From Corporate Chicago to Yellowstone: Why a 26-year-old swapped her desk job to be a seamstress for ₹1,860/ hour
Zoe De La Paz firmly believes that luck isn’t just found—it’s manufactured. That proactive mentality recently gave the 26-year-old the courage to step away from
Zoe De La Paz firmly believes that luck isn’t just found—it’s manufactured. That proactive mentality recently gave the 26-year-old the courage to step away from her corporate career as a drafter for a Chicago engineering construction firm, according to a CNBC report. Her goal? To break into the highly competitive world of professional costuming, she has temporarily relocated to Yellowstone Park as a full-time seamstress. Ultimately, De La Paz charted a course toward New York City, with her eyes set on Broadway and major film productions. ‘Manufacturing’ the big break While working her 9-to-5 corporate job, De La Paz found herself creatively unfulfilled. Having sewn purely for fun since high school, she began taking on odd gigs at local music venues at night and on weekends. Her strategy was simple: get into the same room as the people overseeing touring wardrobes. She started at the bottom, taking tickets and running catering orders—before moving up to stocking dressing rooms for visiting artists.
This proximity paid off during a catering gig for The Weeknd in Detroit. When the tour's crew mentioned needing a local seamstress for their upcoming Chicago stop to repair backup dancers' costumes, De La Paz seized the moment. “Cue me scrambling to write my number down on a napkin and telling them that I have sewing experience,” De La Paz told CNBC. “It was luck because I happened to be there at that place and at that time, but I believe you can manufacture luck in your life.” Yellowstone transition By January, De La Paz was ready to formalise her career pivot. Remembering a friend whose life was transformed by a seasonal stint at Yellowstone, she began searching for opportunities there. “It was really scary to be leaving corporate and chase my dreams, and do the thing the adults are telling you, ‘you shouldn’t do that,’” she admitted.
She soon secured a seamstress role in the uniform department with Xanterra Parks & Resorts, the primary concessionaire operating Yellowstone’s hotels and restaurants. According to Jeanne Holmes, a 73-year-old educator and fellow Yellowstone seamstress who assisted in the hiring process, De La Paz stood out immediately. The role requires immense adaptability—Holmes herself hemmed over 1,000 pairs of pants in her first season alone. Beyond basic repairs, the department focuses heavily on upcycling, transforming damaged inventory into new items, like converting ruined backpacks into staff fanny packs. Lower salary, higher savings De La Paz officially began her new role in June. According to the CNBC report, her day-to-day responsibilities now involve sewing patches, replacing zippers, and mending uniforms for Xanterra’s massive workforce of housekeepers, security personnel, and hospitality staff. Here is a breakdown of her current setup Schedule: 40 hours a week (Monday–Friday, approx.
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