Today we’d like to introduce you to Esmeraldad Gutierrez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been sewing since I was young, playing with my barbies. The first garment I ever made was little denim maxi dress for my Malibu Barbie I made from a pair of jeans I grew out of. I cut the lower half of those jeans, hand-stitched a zipper, a halter tie, and took a fringe off from a belt to make barbie her own belt. From that moment on, I found joy in making and altering garments.
Fast forward to the late 2010’s I began to get small projects, sewing for others. Some projects included seamstress work while others were custom-based pieces. During this period, I was also working full-time in the apparel industry, part of a design team where I was able to take home left over materials. This was like Christmas for me! I would take yards of fabric and any trims we weren’t using that season. By having so many materials to work with, I began to sew garments for myself, occasionally selling off some of those items. I eventually began to take whatever money I earned from those sold items and upgraded my sewing station at home. I bought new machines and whenever I made money, I’d make another “business investment”.
Eventually in 2017, I decided to launch my own site. My focus in launching my site was to create garments utilizing materials others deemed as trash. Seeing first hand how the apparel industry is so wasteful, I wanted to design with minimal waste left behind. Every inch of fabric is important. If a garment couldn’t be made, I’d make a bag, or a scrunchie, or even create patchwork yardage. This kept every style fun and unique. With that same mindset, I continue to design based on the yardage I find. Fabrics and trims are always locally sourced, always buying dead-stock and mixing in some vintage fabrics from my own personal stash that I’ve collected over the years. I love designing small-batch apparel and knowing my small production runs help save some fabric rolls from being tossed out!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road is never smooth. The #1 struggle for me was trying to do it all on my own. From managing my website to sewing ALL my inventory. I thought I had time and patience for it all. That was a mistake! Asking for help took some getting used to and honestly I felt like asking for help was wrong. It wasn’t until recently where I realized in order to grow, I need to step back. One single person can’t do it all. Stepping out of my comfort zone and having helping hands has been challenging at times but something I wish I would’ve done much sooner.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Despite having a heavy design background, I consider myself to be a (self-taught) seamstress and not so much a designer. I’ve worked intimately with talented professionals such as tailors and sewing teams who’ve taught me a lot about garment construction. In understanding these steps, my communication with my clients and shoppers is more natural which makes it easier to problem-solve most issues.
Having my business isn’t just about selling items, I’ve found a new joy in sharing with others my apparel knowledge. Teaching you how and why things are made the way that they are. Helping you better understand the difference between fast fashion and slow fashion. I’ve worked with many brands and designers from high-end to budget-friendly. There is a difference and I am here to educate you on it.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My all-time favorite childhood memory was being able to create whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Time and money wasn’t an issue.
If I felt like painting, I would paint. If I felt like sewing, I would go into my moms’ linen closet and take whatever I found and sew! If I felt like being a hairdresser, I would cut and dye my barbies’ hair.
Creating without a deadline was the best!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lonesomeandthread.com
- Instagram: @lonesomeandthread
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lonesomeandthread
Image Credits
@filmambitions @elizavetadirat
