Clinton Township Newsletter

1 2 j a n u a r y 2 0 2 6 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M Welcome to with Rachel Sprague * C linton ree Questions * Hope your holidays were merry and bright; don't put away your holiday sparkle just yet! Clinton 3Q met up with owner, designer, and seamstress Amy Brito of the new shop, Atelier'd, to talk about how to get your glam on in the New Year. C3Q: Congratulations on a wonderful shop opening this past season! What is "Aterlier'd", for those who are not yet familiar with your shop? AB: So my shop, Aterlier'd, does a little bit of everything. Our specialty is custom suiting, in addition to tailoring. Custom suiting means that a suit is made to your personal measurements. We walk you through that process so that you get something that is true to you. When you're buying a suit off the rack, you are spending a lot of money on alterations for something that might not even be your style. Most people don't fit into a standard size; everybody is different. We take extensive professional measurements and have the suit custom-made according to those measurements. The average wait time is 4-6 weeks, but it depends on the number of pieces. A custom button-down shirt can take 3-4 weeks. The material itself is the highest quality; we work with fabric mills in Seville Road, London, Loro Piana, and other luxury fabric vendors; vendors that work with Hollywood movies, such as 'Wolf of Wall Street,' etc. With off-the-rack suiting, you don't get too many options, it's made the way that it's made. With Aterlier'd, you get something that is truly yours, instead of someone else's. So for people who need something for a wedding or other event, I recommend coming in to the shop at least two months beforehand, which leaves ample time for delivery. We do alterations as well, which is the process of taking what you already have, and making it fit better for you; whether it's jeans or a dress that you love, we can help it to live multiple lives. Repurposing is super important to us and to the environment. C3Q: What brought you to Clinton? AB: I grew up in Clinton, so it's very familiar to me; I used to work at J.J. Scoops! I love the community in Clinton; it's so welcoming and close-knit. Clinton is a beautiful space, and there so many options for a small town in terms of places to eat and shop. I started sewing when 12, and hand- sewing when I was 5 or 6...I used to cut up pieces of fabric and staple them to my dolls. My mom noticed, and taught me to hand-sew, and I loved to do it. At Christmas, I used to receive fabric yardage instead of toys! I loved to draw and create things that came into my mind. For the PSATs, I doodled all over the practice test and wrote about being a fashion designer...I knew where my heart was! I went to fashion design school, and won Best Senior Collection for my avant garde collection, which was a lot of work and sleepless nights, and I was very proud of myself. I hold myself very true to my work, and will never let something go that is not perfect. I studied abroad in Italy and in Paris, and it opened my eyes to more European design styles and more couture practices. Later, I interned in NYC, and made designs for Billabong, Costco, and other vendors, and began to do custom suiting at the same time. My designs have been featured in Philadelphia Fashion Week, and I have dressed up-and-coming celebrities such as Jenevieve for her recent 'Chrysalis' tour. I've been an apprentice and designer at a couture fashion house. C3Q: Wow, that is so impressive! B r i n g i n g custom suiting t o C l i n t o n i s a m a z i n g ; d o y o u h a v e a n y o t h e r f u t u r e plans? AB: I feel that custom suiting is also a stepping s t o n e t o introduce who I am as a designer. Eventually, I would like to make some designed collections in-house, such as a runway collection and a womens' wear collection which is more couture and fashion-forward. I'm much more than a seamstress and a tailor; I'm a designer and have recently competed in multiple fashion competitions. As for the shop, I believe that we are mainly here for people who want something more true to them; something truly theirs which will suit them and make them look their best. We are extremely precise, and take a ton more measurements and care than other shops. C3Q: Thank you so much, Amy! You can find Atelier'd and get bespoke garments at 26 Main Street in Clinton, and online at https://www. shopatelierd.com and Instagram @atelierd_co. "We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year… we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential." ~ Ellen Goodman

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