Atelier Genest

An empty rack 😮
The last of this season’s prom dresses has been fixed and picked up, one more pant has been hemmed and the very last pickup has been made 🙌🏻
The studio is now closed for a summer break, reopening mid August 2026.
Watch this space for the exact re-opening date 👀.

Thank you 🙏🏻 to everyone who came through my doors this first half of the year. I look forward to welcoming you back and to filling that rack right back up🙂

The most simple yet elegant mother of the groom ensemble!
My client chose McCall’s pattern MC8053 lengthened to the ankle. The overcoat is the same pattern as a coat version.
She’ll just have to slide the dress on over her head, put on the sparkling coat, fasten one button and she’s ready for her son’s wedding day.

Looking for the ever popular perfect shade of navy we found the fabric at ‘ s new downtown location

Even though this prom dress was made to order there was great disappointment for my clients daughter upon its arrival.
Not only was the bodice too small but the skirt was not the style she had wanted (Mermaid instead of A-line)
When they brought the dress to the studio we came up with the idea to contact the company that made the dress to inquire if they could send some extra fabric 💡
Well, long story short .. they did!
Once the (thankfully perfectly matching !!) fabric arrived I was able to add a corset back and some godets on the sides of the skirt to make it the dress she envisioned from the start. Phew!
2 pictures on the left are before
2 pictures on the right are after

Before and after✨
My client loved the lovely 100% silk fabric of the long double breasted blouse but not the way that style looked on her and asked if I could turn it into a top that was more flowy and airy to wear in warm temperatures.
We landed on the for a pattern. She couldn’t be happier with the result!
Swipe to see the pattern layout on the taken apart blouse, it’s always a puzzle ☺️

This week things got a little futuristic around the studio.
I was commissioned by a medical company to develop some prototypes. These vests will go to clinical trials, the holes will hold several probes to measure patients heart rates wirelessly 😎

Must be Friday 🪡🧵…. Sewing school set up happens up to 3times a week these days. Some students bring their own machine others use the one I provide for them to learn on.

Busy days in the studio lately …. As usual a little bit of this and that, here a few snapshots 📸
- ekeing out that little bit extra from the existing seam allowance
- a new cover for an old bolster (to match a big seat cushion I made for my client a while back)
- getting the basic tools out
- shopping for buttons for a project
- making a cover for a new seat cushion for my clients mudroom
- the only evidence I have of a custom ‘cloned’ dress I made from an existing dress
- hemming a wedding skirt
- drafting a top for the brides outfit
- the “teaching“ machine has greeted a few new students lately

How is your spring going so far?

sewing business

For this commission my client asked to refashion her wedding dress into a 1st communion dress for her daughter!
It came together so nicely… swipe to see a bit of how we did it..

2nd slide : the skirt was taken from the mermaid portion
The bodice was cut from the midsection and the sleeves from the lace back and shoulders.