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Subject: ditto what Linda said Author: SP [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 11:14:23 07/16/11 Sat Author Host/IP: 74-82-68-37.rdns.blackberry.net/74.82.68.37 In reply to: linda 's message, "designer clothes" on 04:34:25 07/15/11 Fri I have sewn for several designers as well and started basically the same way. I have my own clients now (mostly) and I only sew for people that are referred to me because I prefer to charge a fair price because my pay is when they win big in something I made. I do not do this for a living so it stays fun for me and not a job but I do make good money just not a fortune at the expense of others. I encourage people to follow their dreams and go for it. This is a hard and unforgiving business but you will only get better and better. There should be a tv show following the true origination and progression of some of these garments. It would be very interesting to see who has the real talent and creativity out there!!!! [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> [> [> [> [> Subject: Designers Author: Tiffany [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 12:47:07 07/16/11 Sat Author Host/IP: NoHost/99.189.52.180 I feel your frustration. I have been making dresses for a couple of years and thought I could make a career out it. What a joke! Like most I started making my daughters clothes and noticed what others paid for "big names". I charge very reasonable prices and even tried half price custom dress sales. I've basically given up. I'm just going to do stuff for my girls and sit back and laugh at what others have to pay. I enjoy designing and creating them so it will continue to be a sometimes lucrative hobby:) [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: re: Author: Gloria [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 09:52:42 07/17/11 Sun Author Host/IP: cpe-74-68-119-147.nyc.res.rr.com/74.68.119.147 Have you ladies, the ones that sew for the designers, ever considered taking legal action? It's ridiculous that dresses cost up t0 8K and you make nothing near that amount. I can't stress it enough how wrong this is. What bugs me the most is that they have the audacity to call it theirs, and give no credit to the seamstress. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: sewing for so called designers Author: linda [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 13:29:43 07/17/11 Sun Author Host/IP: 75-134-4-180.dhcp.stls.mo.charter.com/75.134.4.180 I just thought it was my own stupidity of sewing for them in the first place. Everyone of us who sew for them are actually ruining it for the real designer out there to make decent money on their things. Without someome sewing for them, they wouldn't have a business. The problem is that someone will always sew for them to make the money. They also have coaches pushing their work because the coaches get free clothes from them and I know this for sure because I sewed many things for a coach that pushes one of them. This so call designer also has a big time pageant director who pushes her things. You can't really fight the way they protect each other. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: All that is not entirely true Author: someone that knows [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 11:35:38 07/18/11 Mon Author Host/IP: cpe-071-075-132-242.carolina.res.rr.com/71.75.132.242 8K dresses are rare. I personally do not know anyone that has charged 8k for a dress. The most I've ever seen is 5k and that was the mom that requested that price level because she wanted to be over the top at nationals. Reality is that even the big named designers are not making big money. The average dress order is around 1500-1800. By the time you pay a seamstress 600-800 for a shell then pay for fabrics and trims at 100-150 then rhinestones at 500-700. Designer makes 300-400 on average. Don't argue that fabrics are not that high because they are on national clothes. I know there are some cheap things used but it is because they work for whatever they are used for but majority of the materials are not cheap. They put the time in going to buy fabrics, doing the fittings, taking the measurements, and dealing with the people if the order isn't done on time or doesn't fit exactly right. The way I see it the seamstress wins because they don't have to look for work the designer brings it to them and they make as much as the designer that is taking the credit and responsibility for the garmet. If you are going to sew for a designer what you have to know is that it is like working for any other business, you have to do top work and have it done on time everytime or you will be replaced no matter how much of yourself you have put into it. And you never teach anything to anyone if you are going to take it personally when they become your business competitor. Like Burger King showing McDonalds how to make a hamburger. It takes years to establish yourself as a top designer. Years of traveling, being away from your family. Anyone can do that if they want to put the time and work in but alot of people aren't willing to do that. People want to make things in the comfort of their home, slap it on ebay and make good money. Well it doesn't work that way, sorry. Just like it took Calvin Klein years to become a big designer, do you really think that he personally sews everything that has his name on it? Get real people. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: re Author: Gloria [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 14:05:58 07/18/11 Mon Author Host/IP: cpe-74-68-119-147.nyc.res.rr.com/74.68.119.147 I remember chatting w/ a pageant dad at a pageant once. So the cost of dresses came up. He told me the most he has paid for a dress was 8k.Not sure if Michael booth was the "designer" or Glenna Hampton. But I've seen Glenna's and they are gorgeous.Still too much though. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: re:someone that knows Author: Gloria [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 14:18:35 07/18/11 Mon Author Host/IP: cpe-74-68-119-147.nyc.res.rr.com/74.68.119.147 I understand where you're coming from. It's true that most people in the fashion industry don't sew what they design, but these are pageants we're talking about. It's not like millions of people are demanding dresses at the same time and you need a whole bunch of seamstresses to sew you your things.Not a whole lot a people order these dresses, well not at the same time, you're not in a time crunch either since they give months to make dresses. If you're a pageant designer and advertise these dresses as you're own, the least you can do is make them. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: designers out there Author: Linda [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:46:49 07/19/11 Tue Author Host/IP: 75-134-4-180.dhcp.stls.mo.charter.com/75.134.4.180 Not trying to disturb anyone, but when I sewed for the designer I designed everything then made it and decorated it. The only thing left was the stones, which they did. They can say designer all they want, but if they don't know the basic construction of the garment how can they call themselves a designer. I promice every big name designer in the market knows basic sewing. That's a fact.Just watch project runway once and you will know. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Ms Linda... Author: Loni [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 22:01:09 07/19/11 Tue Author Host/IP: cpe-24-27-68-164.tx.res.rr.com/24.27.68.164 I see you mentioned that you sewed for Tina Marshall. Are you the one that made her amazing chiffon skirts? I have ALWAYS wanted one for Mackenzie but could never get it right. Do you make these still? Please let me know. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Loni Author: Linda [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 04:00:42 07/20/11 Wed Author Host/IP: 75-134-4-180.dhcp.stls.mo.charter.com/75.134.4.180 Yes, I made many of them for her. 10 years ago the stage was full of chiffon dresses. The first dress I ever made was chiffon for my daughter. I used to air brush them with different colors also. What a pain! lol, but they were very different. Organza dresses were out there, but not as much as chiffon. It's more difficult to work with but so soft looking on stage. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Chiffon Skirts Author: Loni [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 17:00:52 07/20/11 Wed Author Host/IP: cpe-24-27-69-124.tx.res.rr.com/24.27.69.124 Would you like to make one LOL if you would please email me. I would love to have one for Mackenzie. I miss seeing the soft skirts on stage. kenzierosesmom@tx.rr.com [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Loni Author: Linda [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 10:42:55 07/21/11 Thu Author Host/IP: 75-134-4-180.dhcp.stls.mo.charter.com/75.134.4.180 Lonie I sent you an email under a different email addy, but it's still me.lol I will make one for you or tell you how to do it. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: your missing the point Author: someone that knows [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 03:56:03 07/20/11 Wed Author Host/IP: cpe-071-075-132-242.carolina.res.rr.com/71.75.132.242 Yes you sewed the garments and designed them except rhinestoning. Did you have to work your tail off selling garments? Or did the orders come to you? Did you have to face the moms when garments were not finished on time or weren't fitting correctly? Did you have to travel all the time? Did you have to pay for advertising? Did you have to figure out colors or buy most of the fabrics? Did you have to deal with getting people to pay for the garments that they ordered? I understand that the big named designers do not actually make their garments but there has to be a person booking and selling garments and someone making garments. There is no way that you have time to do both and be a big named designer. You have to have help in some way from other employees. Whether they make just parts of a garment or the whole thing. The seamstresses may not get the credit but there is a whole lot that they don't have to deal that comes with that credit. If you have ever had to deal with pageant moms, you know what I am talking about. I see my garments on banners everyday. I see my garments on girls walking around in the ballrooms at pageants running up to the big named designer thanking them. I don't get credit for anything that I make and I am fine with that. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: to someone that knows Author: Linda [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 05:08:08 07/20/11 Wed Author Host/IP: 75-134-4-180.dhcp.stls.mo.charter.com/75.134.4.180 I will have to tell you that your right about dealing with "some" of the moms. I have been on both sides of this coin.Things have changed so drastically in the pageant world. I have been trying to build my business back up for the past year. I don't advertise on ebay because moms who look there are looking for a deal and I mean dirt cheap. I don't like doing pay pal, but have been forced into it because pm's are used to the convience of it. I just had a lady named Carrie Brown file a claim and pay pal jerked $475 out of my account because she said she didn't get the dress. I have a reciept from UPS and a picture of her in the dress at IFF and FF nationals. It takes 30 days to resolve it, but just makes me angry they can just take that money from me at a whim. So yes there are a lot of things to deal with when you do it yourself, but myself personally will never sew for another so called designer again. I don't have a problem with others doing it. I'm going to fight this out on my own or quit all together. This is so funny. I didn't know anything about facebook, but my 13 year old grandaughter opened one for me and put 4 or 5 pictures on there and next thing I got some orders. I was shocked. I get plenty of messages about things, but maybe one order out of every 10. Once in a while I run a banner and post to the voy boards. It takes some time and I have found if you get a good customer, they order several times a year. Once you get enough of them built up you have a pretty good business. Another thing is I just want enough to keep me busy, but not too busy. When my name was big out there I just about worked myself to death from the time I got up untill I went to bed. I'm not intrested in that anymore. There is plenty of work out there for all of us. 4 or 5 outfits a month is enough for me. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Linda I had this happen recently Author: Loni [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 10:34:47 07/20/11 Wed Author Host/IP: cpe-24-27-68-164.tx.res.rr.com/24.27.68.164 IF she paid you with more than one transaction...call paypal and they will settle in your favor. You will get your money back instantly! Paypal rules state that items must be paid for in full the first day. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Loni Author: Linda [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 10:32:36 07/21/11 Thu Author Host/IP: 75-134-4-180.dhcp.stls.mo.charter.com/75.134.4.180 Wow!! I didn't know that. She did make 2 payments so that is very good news. Thanks for the info [ Post a Reply to This Message ]