Creativity Over Coffee: Amanda Glover (Amanda Catherine Custom Design)

It’s time for another installment of Creativity Over Coffee. A series where I chat to my friends about their creative journeys.

Today we’re chatting style and fashion design with Amanda Glover founder of Amanda Catherine Custom Design. This series is a such a crowd favorite and I must admit I love it, as well. I really love chatting with people about their creativity and their creative process. Today we’re switching it up and talking fashion design. Amanda is such a lovely person. In addition to being a fashion designer she’s also a teacher and I first met her last year when she taught our oldest in 7th grade art. Since then I learned about her fashion career and thought you guys would love to hear her story. She’s so talented and has been named by The Knot as 3 time Best of Weddings Winner!

Grab your coffee (or tea) and join us for a chat! Here’s Amanda:

Hi Amanda, I’m so excited to learn more about your creative journey. Can you share with my readers more about Amanda Catherine Custom Design?

Amanda – I designed for multiple companies in New York and Boston for over close to 10 years. Some evening-wear, which I had specialized in school, and some women’s everyday wear. I loved it but it is a very time consuming stressful job. I was commuting from Scituate to the South End everyday working long hours. I started looking into what the requirements were in MA to start teaching art as my mom had done that for many years. Actually both of my parents were teachers so the idea interested me. I got very lucky obtaining a teaching job at the middle school in Scituate. I am in my ninth year of teaching now. When I began teaching art there was no conflict of interest by having my own side business so I started my small business Amanda Catherine Custom Design out of my home studio in 2010. Amanda Catherine Custom Design allows a woman to create a custom special occasion dress or have a purchased dress altered to be their perfect dress on their big day. I feel like I have found a niche industry that is overlooked. Every woman is different in size and has a different style. Many times it is really hard to find what you are looking for in personal style and fit when shopping for a special occasion silhouette that’s where I come in. I work with the client one on one in my home studio. We work together to decide on her fabric choice, style, and what is the best silhouette for her measurements and body type.

Is it hard to juggle your two careers? What’s your secret?

Amanda – Sometimes, yes! It depends on the season but early Spring to early Summer is my busiest time. I am juggling the Spring middle school art shows and all of my clients getting married in Spring and Summer time. With my company it is also tough to balance the last minute, short project alterations within the long term more custom projects. I also have many prom, bridesmaid, and mother of the bride/groom alterations that I fit in, sometimes all in the same wedding event. My secret is I do a little at a time, nights, and weekends. I’m not a procrastinator by any nature 🙂

Do you have a favorite material to work with?

Amanda – I LOVE working with lace. I love that lace can be manipulated, cut, put back together in a whole new way. Yes, it takes more time and care but that is why I love the intricacy of my craft. To me working with lace, along with say a silk crepe, is just another form of sculpture to me.

When do you feel most creative or happy?

Amanda – Honestly, doing what I do gives me the greatest joy. Many people do not get to do what they love every day. There are definitely tough days juggling it all but the next day is always a fresh start for something new. It is always changing and surprising me. I also love that my custom design business challenges me to problem solve. Each client, dress, veil, or accessory is a custom request. It is always a new challenge to solve, whether it be creating a custom dress for a client that has pockets, or adding sleeves to a purchased evening gown for more coverage. To me this is the creative part of my business. I am most happy when my clients are happy with my work. That they had a vision, I listened, and I delivered.

Who or what inspires you?

Amanda – My mom. My mom was an art teacher and a seamstress. She would create art at home. She would make my clothes, quilts, and fiber arts. I learned so much about art, creativity, and sewing when I was growing up from her. She and my father encouraged me to follow my love of art and fashion to a degree in International Fashion Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. There was no question, my mom always believed in me. A lot of that follows me into my teaching of middle school art because that is the age that I started to realize that my passion for art and fashion could be my everyday profession.

Do you have a favorite project you can share?

Amanda – It’s hard to pick just one but I do love recreating, restyling, and re-fitting grandmother or mother’s wedding gowns for a bride. I have had many clients come to me with this challenge and I modernize the original wedding gown for the bride, while still keeping the vintage gown part of their big day. It’s very meaningful and I’m privileged to be a part of that story with the bride and her family.

What’s your favorite color?

Amanda – Cobalt Blue, followed by a close second, Pale Yellow

Do you have any funny stories you can share about any of your designs?

Amanda – I have made & altered many friends and family members wedding gowns. I have been in or at a few of the weddings. It is VERY stressful as a seamstress watching the bride live it up on the dance floor or jumping into the ocean with their late night wedding gown party dress you made for her.

What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps or who would like to become a designer?

Amanda – Take as many art classes as you can in or out of school starting in middle school, or high school at the latest. Keep a sketchbook/journal of ideas. SHOP, look inside garments in the stores to see how they are made. Take a beginner sewing class or find a family member/friend who can teach you the basics in hand sewing and using a sewing machine. Also take photos of all of your art and creations.

Growing up I was a huge follower of INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO. At the end of the program, they would ask the interviewee these questions:

What is your favorite word? Possible
What is your least favorite word? Can’t
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? New challenges, new ideas, and time to do it.
What turns you off? Close minded people
What is your favorite curse word? Sh*t
What sound or noise do you love? Laughter
What sound or noise do you hate? My youngest pup barking at the mailman.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Interior Design.
What profession would you not like to do? Anything in finances or politics.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Nice work, lady!

A huge thank you to Amanda for sharing her story with us. Isn’t she amazingly talented? I love her designs and wish I had somewhere fancy to go so I could have her create a dress. If you’re interested in having Amanda create a custom design for you, you can reach out to her via The Knot, her website, or email her directly at [email protected].

Be sure to follow along with Amanda:

Website * Instagram * Facebook * The Knot

If you’d like more Creativity Over Coffee you can read the full series here

* Photos courtesy of Amanda Catherine Custom Design. Professional photos by Meg and Roe Photography, Kari Herer, Michael Blanchard, and Strut Photography.