St Catherine seamstress keeps customers looking sharp

In a time when many persons import clothing items rather than have them made from scratch, some garment makers are still determined to stay relevant.

One such is 39-year-old Stacien Hinds of Bog Walk, St Catherine, who declared that she has been involved in the designing and stitching of clothing for many years.

''I can say that I am very thankful that I made the decision early to be involved in the clothing industry. I make casual wear, formal wear such as wedding dresses and working dresses, plus I make uniforms and even stitch men's clothing. It is a space for sewing basically anything that is being worn,'' Hinds said.

She said that the trend of persons importing ready-to-wear pieces works as a motivating factor.

"I am confident in my products, plus my clientele remain loyal to me," Hinds said. "Sometimes the customers buy the items and have to come here for me to work on it, therefore I am very confident in my products."

The mother of three, who occupied a space at the Bog Walk Plaza in St Catherine, said that she knew from an early age that sewing was what she wanted to do as a career.

"It manifested itself (in me) as a student of the Ewarton High School, which saw me doing clothing and textile. Upon graduating, that love still had me sewing from home where I would do a few pieces of dresses and blouses for close friends, relatives and acquaintances, which further strengthened my resolve. So I decided that I need to get formal training,'' Hinds said.

The businesswoman said that she then enlisted at the Garmex HEART Academy in Kingston, where she attained a Level 3 certificate in fashion designing, which prepared her to serve the industry professionally. The determined Hinds said that to manufacture her items, she buys her threads, needles, cloth, elastic, buttons, zips, and other material in Kingston on a weekly basis.

A recent visit to Hinds' store found a wide display of finished items on display. She was still at the sewing machine completing a piece, while several customers, including men, kept her busy.

''Yes man, this woman have a special touch around the machine. She cut and stitch anything in a timely way and when it finish, your work is done properly. So that is why I am here to get my dress built for a wedding. Is years that she is sewing for me,'' Melissa Thompson, a customer from Highgate, St Mary, said.

Hinds said that her desire is to expand the business and also train others interested to take up the trade, however, she is giving herself a few more years.

"This is a work which you must be determined to be able to survive, as there are slow seasons. The best time is the opening of school and coming on to the year end. So you can imagine what happened during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. You have to constantly pray and hope that somebody buy a piece of clothing," the seamstress said.

"I can remember coming to work and don't get an order, but my few loyal customers them kept me focused and that is why I am still here," Hinds said. Having weathered that storm, she is now anticipating a boost in business for the Yuletide season.

"This time of year is very meaningful to the business, as my customer base expands at this time," she said.