About Nouveau Chic and Deborah Campbell

I had my first encounter with a Singer sewing machine when I was four years old. My wise mother told me: "If you want doll clothes, you have to learn to sew them yourself!” So I began my career making doll clothing out of mom's scraps on my battery operated Singer. At the age of eight my grandmother helped me make my first real dress using mom's big Singer 401A. By the time I was in Junior there was no stopping the impulses to make a mini-skirt to wear to school the next day!

My love for fashion was truly born at the age of thirteen, when her parents enrolled me in the Louise Boyka Studio of Stage Arts and Charm School. Here Louise Boyka transformed me from an awkward, self-conscience, adolescent into graceful women with studies included etiquette, fashion basics, makeup, poise and the stage arts. Louise cultivated the leader in me, assigning me to teach classes for young ladies. I went on to become17 BeautyWorks Representative for Seventeen Magazine and won the titles of American Model and Intercontinental Model with the World Modeling Association in New York City. At the age of 18, I was given the position of Assistant Director of her studio. Soon after I took the position of "First Model" for designer, Ursula of Switzerland. In the factory, while working on the design floor that I learned how dresses were designed. I watched the fabric draping, pattern drafting, cutting and completion of the first dress. When this dress was finished I would model it for Ursula. It was working for Ursula that I decided that one day I would design.

Married to musician, Howie Campbell, at 20 and followed by the birth of our two children, I turned my attention to homemaking. During these years of homeschooling my love of history was cultivated, as well as an interest in my family history. I continued to keep my hand in sewing, making costumes for the Memphis Classical Ballet Company, and constantly being challenged by Sarah to make the impossible-to- sew dress.

Currently, Howie and I live in Charlottesville. Our son Seamus is nearby. Sarah is married to Christopher Taylor, lives in New Mexico where they have two sons and a daughter of their own. She has begun homeschooling her oldest this year

The empty nest has afforded me the ability to focus my energies on that dream of 25 years ago. My training in fashion, artistic flair and sewing expertise, combined with love for history has all come together into a label and line of period clothing, Nouveau Chic.

I am delighted to have a great team of talented and capable seamstresses helping me produce the "Nouveau Chic" line.

This team includes:

Jesus Christ, my lord. Without Him, I would not have a business or a life.

Howie, my faithful partner whose support has helped bring this all to reality. He also sets ALL my grommets.
Mom, my wise mother who has been my consultant in business and art - makes pinners, caps and doll clothes.
Sarah, my fashionable daughter who is walking in my foot steps - she is my consultant and does my embroidery and pockets.
Seamus, my promoter son who sends everyone to buy his mom's fashions!