Creating Her Own Opportunity: Kyra Tang’s Journey to CODE SEVEN

The mornings started to look different.

Where Kyra Tang once sat groggily submitting job applications, she was now receiving orders and packing clothing for customers. Her days began filling with model shoots, product launches, and deliveries.

For the recent graduate and founder of CODE SEVEN, that shift was a sign that something she had started while waiting for an opportunity was becoming an opportunity of its own.

But this was not the first time Tang had decided to make something happen for herself.

Finding her place in Toronto

When Tang moved to Canada from Hong Kong four years ago, she arrived with a small network and the challenge of finding her place in a new country.

Moving alone was difficult, but there was also freedom in being somewhere unfamiliar. Without people already knowing her, she felt she could decide who she wanted to become.

“When I came to Canada from Hong Kong four years ago, my network was small, so I quickly learnt that I had to create opportunities for myself,” she says.

Still, watching peers who had grown up locally brought feelings of jealousy. They already had connections and a familiarity with their surroundings that she was working to build.

She channelled those feelings into a creative project. Four months after arriving in Toronto, Tang produced and performed a solo comedy show exploring assimilation and racial stereotypes.

It was a way to introduce herself, find an audience, and take part in the creative community she wanted to join.

Facing life after graduation

Tang knew that life after university could be uncertain. People around her had warned her about the challenges, but she remained hopeful that her experience might be different.

Instead, she encountered repeated job rejections and discouraging interactions. She recalls one prospective employer asking her to work three full days without pay to “try out the job.”

Over time, the search left her struggling with a sense of purpose.

Starting a business gave her somewhere to direct her energy. Initially, CODE SEVEN was something to keep her occupied while she waited for someone to give her a chance.

Soon, the chance she gave herself began taking up more of her time.

Finding meaning in getting dressed

Tang’s interest in fashion began during the pandemic, while she was attending high school remotely in Hong Kong.

With classes taking place over Zoom, staying in pyjamas was easy. But after months of the same routine, she noticed how difficult it had become to feel motivated.

She began getting dressed every morning as though she were going out. The change lifted her mood and gave her something to look forward to: putting together the next day’s outfit.

That experience helped her recognize how clothing could influence the way she felt and moved through her day. Fashion became a personal interest that would eventually help shape CODE SEVEN.

Building one customer relationship at a time

Tang started small, working with one supplier and ordering a limited quantity of stock. She posted products across online shopping platforms and waited.

Her first order arrived about a month later.

For the first three months, she met customers in person to complete transactions. Those exchanges also became opportunities to listen, build relationships, and learn what people wanted.

As orders grew, arranging individual meetups became impractical, and she moved to shipping.

Building trust online brought another challenge. New customers were being asked to purchase from an unfamiliar business based on product images. Tang focused on connecting with buyers and asking them to share reviews she could make public.

She is deeply grateful to those early customers, whose reviews, kind words, and willingness to share their experiences helped CODE SEVEN build credibility. Their support has been an important part of her journey.

Taking CODE SEVEN further

Listening to customers is now shaping Tang’s next step. With buyers expressing interest in seeing the clothing in person, she is bringing CODE SEVEN to a physical space through a pop up shop at Nostalgia Fest.

The event offers a chance for people to explore the pieces up close, meet the person behind the brand, and connect with a business they may have first discovered online.

For Tang, it is another step in a journey that began with a small order of stock and a decision to try.

Turning energy into an idea

CODE SEVEN is still developing, but Tang can already see how much her daily life has changed. Time once spent waiting for responses to applications now goes toward customers, clothing, and the work of running a business.

Her experience offers a personal example of taking action amid uncertainty. She began with limited stock, waited a month for her first sale, and learned through conversations with the people buying from her.

Asked what she would say to another graduate in Toronto who feels stuck, Tang offers a simple message:

“Turn your energy into an idea.”

Kyra Tang

Explore CODE SEVEN on Instagram and meet Tang at Nostalgia Fest on October 31.

This profile is based on written answers supplied by Kyra Tang. Portrait and workspace photography: Hailey Maurice-Cyr. Product photography: Kyra Tang.