Nina Childs, a 17-year-old from Formby, has taken Liverpool's fashion scene by storm, dressing a Love Island star just months after teaching herself to make clothes. She now receives more than 30 custom order enquiries every week for her handmade skirts, tops and two-piece sets.
From Pinterest to Profession
Nina started making bags for herself in 2025 after seeing a design on Pinterest. She said: "It started when I was holiday shopping. I'd seen a bag on Pinterest and thought, 'I can just make that.' I made one for my holiday and then my friends started asking if I could make them one too. I started an Instagram page to share my designs and it just kind of shot off from there."
Without any formal training and rejecting patterns or templates, Nina developed her designs through trial and error. She works with recycled T-shirt yarn, a thick cotton-blend jersey fabric, creating frills, tassels and crochet-style textures. This year, she expanded from accessories to clothing, weaving brightly coloured skirts and crop tops by hand, trimming each tassel to length individually.
Love Island Connection
Nina's proactive approach landed her a high-profile client: former Love Island contestant and podcast host Shakira Khan. Nina said: "Shakira had put out a post on TikTok saying she didn't just want to wear big brands and asked small businesses to reach out to her. So I commented and hoped for the best. I kept thinking, 'If you don't try, you'll never know.'"
After persistently commenting on Shakira's posts, Nina received the message she had been hoping for. "She messaged me saying, 'Hey angel, I'm obsessed with your stuff.' When I first saw the message I was at the beach and I was screaming with happiness. I couldn't have asked for more."
Nina created a white and pastel-coloured tasselled skirt bespoke to Shakira's measurements, along with a yellow matching set. The design debuted on ITV's Love Island: The Debrief last week. "My friends and family all gathered around the TV to watch. I even managed to get my boyfriend to watch Love Island," Nina said.
Local Support and Business Growth
Beyond celebrity success, Nina credits the Scouse Girl Social event for boosting her creativity and confidence. Organised by Girls With Dreams founder Francesca Couture, the event targets girls aged 10 and offers performances, style showcases, workshops and role models from the local creative scene. Nina said: "The event helped so much. I made 100 bags for it and met girls there who modelled my collections so I could take pictures. I've done catwalks with them too. It's given me an insight into the business side of fashion."
Nina, who has ADHD, finds fashion to be a valuable focus tool. She said: "It's given me a coping mechanism. I'll put YouTube or some background noise on while I'm working and I can just completely focus on what I'm making. I've always loved being creative and art was always my favourite subject at school. I always knew I wasn't going to be sitting behind a desk with a keyboard."
Future Plans
While managing orders carefully alongside sixth-form studies, Nina plans to grow her business and complete a fashion apprenticeship after finishing her studies. She continues to "manifest" her dreams, determined to get her handmade designs seen by as many people as possible.
