In 2016, in what might have seemed like a banal conversation with a friend who had been searching for someone to make her a custom outfit, Patricia casually mentioned that she used to make clothes back in Zimbabwe. That was the beginning of a journey that seemed to have taken a detour. Patricia’s dream of becoming a ‘fashionista’ was re-awakened. She began to make more and more custom outfits for friends, friends of friends and total strangers, some of whom had run into someone wearing an outfit she had made and then were recommended to her. She knew this was her calling and by the end of 2018, she left her job in healthcare, to focus on her passion as a fashion designer. In the summer of 2019, she incorporated her business under the name of Katricia Couture and launched the company with a fashion show in Hibernia Park, Coatesville, PA. The brand name Katricia Couture was inspired by her first and last name Katanha Patricia = Katricia.

Katricia Couture is a fashion design brand specializing in a wide variety of custom made outfits for the entire family including bride and bridesmaid dresses and everything clothing. We pride ourselves on making high-quality clothing outfits for all seasons and occasions. We believe that the satisfaction of our clientele is of utmost importance and, we pay attention to every detail of our work. Our goal is to ensure that we meet the needs of each individual client, while simultaneously maintaining the highest standards of professionalism from the initial consultation to the final bespoke garment. Our business motto is “No business is too big or too small for Katricia Couture’. It is, therefore, a great honor to take part in the New York Fashion Week and we hope that this will be the beginning of greater things for the brand.

Patricia Katanha based in Downingtown Pennsylvania was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe. She grew up in a middle-class family with her parents, a brother and a sister in the 70’s. Growing up, she had the privilege of watching her mother and paternal grandfather make clothing for family members and others in the community. She would sit and watch with a curious eye. Patricia found it quite interesting and thought that it was genius. Reflecting, it WAS truly genius. Without any formal sewing classes, she made her first skirt in elementary school. Her sewing class teacher was very impressed with her work, however, she was just happy to have accomplished something she saw her grandfather do for a living, a job that was never considered to be ‘glamorous’.

In high school, Patricia took a class in Fashion and fabrics (as they call it in Zimbabwe). Sewing was part of the curriculum for the class. Patricia looked forward to each Fashion and Fabrics class because at the time she just wanted to become what is commonly referred to as a ‘fashionista’. She would cut up pieces of old newspapers to make her own designs. She always made sure to practice her designs and sewing skills. By the end of high school, she knew she wanted a career in the fashion industry. After high school, she enrolled in Harare Polytechnic college with a concentration in fashion and design, where she excelled and her future was looking very bright. After attaining her fashion and design certificate, Patricia started a clothing business in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare. Her goal was to make custom clothing for women of all shapes and sizes, if you know anything about Zimbabwean women, they are ‘voluptuously’ made and it was not always easy to find beautiful and well-fitting women’s clothing, in mainstream stores. Her clientele grew to a point where she was able to train and employ other young women.

Unfortunately, the economic climate in Zimbabwe began to change in the mid to late ’90s. It became very difficult to remain financially viable in a business that relies on a market that was no longer available; custom clothing became a luxury. In 1999, with trepidation, Patricia had to make a difficult decision to leave Zimbabwe to come to the USA. It was difficult to imagine that she could continue to work as a seamstress/designer’ when she moved to this country. Patricia, therefore, had to find other work for sustenance, which meant keeping very long work hours. Every now and then her daughter Kuda who knew she could make beautiful clothing outfits would encourage her to continue with a career in fashion, however, she just could not see past her ‘imaginary’ hurdles.

Company Contact:

Katricia Couture
Ph: 484.716.2144
Email: katanha@aol.com
Instagram: @katricia_couture
Facebook: Katricia Couture
Pennsylvania, USA