New Harford fashion designer, ‘an entrepreneur by nature,’ opens store in Canton – Torrington Register Citizen

To those who know her fashion design work, Brenda Quin is known as “the Queen of Colour.”

She recently opened Diva USA Pink House Boutique, a retail clothing store on Albany Turnpike in Canton, in a pink building surrounded by flowering plants and a bright pink sign out front.

The former business there was a consignment shop, but Diva USA sells Quin’s own clothing and accessories, made in her own factory in South Africa, as well as local crafts, soaps and jewelry from area makers.

Brenda Quin, a resident of New Hartford and a native of South Africa who has worked as a fashion designer for decades, recently opened her own store, Diva USA, on Albany Turnpike in Canton.

Brenda Quin / Contributed photo

“It’s going very well — I’ve been pleasantly surprised,” said Quin. “It’s a very good spot for me; I plan to keep the prices middle-of-the-road, so they are very affordable. We have many nice high-end stores here, so this is something different.”

She also designs her own fabrics, using them to make her unique dresses, flowing tunics, bright tops and bottoms in a variety of solids and prints that are hers alone.

Quin, a native of South Africa and now a resident of New Hartford, moved to the United States in 2020 to be closer to her son and his family, who live on Long Island. She and her husband of 43 years, Dave, discovered Litchfield County while searching for a home; they chose a property and are residing in an RV until the house is ready.

“It was just a shell house; it should be ready in about four months,” Quin said.

Her passion is creating clothing for women that will make them happy, she said. After settling in New Hartford two years ago, Quin approached Jackie McNamara, the owner of LiveBeYou in Winsted, a retail clothing and gift store that opened earlier this year.

McNamara rented her a space in the rear of the store to sell some of her designer dresses, tops and handmade gifts.

But it wasn’t enough to be in one small room, and when she was ready, she found the Albany Turnpike space and set to work to open her new business. The community’s reception to Diva USA has been very positive, she said. “We’ll see how we do; see what people need and want,” she said. “I will be listening to the customers and what they want. It’s going to be a whole new ball game.

“I love helping women with their wardrobe planning, helping to bring out their own unique style,” Quin said. “I believe we are all unique individuals and enjoy expressing ourselves in our own way; sometimes, we just need a little help.”

Quin is a self-taught fashion designer, and has worked in fashion for nearly 30 years. She has provided dresses for many of the Miss South Africa and Miss World contestants, and has showcased her work at African Fashion Week in London and shows in South Africa, where she won Best Women’s Wear Collection awards in 2016 and 2018, she said. Quin also was invited to show her work at the President of Malta’s Summer Verdala Palace in Malta.

Now that she’s in Canton, Quin said she is making friends and finding local vendors to sell their wares in her store.

“I believe in supporting local,” she said. “Right now I’ve got some scented candles and soaps; the maker is happy to do that under my label; and we’re still looking for someone local who makes jewelry.

“I also believe in empowering women in business,” Quin said. “Many women start their businesses from home, because that’s the only way it will work. They’re busy being moms and wives, and so they start out at home, like I did. So if I can help them reach their own dreams, that’s what it’s all about.”

Diva USA is a full-time commitment, but Quin also is enjoying her new life in New Hartford. “We moved in August 2020, during the pandemic, but it wasn’t a huge challenge for us because we weren’t visiting anyone but our son and his family,” she said. “We were playing it safe, of course.

“We’re camping out right now, with the RV while the house is being built,” she said. “In South Africa, we did safaris, so we’re used to it. In the rain, it’s awkward to do the cooking, but we’ve adapted, and we love it.”

Their property borders a state forest, which is perfect for the Quins. “We come from an area of open space, and we love wildlife — we’ve seen bears and deer here,” she said. “Dave was retired when we came here, but he just joined up with a builder, and they’re flipping houses. So he’s not sitting at home; he’s not bored.”

Quin was not ready to retire yet.

“I wanted to do something with my fashion business once I got here, and if someone asks me ‘How could you do this, during the pandemic?’ my answer has always been, if you don’t try, you’ll never succeed. I took the bull by the horns and opened the store on faith,” she said. “It’s like starting completely over. But I’m an entrepreneur by nature, and that comes with risks. I want to try and never fail.”

Quin said she plans to add a staff member to do alterations for her customers, and support her neighbors.

“What I’m picking up on quite strongly is that people are very supportive of shopping local,” she said. “If you don’t look after your local shops, they’ll end up closing, and then the local economy breaks down. I’m only as strong as the other stores are; we’re all together, and we can work together.”

Diva USA Pink House Boutique is located at 164 Albany Turnpike, Canton. Store hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. To reach the store, call 845-375-7505 or visit https://m.facebook.com/Diva-USA-104774641824747/