Katie's Kouture
A timeline of my work.
What I do
Imagine,design,create
Design/ Pick Fabric
The design process starts out with a mood board. The mood board is a collage of photos thats sets the scene for the following design. Then using this, I pick out fabrics that fit the theme of the design. However, these fabrics have to structurally work for the desired silhouett. Next, I sketch out my design on a croqui and create flat backs showing the structure of the garments.
Pattern-Make
After sketching, it is time to bring my idea to reality. First, I create a pattern to precisely fit my body. This can vary from a simple process, to taking up more time than the actual sewing. Depending on the intricacy of the design, I can either reuse a past pattern, tweak and alter it, or sometimes restart and build it up from the beginning.
Sew
After I successfully create a pattern, it is time to mark and sew. Depending on the complexity of the garment, sewing can take anywhere from 1-10 hours. At tech, we have Industrial machines which are complety different than the common home machines. They are much faster, bigger, and a lot harder to operate. However, when used correctly, they are much more professional looking than home machines. We also have a serger machine, these machines both cut and sew at the same time, which give our clothing that professional clean edge.
why I do it
My story:
When I was seven years old, my mom signed me up for a two-week summer camp. In summary, the camp taught the basics of sewing, and from that moment on, I was hooked. Never would I have imagined that one silly camp would turn into a lifelong hobby—but here we are, more than ten years later.
After the camp, I started taking regular classes once a week. I got to learn new techniques and challenge myself with harder projects. Two years later, I outgrew the classes and started sewing entirely on my own.
Going into high school, I had sort of lost time for my passion in the throes of schoolwork and athletics. However, during my junior year, I started a program at Wilson Tech, where they offer a Fashion Design and Merchandising course. There, I was able to dedicate almost three hours every single day to what I love most.
Over the course of junior year at Tech, there were two fashion shows where I had the opportunity to model my own line of clothing. I debuted six original garments that I created from start to finish at our annual show. I’ve had the most amazing experience being at Tech my junior year and can’t wait to see what I continue to create in my senior year.
I created this website in hopes of displaying my designs and showcasing how far I’ve come over the last ten years. Each design includes a description with details about when I made it, how I made it, and why I made it. I hope you enjoy!
My Portfolio
Cotton Corseted dress:
This was the first garment I made at Tech. I wanted to challenge myself with the design. Through the picture it’s hard to tell, but the dress is corseted, and is made up of six pieces sewn together. After they got sewn together, I then had to top stitch on either side of the seam, making the process extremely difficult and precise. This was one of the garments I modeled in the annual fashion show. Overall I am extremely proud of how it turned out, and I am glad I challenged myself.
Chiffon floral set: skirt/top
The theme for our annual fashion show was “enchanted gardens”, so I really wanted to create a design that reflected it. So, I carefully picked this fabric and created a pattern for the top. I wanted it a flowy off the shoulder top, with a matching skirt. Although this was a relatively easy design, I was happy with the outcome. I added a lace trim to both the top and skirt to tie them both together.
Knit open back dress:
This dress was made in the middle of covid season. In the midst of all the extra time, I dedicated it to sewing. Although it‘s not the cleanest design I ever made, i had so much fun creating it. The fabric was just a scrap fabric i found, I had no intention of using it. The whole time I was just exploring, I had no idea what I wanted to make, I just created it one step at a time. The open back was a last minute decision, and the whole thing was spontaneous in its own way.
Satin black skirt:
This skirt is different from the others, because it was the first time I had sewn with satin. if you look closely, you can see the small tares from the machine. I had the most difficult time sewing this garment. The industrial machines do not like to take satin, and it was almost impossible to get a clean stitch.I practically seam ripped more than I actually sewed. It took me about a week for this, when it should’ve barely taken one or two hours. However, I am proud that I stuck it out and finished it.
Cotton red checkered set:
To date, I am by far most proud of this design. I pattern made everything in the picture to perfectly fit me, and added intricate details to the garments. The top has an open back with a red ribbon tie that holds the front secure. It also has an elastic waistband around the back to give it that flowy look. The straps are lace, which was something I had never done before previously. I attached matching bows to both peices to tie the two together. Overall, this was the most precise garment I have ever sewn, which only made me more proud of the outcome.
floral black chiffon dress:
This garment was also debuted at the annual fashion show. I am so happy with the way it turned out. Although it wasn’t the hardest design I sewed, it had aspects I had never done. For example the rouched top was a new technique I had never done before previously. It perfectly fit the theme “enchanted gardens” and came out amazing.
Purple knit active set:
This design was extremely hard due to the cut out piece. I had to hem only a fourth of an inch on a curve which is nearly impossible. However, other than the very small hem, I am super happy with this design because it was the first active set I made. Usually, I make dresses, skirts, and tops, but I had never made leggings.
gold/tan satin skirt:
This is the same skirt as the black satin one, but I wanted to revisit satin my senior year to see how much I had improved. Overall, the process was so much easier and cleaner, and it proved that I have come a long way, even in just a year.
Contact Information
Find us here:
Katie's Kouture
Centerport
NY
11721
US
Email: [email protected]