Never too Young to be a Fashion Designer

Fashion designers as young as eight years-old will be presenting their daywear collections and costumes at Love to Sew Studio’s fifth annual regional fashion show, Once Upon a Time.

From sketch to hem, designers have created and sewn their own looks, with each line consisting of three to six pieces. Talented Amelia Young,only eight years old, (center) of Chadds Ford shows her casual collection of clothes she made for the runway at last years fashion show. This year she decided on a more elegant line and is showing tea-time dresses!

Advanced designers will have their work judged by industry professionals, with awards given at the closing ceremony for excellence in construction, creativity, and design. Models will strut their looks on the catwalk at Wilmington's Hilton Double Tree Inn ballroom on Sunday, Sept. 29.

This year’s extravagant looks will be featured in the following costume categories: Inspired by Tim Burton, Board Games, and Once Upon a Time: Good & Evil, in which designers team up to create two looks influenced by fantasy and comics. Models will be given awards for best walk and best hair and make-up.

Love to Saw’s fashion show is a family event. Audience members will cast their votes for their favorite costumes in each category. Awards will be given for Audience Choice at the show; “Dress Making Sweet Shop” will offer cupcakes, cookies, cake-pops, and chocolate buttons, sewing machines, dress forms, and shoes. Yummy!

The Junior Show (ages 8-12) will take place from 1to 2 p.m. and the Senior Show (ages 13-17) from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Winner of last year’s Designer of the Year award, 13 year-old Sarah Moran from Landenberg, a first-time senior designer, is living up to the title. Currently in development, is her upcoming collection “British Invasion” which will feature more advanced and complex looks inspired by Mod and punk styles. Sarah is challenging herself to learn the sartorial skills necessary to help her execute her advanced creative ideas. Bringing out her inner Anglophile, Sarah’s first look for the fashion show is an exquisite lined faux-leather cropped jacket with a wide lapel and a Union Jack pattern appliquéd to the back. The flag pattern is made from hemmed satin strips that were stitched onto the center back piece before the jacket was sewn together. The cherry red satin lining matches the fabric used in the flag. How posh!

The ballroom is set up runway-style and seating is limited For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Studio director Judi Harris at lovetosew.com@comcast.net or call (610) 563-8633.

Tickets are available to the public for general seating for each show: $10 for preorders and $12 at the door.