Episode 37: Michelle Morris - We See You!

Michelle Morris began re-fashioning long before it became a trend. Growing up, her family didn’t have a lot of money, so she was always doing something to breathe new life into second-hand clothes, or her own clothes. A major influencer for Michelle was her first Home Economics teacher who took her under her wing.  Today, a sewing influencer herself, Michelle is known known for her bold and unusual prints, her ability to mix and match those prints, and her denim creations. She shares her evolution with us, from her younger years where her very first project in Home Economics class was a pair of pleated pants, to studying fashion design in tech school, to becoming a designer and tailor.  Michelle has always looked at sewing and designing clothing as creating art.  Her DIY blog is a platform for her to share her own fashions, sewing tips and tutorials, while her fashion magazine Sewn showcases makers from all walks of life. (:024 – 7:34)

After flipping through a magazine and realizing there was no one in there that looked like her, Michelle decided to pay closer attention to the features and contributors of sewing magazines.  After looking through a sea of sewing magazines and seeing only two people of color in them—neither of whom were Black—she put together a business plan and committed to starting her own magazine the following year. The first issue of Sewn was launched in 2017. The magazine features makers of all skill levels, from beginners to acclaimed sewists, and gives everyone a chance to showcase their creations in a fashion-forward way. Her most popular issue to date is an all-Black issue where everyone, from the makers to the contributors were Black. The second most popular issue was one that featured male sewists. Both her magazine and blog encourage sewists to step outside their comfort zone and try new things. (8:23-12:05)

Her mission statement, “To help you imagine, create, and share beautiful things,” reflects her passion and her commitment to help others find inspiration in the world around them. When conducting her tutorials, Michelle always tells people to “just do it and you’ll get better,” and to remember that they don’t have follow the exact way someone else does something.  There’s not always just one way to create. Michelle encourages people to get out there and share their creations because, as she shares, “it’s the only way people will know you’re out there creating.”  Today, Michelle is more committed than ever to her magazine, her blog, and to helping others give voice to their creativity. According to her, “We're always looking for people to feature in the magazine. We're always looking for new people to interview, new people to feature…We’re looking for anybody and everybody who can create a quality garment…as long as it’s interesting and on-point.”  (16:10-23:24) 

If you have ideas, creations, or recommendations you’d like to share with Michelle after listening to her inspirational podcast, you can do so by sending an email to michelle@thatblackchic.com    

If you know someone who has an outstanding story that should be shared on this podcast, drop Meg a note to info@sewandsopodcast.com or complete the form on our website.