In a world where fast fashion and same day delivery has taken over, the art of making clothes from hand has now become even more precious. All the labour and love that goes into each handmade garment makes it even more valuable. Ella Ramon, a senior student at LTHS made her very own dress in her fashion design I class. Although the process was rigorous, she found it to be incredibly rewarding at the end.
Despite the challenges, with lots of determination and willpower she made it possible. Ella said, “ In class it was easy, I was very productive and was able to focus really well, but when I took my dress home, it kinda went on the back burner because I had a lot of other things to do. I play softball, so that takes priority over my sewing.”
The dress itself was a pattern by Kiana Bonollo, Ella was inspired by the flow of the dress, so she wanted to create something similar but add her own flare. She decided to incorporate 3D flowers.
“The design process was interesting,” Ramon said. “I didn’t have to truly design a dress because I followed a pattern, but I did have to make modifications to the bodice to adjust my fabric. That took a good bit of time to figure out.”
Throughout the process Ella leaned on her creativity and the guidance she received in class. None of this would have been possible without Mrs. Fiszer.
“Mrs. Fiszer provided a space for me to grow,” Ramon said. “My skills were far past what we were learning in class, and she allowed me to continue growing rather than remaining stagnant. She was an incredible supporter during the whole process.”
The whole process for Ella was alien but rewarding at the end.
“Dress making, and garment making in general, can be very confusing,” Ramon said. “The process of assembly and the lingo that goes along with it can be overwhelming if you’re not familiar with it. This was a push project for me. I’d never made a garment of this difficulty, so there were a lot of moments of frustration and confusion. I spent so much time just sitting in front of my machine reading the construction instructions before sewing.”
Ella offers advice for anyone who is interested in making their own garment.
“[Don’t] overestimate your skills but also don’t be afraid to push yourself” Ramon said.
