I met this dynamo sister team about 3 years ago when I was living near their shop and going to the Fabric market nearby regularly to source fabrics for a company I worked for. We started off together making skirts - the Sunday skirt and Picnic skirt- I would bring in my patterns, samples, spec sheets and my rolls of haggled for fabrics. We had a lot to learn about each other. Both Hien and Hoai have classical tailoring training - that means they don't use patterns, or cutting machines, or run production in a way that I had ever come across.
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| Hoai, Hien and Oahn. |
We now work with each other full time. The learning curve for all of us has been great - the main challenge be the cultural differences that come up about what is normal. It is great to see through this experience another way at looking at work, and life and values overall. I am so in awe of these women's sewing skills. Everytime I attempt a new neckline or a tailored design line, I hand over my sample (the one I sewed) and sheepishly say.. like this, but... much nicer!... they smile and sure enough a week later I have my vision in hand but perfected.
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| The 'Batik Picnic' dress in production. Hue (middle picture) holds up a finished piece. She is a pocket sized rocket sewer! |
Now that I am back in Australia I look forward to setting up a studio again here, manufacturing parts of the collection here too, however I hope to always work with this team on the special Kindling dresses, skirts and tops that they are so good at. I am planning a trip in late November to finalise the Winter collection.... anyone want to come with me?
