Diane was born and raised in Winnipeg, the daughter of a commercial artist. Watching her father turn a pencil line into a three-dimensional drawing inspired her to visualize a flat piece of fabric or a strand of yarn morphing into fashion. She started sewing at 12 and knitting at 23, following trends she saw on the pages of Vogue and changing them just enough to make them her own. She learned that top quality materials were worth the investment, and to this day she appreciates the tactile beauty and colours of natural fibers – silk, wool and cotton.

She spent most of her career working in the retail industry. Management training taught her sales, merchandising, assortment and depth. Later, management of a multi-million dollar region with a national company gave her the business experience to round out her resume. In 2012, she decided to combine her love of fashion and fiber with her business and retail skills, and zed handmade was born.