The vintage scene is all about stories, history and bringing the style of previous eras to life for our own generation. For me, sewing in my family is the same. My grandmother made clothes and designed her own fabrics. She taught my mother to sew, and in turn she taught me. I’ve been sewing for 35 years - it’s a passion that’s been with me all my life.

From my first ball gown at university, to corset making in my twenties, and the bridesmaids dresses and men's waistcoats for our wedding, Iittle was I to know that years later, I would give up my legal career and take up dressmaking as our wedding guests said I should.

In 2012 I started learning to dance the Jive, Lindy Hop and Charleston and discovered the fantastic vintage dressing up that went with it. I quickly realised I had found my business niche. Looking at original vintage clothing, it became apparent that not only is sizing dramatically different, but also the quality of the garments made at the time varied greatly. I wasn't buying vintage clothing because I knew I could recreate a better fit for my shape myself.

The seed was sewn (pardon the pun), when Mum reminded me about my Grandmother's original vintage fabric designs from art school in the 1930's. Having them printed on to fabric had long been a dream for us and working with a local graphic designer and fabric printers helped the vision come to life.

In 2013 Reinvintaged was born, using my years of experience to produce stunning vintage pattern dresses using not only modern fabrics, but offering the unique chance to own a dress made from one-off fabric designed three generations ago and brought to life by the same family. In the interim, things move from strength to strength and I get immense satisfaction out of creating one off made to measure creations that have now travelled the globe. 

I hope that in commissioning one of my dresses, you feel that you are buying your own little bit of history too.

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Photography by C J Griffiths