It was in sixth grade when Nattie Cura DeFrances, owner, designer, and seamstress of LoveJoy Couture, discovered her love for turning a piece of fabric into a stunning wardrobe. Despite of the hardships she encountered growing up as the youngest in a family of 14, she would get used clothes from her mom’s closet and alter it for her dressmaking project in her Home Economics class. She received praises from her teachers telling her she has great attention to details in her design and sewing techniques. Her passion from seaming helped her through high school and college when she could not afford to buy new clothes. She opted to just create her own clothing using hand me downs. And if some of her clothes are sewn by hand, she would go to her sister-in-law, Conrada Dompor to borrow her sewing machine to get her clothing done. She often receives praises from her teachers and friends when she wears something she makes. She would proudly say that she made it from used clothes of her mom, her siblings and relatives. It is with years of experience that she has mastered the art of seaming her own designs and she knew that someday she would open her own business.
LoveJoy Designs began when she seamed for her daughter’s clothing, Lovelyn and Joyceann, to which the company is named after, and used them as models. She would then receive orders from clients. The popularity of her creations grew, making her the go to individual for customized designs and bulk orders (i.e., gowns, uniforms, costumes, etc.). Even when she migrated to the US in 2001, her passion from seaming continued. Friends and colleagues started requesting for alterations, designing and seaming clothes for all occasions. Nattie is able to balance her time between family and her passion, and continues to work on her goal to be a famous fashion designer and entrepreneur.