In your own words, how would you describe your creative work?

Simplistically, I am a seamstress, but I tend to refer to myself as a costume maker as costumes often require so much more than the ability to sew fabric, plus I do make wigs and other items.

When did you first discover your passion for art?

I probably first picked up a needle and thread when I was a small child, and I had an old hand-crank Singer sewing machine which I used to play with making clothes for my Barbie dolls. The love for making things with fabric never left but never quite moved to the forefront, I guess it wasn't viewed as a proper career so I was guided through a more academic route. I've continued sewing beautiful things and making my own clothes over my whole life, but it was only returning to work after having children that I landed a lucky opportunity working as a military tailor at Brompton Barracks in Chatham. I joined just two weeks before Queen Elizabeth II passed and was suddenly thrown into full ceremonial duties and this challenge really was the beginning of my belief in myself. Shortly after I got a lucky break with Wicked Productions working on the Christmas pantomime at the Woodville and I discovered a passion for the crazy world of costumes.

What's the creative process?

When it comes to costume making I love a mood board from my client, and a discussion about the physical demands on the costume. Sometimes there are physical demands on the costume and these must be considered in the design, along with the aesthetic requirements. There's nearly always a mock-up garment to test the shape with a fitting where I can then show fabric samples and embellishments before moving onto assembly. I've made a few technical costumes which changes the process, for example, a "magic" dress I made for Britain's Got Talent this year had to be made and tested around 5 times and my collaboration was with a props maker rather than the actual wearer of the garment. 

What does a typical day look like to you?

I am so lucky to have a workshop in my basement at home in the heart of Gravesend, this gives me such flexibility as a single parent of two children under 10. I do most of my work within the school day but often visit the workshop again in the evenings, it really is my happy place.

What have you learned most about yourself in recent times?

That it is actually possible to follow a dream! As a woman in my mid forties I've been brought up in a world where we are told we can have it all, but in my experience this left me feeling around in the dark trying to discover my actual purpose. I think my focus in recent years has shifted more from working hard to reach the idea of a happy life, to choosing the things which make me happy and feel right in the short term which ultimately seems to be a better route to the happiness I was feeling around for.

Do you have any wisdom you can share with others who are thinking of launching a creative business?

I’ve learned the benefit of networking and I'm developing my confidence in being able to sell myself. Having an amazing support network is essential, a pool of positivity for me to float myself in when it all seems too much. I've had to be adaptable to change, and that can feel pretty negative when something doesn't work out in your favour, but brushing it off and moving on rather than ruminating on what could have been is a much more healthy approach.

What is on your mind right now?

Pantomime! I am so lucky that further to making some of the costumes for the pantomime at the Woodville, I also get to run the wardrobe there through the entire run. This year I'm so excited to work on their brand new production of Cinderella and we open on Friday 5th December! The show runs right up to 4th January and I work on every show so it's an intense period, but a joyful one. The show looks amazing and my favourite part is this moment, when all the individual moving parts start to come together to form a truly beautiful thing. It is eye opening to see so much work by individual artists organised into one gigantic project, and to watch the audience react to the spectacle of it all. 

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