HOW MANY...

Someone asked me twice how many gilets I made... which when you source design pattern cut and make... which include designing and hand cutting and making labels, too, matching the checks from factory offcuts wool, one by one...
sounds like an overwhelming question... which first time around I escaped with a smile, but second time was slightly disturbed...

So from visiting the factory...

to making one's own pressing "ham"

to discussing all elements in details many times with very inspiring and patient Jools 

to reviewing patterns based on real size guies... who depending... can also present shape challenges...

Cutting labels by hand 

and finally punching studs in by hand  

This is how long it takes to make a garment and for those who reduce this whole creative process by counting the time to assemble each piece and count how many garments were made ... 

The Thanet friendly community sharing

A super night at the Thanet... thanks

Kyle was also amazing by choosing a great Youtube channel name for the sewing group meeting once a month, and displaying videos of highlihgts of our class on Wednesday...

  SEWHUB  here we show how to do a "rub-off"  which was officially shown at the School of Fashion Design in Boston, as part of our pattern making classes for the industry...

Rainbow over the Mediterranee

Still grey sky light and dark clouds over mer agitee

Climate Change

So the climate is definitely upside down... the coldest part of France is now in the South... and the flat Mediterranee now looks like an angry Atlantic... and bright sunshine is now replaced by a foggy grey sky...

Denim comes and goes...

How polluting the fashion industry is....
little depressing, yet to find ways to Redress... some make a fair amount of money just sorting and passing to new customers...

Designers however are in the driving seat... to turn things which had reached the end of their lives into new cherished items...

One day walking to Broadwater Farm Creative Studio I set up and run between 2008 and 2017, as part of a circular economy idea of putting together unused resources and teaching the youths struggling at school about the creative process to build their confidence,  I found a piece of denim, a small jacket actually thrown on the side of the road, as we often see clothes which have not made it to the charity shop but no longer have an owner...

So with bits of paragliding wings which had been donated, and had come to an end themselves I started deconstructing and reconstructing...

A contrast is always very helpful to create a stronger message... so I will bring this work in progress in class and discuss its life span with you... as an insight into what it is to run an Individual Project from A to Z...

While helping SueMe to develop an identity as a visible sustainable brand from 2013 onward, my passion to piece together was put to good creative use...

For me to piece textiles together is a healing process where I actually reattach pieces of my life together when they had been broken or I simply just give a new life to a piece of cloth as it is, and use some jewelry or other external elements to create a new whole which is pleasing to the eyes and fun to wear... it is actually quite an empowering process which I love to share, so hope to see you all on the 27th...

One by One- crafted for love, fun and sanity...

Creating, slow sewing, keeping healthy--- both mind and mother nature-- seeing wearers enjoy this well made well fitted cared for one of a kind SueMe piece is a true joy to share...

Since 2013-- Cat cuts makes and tests samples for SueMe to fulfill its mission to reach out and create a greener pasture for future generations, producing quality garments cut by hand made by hand and gradually moved into production if demand requires - thanks to visionary Jools who started SueMe with next to skin heavenly soft and fitted made of wood pulp skinwear to last and make your day easier as well as the planet better...

So today it is WorldGreenCat talking, sharing her passion to design from repurposed sources, cut stitch... the whole lot... design and sewing are not mutually exclusive as many feel or think... just experience the magic of using your hands in a productive way and you will understand...

Embracing the challenge to produce flagship for SueMe to reflect inner core values in a visible elegant and utilitarian way, both for men and women... a tall order with many strings attached, like sharing with a great team at Buff HQs London and more... ongoing support and friendship...

Focuses on the outer garments involves skills developed since 1991 in Boston School of Fashion Design, Newbury street, incorporating couture and tailoring traditions learnt from Italian specialists and French couture houses, slowly crafting unique gilets combining traditional and innovative materials, not online yet as they go as we make and no time to indulge in all the social fun yet...

We are on number 17 men's gilet if anyone wishes to know more... with both son and dad wearing their unique version... Just finished the intergenerational versions... to be shipped to Braintree soon... once buttons are punched in... SueMe in action

Numbered Gilets

For SueMe... slow but sure Fashion for men enjoying bespoke, long lasting quality for prices next to factory and material costs... to help nature in its battle to remain healthy...

@suemevie @wearesueme

So we're on Instagram

and are following 1 person... Hoora... Instagram IP

and we changed out twitter images to Harness the Potential of Women in Action...

and work towards a website...

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Just catching up with online life...

as stitching cutting and designing ordering fabric, cycling to location, take so long, 

virtual life is on pause once in a while...

SO for International Women's Day

Things got exciting... visinting the  V&A : if you wish to visit DIOR booked till July, show up at 8am for 10am opening: 50 tickets are allocated daily)

Feminity

Rescuers

Makers

Wearers...

It takes original thinking to fight for Nature's well being with starting a brand of sustainable sportswear called SueMe... which sparks off an array of reactions... 

which is exactly what pure fashionistas aim to create...

and definitely sparks an interest to work hard for the right cause...

A challenge to help the next generation remember the good old days... :-)

EthiCat- Factory off-cuts

So I did not get the job to coordinate textile charity projects-- and yes the lease extension will cost 40K plus fees on both sides, just when I would have wished to dent my mortgage...

however, there is always more to look forward to and enjoy, like making the new SUEME gilet with wool off-cuts picked up from Tottenham factory in 2015 after Echoic mini production..

And when good friend asks why I make the gilet myself I ask: who is going to cut small pieces? Factories like to lay the whole length, and who will match the checks?

Plus I love the traditional hand making process mixing UK wool and Millerain to create a hybrid modern yet vintage looking over garment to satisfy active men on the go, yet stylish... leisurewear revisited...
Team work at creative SUEME studio: Hand processed Gilet

Re-Defining Sustainable...Ethical...

sustainable

Dictionary result for sustainable

/səˈsteɪnəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. 1. able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.

    "sustainable economic growth"
   

   • 
     
2. 2. able to be upheld or defended.

    "sustainable definitions of good educational practice"
   

ethical

Dictionary result for ethical

/ˈɛθɪk(ə)l/

adjective

1. 1. relating to moral principles or the branch of knowledge dealing with these. "ethical issues in nursing"

   • 
     

     
     
   • 
     
2. 2. (of a medicine) legally available only on a doctor's prescription and usually not advertised to the general public. "all types of drugs, including ethical drugs and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals"

   
   
3. -----------------------------
4. How do we define - describe - introduce new healthy practices within the "fashion industry"?
5. 
   
6. It seems so many words would need to be re-defined, and new terminology might be required too: 
7. so HELP if you have interesting suggestions ...
8. 
   

1- The fashion industry... 

2- The clothing industry...

3- The rag trade...

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Where do new people who try something a little different stand? fit in?

Constructing collar with hand written wording

For instance SUEME sustainable sportswear / activewear concept brand is introducing a Gilet 
- designed in 2013 - sourced for materials over 3 years -  now graded to measure, cut and made in North London SueMe creative studio for clients, one at a time...

Hand cutting XXL for Rod

It is not Savile Row yet it resembles it with the level of crafmanship and direct business to person approach

It is not Barbour yet it resembles it by the choice of iconic British Millerain, and look which could pass for a hunter's outfit, yet incorporates modern features such as reflective piping ...

It is a new hybrid - serie speciale- gilet for active modern men on the go who can dress up or down yet can be presentable at an event or enjoy the extra layer on a bike...complimenting the Echoic jacket and under layer Line jacket all made with recycled plastic bottles, coupling traditional "couture and tailoring" slow paced know-how with modern ultrasonic seaming technologies...

Hand Crafting every piece and detail

How to finish an Iconic SueMe Gilet...

So what is it? Can anyone help? 

And how can we price this one off item crafted by hand from concept to finished product?