It’s no secret that we love fashion! Thrifted fashion in particular offers so many benefits. It’s sustainable for the planet and it gives folks from all walks of life the opportunity to build their personal style affordably. Searching through the brightly colored isles of clothing is an adventure and there is so much to discover! Everything from a vintage pair of culottes shorts, to designer brands, and even bridal and evening gowns. It’s a great place for style inspiration too. You can even find something and alter it to make a completely different look so there is truly no limit to what can be created from a simple find.
Triad Goodwill is so excited to announce that we have teamed up with Cassidy Burel for Stitched Up: Goodwill Alterations. Cassidy is a fabulously talented Fashion Designer, and Owner of CassB By Design. Each month Cassidy will be our inspiration and our guide to exploring what can be done with some selective alterations of thrifted finds! She starts with a concept, shops our stores, and creates beautifully crafted fashion masterpieces. This week we sat down with Cassidy to learn more about her story while exploring this month’s Stitched Up creations!
Tell us some more about yourself. What is your story?
(UNCG) pursuing a double major in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies (CARS) and Studio Art. The four years of study at UNCG allowed me to narrow the market I wanted to cater to as a designer, the luxury apparel business, specifically evening wear and bridal gowns. It was my intention upon graduation in May 2020 to continue my design career at a boutique in Boston or NY. However, the development of COVID 19 had other plans.
Instead of moving to a larger city to begin what I felt I had been training for my entire educational career, I began part time employment at Target to make ends meet while most businesses were still shut down. Although it wasn’twhat I had planned, I was lucky to have a job at all during the pandemic and they treated me as a respected employee. Towards the end of 2020 and when businesses began opening back up, I started a new role, while still working part time at Target, as a bridal alterationist at a bridal boutique in Greensboro known as Simply Stunning by Divas. I had been a
seamstress for years at this point but the bridal industry demanded a new and extremely high level of perfection. The pressure there was to produce perfection is still what I attest to be one of the best ways to improve my craft as a custom designer. It wasn’t until November 2020 when I booked my first large contract to produce custom garments/products that I put in my two weeks notice at Target and began designing full time. Now five months later, I have the pleasure of designing custom prom dresses, birthday gowns, and wedding gowns full time. Starting this April 2021, Goodwill and I are setting out on a journey to collaborate together to take their apparel and upcycle and reuse the pieces in new and exciting ways
You are based in Greensboro. What do you like about the city?
Growing up in a small town has given me quite a bit of perspective when it comes to what a city has to offer. As a freelance fashion designer, most of my projects come from word of mouth. One of the things I’ve enjoyed the most about Greensboro is that it’s a small enough city to be able to quickly make a name for yourself, but is large enough for an abundance of opportunity.
What does a typical day in your week look like?
My typical work week often changes as is the nature of anything freelance. But there are a few things that generally stay the same. I am usually working on at least one new project each week that must be
completed by the end of it. So while that process is progressing, I’m often working to put together photoshoots to document and market the project from the week prior. Within one week I also have any number of alterations to complete as well as pattern making and sewing for projects currently on the books.
“Success isn’t about the end result, it’s about what you learned along the way”
-Vera Wang
Why did you choose fashion design as a career?
I have always loved working with my hands. But that doesn’t necessarily mean woodwork, or machinery as people often assume. I wanted to bring more beauty into the world and fashion design came easier for me. I find that nothing pleases me more than hand drafting patterns, sewing each seam for a garment, and adding hand beading for the finishing touches on my newest creation.
What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion is the land of opportunity. It’s not gender, race, or social status specific. Fashion can be worn by anyone and created by anyone. Of course there are degrees to fashion design as there is to anything. But being able to fully immerse yourself in your creation, your design, and then to be able to wear it, gives a person a new sense of empowerment and pride.
Which people, books, or movies that have had the most influence on your growth? Why?
I find that I’m more influenced by people rather than books or movies. Books and movies often fantasize and show “skill” from actors and characters that may not be accurate at all. I follow real people and what they are able to produce and accomplish. To begin, I was greatly influenced by my pattern maker supervisor as I worked as an intern at Wrangler through school. Her degree of precision surpassed any that I’d ever witnessed and the excellence she demanded taught me patience and increased my work ethic. I also enjoy following designers my own age who are at a similar stage in life as I am. I find that it’s healthy competition that makes me constantly want to strive for bigger and better things.
The final results of her alteration work is nothing short of absolutely breathtaking!!
Once she’s completed her alteration work, Cassidy is ready for her modeling!
She works closely with her stylist, Eutasha Harewood @eutashastylesharewood on Instagram to complete the look
And the super talented photographer, Jewan, owner of Truvision Media, @truvisionmedia on Instagram, makes the vision come alive!
So there you have it! Cassidy has taken a simple Triad Goodwill thrift store find and turned it into something couture and runway ready. We are so honored that we have the chance to work with her and her amazingly creative, talented team! So stay tuned each month for Stitched Up: Goodwill Alterations, to see what beautiful creations they come up with next.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook & Instagram for the latest on Stitched Up and everything else we do! And remember 85 cents of every dollar you spend at Triad Goodwill goes towards our mission of improving lives and enriching communities through the power of work!