IN TIMES of economic uncertainty, a little ingenuity can go a long way.

No-one knows this better than Keilor Downs resident Denise Nham.

The 26-year-old recently turned a childhood hobby into her dream career.

Ms Nham has started up her own fashion business, recycling old clothes into new fashion garments.

It is a career that Ms Nham has been training for her whole life.

“When I was a little girl I used to watch my mum make clothes for my Barbie,” she said.

“I was absolutely fascinated and I knew that’s what I wanted to do.

“I’ve still got sketches I did when I was three years old drawing my first designs.”

Although the young woman always dreamed of making a name for herself in the fashion industry, her ambitions weren’t quite what her parents had in mind.

“They wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer but that was never what I was interested in doing.

“I’ve always had a passion for designing and fashion and it was my goal to do something in that field.”

So determined was Ms Nham to pursue her dream, she enrolled in an evening fashion course to hone her skills.

Now she’s working full-time as a designer and has never been happier.

While many companies are tightening the belt against the harsh economy, Ms Nham’s business is booming.

The fashionista says the predicted recession has led to a high demand for her service, with many consumers now preferring to alter their old clothes, rather than pay for a whole new outfit.

“I think nowadays people are always on the hunt for a cheaper option,” Ms Nham said. “A lot of my clients go to an op shop and spend $5 or $10 on an outfit and then they come to me so that I can fix it up for them.”

Ms Nham also runs her own fashion label, Laila Faye, which is stocked at several Melbourne boutiques.

Anyone interested in contacting her can email redesigner.enquiry@gmail.com or denise@laylafaye.com.

Her designs can also be viewed on Facebook.