How to dress your shape with Sacha Drake
Designing flattering styles for women who want to feel beautiful
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Excited about an upcoming season of dresses, Sacha explained how she designed dresses for women using four basic shapes:
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Sacha Drake understands the power of the dress.
Her background in the fashion industry and her personal research has enabled her to understand how women want to project themselves.
She is not a slave to the catwalk.
Comfort, style and flexible fit are the hallmarks of this designer.
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She understands the power of colour.
Warm, friendly and dressed in a vibrant garment of her own design, Sacha spoke of her passion for the industry. As a Queenslander she loves colour and understands that you feel better and fresher when you wear colour.
Sacha’s interest in design began early.
She had astute parents who recognised a creatively talented daughter. At 14, her mother taught her pattern making and how to sew. By 16, she was making ballgowns that fitted. Coming from a long line of engineers, she found the transition from draping fabric into pattern making and then into garment construction very natural.
All the clothes were designed for slim people.
At 14 she was a Size 14. “Luckily I got taller,” she said, but she was never able to wear fashion. All of the clothes were designed for slim people. She found it frustrating to walk into a store and not find something attractive. These experiences all contributed to her seeking out ways to flatter curvier figures.
Flattering styles for Sizes 14 to 18
Following a short stint in costume design for the film industry, Sacha spent her 20’s in the corporate world where she learnt how the industry worked. During her research she found a big gap in the market – flattering styles for Sizes 14 to 18.
“Go back home. Go and start your label.”
Those magic words from her flatmate saw the 31-year-old fulfil her destiny. Armed with industry knowledge and sound business skills, she began to design the right dresses and got them selling. Finding agents and building a team was the next step.
“The primary desire of a designer is to express opinion creatively but there is no point unless it’s flattering,” explained Sacha. She loves to find beautiful fabric, drape it over herself, experiment, feel for the right proportions and let the actual design emerge.
Where will the customer be wearing it?
She asks herself. There is “sculpting and ebbing away” to make sure the garment is flattering. Always she is looking for:
- the right neckline,
- the right sleeve length, and
- the right hemline to achieve the balance.
Opening her first store in Brisbane, Sacha loved being on the shop floor, away from the theory, where she came across a huge cross-section of bodies. It was a great joy to be able to take a Size 6 style and fit a Size 16 at the same time so they both looked flattering.
Two way stretch material
With the use of two way stretch material, she is able to design flattering styles for larger bustlines. She loves that people enjoy her dresses. She feels it is a privilege to earn a living from her talent.
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At this point in the evening, there was a collective sigh from the audience. This amazingly talented young woman had spoken intimately to them, shared her story and best of all understood their needs, AND now, the fashion workshop conducted by Sacha with real bodies was about to begin……….
To learn more
- Pop into the shop and let us help you find the dress style that suits you.
- Make an appointment for an in-store wardrobe review.
- Just phone us on 02 9419 6741