The Art of Sewing

Whenever Ella Macgregor gets asked what it is that she does and replies with ‘seamstress’, there is a distinct look of disbelief on people’s faces. Wow, a seamstress. An actual person making and mending clothes. It seems so novel for some reason in our fast-paced, consumerist society. However, Ella has created a beautiful haven, Raine Studios, where she alters, mends and makes clothing for fellow designers and makers. She also curates and champions a selection of products in her shop which are ethically made with a traceable supply chain.

Having worked with Ella on her branding and photography over the past few years, it was lovely to have the chance to sit down and ask her more about her journey into sewing. To take a deeper dive into finding out what she loves most about her craft, what she finds the most challenging and what have been some of her biggest influences and learnings over the years.

What inspired you to become a seamstress and how did you learn your craft?

My first introduction was at 15 years old when I spent my school work experience week at a local tailors in Bath. It was run by a Venetian man who employed two Sicilian seamstresses. They were both very accomplished, but very intimidating! Fast forward to being 18 years old, and lots of my friends were leaving for university. I went to a talk at the Bath Fashion School by a company called Patternity. During this talk I had an epiphany. I wanted to work as a seamstress. I have always loved using my hands to make things and have always loved fashion. I guess at the time it just made sense to go and work in sewing – it felt so natural. I now feeI really lucky to have discovered what I wanted to do at such a young age, and am thankful that it was something I am naturally good at. 

By a strange twist of fate, not long after the talk, my old boss got in touch to offer me a job back at the tailors. When I started I had no idea what I was doing and the ladies really didn’t want me working on the machines. But I was determined to learn this craft. I would take any spare repair jobs and try and work out how to mend them. I would then check-in with the ladies, and they would tell me if it was good enough or not! Slowly, over time they came to accept me, were happy I was there and we became friends. It was a steep learning curve though – to go straight out of school to mending actual people’s clothes. You certainly gain confidence with scissors and cutting.

What or who has influenced you the most in your career so far?

After a few years working at the tailors I travelled to Australia and discovered a ‘circular’ clothing label (*see footnote) called A.BCH. Their work fascinated me. Up until then I had never considered what fast fashion was, or where our clothes came from (I was a complete shopaholic!) It was an eye-opener seeing the founder, Courtney, consider the environmental impact of each design detail of every garment. From the bio-degradability of fabrics and labels, to the factory conditions of her workers. Every element had to be sustainable, traceable, recyclable or reusable at the end of each garment’s life.

This experience made such an impression on me. Not long after I returned to the UK I reached out to them to say I would love to work with them. It just so happened their Head of Production was leaving and they asked me to consider the role. This was such a shock as I was only 21/22 yrs old and was basically a self-taught garment maker! However, it was too good an opportunity to turn down so I went over there and had an amazing 6 months as part of their team. Then sadly… Covid hit and I had to return to the UK and forego the opportunity to work there longer. 

However, the process of moving home ultimately led to the creation of my own business, Raine Studios (named after my wonderful Granny – Miriam Raine Macgregor – an incredibly talented typographer and wood engraving artist). I still live by many of the values I learnt over there - it has impacted how I view shopping, how I wear clothes and the thought process and considerations I have around product creation. I now ask important questions of garments and products – what are we buying, how was it made and do we need it? I hope that my shop and my work helps educate and encourage others to be more conscious consumers.

What are the essential tools of your trade that you couldn’t be without?

A really sharp pair of small and big scissors. Always a good needle – Sashiko needles are my preference as they are really long. A tape measure. And lots of confidence.

What do you love most about your job?

I love being my own boss and the independence that offers. I work hard, but it is also great being able to manage my own time and not have anyone dictate what I can and can’t do! I also love the variety that exists within the sewing profession. I have a mind that loves challenges and change, so with alterations for example, it is always a different fabric, a different customer and a different fit. No two days or customers are the same. In production, I love the process of making something from fresh. It requires a whole different skill-set.

What is the most challenging?

I think working as a service provider, there’s the element of human error that can be challenging. Obviously we can’t just dial things into a robot or a machine – it requires our hands! Even with 10 years of sewing experience there will be some days where things just don’t go the way you had hoped! 

Also, like any sole trader / small business owner, I think balancing the many different elements of the job is one of the biggest challenges. Thankfully I have put some systems in place over the past 3 years that help things run more smoothly, but my list of things to do never ends! It can range from tidying the shop area, to balancing the books. From scheduling all the alterations and repairs, to making sure my clients are happy and that work gets done in time. From hitting production deadlines, to balancing homelife with my partner, friends and family, domestic admin and time for myself. It’s quite a juggling act!

What or who has influenced you the most in your career so far?

Trips to Copenhagen always inspire me, but when I was coming up with the concept for Raine Studios and was venturing far and wide for inspiration, it surprised me that more places didn’t exist that combined a beautiful space with a beautiful sewing studio. Most places that offer alterations are dark, dingy, dusty and have dry-cleaning everywhere. Where were these light-filled, inspiring, accessible places? It’s important for me that you can see people working at their craft. For people to understand the process and see the handiwork that goes into the process of sewing and making. I don’t mind mess in this shop – that there are threads and offcuts on the floor during the day. It is a working space/studio as well as a small retail space. 

The retail area of my studio has evolved a lot over the past two years. At the beginning I wasn’t intending to have any kind of shop. But I had about 5 - 6 local designer/maker friends with beautiful brands and only limited places to stock them. So I thought if I had a platform through which I could stock and sell these items, why not use it! As time went by, the pieces I was stocking became more varied, but I have now got this real clarity that anything I stock needs to be traceable. This conscience about where and how everything is made, and who you are supporting. I have seen a line I don’t want to cross and I know what my key shop values are – to be fully traceable. It isn’t run like a normal shop. I don’t constantly try to stock newness (as my focus is on sewing!), but there are so many brilliant local makers around who still need supporting.

What has been one your biggest learnings?

That it takes a village. I am lucky to work with an incredible team and am so grateful to my staff (without whom I couldn’t run this place). However, it’s been a learning curve to understand how best to manage and teach others. Passing on this trade requires time, patience and not being afraid of errors (which is all part of the learning process). Thankfully with sewing though, there is usually a way to get around most mistakes and I love problem-solving!

I think being the owner and face of a business in a small community, I have needed to introduce a few work boundaries, which feels quite unnatural to me. But I need to make sure work chat is contained to work hours only, otherwise a lot of my spare time could be spent talking about everyone’s sewing or alteration needs!

What ambitions do you have for the future of your work and for Raine?

A few years ago I wanted to expand the business so I could take on bigger production projects and was even looking at new premises. However, I realised that I have such an eagerness to travel and learn from others, that making the business bigger wasn’t the right direction for me. You can’t teach yourself everything, and there are so many more skills I want to learn. With the alterations and repairs in the shop we have something really great going for Penzance and I wouldn’t want to take that away. However, next year my hope is to make this business a bit more self-sufficient with a manager that can oversee the day-to-day running of the shop. I will still continue my production jobs, but have more time to explore different opportunities. I have always been really fascinated with the film industry and would love to try working on some film costume projects. Doing things that are a little bit different and that give me an opportunity to flex different creative muscles. To keep being challenged, evolve and move forwards. Watch this space!

Visit Raine Studios here

View photography
Raine Studios Gallery I
Raine Studios Gallery II

Footnote: 

A circular ethos is a model of production and consumption that aims to reduce waste and extend the life of products and materials. It’s based on the idea that materials should never become waste and that nature should be regenerated. 

A circular economy is based on three principles: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials, and regenerate nature.