How Victoria Entrepreneur Tifane Ashby Built a Thriving Garment Empire from a Borrowed Sewing Machine

By Shenecka Paul | HGP Nightly News |

VICTORIA, EAST COAST DEMERARA — Confronted with a string of frustrating job-hunting setbacks and limited employment opportunities, young Guyanese creative Tifane Ashby made a bold decision: rather than waiting on external circumstance, she chose to monetize a craft already in her hands.

Arming herself with only a borrowed sewing machine and sheer determination, Ashby founded Tif Garment and Fashion Design Zone in her home village of Victoria, on the East Coast of Demerara. Today, that modest single-machine setup has grown into a versatile, high-demand design hub catering to clients across the coastal belt.

Her portfolio spans essential functional wear to high-end couture, producing everything from primary and secondary school uniforms and nurses’ scrubs to bespoke corporate attire, elaborate bridal gowns, and custom occasion wear.

Beyond Needle and Thread: Building Complete Creative Packages

Ashby’s operational strategy extends well beyond conventional dressmaking, aiming to provide an all-inclusive styling and accessory suite:

• Bridal Suites and Floral Design: For wedding parties, Ashby designs bespoke bridal gowns and manufactures handcrafted bridal accessories, custom floral bouquets, and matching party arrangements.
• Cultural Styling and Emancipation Hub: During Guyana’s national Emancipation season, the Victoria studio transforms into an artisan cultural workshop, offering professional African head-wrapping sessions, custom ethnic apparel, and bespoke tie-dye textile production.
• Full-Service Packages: By packaging event styling, textile artistry, and accessory design into single bookings, she has carved out a unique market niche outside traditional tailoring.

“It’s a package I want to offer out there to clients and not just sewing, but also creativity in terms of bridal accessories, floral arrangements, and also tie-dying,” Ashby explained.

Overcoming the Startup Grind: Social Media to Word-of-Mouth

Establishing a reliable customer pipeline without startup capital was an uphill battle during the studio’s early months:

• Digital Word-of-Mouth: Ashby tackled the initial lack of walk-in foot traffic by showcasing production steps, finished hems, and fitting sessions across social media channels to establish commercial trust.
• Client Satisfaction as Fuel: The turning point arrived through word-of-mouth recommendations from early clients, quickly establishing a recurring order book.
• The Creative Payoff: Ashby noted that seeing clients wearing her garments in public spaces and receiving unprompted photo and video updates remains her primary driver to expand.

“Seeing my clients out there especially when they send me back pictures or videos of the garments that I did for them, that makes me motivated,” Ashby shared.

Setting Sights on the Global Stage: ‘Start With What Little You Have’

Ashby is not content with limiting her enterprise to the local domestic market; she is actively laying plans to export her custom garments and accessories to the Caribbean diaspora and wider international fashion circuits in the near future.

Offering advice to aspiring Guyanese youths and prospective entrepreneurs paralyzed by a lack of financial backing, Ashby urged them to stop waiting for ideal conditions:

“Do not wait on a large capital, just start with whatever little you have. Also push, no matter the circumstances, always tell yourself you can do it.”

Her journey stands as an inspiring testament to grassroots entrepreneurship along the East Coast of Demerara, illustrating that sustainable commercial success begins not with deep venture capital, but with cultivated skill, resilience, and unyielding self-belief.