My mom used to make my Halloween costumes as a kid (photo A). I remember looking through the pattern books for something I liked, not entirely grasping the concept that these would be made from scratch. I was floored at how she was able to animate a costume off of the paper, fit just for me. As I continued my other creative endeavors, the awareness of creating clothing never left me. I would look at clothes in-store, study how the panels came together, & marvel at how much money department stores wanted for something I knew I could make if I just had a sewing machine... Fast forward to today, my first paid client was my grandmother! She wanted a dupe of a shirt I made for a concert, but she wanted her version to the floor, off the shoulder, & with an opening for the leg (photo B). Next, she wanted a satin jumpsuit for a party (photo C).

I don’t typically search for patterns or follow sew-alongs. With the aid of ‘Patternmaking for Fashion Design’ by Helen Joseph Armstrong, I custom build patterns based off of body measurements. I skipped the pillow cases & tote bag classes, jumping right into the deep end creating a smokey blue version of Paul Tazewell’s Academy Award winning Glinda Bubble Dress (photo D) . I then finessed that pattern to create a corset top for a New Year’s Eve party (photo E).

I aim to contribute to how we show up in the world via the stories we tell with our aesthetic.