Today we’d like to introduce you to Trimaine Sheffield.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
For a long time, I didn’t know what I wanted to be. I was raised believing I could be anything, and that freedom made choosing feel overwhelming. What I did know was that I loved self expression through clothing, especially watching my mother light up when she found pieces that reflected who she was. Those moments shaped everything that followed.
I set fashion aside and took a more traditional path, leaving home for college where I studied English and Business. Its here that I also learned to sew and quietly reconnected with my creativity. After graduating, I built a career that could support my passion, starting in merchandising at The Home Depot’s Store Support Center. There, I gained an foundation in supply chain, product development, and retail operations that would later become essential to my work.
As soon as I could afford a sewing machine, I began creating. My first piece sold to a coworker, and soon I was designing for friends and colleagues. I eventually stepped back to refine my skills, study couture, and strengthen my process, allowing fashion to evolve alongside my professional growth.
Today, I produce ready to wear designs and continue creating couture pieces, including wedding and special occasion garments. I am preparing for my first market and building a brand rooted in intention, craft, and scale.
At its core, my work is about turning identity into something you can wear and making space for every story in fashion.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth is not the word I would use to describe my experience. Once I accepted that I wanted a career in fashion, I also had to accept that I would likely pursue it without formal training. I had to figure it out as I went. I knew nothing about the fashion supply chain, and couture felt exactly as it was meant to feel, exclusive and unattainable.
When I first began taking on clients, I was fortunate to work with many wonderful ones, and just as inevitably, a few disgruntled ones. Both were part of the learning curve. Along the way, I created questionable designs, experienced technical failures, ran out of steam, and hit more than a few brick walls. At times, those moments felt less like setbacks and more like the collapse of my small fashion career.
What carried me through were two things. I stayed confident in my ability to improve, and I held tightly to my creativity. Instead of seeing missteps as barriers or stop signs, I treated them as challenges. And rather than letting my full time career in retail consume me, I protected space for creativity, even when that meant simply sitting with a sketchpad and producing nothing at all.
I never gave up on my imagination.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Creativity is how I understand the world, and fashion is the language I’ve chosen to speak it. My namesake line, Trimaine Sheffield, exists as a space to explore ideas without limits while remaining grounded in real life. I believe fashion should inspire imagination without sacrificing accessibility. Aspirational does not have to mean unattainable.
I design with feeling at the center. Every piece is meant to offer the confidence my mother felt when she slipped into her favorite dress or a perfectly fitting pair of pants, that moment of being seen, affirmed, and comfortable in your own skin. My work moves fluidly between elevated everyday wear for working professionals and couture designs created for red carpet moments, because self expression deserves a place in both.
Collaboration is core to my process, especially in couture, where each garment is shaped by the person wearing it. Just as important is my commitment to longevity and responsibility. I design with intention, prioritizing timeless silhouettes and environmentally sustainable practices that respect both the wearer and the world. Sustainability, to me, is not a trend, but a standard built into how the business operates.
Trimaine Sheffield is about more than clothing. It is about making identity visible, creativity wearable, and fashion that leaves room for every story.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was an outgoing perfectionist. I often wanted to take on more responsibility than my mom would allow, and I felt a strong sense of responsibility for making sure she had everything she needed. I also have a twin brother, and I’ve always felt protective of him. We were very close as kids, and we’re still close today. I was a good kid, stayed out of trouble, and loved to read.
At the same time, I was a goofball. My brother and I loved making our mom laugh. We used to do impersonations just for fun. As a child, I dreamed of becoming everything from a detective and archaeologist to a chemist, an attorney, and, of course, a designer. I dreamed big then, and I still do now.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.trimainesheffield.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bytrimainesheffield/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trimainesheffield
Image Credits
Jerry Michael Smith II
