I was born in one of the sunniest and warmest places — Fort Lauderdale, Florida — which is surprising considering my pale skin. Growing up, I wasn’t an artsy child. Although I stayed on top of fashion trends, I was more of a science nerd, taking both organic chemistry and calculus before graduating high school.
At the age of twelve, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Seeking treatment that included a mastectomy, hysterectomy, and chemotherapy, she thought she had beaten the disease. Then one Monday afternoon, I came home from school and learned that her cancer had returned. It had metastasized into her spine, causing it to collapse. My parents immediately flew to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, and my grandparents took care of my brothers and me for the next four months.
She returned with twelve-inch rods supporting her spine. All seemed well, but two years later, in January of my senior year, her spine gave out completely — cancer had eaten everything. Back to Texas. When she returned two months later, her beautiful long legs and blonde hair had been replaced by a wheelchair and a wig. She chose red in my honor. She lived for six more weeks. Despite everything the disease did to her body, her spirit and courage never left her. When I told her the Friday before she passed that I loved her and that it was okay to stop fighting, I could still see her strength in her green eyes. Cancer could not take that away from her.
My priorities changed after witnessing what cancer and chemotherapy did to my mom’s body and life. It wasn’t sudden — it was gradual. I realized that life is short and can be cruel, and I decided to only surround myself with the people and things that truly matter. Sewing became one of them.
I learned to sew when I was eighteen.
As I grow older, memories become fewer, but the moment I first encountered a sewing machine is one I will never forget. I was a freshman at the University of Miami, and Christmas break was especially long. I had finished finals in early December and didn’t return until late January. I wanted to do something meaningful with my time, but I wasn’t sure what.
One day, while searching my mom’s linen closet, I found her old sewing machine. I decided to teach myself how to sew — at first, just to hem my jeans.
There was a neighborhood tailor named Myshka who had a reputation for being absolutely wild — like a mad scientist. I took lessons from her, and one lesson turned into a two-and-a-half-year apprenticeship with a woman who had worked for Christian Dior.
I later enrolled at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to study fashion design, but transferred a year later to Johnson & Wales University in North Miami when they offered me a full scholarship in fashion merchandising and retail marketing. To graduate, students must complete an externship. Dreaming big, I applied to Urban Outfitters for a technical design position — and I was offered the role.
I began as an intern and soon became full-time. Throughout the two and a half years I spent in the department, I continued running my blog, Madalynne. When Urban Outfitters launched an internal website, they invited me to join their corporate communications team. For four and a half years, I handled internal and corporate communications and served as the resident photographer, in-house graphic designer, and blogger for URBN — which includes Anthropologie, Free People, Urban Outfitters, Terrain, and BHLDN. It was truly a dream job.
In 2016, Madalynne reached several defining milestones. In April, Urban Outfitters released an exclusive Madalynne Intimates collection online and in 50 stores nationwide, with one style selling out within weeks. That summer, Maddie partnered with Simplicity to release two exclusive lingerie patterns, followed by a second Urban Outfitters collaboration. She closed out the year by leaving her corporate job and launching her business full time.
In 2024, Maddie reached her biggest milestone yet: publishing Sew Lingerie with C&T Publishing. The book reflects her continued commitment to making lingerie sewing accessible, empowering, and beautifully designed.
Since then, Madalynne has expanded its DIY kits, immersive workshops, destination retreats, and online education — creating a global community of sewists who are confident in both fit and craftsmanship.
By the numbers:
10+ sewing patterns with Simplicity Patterns
200+ bra making tutorials on YouTube