Sharon's Story

It all started when I was 17. Well, actually I suppose it started way before that, but the age of 17 seems to be a turning point for most of us. Isn’t it ironic that at that age, with little life experience, and even less preparation, we’re supposed to figure out what we want to do or be for the rest of our lives. I enjoyed making clothes all through high school—clothing for my sister, costumes for the senior play, and even my friend’s prom dress. I realized that I had an interest in, and even a flair in fashion design. So, I applied to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, a prestigious fashion design school. Imagine my disappointment when I found out that I had been accepted to attend the night school there but not the day program. As a 17 year old, I thought that night school is for dummies, and I wasn’t a dummy, so I wasn’t going! No one at school, in my family, or in my circle of acquaintances said "no Sharon, you’re wrong." I didn’t know enough about fashion design to realize that just getting admitted into F.I.T. was an accomplishment.

I had to decide quickly what do I want to be when I grow up. Doctor? Lawyer? It’s too late in the application process for that, I’ll be a Nurse. While in Nursing school I applied to pre-medical school and was accepted. My Dad said, "finish your nursing school and you’ll always have something to fall back on. If you still want to be a doctor, you can still go." Once I got started in nursing, I found it to be challenging enough (as a Cardiac Care, then Community Health Nurse) to not pursue medical school. But, I could see inequity and some real injustices in the treatment of nurses in the health care system, and I decided that I wanted to do something about that. After 10 years as a nurse, I decided to go to law school so I could practice health care labor law. After 3 years of hard work in law school, and continuing to work as a nurse to pay for it, I had my JD. I was ready to go to battle for nurses to help correct inequities in pay, treatment, and benefits. I applied with the Washington State Nurse’s Association, but found that I was ahead of my time. The job I wanted hadn’t been created yet. It was five years or more after I tried to convince them of the benefits of having a labor lawyer as part of the Association that they finally hired a lawyer. In the meantime, I was recruited by a hospital insurance company that needed a Nurse Attorney as staff council for claims. I have been working there 13 years, and although the work has been challenging, my heart hasn’t been in it.

Seven years ago I heard about Centerpoint and found out about an upcoming Retreat. I liked the idea of a career "retreat" so I decided to attend. Toward the end of The Retreat, we were asked to make something that symbolized who we are. I found needle and thread and sewed a heart. Who could have imagined then that sewing was still a passion? I sure didn’t. Then, at the end of the retreat they gave us a quote which I’ve had on my wall at work ever since. It says: "Don’t ask what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." by Dr. Howard Thurman. The message of the quote, the skills I learned and the people I met helped me rekindle my passion in fashion design and have the courage to make yet another career change.

Two years ago I started back to fashion design school here in Seattle with the New York Fashion Academy. I started part time, and class by class I did it. I finished the certificate program in July, participated in the New York Fashion Academy’s fashion show, and launched Sharon MacTavish Designs—Fine Clothing for Real Women. My Design Studio is a warm, comfortable, professional-feeling space for women to come talk about what they want, choose their fabric, get measured and fitted, and together we create anything from a new version of their favorite article of clothing to a complete wardrobe.

Thanks to Centerpoint and the New York Fashion Academy for helping me to realize my dream. In my 50th year, I’m now a custom women’s clothier!