We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gillian Curry Williams a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Gillian, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

In 2010 I was was sewing running a business but felt like I was not accomplishing anything, like all I was doing was existing. Was in the process of finalizing a divorce and was not feeling to good about my self or my circumstances. I got a call from a friend of mine who told me that i needed to fill out applications in order to apply to schools. You see even though I knew how I felt i also knew that going back to school to better myself was also a desire of mine but I didnt see how I could have done it. When she said that to me I was like “girls i dont have any money for school” and she told me to apply. I have to interject here that God will give us the desires of our heart. I asked how how was this going to be possible and she said you could apply for scholarships and I was like what at my age who is going to give me a scholarship? (that statement was going to come back to me)

I did lots of research to find a school because I knew I wanted to be in Canada and I had a first degree already so I needed to ensure that I was going to be attending a school where I would learn new techniques as well as be able to enhance the techniques I already knew.

The process was long and arduous and to top it off I needed to be sure of my criteria’s for the various schools because I had to pay an application fee so couldn’t afford to waste money on a school that was not the right fit.

I ended up sending application to four schools in Canada I received communication and a hold on processing because they required you to take a sewing test and it had to invigilated by someone. I eventually found someone to do that and then I embarked on the process of taking the exam sent it off to them and passed. I did not make known to any of the schools I applied to that I already had a degree in fashion design and pattern making because I did not want anything to be held back from me at all.

I made a decision on Academy of Design in Toronto Canada this was at the time very scary it meant if I did get to go I would have to close my shop give up quite a lot and basically relocate and then in my head my thought was that I didn’t have to return I could just live in Canada.

I then reached out to a scholarship foundation we have here in the Bahamas called the Lyford Cay Foundation to apply for a scholarship as they offered technical scholarships. Doing this while my son was in college and pursuing his masters degree. But I applied……. It was in applying that I found out that the scholarship foundation had to section USA and Canada; so my son had USA and I was applying for Canada.

After I had applied I was asked to produce a portfolio of my work which I did. A month and a half later I received a letter stating that I did not receive the scholarship, To say I was not disappointed would be an understatement. I was crushed.

My friend told me that God was working and for me not to be discouraged to keep the faith and continue to pray and trust God and that is what I did.

I then got a letter from them saying that I was an alternate which meant that if the person ahead of me did not want the scholarship it would be mine. Two weeks later I got a letter stating that I had received the scholarship.

It was at this point that I realized that the scholarship was not enough so the lady in the scholarship section reached out to our Ministry of Education asking them to assist me with a scholarship. Remember I told you earlier to be careful what you say; well after writing to the person in Scholarships at Ministry of Education they wrote back “at my age what could I offer the Bahamas”. These were similar words I had spoken earlier. They had a back and forth and eventually I received the scholarship.

I closed my business left the Bahamas on a one way ticket because I had no extra cash. I had reached out to the school about references for housing and thought that I had found the perfect place the owner of the property told me that the housing was just for ladies that there wifi and showed me pictures that after I got there I realized that they were fake. She had even said that they were close to the school and it took me 2 hours to get to school every day. But you know the bible says that all things work together for the good. So after getting to the house there were 3 guys there and they took me on as if I was a sister they showed me how to take the bus and the train to school and food store went with me to get school supplies and everything I needed.

My first day of school was a scary situation seeing all the young students as I was 46 at the time. I was like God is this a mistake are you sure this is where you want me to be like really….omg.. Classes were good until I had to take exams one exam I still a self study test and could not pass my own test. I called everyone even my son and he said mummy did you repeat it did you rewrite it I said yess and he said there was no other way he could tell me to study. I was so scared because I needed to past all of my exams in order to keep my scholarship. I literally had a panic attack. I called the vice chair of the school and I called the lady at the foundation. The vice chair said to take it and if i didn’t pass they would remove the grade so that it did not impact my grades. Well, how bout I passed the test with a B and I went on after being the oldest in my class to graduate valedictorian of the fashion program.

I had an interview after graduation as you know my plan was stay in Canada so my interview was with the leading fashion house in Canada; of course it was my plan and not God’s plan. The interview never happened I got a call saying that the company decided to close down and just to open a fabric store which they have; so there went my plans.

I came back to Nassau with my new found knowledge and more confidence and reopened my Studio Remilda Rose Designs.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Sewing was always something I have been passionate about. I was sewing from age 14. My mother was a nurse by profession and my father an accountant both knew how to sew as well as my grandmother. So somewhere in there I got the sewing bug. I loved the way certain designers like Oscar de la Renta, made clothes look on a women that was all I knew at that tender age I eventually found out that it is the women who makes the clothes look good (lol). In high school all I wanted to do was sew clothes and design I didnt even feel like I needed to be in school. Just before graduation I think my parents thought that I would have changed my mind and want to take up another profession but that was not to be so they tried talking me out of being a fashion designer. But I was so passionate about being a designer I still am actually. I love making a woman feel and look her best.

Sewing/designing is not for the faint of heart it takes discipline and it could be time consuming. I was afforded the opportunity to go off to school in Atlanta. I was given a scholarship to be able to go. where i studied fashion design and pattern making.

If you ask any one about Remilda Rose Designs they would probably say she is expensive but you get quality workmanship, designs and her fabrics are like non other. Everyone knows my esthetic they know the look of the Remilda Rose woman. They know that I love lace beading sequins and crystals. The Remilda Rose woman is a sophisticated classy woman

Have you ever had to pivot?

During the pandemic. Remilda Rose Designs was asked to help in making mask for the doctors and medical staff in the USA we gladly accepted and realized during this period that because of covid 19 no one was going anywhere and bespoke clothing was not needed. So, one Sunday during the onset of covid 19 I got a call from a client just a regular how you doin call and she asked me what I was doing and I told her sent her a picture of the masks which we were making free of charge and she asked if I could make masks for her sister who is a doctor, I did and that pivoted us from making beautiful clothes to making beautiful masks. We were actually the first company in the Bahamas to start making masks; I had to hire 2 additional persons in order to keep up with the demand and just how people knew a Remilda Rose Design people knew a mask made by Remilda Rose Designs.

Masks were made by us for about 1.5years and we thoroughly enjoyed the diverse section of persons we met during that journey.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

At Remilda Rose Designs we have a few strategies for growing our clientele; Our brand motto is : “Embracing Embellishing Empowering the beauty in every Woman” how is this explained you may ask – We produce impeccable work that you would have seen so recommendation is high for us word of mouth is high for us, at the consultation with us we make you feel at ease because for a lot of our clients this is there first time having a consultation for a dress, sketches are down, fabrics are suggested and chosen and then at the end of the day a well crafted garment is produced if shoes and other accessories are need we provide that service as well. We have some clients who would like us to come to them or they come to the studio on the day of the event while they dress for their event. It our job to ensure that when they step out with their chest out shoulders and head held high no one has to tell you that they look good because they know that they do,

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @remildarose
• Facebook: Remilda Rose Designs

Image Credits
Futuristic Photography Anthon Thompson Shawn Hanna