The primary mission of this Canadian brand is to create beautiful and comfortable clothing. Stacey Martin, a Caribbean-Canadian designer, helps turn this vision into reality. Read on at ottawanka.com to learn about the brand’s history and its well-known founder.
The Brand Founder
Stacey was born and raised in Ottawa, though she has Caribbean roots. She is married and has a son.
From a young age, Stacey Martin danced in interesting and varied costumes, constantly experimenting with new styles. She never shied away from accessories, either. By the eighth grade, she was voluntarily designing and sewing graduation dresses for her friends. She already had a passion for fashion. As a teenager, her career as a professional dancer began. By 17, Stacey had performance contracts with Canada’s Wonderland and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
At age 17, this talented dancer was invited to New York, where she landed a role in the Broadway show “Saturday Night Fever.” She became its youngest cast member. While on Broadway, Stacey sensed a big gap between fashion, comfort, and style. She longed for clothing that would move with her and support an active lifestyle. This became the push to launch her own business.
Since 2003, Stacey Martin has served as founder and CEO of Stacey Martin Lifestyle Inc. Through her work as a professional performer and Broadway dancer, she traveled the world. She says immersing herself in new cultures has been a true passion in her life.
The Clothing Brand
It is worth highlighting Stacey Martin’s work as a designer. In 2021, she changed the name of her brand from Kania Couture Inc. to Stacey Martin Lifestyle Inc. This eco-friendly luxury leisurewear brand operates a boutique in Ottawa at 145 York Street.
Stacey Martin’s style blends fitness and fashion apparel. Each piece is made with exceptional quality, using soft natural cottons and bamboo-based viscose. Previously, the brand used a signature wrap design. This approach returned in 2021, but with added details.
Stacey Martin Lifestyle Inc. stands out for several reasons:
- Luxurious comfort. The clothing is made from high-quality natural fabrics, with designs so refined that you can wear them for workouts or a night out.
- Beautiful garments that look fantastic on different body types, helping highlight your natural beauty.
- Eco-conscious commitment, since all items are crafted with environmentally friendly materials. Every fiber is handpicked and feels incredible against the skin. The brand doesn’t use plastic for labels or packaging.
The product line encompasses fitness and yoga attire, everyday clothing, and accessories.
Through this label, Stacey Martin aims to inspire and empower the next generation—focusing on self-improvement, achieving personal goals, self-love, motivation for an active lifestyle, and caring for one’s health.
Women’s Strength
Stacey Martin believes women are far stronger than they imagine—when they believe in themselves. She holds that women realize their greatest potential by loving themselves. As an Afro-Canadian entrepreneur, she has used fashion to break stereotypes. According to statistics, only 14% of major fashion brands are run by women, and less than 0.5% of them are Black women receiving venture capital funding. This only underscores that Black female entrepreneurs remain at a disadvantage.
Yet there’s another noteworthy statistic. In 2021, business development strategist Sabrina Philipp observed that women-founded businesses earn twice as much per dollar invested as male-founded ones, generating 10% more revenue over five years. Hence, investing in Stacey Martin Lifestyle Inc. has social and economic benefits, in addition to innovative design.
Interesting Facts
- A major source of happiness and success for Stacey is the birth of her son. After a difficult pregnancy and birth, she came away more convinced than ever that women can conquer any life challenge with enough time and patience. Her son reminds Stacey what it’s like to learn and strive for the best—stumbling and getting back up.
- Stacey never went to business school. She started working as a professional dancer right after high school. She believes the main things that matter are hard work and dedication to the craft you love. Dance taught her precision, flexibility, and focus—qualities vital for running a successful business.
- Inspiration can strike in many forms. Love motivates Stacey to create stylish yet comfortable pieces for women.
- In Stacey Martin’s view, if you want to do something big, you need to give it 110% effort.
The Ottawa designer’s Stacey Martin Lifestyle Inc. clothing brand melds style, comfort, and eco-friendliness. Its simple but meaningful designs only enhance self-love. The brand also officially partners with the Nevis Tourism Authority, bringing a sense of the Caribbean spirit to its clothes. That atmosphere shines through in each piece.
