Unleash the inner designer in you

Author: Celine Gabriel
Column: Life & Entertainment

Do you think you would like to design your own clothes? If you think so then this article is for you. This isnt about making a career change though. Im not telling you to drop what youre doing and go to fashion school or something (but good for you if you do!). This is just about regular people like you and me who sometimes have a brilliant design in mind and want to have it made. Think about all the money you can save, too. A simple shift dress that is all the rage this spring-summer season that you will find in a store for P2,000 you can actually have made for P700. Enough said.

If you dont know where to start and have no background in fashion technology like me, I would recommend you begin the journey with your local modista because only she/he can tell you what kind of fabric you will need and how much exactly. See, its not just about finding material you like or the print that catches your fancy. The most important thing is if the fabric will work with the design you have in mind. Once your modista tells you what kind of fabric to look for then you can make your way to a store and choose from there. There are so many places in Manila to find good material. I myself like to go to Fabric Warehouse because they have a large selection, they are affordable and from personal experience I can say that the people that work there are very helpful (salamat Joseph!) If you dont mind going a bit out of the way and fighting a bit of traffic (and having no aircon) you can also go to Kamuning in Quezon City where prices by the yard will be cheaper. Jersey, a material I like to work with would be about P90 to 100 per yard vs. Fabric Warehouses P120/yard. Then again, maybe Im just not a very good negotiator. The ultimate in cheap would be getting it in Divisoria. This can be quite a bit of a pain in the neck though for me just because of the distance, but you can get really good deals here. If youre lucky, you can even find some stalls with some left over rolls of fabric selling at P25 a yard no matter what kind of material it is. Talk about a steal. Remember to focus though. Its so easy to lose yourself in a store as you will undoubtedly find so many other things you will want to buy. Im one such victim of that kind of impulsive buying, always telling myself that I will use it anyway. Alas, I still have some of those yards of material wasting away in a box in my room.

If you want to add little details to your design like buttons and maybe ribbons and lace, you can pick up nice accent pieces over at Carolinas in Mega Mall. They have a very wide selection and some really nice imported ones, too, and can I just say; sometimes it can be even more expensive than the actual material you need to make the dress. I found some beautiful Italian lace there once that cost P400 a yard. Ouch! But then you know, you also get what you pay for.

If you want it to look professional, you can even have labels made with your name and have it sewn onto your designs. This would be nice especially if you mean to give it away as gifts to friends. Minimum number would be 1,500 pieces at 80 cents a label (in black and white) last I checked. Of course 1,500 pieces is a lot especially if this is just a hobby and its also not really necessary but then its just that extra little thing that can add points to the coolness factor of your creations. You can also get creative and make your own labels. One smart way would be to just use leftover material and use some fabric paint. Cut that up into whatever shape you like and have that sewn at the back. Very cute... and very resourceful.

It all sounds so easy right? But let me tell you, its hard to find a good modista. This part will take, unfortunately, a little bit of trial and error. Always ask to see some samples of their work first because nothing hurts more than giving them your valued material and having them give it back to you totally un-wearable. If its your first time then go easy first before giving them the imported silks you paid a mean buck for.

Some modistas can work well with just a drawing or a picture, most though would probably need a prototype that they can copy. All of this though is just part of finding the perfect sewer and cutter that works for you, and once you do... I promise you that the possibilities will be endless. Enjoy!

I have some sewers I can recommend to those who are interested. If you would like to get their contact numbers please do not hesitate to e-mail me at celine_gabriel_column@yahoo.com. Please put the title of the article as the subject of your e-mail. Thank you!

Source: Manila Standard Today