Sew Excited! School Dropout To Designer

Growing up, Dee Tuitama was a rebellious student who constantly skipped class and got into no end of trouble. Eventually, she was kicked out of Kelston Girls’ College and became pregnant at just 17.

- Ellen Mackenzie

After that, she settled down, had two more children and hopped from one job to another, working in cafés, bars and restaurants. But one day last year, she came home from a shift, looked at her children and decided to make a change.

“I wasn’t happy with my kids seeing me go to work and wiping tables – I wanted them to see me doing more,” explains Dee. “They see me wiping tables at home. It shouldn’t be a career.”

Inspired by her children, Dee bravely decided to launch her clothing label VAB Designz.

“Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved fashion,” tells Dee, mum to Victoria, 10, Alexanda, five, and Brooklyn, three. “My family didn’t have much, but on rainy days, I remember playing inside with my sister and brother, pretending to be teachers or receptionists, and I started making clothes to dress up as those people.”