Hi! My name is Keri and I am the creator behind this fabulous brand!

The quick read is that I am a bubbly creative that is passionate about inclusivity in fashion which is why I started this business. I wanted a shopping space where folx felt size and gender affirmation in the pieces I offered.

Here is the long version. Starting as a wee tot, I was playing with my mom's fabrics and sewing machines. I learned so much from her and ended up making my first big project in middle school: a jester costume!

From there, it never stopped. We made clothes, accessories, and especially ren faire costumes! It wasn't a far throw for me to lean into the rennie life when it was presented to me.

I have always struggled with clothes, particularly fitting into the mainstream sizing and especially in costuming. I have curves, none of them are average, and I range from Large to 3XL depending on the brand. It is frustrating and not pleasant, which is why I tend to either make my own costumes or buy knowing I will be altering everything.

Two summers ago, I volunteered as a bartending wench for the Washington Ren Faire. I met many others who experienced the same size experiences no matter where they were on the range. I found it even worse for those not on the mainstream sizes as they rarely, if ever, found their sizes.

So, I worked on bodice patterns until I found one that I could expand to scale sizes that fit our whole team at that time (XXS-4XL).

In doing so, I found such joy in providing this opportunity for my new clients to get custom fitted bodices in stunning fabrics.

I then went further and made the bodices reversible so that each one purchased was really two! It made these a better investment. Lots of mockups, testing on all sizes and body types later, and the business was started: The Dark Modiste.

I love being able to work at my sewing table almost every day. I love designing new patterns and learning what is going to work best and fit with the brand. Mostly, I love seeing the joy on the face of someone who tries on a bodice and sees themselves in the mirror. That moment of gender affirmation. That moment of loving their body. That moment of joy. That is why I do this.