Who We Are

Marilyn Kilroy is the matriarch of the Kilroy clan, and with her two daughters, Christine McNamara and Kathleen Vacanti, founded DressByDesign in 2005. She is blessed to have four children, thirteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren! Gigi is well-loved and respected by her entire family as she is bright, informed, fun-loving and still very fashionable in her eighties. Her role at DressByDesign is primarily as an adviser and supporter. Her sense of style and eye for fashion make her an indispensable asset to our team.

 

All the females in our family agreed that it had become very difficult to locate a dress suitable to one's liking. The classic styles that we loved were just not available, especially with all the components that we were looking for. As we began our research into the feasibility of the company, we gained confidence that we were offering a product not available elsewhere in the marketplace. We knew that a crucial factor in a great dress is a great fit, so early on decided to have custom measurements for those women who don't fit into a standard size.

 

Christine oversees the computer operations of DressByDesign (our website) - the link between our customers and our vision of how to make your dress buying experience truly special. She also manages strategic direction, finances and marketing. Christine previously worked in the computer industry in various managerial roles in Customer Services for over 20 years, both in large corporations and small start-ups. She understands what is involved in running a business, has a unique perspective on the computer industry, and knows what it takes to get and keep customers satisfied. She was an art major at Georgetown University.

 

Kathleen manages operations with her daughter, Marikate Moore, at our workshop on Allen Street in Buffalo NY where all the dresses are sewn. As a former elementary reading teacher, she brings strong teaching and communication skills to our team. She is responsible for hiring and overseeing seamstresses, directs sales and publicity, and acts as liaison with our clients. She is thrilled to be working with her Mom, sister and daughter.

 

Marikate, a graduate of Syracuse University, manages daily operations. She possesses exceptional organizational skills required to manage production efficiently. It's she, with her love of fashion and fabric, who manages our Customer Service inquiries with care and wonderful advice. Marikate's dog, Ruby, is our shop mascot. She can regularly be viewed in our shop window watching the world go by. And, by the way, that little doggy in the window is not for sale. (In the photo, Marikate is assisting a model with a dress fitting for an upcoming photo shoot.)

 

Conor McNamara designed and developed the website, and he coordinates all updates to the site. He is a graduate of Columbia University with more than 5 years of website design and programming experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Santa, a native of Columbia, has been in the fashion design business for more than twenty-five years. She is the master seamstress at DressByDesign and has taught much to our other seamstresses. She received her professional training at the Technical Institute of Fashion and Dressmaking in her home-country and worked professionally in NYC with several designers making patterns and sample dresses. Regarding DressByDesign Santa says, "I am honored to be part of such an outstanding team where care, respect and customer satisfaction are so important."

 

Marilyn, a Buffalo native, shares her love of sewing with her entire family, including her husband and her five children. She learned how to sew from her father when she was in grammar school and has been sewing ever since! She has worked in the sewing field for many years. Her experience includes work in special occasion and bridal dress making.

 

Margaret has over twenty years of experience sewing custom clothing and doing alterations. She has been a member of the American Sewing Guild for years and has also taught sewing to both children and adults. Margaret's attention to detail and meticulous work make her an invaluable asset to DressByDesign.