Sewing Indie Month: Intervju sa Laurom - Sew Chic Patterns

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Danas imam zadovoljstvo da sa vama podelim svoju prepisku sa Lorom Neš, vlasnicom Sew Chic Patterns, a u okviru Sewing Indie Month događaja. Kada smo počeli tek da organizujemo ovaj događaj, svako od dizajnera je trebao da odabere potencijalne partnere za intervjue i tutorijale. Sew Chic Patterns je bio na mojoj listi od samog starta, jer sam se divila dizajneru koji stoji iza ženstvenih modela, inspirisanih retro modom, koji su zaštitni znak ove firme. Obradovala sam se kada smo se zaista uparile, i dobile priliku da se bolje upoznamo.

Dakle, dozvolite mi da vam predstavim Loru Neš, vlasnicu Sew Chic Patterns i majku četvoro dece. Lori dugujem veliko izvinjenje što kasnim sa objavljivanjem našeg intervuja, koji je bio zakazan za sredinu Maja. Iako smo ga kompletirale na vreme, užasna situacija sa poplavama, koja je zadesila Srbiju, me sprečila da objavljujem postove u poslednje dve nedelje.

Zamolila sam Loru da nam se predstavi svojim rečima, a evo šta je o sebi napisala.

Odrasla sam na zapadu SAD-a, a moja porodica se često selila. Moj otac je bio mehaničar, i provodio je dosta vremena sastavljajući zanimljive automobile i osmišljajući izume za potrebe trkačkih automobila. Moja majka je bila domaćica, koja je volela da kuva i šije. Od svoje treće godine pamtim je kako šije za svojom mašinom, praveći haljine za sestru i mene. Kada sam imala oko 10 godina, počela sam da ispoljavam sopstveni smisao za modu, i tražila sam od mame da me nauči da šijem. Do svoje 13. godine sam šila donji veš i ćebad za svoju Barbiku. 

Čak i kroz brak sam nastavila da šijem za svoju porodicu, a potom sam počela da šijem profesionalno, po narudžbini, kako bih malo dopunila kućni budžet. Radila sam za privatne klijente, ali i prepravke za potrebe butika i robnih kuća. Kada je najmlađe od moje četvoro dece krenulo u predškolsko, upisala sam fakultet kako bih stekla diplomu iz dizajna odeće. Trebalo mi je deset godina da diplomiram, budući da sam paralelno podizala svoju decu.

Da li si volela da šiješ po narudžbini i da radiš prepravke? Koji je najkomplikovaniji komad odeće na kom si radila u tom periodu?

Bilo je stvari koje sam volela kod tog posla, i onih koje nisam. Volela sam da pomažem svojim klijentima da izgledaju sjajno u dobro skrojenoj odeći, ali 99% njih nije želelo ništa originalno. Obično bi mi doneli sliku iz časopisa i tražili da kopiram kreaciju s nje. Pitala bih ih zašto ne kupe odeću od originalnog dizajnera. Nadali su se da bih mogla da sašijem istu stvar jeftinije, ili su želeli da izmene neki element dizajna. Vremenom sam postala veoma brza i dobra u dizajniranju odeće za različite tipove tela. Ipak, ni jedan od modela nije bio težak za izvesti, ali je zahtevao da mu posvetim dosta vremena. Ljudi nisu tražili stil koji bi bio kreativan i zanimljiv za šivenje. Tek kada sam počela da dizajniram odeću za školske proslave moje ćerke i da učestvujem u takmičenjima, mogla sam malo da eksperimentišem.

The Ehlen Blouse

Kako izgleda učešće u dizajnerskom takmičenju? Imaš li dobre ili loše uspomene na taj period? Kakvi su bili drugi učesnici? Da li generalno sebe smatraš takmičarski nastrojenom?

Uživala sam u takmičenjma. Ne zbog toga što sam nešto posebno sklona takmičenju, koliko zbog ciljeva koje sam sebi postavljala u tim trenucima. To je bio dobar način da unapredim svoju kreativnost i veštinu. Moj dizajn bi uvek prošao u sledeći krug, a par puta sam i pobedila. Volela sam da vidim svoje kreacije na modnoj pisti i da slušam reakciju publike. Takođe, volela sam i da vidim fenomenalne kreacije drugih učesnika. Takmičari su obično prijatni i puni podrške. Zanimljivo je učestvovati u takvim događajima.

The Victorian Vionnet Dress

Kada si shvatila da želiš da pokreneš sopstveni posao sa izdavanjem krojeva? Šta te je navelo da doneseš takvu odluku?

Znala sam da ću pokrenuti svoj posao, ali nisam bila skroz sigurna da li bih radila gotovu odeću, ili izdavala svoje krojeve. A onda sam imala priliku da predstavim svoju kolekciju na Nedelji mode. Reakcija publike je bila fenomenalna, ali nisam se osećala prijatno dok sam stajala sa ostalim profesionalcima u bekstejdžu. Molila sam se (bogu) za savet šta da radim, i tada sam shvatila da pravljenje gotove odeće nije za mene. Znala sam da se nikad ne bih osećala loše zbog učešća na hobi / krojačkom bazaru.

Kako uspevaš da podmiriš sve potrebe koje imaš vezano za posao, ali i za porodicu, obzirom da imaš četvoro dece (svaka čast!) i muža?

Kada sam pokretala posao, dvoje od četvoro dece su još uvek živeli sa nama, ali su već bili dovoljno odrasli da mi pomognu kada je trebalo, i da mi budu podrška. Uključila sam ih u proces donošenja odluka, tako što sam ih pitala za savet oko toga šta bi trebalo da radim, ili za mišljenje o dizajnu na kom bih radila. Sada su svi već u braku i ne živimo zajedno. Da nemam svoj posao, život bi mi bio jako dosadan! Moj muž čak i kuva sva jela!

Kako bi opisala svoje krojeve? Za koga su namenjeni? Kako zamišljaš dame koje nose odeću napravljenu prema Sew Chic krojevima?

Moj ukus za modu se nije menjao tokom vremena. Pre 15 godina nije postojao naziv pod koi bih svrstala svoj stil. Ljudi bi mi govorili da su moje kreacije retro, ali i moderne, pa sam smislila kovanicu Retro-Moderno. Sada se za ovaj stil najčešće koristi naziv Retro, ali ne znaju svi šta se tačno pod tim imenom podrazumeva. Moje kreacije su dizajnirane i za starije i za mlađe, i osmišljene su tako da odgovaraju i devojkama koje vole karnere, i onima koje više vole dobro ukrojene modele. Ukratko, mislim da su moje kreacije prikladne za svakoga.

The Fifth Avenue Dress

Gde nalaziš inspiraciju za krojeve?

Obično se ugledam na dizajnere s početka 20. veka. Na ljude poput Kristobala Balenciage, Čarlsa Džejma i Madelin Vinonet.

Koliko često objavljuješ nove krojeve? Koliko vremena ti treba da napraviš kroj, od inicijalne ideje, do momenta kada je spreman za prodaju?

Trudim se da objavim makar po jedan kroj svakog proleća i jeseni, ali to nije uvek pravilo, jer drugi projekti i obaveze umeju da se ispreče. Vreme koje mi je potrebno za objavljivanje kroja zavisi od kompleksnosti kroja i problema na koje usput nailazim. Postoji više faza u pravljenju kroja, a potrebno je da se kroj testira i proveri u svakoj od njih.

The Gienseng Dress

Možeš li da opišeš proces pravljenja kroja?

Naravno, sve počinje sa idejom. Ljudi me obično pitaju da li crtam skice, ali ne, kod mene dizajn kreće od ideje i na dalje evoluira. Obično napravim prvi model i sašijem uzorak kako bih ga proverila. Nošenje i upotreba uzorka je bitan deo testiranja. Kada sam zadovoljna dizajnom, šaljem kroj na skaliranje po veličinama. Tokom ove faze radim na pisanju instrukcija za šivenje. Kada dobijem kroj nazad, sledi još jedno testiranje, ovaj put uz instrukcije. Osoba koja mi testira kroj je početnik u šivenju, tako da je odlična za ovaj deo posla. Naravno, nakon toga sledi i fotografisanje modela, dizajn ambalaže i sl.

Da li radiš sama, ili imaš i zaposlene ili angažuješ pomoć?

Volim da radim sama, ali sada sam u fazi kada moram da angažujem i pomoć, jer dan ima premalo sati za sve poslove koje moram da odradim.

The Tia Dress

Imaš li omiljeni i omraženi deo / fazu pravljenja kroja?

Volim da dizajniram, ali nemam dovoljno vremena da se tome posvetim koliko bih želela. Deo koji najviše mrzim je pisanje instrukcija za šivenje. S vremenom je i to postalo lakše, ali i dalje najmanje volim taj deo posla.

Kolko vremena ti je bilo potrebno da razviješ posao? Imaš li dalje planove za razvijanje Sew Chic Patterns? Gde vidiš sebe i svoju firmu za 5 ili 10 godina?

Prve godine poslovanja sam iskoristila da postavim infrastrukturu za dalji rad - napravila sam dobar vebsajt i obezbedila sam održive metode za razvoj, štampu, slanje krojeva, kao i za korisničku podršku za klijente. Nisam pozajmljivala novac kako bih  pokrenula posao, pa sam u njega ulagala onom brzinom koju su mi prodaja i veme dozvoljavali. Trebalo mi je oko tri godine da zaista razvijem posao. Nemam mentora koji bi me vodio kroz posao, ali sam religiozna, i svoje smernice dobijam kroz molitvu. O mojim religioznim stavovima možeš pročitati ovde.

Gde će biti moj posao za 5 ili 10 godina? Zaista ne znam, ali se nadam na neko dobrom mestu!

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I, kad već pričamo o Sew Chic Patterns, pogledajte kako Ronda, sa bloga Rhonda's Creative Life, planira da izmeni jedan od zanimljivih Lorinih krojeva, Myrtlewood haljinu.

Veliko hvala Lori na sjajnom intervjuu. Uživala sam u našoj prepisci, a kao početnik u vođenju posla bilo mi je izuzetno zanimljivo da čujem kako je izgledao razvojni put iskusnije koleginice. Nadam se da ću i sama postići sličan uspeh, a Lori želim još mnogo sjajnih kreacija i divnih krojeva koje ćemo svi sa uživanjem koristiti.

Povezani članci

• Sewing Indie Month - Džulija Garmenter u gostima
• Sewing Indie Month (Mesec Nezavisnog šivenja)

Sewing Indie Month: An Interview with Laura - Sew Chic Patterns

* KLIKNITE za tekst na srpskom

Today I have an honor to share with you my chat Laura Nash, owner of Sew Chic Patterns, as a part of Sewing Indie Month. When we started organizing this event, we (the designers) had to pick the potential partners to pair with for interviews and guest tutorials. Sew Chic Patterns was on my list form the very beginning, as I admired the designer who stood behind the feminine, retro inspired models of the brand. I was so thrilled when we actually got to pair together and got to know each other better. 

So, let me introduce you to Laura Nash, an owner of the Sew Chic Patterns, a pattern designer, and a mother of four. I owe Laura a big apology for being late with publishing the interview, which was scheduled for the mid of May. Even though we completed it on time, the horrible situation that shook up my country stopped me from publishing posts in the last two weeks. 

I asked Laura to introduce herself in her own words, so here's what she wrote.

I grew up in the western United States where my family moved a lot. My dad was a mechanic and he spent his time building funny cars and inventing products for the race car circuit. My mother tried very hard to be a stay-at-home mother. She liked to cook and sew. I remember her at the sewing machine from about age 3, where she made matching dresses for my sister and I. At about age 10 I began to exert my own sense of fashion, and asked my mother to teach me how to sew. By age 13 I was sewing bras and blankets and designing for my Barbie doll. 

Even through marriage I continued to sew for my family, and then to help with income, I began sewing professionally for private clients and doing alterations for high end stores. Once my youngest of 4 children was in preschool, I began working on a college degree in apparel design. It took me 10 years to complete, all while raising my children. 

Did you like the custom sewing and alterations? What was the most difficult garment you had to work on at the time?

There were parts that I liked, and parts I didn’t. I liked helping my customers to look great in well-fitting garments, but 99.9% of them did not want anything original. They would bring me a photo from a magazine and ask me to copy it. I would ask them why they don’t buy it from the original designer? They always hoped I could make it for less, or b) they wanted some design element changed. I became very good and fast at designing for, and fitting many figure types. None of the designs were difficult, just time consuming. People didn’t ask for styles that were creative and fun to sew. It was designing gowns for my daughter for high school dances that I could experiment a little, that and for competition. 

The Ehlen Blouse

What does it look like to participate in a design competition? Do you have good or bad memories of that period? What are other contestants like? Do you think of yourself as of a competitive person?

I loved doing competitions. Not because I feel particularly competitive, but because it gave me something to reach for, a way to advance my creative and technical skills. My designs were always accepted, and I did win a few times. I loved seeing my fashions in a runway show and listening for the audience reaction. I loved seeing the really fabulous designs of others. The contestants are usually kind and complimentary. It’s an exciting venue to be a part of.

When did you realize you wanted to run your own business with pattern publishing? What moved you to make such decision? 

The Victorian Vionnet Dress

I knew I would be starting a business, but was a little on the fence about doing ready to wear, or publishing patterns. Then I had the opportunity to present a collection at Fashion Week. The audience reaction was phenomenal, but I didn’t get a good feeling being backstage with the other professionals. I had been praying about what to do, and that is when I knew that the ready to wear market was not for me. I knew that I would never be embarrassed to be a part of the sewing/craft market. 

How do you handle all the responsibilities you have as a business owner, a mom of four (respect!) and  a wife? 

While I was moving to a full business set up, I had 2 kids still at home, but they were getting old enough that I could rely upon them for help and support. I included them in making decisions by asking them what they thought I should do, or if they liked a certain design I was working on. Now they are all married and live away from me. If I didn’t have my work, life would be so dull! My husband now cooks all the dinners too!

How would you describe your patterns? Who are they for? How do you envision the ladies who wear the garments made using Sew Chic patterns? 

My design aesthetic has never changed. 15 years ago, there was no name for my sort of style. People told me that my designs were “old fashioned” but then also “modern”, so I came up with the word “Modern-Vintage”. Now the name that is often used is “Retro”, but not everyone around the world knows what that means either. My styles are fitted and designed for both old and young, and created to please both the girl who loves frills along with the tailored type. In short, I envision them wearable by everyone. 

The Fifth Avenue Dress

Where do you find the inspiration for your patterns? 

I look to the masters of design from the early 20th century. People like Cristóbal Balenciaga, Charles James and Madeleine Vionnet. 

How frequently do you publish new patterns? How much time does it take you to make the pattern, from the initial idea to the moment of launching it for sale? 

I try to publish at least one new pattern every Spring and Fall, but it doesn’t always work out for me. Other deadlines and responsibilities do get in the way. The time it takes depends upon the complexity of the pattern and how many problems I encounter. There are several steps to building a pattern, and it must be tested and checked at every stage.

The Gienseng Dress

Can you describe the process of making a pattern? 

Of course it starts with an idea. People usually ask me if I do a sketch, but no, I start with an idea and it evolves from there. I make a first draft and sew the sample to evaluate. Wearing the sample is also an important part of this. Once I am satisfied with the design, it goes off to the grader. During this time I get the instructions written. When it comes back, it must be tested again with the sewing instructions. My tester is a beginning sewer, so she does a good job with this. Of course there are photos to be taken, packaging to design etc.

Do you work alone, or you have employees / hire help? 

I like working alone, but now I do hire help because there is not enough hours in the day to complete all the tasks alone.

The Tia Dress

What are your most and least favorite parts / stages / phases of the process of making a pattern? 

I love designing, but I don’t get to do that nearly enough. The part I dislike the most is writing the sewing instructions. It gets easier with time, but I still like it the least.

How much time did it take to develop your business? Do you have further plans for growing Sew Chic Patterns? Where do you see yourself and your company in 5 or 10 years? 

I used the early years to lay an infrastructure for these busy days, such as building a good website and creating sustainable methods to develop/print/ship/and service my customers. I did not borrow money to start my business so I invested only as quickly as sales and time would allow. It took about 3 years to really get going. I do not have a business mentor, but I am religious, and I take my cues and direction from prayer. You can read about my religious convictions here.

Where will my business be in 5 or 10 years? I really don’t know, but I hope somewhere good!

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And since we're talking about Sew Chic Patterns, take a look at how Rhonda of Rhonda's Creative Life, plans to alter one of the many interesting Laura's patterns, the Myrtlewood dress.

Big thank you to Laura on a great interview. I really enjoyed our chat, and it's been so interesting to me to learn about how my experienced colleague developed her business. I hope I'll reach the same success as she did myself, and I wish to Laura lots of great creations and beautiful patterns we'll all be happy to use.

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