Whoa! Where did she get that name?! Well, she was named after the Eric Clapton version of the J.J. Cale song “Cocaine”. Her parents interpreted the song to have been about a woman.

Born in Pittsburgh, PA and raised in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, Kocayne has a great love for Art and Education. The things she really loves about fashion are the creativity required to design, the technical aspects of pattern making and garment construction, and the nearly instant gratification of the entire process. Not all designers enjoy the privilege of seeing their designs jump from paper into the world within a short time period.

Kocayne admires many designers including the late Alexander McQueen who she had the opportunity to intern for. She describes an incredibly dynamic work environment in London where she had the fortune of assisting with pattern making, sewing, draping, sample making, and many other studio tasks. The McQueen team was amazing and she was able to see the fashion world from the inside. While there, she also assisted with projects at Philip Treacy’s studio. Both studios were a wealth of knowledge.