Melanie Lardelli-Muir has dreamed of being part of the world of fashion since she was 10 years old.

She remembers clearly sitting on the floor and watching the rhythmic back and forth of her mother’s foot on the old Singer sewing machine’s treadle.

“It really intrigued me,” says the EIT Tairawhiti certificate in fashion apparel graduate.

But it’s taken her a while to actually follow that dream. Instead of fashion, she headed into the world of business on leaving school, dabbling in stand-up comedy at night.

Now, as a 44-year-old solo mother of two “amazing” boys, she is finally heading down the path.

Her two years at EIT Tairawhiti have given her an appreciation of top-end machinery and a taste of just what is possible.

Her forte is looking at material and easily envisaging a garment.

“Some designers go the other way, but I like to look and touch the fabric, and I can see it in my mind.”

She’s in the throes of finalising her own label, and has in the garage a big sturdy cutting table that belonged to local designer Chelsea Thorpe.

Her hobby of sewing for herself and others is stepping up a notch or two.

“It is my heart’s desire to work from home – to be my own boss and be there for my boys,” she says.

Ms Lardelli-Muir would love to visit the fashion houses of Italy, and go to fashion shows there and in London and Paris. She’s also very keen to follow the lead of the Fuller Figure Fashion Week in New York and introduce something similar to New Zealand.

“I’d just love to showcase my designs and accessories,” she says with her trademark big smile. “I love to create funky stuff for the fuller figure and women of all sizes.”

She has no aspirations to take the world by storm . . . rather, just create beauty that is appreciated by all.