Soon after graduating high school in Rankin Inlet, Nathalie Taylor welcomed her first daughter into the world, and suddenly she needed money.
“With the shortages of childcare in Nunavut, I couldn’t get a job, so I started sewing to make income,” said Taylor, now 24.
Her business began as Nathalie Taylor Creations, as she sewed parkas, mitts and other pieces to sell.
“Parkas are the most popular,” said Taylor, adding that she’s fielded a lot of amauti orders this year.
As her business grew, Taylor changed the company name to Inspired by Nabvat, referencing her daughter Piujulia (Nabvat) Taylor, whose birth inspired the pursuit in the first place.
When it comes to her work, she won’t make the same thing twice.
“I like the idea that you have something and nobody else will have it,” said Taylor.
She will repeat a style, but she uses different colours or makes other changes, as that way, there are no replicas.
For a parka, furs can cost $250 to $310, with the rest of the material being over $200 per coat.
“So you’re looking at spending about $400, $500 on the material, and then you could flip that and make over $1,000 sometimes if you’re lucky.”
Each coat takes her between five and 12 hours to make. She mostly avoids selling spots – a common way of auctioning clothing in the north – and prefers to sell direct on Facebook, Instagram and anywhere she can connect with customers.
Most of her buyers are in Nunavut, with a customer base in Manitoba and Alaska as well. One of her challenges is the amount of scam artists online, she said, who will take her photos of parkas for sale and dupe unsuspecting buyers who pay but never receive the product.
Earlier this year, Taylor had a tradeshow booth in Ottawa, but sold only two parkas. That was a hit to her energy at the time, and she pivoted to doing eyelash and beauty work in Rankin Inlet in addition to fashion.
But when it came to the 2023 Kivalliq Trade Show, her booth at the art market sold out completely, reigniting her passion.
“I’m doing okay,” she said about total income from her work. “It’s a lot of hours, a lot of working, but it’s worth it in the end.”
Eventually, her goal is to open her own shop. For the time being, she’s working to make her business more ‘official’ with marketing, a website and similar.
She loves seeing her children get excited about her work.
“The main thing that really makes me enjoy it every day is having my kids, seeing them proud,” said Taylor about the benefits of running her own business.
Her advice to hopeful entrepreneurs: “Just put your all into it. Go 100 per cent. Don’t doubt yourself and just go all in.”
ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕌᓂᒃᖢᓂ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ, ᓇᑕᓕ ᑏᓗ ᐸᓂᒃᑖᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ, ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐅᕆᐊᖃᓕᖅᖢᓂ.
“ᓄᓇᕗᒥ ᐸᐃᕆᕕᒃᑕᖃᓗᐊᖏᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅᑖᕈᓐᓇᓚᐅᖏᑉᐳᖓ, ᒥᖅᓱᕆᐊᓕᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐅᕈᒪᓪᓗᖓ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑏᓗ, 24-ᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖃᓕᖅᑐᖅ.
ᐱᔅᓂᔅᖓ ᐱᒋᐊᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᑉᓗᓂ ᐊᑎᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ Nathalie Taylor Creations, ᔭᐸᓕᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂ, ᐳᐊᓗᓕᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒡᓗ ᓂᐅᕕᐊᒃᓴᖃᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂ.
“ᔭᐸᐃᑦ ᐱᒍᒪᔭᐅᓗᐊᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᐳᑦ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑏᓗ, ᐊᒪᐅᑎᓕᐅᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᖢᓂᓗ ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᒥ ᐊᑐᖅᑐᒥ.
ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖓ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᑏᓗ ᐊᓯᔾᔩᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑲᑉᐸᓂᖓᑕ ᐊᑎᖓᓂᒃ ᐃᒪᓐᓇ Inspired by Nabvat, ᐸᓂᖓᑕ ᐊᑎᖓᓂᒃ ᐱᐅᔪᓕᐊ (ᓇᑉᕙᑦ) ᑏᓗ, ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᖃᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᑉᓗᓂ ᐃᓅᖕᒪᑦ ᐸᓂᖓ.
ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᒥᖅᓱᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᔭᐸᓂᒃ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒡᓗ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᓕᐅᖃᑦᑕᖏᑉᐳᖅ.
“ᐱᐅᒋᒐᒃᑯ ᓱᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕈᕕᑦ ᑖᓐᓇᑐᐊᖑᓂᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᐊᓯᖃᖏᓪᓗᓂ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑏᓗ.
ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᐃᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᒐᓗᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᐊᔾᔨᖓᓂᒃ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑲᓚᖓ ᐊᔾᔨᐅᓂᐊᖏᑉᐳᖅ, ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒡᓗ, ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᒃᑕᐃᓕᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ.
ᔭᐸᒃᓴᐃᑦ ᐊᑭᑐᑉᓗᑎᒡᓗ, ᓄᐃᓚᒃᓴᐃᑦ ᐊᑭᖃᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᑎᒃ $250 −ᓂᑦ $310−ᓄᑦ, ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᔭᐸᒃᓴᐃᑦ $200 ᐅᖓᑖᓄᑦ ᐊᑭᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ.
“ᐃᒻᒪᖄ ᐊᑭᓕᐅᑎᖃᕋᔭᖅᐳᖓ $400, $500 ᔭᐸᒃᓴᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᒍᒪᔪᒥᒃ ᐊᑭᓖᑎᑦᓯᓕᕐᓗᖓ ᐅᖓᑖᓄᑦ $1,000 ᓚᑭᐅᑉᓗᓂ ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ.”
ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᑐᓂ ᔭᐸᐃᑦ ᐃᑲᕋᓄᑦ ᑕᓪᓕᒪᑦ ᐅᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ 12-ᓄᑦ ᒥᖅᓱᖃᑦᑕᖅᐸᖏᑦ. ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᕋᓛᒃᑰᖅᑕᐃᓕᖃᑦᑕᖅᐳᖅ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᖃᑦᑕᕋᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ − Facebook-ᑯᑦ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᒃᓴᖃᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂ, Instagramᑯᓪᓗ ᐊᓯᖏᑦᑎᒍᓪᓗ.
ᓂᐅᕕᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒥᐅᑕᐅᓂᖅᓴᐅᑉᓗᑎᒃ, ᐃᓚᖏᓪᓗ ᒫᓂᑑᐸᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᓚᔅᑲᒥ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᕋᔭᒃᐸᒃᑐᑦ ᐃᓛᓐᓂ ᐱᑕᖃᖃᑦᑕᕆᕗᑦ, ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕆᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᔭᐸᓕᐊᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᒃᓴᖃᖑᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᐳᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᑭᓖᖏᑦᖢᑎᒃ ᔭᐸᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᖃᖑᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᐳᑦ.
ᐊᕐᕌᒍᒥ ᐊᑐᖅᑐᒥ, ᑏᓗ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑎᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓂᐅᕕᐊᒃᓴᖃᖅᖢᓂᓗ ᔭᐸᓕᐊᒥᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᕚᒥ, ᒪᕐᕉᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕕᖅᑐᖃᓚᐅᖅᖢᓂᓗ. ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᔨᑦ ᐱᐅᓴᖅᑕᐅᒍᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖃᑦᑕᕆᑉᓗᓂᓗ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᔭᐸᓕᐅᕐᓂᐅᑉ ᓴᓂᐊᒍᑦ.
ᑭᓯᐊᓂ 2023-ᒥ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᐱᔅᓂᔅᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑦᓯᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓴᓇᔭᒥᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒥᖕᓂᒃ, ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃ ᓴᓇᔭᖏᑦ ᓂᐅᕕᖅᑕᐅᓗᒃᑖᓚᐅᖅᒪᕗᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑲᔪᖏᖅᓴᖅᑕᐅᓕᕆᑉᓗᓂ ᓴᓇᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ.
“ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᖅᓯᐊᖅᐳᖓ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑲᑎᑦᖢᒋᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐊᕆᖃᑦᑕᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ. “ᐃᑲᕋᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᒥᖅᓱᖃᑦᑕᖅᐳᖓᓗ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑦᑐᖅ.”
ᖃᖓᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᕕᒃᑖᕈᒪᕗᖅ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᕆᓂᐊᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ. ᒫᓐᓇ “ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᖃᑐᐃᓐᓇᓚᐅᑲᒃᐳᖅ” ᓂᐅᕕᒃᓴᖃᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑎᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᓪᓗᓂ.
ᖁᕕᐊᒋᑉᓗᓂᐅᒡᓗ ᓄᑕᕋᖏᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᑦᓴᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᔭᐸᓕᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ.
“ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᓛᒃᑲ ᐅᑉᓗᑕᒫᑦ ᓄᑕᕋᒃᑲ ᓴᕆᒪᓱᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᑕᒻᓂᒃ,” ᑏᓗ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᑉᓗᓂ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᕆᔭᒥᓂᒃ.
ᐅᖃᐅᔾᔨᒍᒪᑉᓗᓂ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ: “ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐊᔪᖏᓐᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕈᑎᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓗᑎᑦ ᐱᑦᓯᐊᕋᓱᐊᕐᓗᑎᑦ. 100ᐳᓴᓐ ᐊᑐᕐᓗᑎᑦ. ᐊᔪᕐᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᐃᓱᒪᖏᓪᓗᑎᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᑦ.”
