Marianne,  the owner, founder, and designer of the Victorian, Edwardian, and American pioneer clothing company, Recollections, started her business almost 30 years ago.  Her interest in clothing design began long before that though.  One of her earliest childhood memories, as a little six-year-old girl nicknamed Mimi, was sitting in the pews at church with her parents and six siblings.  She remembers studying the clothing people seated around her wore and recalls trying to figure out how their seams were stitched together.  Week after week she observed the various fabrics of the congregation and imagined the designs she could create by combining different colors, patterns, and textures.  Full of ideas at that young age, Marianne began designing and sewing clothing.  She would sit for hours at her mother’s sewing machine, her feet barely able to reach the foot pedal, creating numerous imaginative fashions for herself, family and friends.

As a young adult, Marianne’s interest in fashion continued.  A reader of Gothic romance novels, she read rich descriptions of characters’ clothing detailing full skirts with petticoats, Empire dresses, Regency gowns, puffed sleeves trimmed with lace, and broad-rimmed hats.  Fashion from the past seemed much lovelier and finer - she felt as though we modern day girls had been gypped!  Longing to major in fashion design, college professors told Marianne that she’d have to move from Michigan to have a career in that field, and they advised her to have a back-up plan as well.  Heeding their advice, she changed her major to business and computer science, but following her heart, she chose to minor in clothing and textiles.  Who would have thought then, in the 1970s, that business owners would be able to someday conduct commerce through the computer, and who could have even imagined the capabilities of the internet! 

While still in college, she began working for an insurance company as a computer programmer.   During the following seven years working for this company, she advanced from computer programming into management.  Along the way, she continued to design and create clothing on the side.  Finally, she made the decision to pursue her true passion.  Marianne left her executive position to concentrate her efforts in establishing a Victorian clothing company.  In the early 1980's, she created her first line of clothing consisting of camisoles, pantaloons, petticoats, blouses, skirts, and dresses, naming the line “Recollections”.   She took orders through mail order and sales representatives, and with the assistance of other seamstresses, worked as a cottage industry for years. She traveled from coast to coast selling her designs. 

The business wasn’t always trouble-free for Marianne; there were several times when she almost gave up. In 1999 the internet changed everything! Thankful for her background with computers, she went on-line with three dozen products and has since grown into a business offering over 600 products to customers around the world. Recollections now occupies two buildings and employs 30 people. Marianne is proud of the growth and success of her business and continues to work hard to meet the associated daily challenges. She is thankful for the on-going love and support from her family and friends, the sense of humor she shares with her employees, and for the relationships she has developed with her customers. 

When not working, Marianne enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and celebrating with their large extended families.  They have two dogs and two cats – Marianne loves animals!  She likes taking walks, going on bike rides, embroidering, and is known for her delicious perfectly, perfect chocolate cake.  She believes in using one’s God given talents for the good of everyone, and she does that every day. 

Even though Marianne pays more attention now on Sunday mornings than she used to, she can still occasionally be caught glancing at colors, patterns, and textures.  Her theory is that what we truly enjoy at six years old, we should choose as a career.  That theory has definitely worked for her! 

Marianne's mom, Janet, recalled that her daughter's first letter to Santa Claus at age 6 was a request for a sewing machine and iron.  Looking about the Recollections shop recently , Janet advised "Be careful what you ask for".