Kim’s passion for art started at a very young age. Looking back at her childhood playthings, there is an abundance of potential and creativity. “I had one doll and I didn’t want another one. I wanted to keep changing this doll’s appearance,” she says as she describes dressing her doll in different outfits, accessorizing with costume jewellery and experimenting with clip-on earrings to decorate a neckline. She was always crafty and imaginative, and it was inevitable that by the age of 21 she would open her own bridal shop on Bloor Street.
At first she imported gowns from England, and by 1991 she was ready to design and manufacture her own—thus Valencienne custom design was born. Kim is a true artist, deriving pleasure and purpose with each gown she creates. It is evident in her collections and her shop. From the moment you enter the boutique you enter an Aladin’s cave of finery. A luxurious confection of billowing silks, shimmering Swarovski crystals and original embroideries embrace and transport you back to a different time and place; to a land of hand-made treasures and endless possibilities.
Gowns: Valencienne Bridal | Photography: 5ive15ifteen Photo
