Marie-Louise Wittlin, a native of Switzerland, attended the Seminar Bernarda, Menzingen, where she obtained a Teaching Degree in Home Economics in 1963, specializing in fashion design, art and costume history, and tailoring. For the next three years, she taught courses in dressmaking, tailoring, and textiles at the School of Home Economics, Sissach, Switzerland. In 1968, Wittlin moved to Saskatoon. It was not until 1975 that she combined her skill with fabric and design with her love of the theatre. In that year, she designed the costumes for University of Saskatchewan French Department's production of "Le Tartuffe." That first production opened up a new direction in Wittlin's life. She was to go on to design and create costumes for several amateur and professional theater groups including Gateway Players, 25th Street House, Greystone Theatre, Magnus Theatre, Persephone Theatre, The Riverbank Opera Company, Theatre Rosthern, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, and Unitheatre. In 1979, she enrolled in the University of Saskatchewan's Department of Drama and graduated in 1984 with Great Distinction. From 1983 until 1994, Wittlin was the Head of Wardrobe, Resident Costume Designer with Saskatoon's Persephone Theatre. She joined the faculty of the Department of Drama at the U of S in 1994.