photo by steed media service

Haven Street Designs’ founder, Simpson, proclaims while sitting in the den of her lake community home, “I was born to create!” Simpson, who has sewn all of her life, was introduced to the craft when she was a young girl. “My grandmother taught me to sew in the summertime. I saw her make stuff for her clients like millinery hats and I thought, ‘ooh, I can do this.’ I told my mom this is what I want to do,” she reminisces. Her first sewing machine was a Kenmore double-stitch from Sears. “From that day on my life was just better. My sewing machine is my office,” and her craft is her business.

“I was lucky enough to be hired by Universal/Motown when they signed India. They wanted her to look like India,” shares India.Arie’s personal designer, stylist and mother. “I’ve been doing alterations and dressmaking for years. I am blessed that India’s fabulous voice has allowed me the freedom to make a living at this level with my designs.” Earlier this year, India.Arie made an appearance on “Oprah” and performed “Beautiful Flower,” in one of her mom’s designs.

“I live totally out loud,” shares Simpson, who some days, escapes into a state of unfettered creativity and sews 15-20 hours straight. She admits that once she sewed for 40 hours when she went into one of her kamikaze sewing pursuits. Other days, she spends time with India.Arie; her son, J’On; her “husband-boyfriend”; Gary, or traveling to Lansing, Mich., to visit her parents, Walter and Ernestine McMullen.

Simpson is introducing a line of fine leather statement handbags. Her collection of designs includes no-nonsense shoulder bags and functional handbags. She’s very conscious of style, shapes and details, and is breaking the mold by experimenting with fashionable fabrics like camouflage, different grades of leathers and a range of hardware. –yvette caslin

For more information, e-mail simpson@havenstreet.com and visit www.havenstreet.com.

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