“The thing that I loved about sewing was it helped me to lose myself,” she said. Raven, a native of Liverpool, England, says she learned to sew watching over her mother’s shoulder. It helped me a lot when I was growing up.” Learning to sew builds self-esteem and confidence. “There are so many nuances to this art that people are able to choose specifically what they need. “Our goal is to teach you what you want to learn, which is why we are more focused on 1-on-1 classes,” she explained. Located in the front room of a private residence in Leimert Park, the studio has been hosting sewing classes since 2013 but suspended group classes after the pandemic. Lilian Raven has operated her eponymous studio since 2009. Today’s sustainability-minded consumers also are turning to slow-fashion techniques like mending and altering to make sure their clothes last beyond any trend cycle.

With the planet in peril and the fashion industry driving waste and pollution, savvy consumers are increasingly looking to secondhand clothing, modifying existing pieces to reflect modern tastes. Now that everyone has access to the same garments, exclusive, 1-of-1 pieces are the true markers of luxury.Īs overconsumption and overproduction clog the market with cheap, synthetic fabrics that last only a few wears, there is a greater desire among consumers to prioritize quality over quantity, even if that means not capitalizing on every microtrend. In order to stand out today among the Zara- and Shein-clad masses, intrepid fashion savants are experimenting with more handmade, custom looks as vehicles of self-expression.

Sartorial individualism has collapsed in the face of trendiness. Once upon a time, saying something looked “homemade” was perceived as an insult.īut now that fast-fashion brands have made cheap clothes accessible on a global scale, everyone is dressing the same.

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