Graduation season is here and Jelesha Cunningham-Cornwall's sewing machine is working overtime.
With over 20 gowns to produce for members of the graduating class of 2025, the owner of House of Ethel told WMN her workstation is where she will be spending most of her days until she has delivered the last gown and her clients are satisfied.
She started consultations in January, and her aim is to get a minimum of 30 orders for gowns.
"I'm from Point Fortin and I have clients from throughout Trinidad and some from Tobago, so I do free online consultations because of the distance. If they can't come to Point for measurement, I meet them in Port of Spain. But for the final fitting, they have to come to Point Fortin," in case any alterations are to be done."
Cunningham-Cornwall, for the most part, is self-taught, especially when it comes to the intricate details that gowns require.
"I learnt to sew at School of Creative Stitches in Point Fortin; I learned the basics there. I started diploma in Fashion Design at UTT but didn’t finish due to financial reasons. After that, YouTube and Pinterest is where I learned all the skills I have right now.
"Because of how technology is now, everything I want to learn is available online – tutorials with people around the world. It's straightforward and easy enough for me to grasp."
But her natural knack for producing beautiful clothes, she believes, is a gift that may have been inherited from her grandmother, Ethel, who used to sew and after whom the business was named.
"She (Ethel) died about 15 years ago. We were very close and I named it Ethel to pay tribute to her.
"I cut freehand. At UTT we learned patterns and even a lot of the YouTube videos I follow use patterns. But I would look at the pattern, envision in my head what the style is supposed to look like, and cut freehand.
[caption id="attachment_1145689" align="alignnone" width="783"] Jelesha Cunningham-Cornwall plans to be a one-stop-shop, outfitting grooms, brides, brides maids and groomsmen. -[/caption]
"I registered for a bridal course last year to learn how to do corsets. It's probably the only thing I use patterns for."
Cunningham-Cornwall began sewing after graduating from Holy Name Convent in Point Fortin, where she studied sciences because she wanted to be an engineer. When that didn't work out, she turned to what came naturally.
"Art was something I always liked – drawing, sketching. And I had a love for fashion, making sure my outfits matched, especially watching Zadd and Eastman from Point Fortin. Eastman was actually my art teacher and I was always inspired by their designs."
As for her skill with the intricate working, the 33-year-old said at first she would buy fabric with appliqué and played around with it until she got the design she wanted.
[caption id="attachment_1145691" align="alignnone" width="922"] Jelesha Cunningham-Cornwall believes her natural knack for producing beautiful clothes is a gift that may have been inherited from her grandmother, Ethel. -[/caption]
And even
