London

Getting to know the Independent Fashion Industry...
and the people in it.

The two of us Darlings discover and virtually meet some amazing people online via this orbit otherwise known as the internet. But truly, I think I can type for the both of us that we would rather be on the road discovering in person. Wandering around a community, popping into stores, picking up local publications to read over coffee to see what’s happening, getting lost and finding favorite new spots. Those are the best days, and that was just the sort of day I had in London this past May and how this interview with Rosie Martin, Founder of DIYCouture came to be. So anyway…read on and get to know her a bit better. Cheers, Darlings!

Sewing is a visual activity, and needs to be explained visually. With this in mind, DIYcouture takes a different approach from that of conventional sewing patterns, using diagrams and photographs to explain the making process.

Darlings: When and how did you get the idea of empowering people to make their own clothes?
Rosie: I didn’t study clothes-making or fashion but fumbled my way through stitching some basic items as a teenager. By the time I left home I was wearing quite a few clothes that I made myself, though I hate to think what they looked like. Around that time there was quite a bit of publicity about British high street shops that were found to be paying their workers what could be considered less than a respectable wage…in order that we British could find ourselves a nice bargain. At the same time I continued to sew and learn through mistakes and was even receiving the odd compliment on the clothes I wore. I told these people how easy it was to make the clothes but heard repeated expressions of doubt, as if I must have a particular knack for sewing, which I insist I do not.

Rosie Martin, DIYCouture Founder

I had a commission to make an outfit and I chickened out of plowing in, as I usually would have, and went to buy a sewing pattern. After I finally bought something from a large array of fuddy-duddy looking patterns, I opened it to find an almost mind-bogglingly, confusing sheet of sewing code! After I worked out what was going on, I realised that the pattern was actually very simple, but the means of explanation made the process pretty baffling.

I thought it would be great if more people had the confidence to take to the sewing machine and make the odd piece of clothing for themselves, rather than turning immediately to the high street. I thought that all they needed was a clear and simple means of explanation and some encouragement – an honest voicing telling them: you can do it!

Darlings: How did you decide on the format for the books as the best way to deliver your patterns and instruction to consumers?
Rosie: I knew that I wanted the instructions to be as visually simple as possible. I didn’t want people to have to turn to different parts of the book to look up the meaning of words or symbols, I wanted it all there right in front of them as they needed it. I wrote all the words, drew the diagrams, and took all the pictures of my hands making the clothes, then as I sat down at the computer (with my Dad, who is a typographer by trade) to design the pages. I wanted all the information in the books to be necessary and the layout to be easy on the eye. We sat down with these thoughts in mind, and the books as they are is what we came up with!

Do you think people are understanding slow fashion as part of their lifestyle?
Rosie: I think with the economic upheaval there has been an environmental awareness of waste and social awareness of wasteful consumption. There does seem to be an awareness of sustainability in the mainstream now and this includes – slowly, slowly! – in peoples awareness of clothing, or fashion. There does seem to be a move towards garments whose history is there for all to see and towards designs with lasting appeal that won’t end up in the bin after two or three uses. This is in stark contrast to the ‘fast fashion’ ideal of churning out product that through it’s low pricing is almost shouting: “keep buying more, faster!”

Darlings: From when you began, do you think more people are seeking this out as part of their lifestyle as a way to be less wasteful?
Rosie: I think there are a lot of people that are seeking out the knowledge to build something themselves with almost a ‘ back to basics’ ideology. People are growing their own vegetables and building there own furniture. At the same time people are also seeking out the DIY way in our post-Millennium world as they are excited about having production in their own hands. We now have MySpace and YouTube, meaning that almost anyone can get their music out there or be their own mini-movie director. So I think for some people it is a way to avoid buying throwaway fashion and for some it it is a way of having fun, by having a go at making something that you usually receive whole and packaged.

Darlings: How many garments do you think you have made to this point in your career? If you had to guess, how many people have you empowered to make their own clothing?
Rosie: I have made too many! I made quite a lot of FAILS as I was designing the collection as it was sort of a “I make the mistakes so you don’t have to” period. I had to try out all the garments in the collection and see what could go wrong, so that I could instruct people properly on what they needed to know. I would say I have made more than 200 pieces of clothing. I have also had the chance to sell some of these off at a couple of fairs I am happy to say, so they haven’t gone to waste.

I have had a few hundred book sales and these are climbing all the time, as well as a few tutorials published on line and in magazines – most recently on the Etsy blog, so in my humble estimate it must be bordering on 1000 people that have had a go. That’s a very nice thought! I hope it keeps getting bigger!

Darlings: How often do you add a new design to the collection?
Rosie: I designed the collection all in one blast as I had the overly ambitious idea that I would release one book a month throughout 2010. However, due to the cost of printing and my short sightedness with regards to funds I have only been able to print the first three of the series. So the remaining nine are sitting there waiting to go! I am going to release two more in the next six weeks as either downloadable pdf’s or as electronic books on CDs that will be posted out to customers. Then I hope to make
enough money to print the sixth book before the year is out. I have just this week signed a contract with the publisher Laurence King and they are then going to put the next six instructions together in one big DIYcouture book, along with six brand new
designs.

Darlings: Are you tracking the designs as they are made across the globe?
Rosie: That is a great idea, I wish I were!! It would be so cool to have a map with little dots all around the world where people are DIYCing. I have had a few customers send me pictures of the clothes they have made with the instructions and I absolutely love it. It is great to see how different every single piece is. I do plan to make the DIYcouture blog more … sensible…. soon and to write to customers asking them to send in their best pictures of themselves posing in the garments. I’d love to get these images out there.

Darlings: Is there anything you want to make sure everyone knows about DIYcouture or anything else you think is important?
Rosie: My main message is to people who don’t believe they have the skills to make a piece of clothing that looks professional. I am here to tell you that you, even as someone with no sewing experience, you absolutely can create something that you are proud of. Sewing machines are very straightforward and intuitive – I believe the best way to learn to sew is to go for it with a piece of clothing. Believe in your hands!

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