off the Leash program, a free employment program designed for job seekers aged 16-29 who are interested in careers in the pet and animal care industry. Also passionate about animals, Leif enrolled.
“It was really nice. They taught us a lot about animals, their behaviour and first aid. We worked on resume building, which I think was really important, because my resume was kind of all over the place. They helped me make one more specific to animal care even though I hadn't had previous experience.”
After finishing the program, Leif found a job washing dogs, which they maintain today.
Now with two jobs, Leif wanted to focus on growing their design business. Through their YWCA BC connections, Leif learned about the perfect free course for them, the MicroEnterprise Collective. The new program supports women and gender-diverse people who want to use their creative talents to grow a small craft-based business.
Although Leif had already started their business, they wanted to grow their marketing skills and make use of the funding and connections the program offered.
“We didn't have to pay anything to attend the markets. I wanted to learn about improving my marketability because I found myself not to be very popular at the markets. I do feel like I have new knowledge and I'm a little bit more confident in my ability to present myself and my booths. It was also great having the support network of other people who are doing the same thing and all learning together.”
Now with three jobs, Leif is determined to grow their business and continue to make it a priority when time and money allow. They are not alone in this struggle. Nearly three-quarters of artists in Canada (71%) have more than one job. The MicroEnterprise Collective helped Leif fund their start in the craft market scene. They acknowledge that without this assistance and family help, it would be nearly impossible to pursue their art.
“The biggest thing for me that the YWCA has provided is paying our market booth fees. They gave us money for supplies. That's why I really wanted to do that program, because I was like, ‘OK, good, I can keep doing it even though I don't have my parents' house to live in anymore,’ because otherwise I probably wouldn't have been able to do any of the market circuits because I wouldn't be able to afford it,” Leif explains. “I'm just extremely privileged to have a supportive family and even with that, my ability to pursue art is very limited and it has been really hard.”
However, the barriers Leif faces do not dampen their spirits and they still have big dreams to chase.
“In a dream world I would love to be able to have a little boutique, but a short-term goal would be to regularly make enough money at the markets that I can afford to keep going to markets.”
As well as feeding their creative side, Leif’s drive is to help those who don't feel they fit the limited mold society has carved out for them.
“I was always sort of a weird kid and I just wanted to make clothes for other weird kids who just had to be adults now. I would love to do more custom work if there's time for that. It warms my heart to see that other people like to dress kind of like me because people were so mean to me about how I looked and how I dressed for most of my life.”
Leif’s story shows why slow fashion is important, tailoring clothes to fit individuals, not the reverse. They also prioritize the environment when making their designs, using thrifted items and deadstock. But this process is time-consuming and has a limited return, making it difficult to get started, which is where the YWCA MicroEnterprise Collective was able to give Leif a much-needed boost.
“It's especially hard in places like Vancouver to find support and resources because the cost of living is so high. The YWCA offers opportunities that would be really hard to come by otherwise and they're free as well, which is amazing.”
Photos submitted by Leif Mader
