Bolts of fabric patterned in polka dots, ginghams and solid colours lean against the wall as an open sketchbook reveals designer Natasha Gatto’s latest creation for a high-waisted bikini in Gattina, a design studio specializing in custom swimwear for women. Sewing since the age of nine when she put foot to pedal on her first sewing machine, it was her family’s move into a house with a pool that inspired Natasha to design and sew her own bikinis at 14.
“I love swimwear, sewing and design. I liked standing out at the beach, wearing something original,” Natasha says, though she is quick to explain that she enjoys designing anything that flatters women’s bodies, including lingerie and bras. When her friends implored her to design pieces for them, Natasha knew that Lycra, nylon and spandex were her creative destiny. After training at George Brown and apprenticing with apparel manufacturers, Natasha offered her designs through an Etsy shop in March of 2013, fabricating swimsuits in her parent’s basement, before opening her own studio in May 2014.
