Seam Queens

Glenda Adams, owner of The Seamstress at 1616 Shipyard Blvd., has spent more than 20 years in the bridal couture industry, including nine years at Coastal Knot Bridal.

Immigrating from Honduras in 1998, she said she began her journey as an apprentice under talented designers, mastering the subtleties of fit, fabric and form.

Rather than relying on flashy marketing, she said, her reputation blossomed through the recommendations of brides.

After years of realizing others’ dreams, however, she said she recognized the moment had come to share her own passion for detail. Fueled by a commitment to precision and custom tailoring, she launched The Seamstress in April of this year.

Adams said her store is a luxury bridal studio designed to ensure that every gown fits as if it were made exclusively for each bride.

The Seamstress is more than a name to Adams – with three employees working with her, she said it’s a promise of excellence, intimacy and artistry to her customers.

“Every gown I alter is given careful attention, every client is treated like family, and every detail is personal,” said Adams. “With my name on the label, I continue my life’s work – helping women feel radiant on the most important day of their lives.”

In July, after several decades of combined seamstress experience, Juanica LaShea and Julie Moore decided to strike out on their own and open ‘I Do’ Designs and Alterations, 432 Eastwood Road.

With 15 years of experience in the fashion industry, LaShea said she has made her mark by transforming visions into reality. Her journey began with owning a boutique, where she honed skills in alterations and custom design. For a decade, she was a member of the alterations team at David’s Bridal. She also attended classes at the Wilson College of Textiles.

“We both had home businesses, and we decided to combine them,” said LaShea, referring to herself and Moore. “We both had worked at David’s Bridal before opening our home businesses, and, you know, I was looking to expand my clientele, and she was looking to make an exit plan for retirement.”

With decades of experience, Moore said she specializes in bridal reconstructions and re-envisioning, as well as creating custom pieces. Drawing on her background in ballet, theater, and small-film costuming, she said she enjoys navigating the complexities of designer and special-occasion gown alterations.

‘I Do’ Designs and Alterations, with a staff of 14 employees, specializes in bridal gowns. Along with tweaking the fit of an almost-perfect dress or reworking mom’s or grandma’s dresses to align with the bride’s personal style, they also alter the groom’s and the father of the bride’s suits and tuxedos to achieve a perfectly tailored look, they said. For special occasions, they can also create a pageant wardrobe, make a quinceañera dress fit or help customers arrive at prom in fitted style.

With more than 30 years of experience as a seamstress, Lien Wadford owns Market Street Alterations at 3001 Market St. The store is across from Indochine, where Wadford also bakes coconut cakes and manages quality assurance for her cousin, Solange “Niki” Thompson, owner of Indochine.

Wadford immigrated from Vietnam in 1999, bringing with her experience managing a commercial sewing company for over a decade, during which she led a team of more than 150 employees.

With nearly 20 years in business in America, Wadford has created costumes for several movies and fashion shows and has collaborated with top designers, she said.

Wadford said most of her clients come to her through word of mouth because of the high quality of her work. She said she can create outfits from scratch or make alterations to existing pieces for the perfect fit.

“I love to create,” Wadford said. “When customers bring in pieces for alteration, and they try on the finished product, that’s my happy moment.”

As the industry grows and experienced seamstresses and tailors retire, there will be a growing need for new talent, according to LaShea, who said she plans to open a second shop in the coming years. In the meantime, she has passed her knowledge to students at Cape Fear Community College with presentations in sewing classes.

LaShea’s passion for sewing began with her aunt, who earned a degree in fashion and design from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

“I got to watch her create looks, make garments and even put on fashion shows,” LaShea recalled. “It was really intriguing for me.”

LaShea said she aims to inspire newcomers to the field to contribute to the future of fashion and craftsmanship.

“The seamstress pool is low, and we often recycle through different people in the city. Expanding that base is my goal,” she said. “We need to demonstrate that this is a necessary skill. A lot of people want alteration services, and with more people moving here, there’s an increasing demand for seamstresses.”

Aspiring seamstresses and tailors can enroll in sewing classes at several locations in Wilmington, including Cape Fear Community College, ‘I Do’ Designs and Alterations, Fran’s Sewing Circle (5751 Oleander Drive), and Bernina World of Sewing (4403A Oleander Drive).

To view more of photographer Madeline Gray’s work, go to madelinegrayphoto.com.

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