1. What was your background before you launched deMelis Atelier?

I began sewing alongside my nonna when I was a young girl. She would take me shopping for patterns and material, which I would then help lay out and cut. Of course, she would do the bulk of the sewing work, but it was always fun for me. At about 13, I saw a Valentino runway show on TV and I became set on becoming a fashion designer. My formal education was at the Fashion Institute of Technology where I majored in Tailoring and Ready-to-Wear. I enjoyed school and learning about all of the facets of garment creation but even before I graduated, I began having doubts about design being the right area of the industry for me. After graduation, I worked for years as a Visual Merchandising Manager at NYC flagship stores such as DKNY and White House Black Market.

2. How did you get into bridal alterations?

I always joke that I ‘tripped’ into bridal alterations because it wasn’t something that was ever on my radar. After doing visuals for Anthropologie in Greenwich for a time, my husband and I decided to move further into central Connecticut to be closer to my family, as we were starting our own. When my first daughter was born, I started working as a consultant for Lastrina Girls Bridal Shop in Middletown, Connecticut where I made acquaintances with their contracted seamstress. As time went on and she had struggles both with injuries and staffing issues, she took a chance and contracted me to work in her shop. Her guidance filled in the gaps with my sewing knowledge to help me pivot into bridal completely. Eventually I branched out to start my own business and it has taken off beyond what I could have imagined. What started as a small operation in my home has grown into a robust local studio. I always love when people open our doors and are joyfully surprised by what they find!

3. What issues do retailers face today about wedding dress alterations services?

The retail side of the business is an entirely different animal from the alterations side.

Most retailers want to help their clients see the process through to the end by having someone in-house, which is challenging. Even if a shop owner is just making referrals, there’s a large amount of trust they need to have in their contractors. The people you refer your clients to have to have a good reputation or else it can come back to bite you if something goes wrong. In more rural markets, the talent pool is becoming smaller and most are struggling to find seamstresses for both referrals and in-house work. 

I also think the Pandemic prompted quite a few people to retire and we can’t deny that many in the industry will likely be joining them in the next 5-10 years. Add to that the sheer quantity of projected weddings over just the next two years and you can really see the pressure is on for those still in the industry. There’s a real lack of new talent entering the market to make up for those leaving it.  

4. How did The Stitched Collective come about?

After getting DeMelis off the ground, I was fortunate enough to contract with fellow Bridal Council member Beth Chapman over at her shop, White Dress by the Shore. I was so inspired by her work in founding the White Dress Society and it made me think about what I was seeing on my end of the Bridal business. Beth and I discussed how her colleagues were experiencing similar struggles as it pertained to sewing and alterations. That was when I began marinating on the idea of a similar group for bridal seamstresses; one that would bring us together to connect with each other and where we could try to problem-solve our common struggles. At the same time, I knew there had to be an element of education—both for us as business owners but also as a way to connect those interested in getting into this line of work with the right foundation. I also knew we had to find a way to shake off the stigma that sometimes comes with encouraging young people to get into a trade versus maybe going down the more traditional road of college. That’s the reason for the 3 facets of our mission: Connection, Education, and Awareness. 

5. With all that is going on with your regular business, why is it important to take on something like the Stitched Collective now?

The fact that my business is so rapidly growing is actually the exact reason Stitched Collective was formed. Simply put, I found myself becoming insanely busy very quickly. Because of this, the need to hire help came up even quicker than I expected. 

Clients, especially the moms, are also consistently surprised when they meet me. I get asked things like, “wait, are you the one that does the sewing?,” or constant feedback about what a “dying art” sewing is. People are always intrigued by my story which tells me that they haven’t met a young seamstress before.

That made me think about how resources for people who want to get into this are rare. And how when it comes to my own experience, no one ever encouraged me to sew as a profession. My mom actually recently confessed that she was nervous about me even choosing design as a career path. I got very lucky that things fell into place and my sewing skills were there based on my college experience. But what about skilled labor as a whole? College isn’t always right for people even though there’s this stigma that you can’t be successful in life if you don’t go. I just don’t believe that to be true.

 As I continued to speak with others in the bridal alterations business, I discovered that many felt the same—being overwhelmed by how busy things are getting, the struggle to hire talent, the imposter syndrome that can come from being a solo entrepreneur, etc. 

Many also felt a little bit of gatekeeping going on from the older generation. I think this trade is something really special to a lot of people and they guard that tightly. I can completely understand that sentiment but it inhibits progress for sure. 

 All of this adds up to an immediate need to turn the spotlight onto this industry. 

6. How does it work?

I really wanted to create a space first and foremost to get all of us who do bridal sewing to come together. Sometimes our work can be so isolating that even just communicating with other like-minded people is such a relief and a sense of validation. We have a lot of similar challenges and can have a lot of similar solutions, so we’re able to learn from each other and lift each other up which is the best part.

We are currently getting organized with a remodeling of our web site and relaunch of our Instagram @stitchedcollective. A bridal sewer as an individual or business can sign up for a free membership and receive access to our Member Discussion Forum and Newsletter which will launch in December. Beyond that is a Premium Membership service which offers monthly live round-tables, educational speakers and coaches, exclusive discounts and more, which all speaks to the “Connection” and “Education” piece of our mission. We are here to be a tool to help people grow their businesses in accordance with their goals. We actually just hosted our first in-person meetup in Connecticut and the goal is to eventually hold an annual retreat. 

 In its simplest form we want to bring those already in the industry together and help them run successful businesses, help those interested in getting into the industry to find the right places and education to do it, and in turn show our communities how robust this industry can be. I never said to myself “I think I want to be a bridal seamstress when I grow up” and I think we can actually get to a place where that comes into someone’s consciousness as a young person.

 7. How do you plan to keep the alterations trade alive going forward?

I think the most important piece of our mission is the “Awareness” pillar. We cannot stay alive as an industry if no one sees us until they need us. We really want our members to be visible in their communities—whether it’s something so small as their social media presence or getting them involved with their local chamber of commerce or sponsoring community events; If people are talking about these fun and unique businesses and their owners, that keeps us in the consciousness. Maybe that teenager who follows you on Instagram is inspired to pursue a career sewing. Showing success and business savvy, that’s how we inspire people and that’s how we win.

 8. What and where is the best training today for this kind of work for wedding dresses?

While I think resources for this industry are more on the rare side, there seems to be two main paths people take that lead them into seamstress work. It’s either practical on-the-job training/apprenticeships or a formal education from something like a fashion program. I felt so fortunate that I was interested in fashion design and learned pattern making and draping, etc.. That has been so valuable and has helped me develop my eye over all of these years, which also enables me to take on some pretty cool projects. Although I received a great foundation from the college experience, formal school isn’t always for everyone. One of our members enjoyed sewing and started apprenticing at 16. She learned to sew from a family member and had a knack for it, and she simply continued to pursue it by working for someone in her area. It gave her that practical experience that was specific to bridal from the start. Now she runs her own business.

 I love the idea of training someone at an entry level. It works really well as something to do in the off-season when we don’t see a lot of weddings. I have someone now who is very passionate about the work. They train weekly with me as an apprentice/intern and will be a paid employee for next season. 

 9. How many people are in the network so far?

We’re already up to 12 members across the U.S. and counting. And they are AMAZING people of all different backgrounds. I couldn’t be more excited, considering we’re just launching.  

10. How do you promote the sewing trade as a desirable profession for a long-term career path?

I try to be active and visible in my community as much as possible. I am a member of our local Chamber of Commerce and enjoy sponsoring local events such as Middletown Pride. 

Social media has also enabled me to keep myself and my business out there all of the time, both to customers and to a potential next generation of the workforce. Instagram has been a really great platform to give people a glimpse into our world. People can see how the studio looks; they can see what my assistant sewer and I look like; they see us having fun but still doing great work in a modern setting. I think that in and of itself showcases our uniqueness as a business. But I also like to share my business success as much as possible. I’m so amazed when I sit and think about where I started in 2018 and where we are today. I want to reach that person who’s been on the fence wondering, “hey, could I make a living out of this?” I’m the one jumping up and down saying YES YOU CAN—and a great one too!