nicole martin

I am a former fashion buyer with roots in Singapore, New York and San Francisco.  A few years after obtaining a Marketing degree in California, I moved to New York to attend the Fashion Merchandising program at F.I.T. 

 

I became a buyer and often think back to how lucky I was to have a job I loved.  Being surrounded by talented people who were fashionable and business savvy taught me that one was not independent of the other, that the way you dress is an expression of how you want to project yourself, and that fashion is a valid art form.

 

I left the corporate world to stay at home with my 2 kids (now ages 8 and 6).  Being knee deep in spit-up, endless laundry, and dirty dishes, forced my closet into hibernation.  During my years at home, my wardrobe was constantly evolving:  post-pregnancy morphed into playground clothes, then moved on to pre-school drop offs.  

 

I found myself using my kids’ nap time to sneak in some online shopping.  Navigating myself through a familiar space proved to be a stress reliever and welcome distraction.  As unlikely as it may seem, it was through these moments that I felt connected to my former self.

 

Today, both my kids are in school full-time, which leaves me back to where I started. There are still school runs and after school activities.  But more often than not, I find myself in front of fashion blogs and online shops browsing through the endless assortment of the world wide (fashion) web- still a stress reliever, dreamy and full of magic.