I was asked to make clothes after people saw my wedding outfit

A woman was able to realise her childhood dream when she opened her new shop.

The mother of four, Isabel Lopes, arrived in the UK from Portugal in 2011. She grew up in Sao Tome & Principe and moved to Portugal aged 18.

Isabel told the ECHO: "I have been making clothes since growing up in Sao Tome & Principe. It’s been my dream to be a fashion designer or a nurse. I learned by myself and made my first dress when I was about 12.

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"I did not have a (sewing) machine and my mum saw what I had made and was very impressed as it was hand sewn. She asked me why I didn't find someone to learn from."

Aged 15 Isabel found a lady who made clothes from her home and after she finished school she would go and learn from her. She spent nine months using an old fashioned Singer sewing machine while there and now has one herself that she refurbished.

Isabel said: "She had very little equipment, not even a tape measure and would use strips of fabric to measure people. We would not have a number, but would have the size from the length of fabric."

After leaving Portugal aged 18, to follow aspirations to be a nun or a nurse, she spent four years in a nunnery and whilst there, she made designs, which a senior nun saw and asked if she wanted to learn at a fashion school. They arranged for her, over a few months, to attend an intensive fashion course in Lisbon.

After leaving the nunnery Isabel made clothes for herself and on attending a friend’s wedding she said: "When I arrived women were asking 'wow, where did you get that (dress)?' I explained I made it myself, and they started asking me to make things."

On moving to the UK in 2011 she continued to make clothes for herself. In 2016 she again began making occasional items for friends once they learned she could make dresses.

Isabel said: "Over the years I’ve always made things for myself, friends and family, but I’ve never gone into business until now. I decided to follow my dream, be that designer, have my own shop and I now have a place in Crawford House; The Isa Studio, which opened on June 8.”

"In future I plan to make wedding dresses and men's clothes as well. One of my daughters, Eliane, who is 14, is a great drawer and can draw designs.

"When people are explaining dresses, she will help me. I draw as well, but she draws better than me".

Isabel encouraged her to take an interest in dress making when she was young. Eliane said: "At first I didn't really want to do it, because I just wanted to play games. I was only about eight or nine, but I started to grow into it and started to love it.

"Sometimes I do drawings of designs and sometimes I like to help her decorate. Sometimes I design from my imagination and style and sometimes based on a picture. Other times my mum may talk me through a design, and I draw it.

"I saw this dress in a fabric shop and I was like wow. I decided to base it on the dress I’m wearing for the opening day, then my mother made it. It took me about four hours to come up with the design."

Eliane can normally come up with designs within two days. She plans to be an architect when she leaves school and although she has a love of designing dresses, architecture is the path she wants to follow.

A friend of Isabel's, Mena Tando, added: "When I met her she told me she makes clothes. She made my dress three years ago, we had a wedding and I was maid of honour.

"She made outfits for the whole family (Mena, her husband and children). She has made many things for me since then.

"I have friends who ask where I get my clothes and I have recommended her. When they saw my dress they said ‘wow, lovely, where did you get it from?

Mena added: "Come and see, also the price is cheaper compared to other places. Just come and try it".

At present Isabel only makes female clothes and hats, for women and girls, and alterations for male and female clothing. People can bring a picture and between Isabel and Eliane they design the style of their choosing, using mainly African designed materials with a range to choose from, or will source if she does not have what's asked for.

She also does decorating for events. These include floral and balloon designs for weddings, birthday parties and more.

Isabel received business start-up advice from Darren Guy of Granby Toxteth Development Trust and also from Saba Ahmed from the Kuumba Imani Centre to open The Isa Studio.

For information visit The Isa Studio HERE

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