Blog — Page 3

Sophia wins the Trashion Show

April 27, 2022 By officeadmin Leave a Comment

Every year Mālama Maui Nui organizes their Art of Trash & Trashion Show event. Participants create art and fashion out of trash, finding ways to rethink, reinvent, and repurpose used or recycled materials. We always love seeing how creative all of the participants are!

We are thrilled to share that First Hand Sophia Gallegos won 1st prize for her piece ‘Après Shopping’. Way to go Sophia! We are so proud of you and we love seeing you continuously step into your artistry through every new piece you create.

Below is a quote from Sophia on her creation:

“I wanted to experiment. I didn’t want the dress to look as though it were plastic. Mostly I used packaging materials, and though I do love to shop, it was frustrating to realize how many plastic bags my family had in our house from various shops. It felt really unnecessary. This was mainly an experiment to see if I could successfully transform the materials into a cute dress, but has the subtle message to remind people to bring your own bag!”

Sophia has some very exciting future plans that will take her to Amsterdam this coming fall. She will be attending Amsterdam Fashion Academy to study fashion design and business. It has been such a pleasure to see her grow as an artist and continue to follow her passions in fashion and design.

If you’d like to see the other pieces participants created, then check out the online catalog here: https://issuu.com/malamamauinui/docs/the_art_of_trash_trashion_show

Filed Under: Community, Sophia Style

In-Studio Stories!

April 20, 2022 By officeadmin Leave a Comment

The last few weeks at the Atelier have been filled with prom dresses, glitter, sequins, and endless smiles. It has been such a joy getting to see the excitement of the Maui teens as they get ready for their proms this year. After a two year pause, these teens were ready to experience prom!

Here are some photos we wanted to share with you from the teens and the JOA staff during these last few weeks. A peek into the prom busyness at the atelier…

Sewing Assistant Micah working on alterations for this sparkly glitter prom dress in a pale lavender. Every night after working we went home with glitter all over us! And if you know glitter, it is not easy to get off. We had so much fun during these weeks filled with lots of glitter and glam!

Here is Master Dressmaker Jennifer holding up a hot pink sequins prom dress we were working on. It is very Jessica Rabbit! We loved seeing all of the different tastes and styles of prom dresses the teens brought into the atelier.

The Maui teens at their prom! We made some alterations for the lavender prom gown.

Here is Sewing Assistant Micah with his sister Sara at prom. Micah graduated last year during covid, so he didn’t get to experience a prom. But luckily, his sweet sister Sara invited him to hers. Such nice siblings! We created Sara’s silk brocade vest for prom.

It has been a jam-packed month of prom alterations and wedding clients. We anticipate the busyness to continue with wedding clients as many brides and grooms move forward with wedding plans this year. Brides, please get in touch as soon as possible if you are in need of our services. Appointments are filling up quickly for the summer. The sooner you can book an appointment the better. Email admin@jenniferoberg.com to schedule your first fitting appointment.

Filed Under: Community, In-Studio Stories

Pleats Part Two!

April 13, 2022 By officeadmin Leave a Comment

If you saw our blog a few weeks ago, you learned all about pleats, the history of pleating, and a current custom gown with pleats we have been creating. Continuing with the pleated custom gown we have been creating for a bride we have part two: some details on the process and the final design!

For this custom gown, we used silk pleated organza with a pale pink underlayer of chiffon from a seller based in Ukraine. We were able to order 20 yards of the fabric before the war started. We have been in touch with the owner of the fabric store, Natali. Her family is secure, however her business had to shut down for a while. She is trying to re-open her business. If anyone would like to support her, then here is a link to her business: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SecretSpark

The dress passed through several design plans before we settled on the right one. We had numerous ideas and possibilities for the style, bodice, and sleeves. We wanted to find the perfect look to fit the style of the Bride Holly, who we were creating the gown for. Eventually, we found the look that was perfectly meant for Holly!

Along with the final design, we also created a detachable train for the gown. Below is a video we took during the creation of the train. For this train we ended up using three of our pleated panels to create a cascading train. Usually you would need to add a bustle to the gown in order to pick up the train for the reception, but for this train we made it detachable so the bride could easily remove it after the ceremony.

We were so happy to create this wedding gown for the bride. The pleated fabric was so fun to play with. It inspired many different design ideas. Brides-to-be, get in touch if you would like to schedule an appointment for a custom wedding gown consultation. We would love to bring your vision to life!

Filed Under: Dressmaking

The Dream Team & Unexpected Surgery

April 6, 2022 By officeadmin Leave a Comment

Today, we wanted to send thanks and gratitude to our JOA team and our very understanding clients. Jennifer discovered a large mass in her neck at the end of January. After trying and trying to schedule appointments to have the mass removed, she was finally able to get a surgery scheduled in California.

Jennifer had to step out of the studio for 2 weeks in March – a very busy time for the Atelier – to have surgery done on the mainland at Stanford Hospital. Thankfully, when the large mass was removed it was benign. We were all very relieved when we found out.

Jennifer in California during her recuperation after her surgery.

In the meantime, her wonderful crew at the Atelier held down the fort while she was away. She is incredibly appreciative of her amazing team, their dedication, and their ability to handle the unexpected with such ease and grace. We are very lucky to have so many talented people working at the Atelier! A big thank you to Elaine Gima – Head Seamstress, Lynne Donaldson – Alteration Specialist, Sophia Gallegos – First Hand, Micah Oberg – Sewing Assistant, and Yasmine Lindskog – Office Coordinator! Endless gratitude for being there for the unexpected and keeping JOA running smoothly.

Our team handled nearly 40 fittings while Jennifer was gone. From prom dresses to custom wedding gowns to general alterations. The Atelier was busier than ever with client appointments and busy sewists working on all the garments. Jennifer called in many times via video and everything worked well. The JOA team managed this unprecedented time with grace, grit, intelligence, quick-thinking, and determination.

In addition, during prom season, our staff stayed the course and helped dozens of girls get their dresses done. We are all so happy about this! It has been two years since the teens were able to have their prom, so we were very passionate about ensuring they felt confident in their gowns at prom this year. Bravo JOA team!! And we are very happy Jennifer is back in the studio, healthy and well! When she got back she treated her staff to a special lunch at Hali’imaile General Store.

“Thank you to my incredible staff for their herculean efforts during my hospital stay and recovery in California. They kept the studio running, did amazing work, and most importantly – took care of so many girls with their prom dresses. The thought of being gone from the studio during prom season was overwhelming to me, but the team took the bull by the horns and gracefully muscled their way through! They are the best!” – Jennifer

Filed Under: Community, In-Studio Stories

The Magicians of an Atelier

March 30, 2022 By officeadmin Leave a Comment

In a professional Atelier, there are many different people who help make the sewing and creating process run smoothly. Often when people think of getting alterations or custom garments they will usually search for a seamstress or tailor. We wanted to break down the different roles and people of the Atelier.

We are grateful for our skilled and diverse team of sewing professionals at JOA. Our Atelier consists of Jennifer Oberg, Master Dressmaker, Sophia Gallegos, First Hand, Elaine Gima, Head Seamstress, Lynne Donaldson, Alterations Specialist, and Micah Oberg, Sewing Assistant. Our wonderful and collaborative team makes every project an absolute pleasure to work on.

Below find the descriptions of the various roles and what their responsibilities entail:

Seamstress: Typically they have a strong knowledge of sewing, cutting, mending, and adding details to garments. A seamstress sometimes may only specialize in a few of these areas, while a Dressmaker or Tailor will be well-skilled in the construction of original or custom garments, as well as, alterations for garments.

Dressmaker: Historically dressmakers were women creating custom clothing for women. Today, a Dressmaker can refer to any sex and can work on all types of clothing. Typically a dressmaker designs and creates bespoke garments from scratch but they also are highly skilled in altering clothing.

Alterations Specialist: Focuses on the alteration of garments to give clothing the best fit possible. They are highly-skilled in dealing with all types of alterations, from the most basic to the most complex. They usually have a sharp eye for articulate details.

First Hand: The First Hand advises the team in the sewing and construction of garments. They usually assist the Cutter/Draper or Costume Manager in constructing new costumes and patterns. And they will also supervise the other sewists in the shop.

Tailor: Historically tailors were men creating men’s clothing from scratch or altering clothing. Today a tailor can refer to any sex and can work on all types of clothing. They can create both menswear and womenswear from scratch or alter clothing.

Patternmaker: They usually create the patterns used for making clothing or for making the base design of a garment. These patterns can be used to make the same garment over and over. Or if it is specifically for one garment, it would be the pattern created on paper or muslin before it is cut out of the fabric to be used on the original fabric or muslin test garment.

Cutter/Draper: Their main responsibility is the creation of the costumes. They work with the construction and preparation of the garments. They also interpret the design of the garment created by the Designer and the Patternmaker.

If you are in need of any alterations, custom gowns, or restyling, then please get in touch with JOA. You can email us at admin@jenniferoberg.com to schedule an appointment.

Filed Under: Community, Dressmaking

Bridal Trends of 2022: Pleats

March 23, 2022 By officeadmin Leave a Comment

Pleats are becoming the latest trend in Bridal Fashion and Design. Many designers and brides are going towards pleats to add the details and textures their wedding gowns are missing. A fun style from the past making a return with a modern twist.

A brief history of pleating takes us back to ancient Egypt where this technique originated. The pleated fabric was used to decorate the garments of very high class, royal, or wealthy people. The pleats were all completed by hand and when the fabric was washed the pleats would come out, so the process would need to be repeated again and again each time. The demanding process of pleating fabric resulted in pleats becoming a symbol of power and wealth.

In modern pleating, new techniques have been developed to keep pleats from washing out. ‘Permanent Pleats’ were created after World War II. By using chemicals and heat setting methods the pleats can continue to remain in a fabric. Ultimately, this new process has allowed pleating to become accessible to everyday people, not just royalty.

At the atelier, we recently worked together with Bride Holly on a custom wedding gown. For now we can only share some behind-the-scenes photos but in the coming months we will share the final design. The bride was very interested in having a gown with pleating in it. We worked through several design ideas with her and settled on a silk organza to create the pleating.

We reached out to several pleating companies in Los Angeles to get samples made of the silk organza. We wanted to make sure that it was exactly what the Bride was looking for. We ordered a couple of 3 yard panels, one in an accordion pleat and the other in a sunburst pleat. We all fell in love with the sunburst pleat, because it was so flexible in creating different shapes and designs.

The JOA team then continued to work on the gown to create the Bride’s custom pleated wedding gown. There was no way to do the traditional mockup process with cotton muslin on this dress. So we ordered extra pleated panels to work with as the mockup. Below you can see some work-in-progress photos when we received the first round of pleated fabric and started draping it on the dress form. Stay tuned for more photos where we will reveal the final design of the wedding gown!

Filed Under: Dressmaking, Fashion History

Wedding Gown Alterations & Budgets

March 15, 2022 By officeadmin Leave a Comment

At JOA, we often have clients reaching out about pricing for their wedding gown alterations. Naturally our clients would like to know the starting price and max price. Pricing for wedding gown alterations is very nuanced. There are always many factors to consider when calculating the price of your alterations. In this post we wanted to shared some of those factors to better prepare brides-to-be when creating their wedding budgets and considering their bridal alterations costs.

The first thing we always like to suggest to clients is to just come into the Atelier for an initial appointment that is free. In this appointment we will then be able to determine all the alterations and adjustments needed for your gown in order to give you an accurate number. Alterations can be a bit deceiving. Take for example just having a gown that is a bit too long. If the fabric is more simple then great this will in fact be a very simple alteration. However, if the fabric has beading or appliqué designs scattered on the fabric then suddenly this simple alteration becomes far more complex and tedious. Each wedding gown alteration is very case by case.

Factors that contribute to the alterations needed involve the type of fabric of your dress, any intricate designs such as beading or appliqués that need extra care to maintain the details, the layers of fabric, the addition of a bustle to your gown, and then of course all of the micro-adjustments to the gown that will eventually give it a custom-fit appearance. And the bustle in itself can contribute to a higher price. There are simple bustles and then very complex bustles. Below the JOA team, Sophia, Elaine, and Lynne are sewing 35 bustle points on this wedding gown. They were creating a ballroom bustle. Some bustles can have as few as 3 bustle points as well. This completely depends on the shape of your gown, the length of your train, and the layers of fabric.

Brides-to-be we recommend coming in for an initial consultation so that we can give you a quote and determine the alterations necessary for your wedding gown. If you’d like to book an appointment please email Yasmine at admin@jenniferoberg.com.

Filed Under: Alterations, Bustles

Prom Season!

March 8, 2022 By officeadmin Leave a Comment

Maui High Schoolers and Teens! It is finally Prom season again. After two years without Prom we are thrilled to welcome teens back into the Atelier for fittings and alterations with their prom attire. We’ve already had many girls coming in for prom dress alterations. Wow, we are so excited for them to be able to experience prom again!

Below are photos from two years ago, right before the pandemic began. We had some prom dresses in the studio and then suddenly everything got canceled. At the time, we had no idea it would be a whole two years until Prom returned.

High schoolers, teens, and parents: get in touch with us as soon as possible if you are in need of alterations. Our schedule is filling up quickly with prom and wedding appointments. We want to be able to help everyone! The sooner you reach out to schedule your appointment the more likely we will be able to assist you.

For all appointment bookings reach out to Yasmine at admin@jenniferoberg.com. Mahalo!

Filed Under: Alterations, Community

Real Weddings: Jaclyn

March 2, 2022 By officeadmin Leave a Comment

From time to time we love to feature some of the past brides we worked together with. Beginning our blogs for March we wanted to give you a peek into the magical wedding of Bride Jaclyn and her husband. She shared so many amazing photos with us and we had to share them with you! It’s always great for brides-to-be to get some wedding inspiration.

Jaclyn and her husband got married in California nestled in the beautiful redwood mountains last September. Below are some pictures from this breathtaking wedding venue..

The JOA team worked together with Bride Jaclyn on wedding gown alterations, giving her gown that perfect, custom made fit! We shortened the straps on the gown. Her petticoat had a bit too much poof for her taste and personal style so we removed a layer to give the gown a more subtle volume. And then we also shortened her veil. JOA has helped several brides in the past restyle their veils. If you ever need help with this, don’t hesitate to ask us.

Brides-to-be get in touch for all your wedding gown alterations and custom wedding gown needs. The JOA team is here to assist you and create a memorable wedding experience. Email admin@jenniferoberg.com for all appointments and consultations.

Below are some more photos from Bride Jaclyn’s special wedding day…

WEDDING VENDORS

Dress: @anomalie

Wedding Gown Alterations: @jenniferobergatelier

Grooms suit: @indochino

Photography: @brysphotography_

Videography: @merisfilms (I haven’t received the video yet)

Venue: OVY Camp (Optimist Volunteers for Youth in San Gregorio, CA)

Caterer: @kitchenina

Filed Under: Real Weddings