Ocoee fashion designer releases special collection for birthday celebration

Ocoee fashion designer Santia McKoy, of S&M Custom Design LLC, is celebrating her 40th birthday with a special collection called "FORTY."

To commemorate the milestone, McKoy is releasing the collection on the day of her birthday Saturday, Sept. 7.

The designer said love is what inspired her to create the collection, which features four exclusive pieces, as well as a limited-edition hat collection.

"A letter written to myself at age 14 foretold my current identity and future self, inspiring the collection, which took 26 years to develop," she said. "The collection conveys a crucial message: Do not ignore God's plan. After graduating from college, my intention was to work in my field, but it wasn't part of God's plan for me. Now, I am an international fashion designer without any formal sewing education. Through the gift God blessed me with, I can create stories and bring them to life through fashion, transforming vision into reality and darkness into light."

McKoy said each piece in the collection represents a special, emotional narrative.

The limited-edition hat collection will only have four pieces of each design available.

One of the dresses in the collection is made from colored metallic fabric symbolizing modernity and timelessness, while another is adorned with 40 handmade roses meticulously crafted to symbolize the designer's birthday.

"Through this unique collection, I have gained a deeper understanding of emotions, details, ideas, connections and love," McKoy said. "My hope is for this collection to remain an integral part of my brand, exemplifying creativity, couture and style, with the silver dress becoming a signature piece for birthdays and anniversaries, adaptable to milestone ages, with a floral arrangement reflecting the age.

"This collection is a personal tribute to the journey I've taken over the past 40 years," she said. "Every piece is infused with the passion and creativity that have shaped my brand, and I'm excited to share this milestone with the world."

The "FORTY" collection is available exclusively through McKoy's website here.

Due to the release of the collection, McKoy will not hold her annual fashion show in Orlando. 

However, the collection will be on view this weekend at the New York Fashion Show.

For more information or to contact McKoy, call (321) 662-7198 or email [email protected].