The Devenish Building is a unique structure located at the corner of 17th Avenue and 8th Street in Calgary. Once used as a residential space, it has since transformed into a hub for retail boutiques, interior design studios, and office spaces.
It is here that Kate Hewko grew her women’s fashion brand. In just a few years, her business expanded from a modest 900-square-foot space to a sprawling 4,000-square-foot operation. Kate’s talent and entrepreneurial spirit have made her a designer for celebrities, with her creations featured in major fashion magazines. Learn more about the story of this Calgary-born entrepreneur and the rise of her brand on calgarynka.
From Setbacks to Starting a Jewelry Brand
Before becoming a fashion mogul, Kate earned an economics degree from the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, and a diploma in fashion marketing from the International Academy of Design and Technology. With a passion for fashion, she always knew she wanted to establish her own business in the industry.
After graduating, Kate founded a company that organized fashion shows and later launched Runway Tweens, which hosted children’s birthday parties styled as fashion shows. In 2007, she opened a small boutique featuring emerging designers’ collections, showcasing cutting-edge items popular in New York’s top boutiques.
However, these ventures didn’t succeed. Kate was interested in fashion but not in designing clothes. Additionally, selling designer apparel was challenging in Calgary’s market, and online shopping hadn’t gained consumer trust yet.
In 2010, Kate closed her boutique and took time to focus on starting a family and planning her next move. During maternity leave, she stayed involved in Calgary’s fashion scene, producing and organizing large-scale fashion events. Later, she launched a small online jewelry shop, offering timeless, unique pieces meant to be cherished for generations. Despite the creative potential, low profit margins and limited reach hindered its growth.
Kate realized her business model needed to focus on her own brand instead of reselling others’ products. She sought manufacturers for small-batch production, and in 2014, she launched her jewelry brand, Kate Hewko.
Opening a Store and a New Business Chapter
As her brand gained recognition, Kate decided to open a physical retail store in 2016, choosing Devenish as the location. This historic Calgary landmark offered a perfect mix of cultural significance and architectural charm. Just two weeks before giving birth to her third child, Kate rented a 900-square-foot space in this heritage building.
Within months of opening, Kate knew she wanted to expand beyond jewelry. Curious about the profitability of big fashion brands like Zara and H&M, she researched their strategies and identified the importance of finding the right manufacturers.
This marked a pivotal moment for her business. Kate increased her profits dramatically. By 2021, she was working with over 50 manufacturers and introduced new products weekly, including apparel, outerwear, handbags, sunglasses, and footwear.
What sets Kate apart is her sharp eye for emerging trends and her commitment to exclusivity. Her products are not mass-produced or widely available, offering clients a unique shopping experience. Customers, drawn by the originality and freshness of her offerings, kept returning to discover what was new—whether in her physical store or online.
Kate remained deeply involved in her brand, overseeing every detail—from designing products and selecting fabrics to sourcing pre-made gemstones. In 2019, she expanded her space in Devenish to 1,700 square feet, growing it further to 4,000 square feet by 2021.
Navigating the Pandemic
Like many businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic brought significant changes. At its onset, Kate focused on bolstering her online store to prepare for unprecedented challenges. This strategic pivot led to a sharp rise in e-commerce sales.
Previously, most of her sales were generated through her physical Calgary store. However, the online shop allowed her to attract customers from across North America, including Toronto, Montreal, New York, and Los Angeles. While her success in Devenish predated the pandemic, the growth of e-commerce amplified her reach and revenue.
Kate also expanded her brand’s social media presence on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Within 18 months, her online sales increased tenfold, reaching $3 million annually. To accelerate growth, she adopted Shopify Plus and its Shopify Audiences feature, which connects brands with interested buyers, improves ad efficiency, and reduces conversion costs. As an early adopter, Kate Hewko saw immediate results with this technology.
During the pandemic, Kate also created playful face masks with patterns like pink newspaper prints, zebra stripes, leopard spots, and classic black for formal occasions.
Supporting Calgary’s Community
Kate attributes much of her success to the Calgary community and consistently seeks ways to give back. She has organized and participated in numerous charity events and fundraisers, such as a fashion fundraiser at The Grand theatre and the Alley Party.
As a mother of three, Kate is particularly passionate about supporting initiatives that benefit children, believing that investing in the next generation is one of the best ways to ensure a brighter future for humanity.
In 2021, Kate hired four new staff members to focus on key business areas like marketing, lead generation, and data analysis.
A Global Fashion Icon
Through talent, creativity, intelligence, and dedication, Kate Hewko has become one of North America’s leading designers and a prominent Calgary entrepreneur. Her collections—featuring jewelry, faux fur, and apparel—are renowned for blending bold and simple, extravagant and serene elements.
Her innovative work has been featured in prestigious magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Refinery 29, Fashion Magazine, and Flare. Celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Idina Menzel, and Cyndi Lauper have worn her pieces, often through direct outreach from their personal assistants.
Kate Hewko’s journey is a testament to her resilience and vision, inspiring fashion enthusiasts and entrepreneurs alike.