A stack of gorgeous ribbons from the Masterstroke website

Meet Steven Fraser; when he was planning his own wedding in 1997, Steven found he couldn’t get access to good quality ribbon — there was nothing between Mokuba’s premium stock and the low-end product that came mostly from Chinese mills.

What started as a small-scale import business based out of his parent’s basement has taken over 2000 square feet at the family’s machine design business and Steven has become Canada’s largest importer of Swiss and French ribbons. He and his product are regular fixtures throughout Martha Stewart’s empire, even supplying all the ribbon for the (no defunct) Martha by Mail kits, and have appeared in House & Home, O, and Style at Home magazines.

Steven’s {brilliant} Masterstroke is an incredible resource and what you see on the website, he says, is only about 10 percent of what he has available at his appointment only shop.

Customized ribbon with vows

As well as his enviable collection of satin and organdy, jacquard and metallic ribbons, Steven can also customize ribbon with text. It’s just one of the details that have kept him interested over the years and led him into discovering various niche working environments which, he says, are awe inspiring: touring a costume company and seeing the sewing, millinery work and construction for massive productions such as The Phantom of the Opera taking place was incredible. (He supplied the production along with others, all the ribbon for the shows.)

The details are also what set him apart, he hasn’t limited his business, and has ventured recently into collectible doll fashions, he has designed a few of his own ribbons when he couldn’t find exactly what he was looking for and created a number of great DIY projects (one we’ll be bringing you on Friday).

Steven says today’s ribbon market is all about novelty, from stripes and dots to plaids and pictures, and his collection definitely measures up!

Credits:  Bouquet photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings; Masterstroke’s ribbon from the top: Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, $3.00/m.; Taffeta-backed Velvet Ribbon, $6.80/m.; Cutlery Jacquard Ribbon, $15.80/m.; Dotted Satin Ribbon, $5.80/m.; Cake Jacquard Ribbon, $15.80/m.; Measuring Tape Ribbon, $9.50/m