First let me take a moment to introduce myself.. My name is Diana Maliqi
and it is a pleasure to be a guest blogger here on the Stitching Sewcial and an honor to meet you. I view sewing and embroidery as an art form and appreciate the fact that our machines at Brother(Opens in a new tab)
, are used as vehicles for creativity. Prior to joining Brother I was a retail manager for one of America’s largest retail chain stores and was fortunate enough to observe consumer behavior at the store level. I’ve always had an interest in fashion, not because of its superficial nature, but because of its link to psychology. How many times has your outfit changed your mood or behavior? We all have that one outfit that makes us feel confident, as if we could conquer the world. This was very evident to me as I helped hundreds of women find their perfect outfits. I witnessed their transformative moments as they stood in front of the dressing room mirrors, held their heads up high, put their hands on their hips and said “Wow! I feel amazing in this.” Personally, I think that this is what fashion is all about; self-expression & self-confidence.
Part of my responsibility here at Brother, is to manage our Brother Loves Fashion(Opens in a new tab)
initiatives which encompass our partnership with the Project Runway series and many other projects that help reinforce our connection to fashion. I am fortunate to introduce our latest project with BurdaStyle(Opens in a new tab)
titled 'Runway to Reality Look Book(Opens in a new tab)
!' The talented team at BurdaStyle(Opens in a new tab)
was wonderful to work with and enthusiastic about our machines. Being fascinated by the topic of ‘accessible luxury’, this project is one of my favorites as I appreciate most brands shift in aiming wide rather than high. While some luxury brands are focusing on targeting a wider range of shoppers, there are still many companies that adhere to their luxury price tags and their niche markets. Brother and BurdaStyle(Opens in a new tab)
have created an alternative solution to attaining luxury fashion… Make it yourself! Have you ever seen an outfit that you absolutely loved but had to let pass you by because of its price? Honestly, this happens to me all the time. I personally default to three options while assessing the value of an expensive purchase. First, I utilize my basic math skills (thank you calculator) total cost/number of months to pay it off and interest rate on my credit card. Second, wait for a sale, but of course schedule regular visits to see if anyone else bought it. And lastly, and more often than not, let it go! If it comes back to me it’s mine forever! I think it’s safe to say that high fashion or even quality fashion comes at a high cost and may not be accessible to everyone (minus Beyoncé). What if there was a fourth option: Make it yourself! Now that’s a revelation! We at Brother hold a special place in our hearts for the DIY community and value the art of garment making. We believe that fashion should be accessible to everyone; all you need is your perfect fabric, a well-made pattern, and a great sewing machine sprinkled in with a little bit of skill and creativity. Brother and BurdaStyle(Opens in a new tab)
have partnered together to further explore this idea of “Runway to Reality” with the debut of the Runway to Reality Look Book! This book shows you how to take styles seen on the fashion runway and create them using Brother sewing machines and BurdaStyle patterns(Opens in a new tab)
. What could be better? PLUS this book contains TWO FREE BurdaSyle sewing patterns. Take a look at five favorite Runway looks and see how they were recreated with step by step instructions. The look book is an inspiration to me and a reminder that fashion doesn’t always have to break the bank! It also gives a whole new meaning to accessible luxury; make something & feel amazing in it! I encourage everyone to try creating one of these looks. I also request that you stand in front of your mirror, hold your head up high and tell yourself you look amazing! Download the 'Runway to Reality Look Book(Opens in a new tab)
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