When RTL Today caught wind of teenagers designing, sewing, and wearing their own creations, we were intrigued! In a world ruled by fast fashion and digital trends, these young creatives are taking a hands-on approach to style, making unique pieces that show off their individuality.
Juliette Simon and Julie Cosmo, two school friends, attend a weekly sewing course at Bastelkiste in Luxembourg City on Saturdays. “It’s fun to go with my friend”, Juliette told RTL Today. “The teacher is very nice and patient. You choose a project to work on like a simple bag, a t-shirt, dress, sweater, or whatever you really like and then get a pattern for it, one that is not too difficult.”
In conversation with RTL Today, the two young designers revealed more about their sources of inspiration and future ambitions.
Juliette: “My mother has a sewing machine, she did a sewing course in Ireland when I was about four years old. I remember her sewing and making me some lovely costumes for school. ... My mother remembers wearing some beautiful hand-knitted numbers and cardigans when she was young that her mother hade made for her and her sisters.”
Julie: “My father and mother suggested that I take up sewing. My father already sewed simple things. So my parents bought me a simple sewing machine.”
Juliette: “My friend Julie in school was doing a sewing course in the craft shop in the Bastelkiste in Luxembourg City and she told me about it. I got a place on the course too and we go to the sewing class together on Saturdays. For me the best part is the process and seeing the final product completed. Also I once made a t-shirt for my dad and he was really happy when I surprised him with it.”
Julie: “I enjoyed sewing and because I wanted to do more projects and learn the technique, my mum enrolled me in a sewing course. Today I can sew bags, T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, and hats on my own.”
Juliette: “Yes it’s fun to be able to make something. When I go to the shops now and see the clothes I have an understanding of how they are constructed. I also know a bit more about the quality of the material, whether it is very poor quality or a good fabric. When you sew you get to choose your own material so you start to see and learn about all the different types of fabric that are out there and the different qualities there are too.
“I also love to shop for fabric for a project. You get to choose from a big selection and imagine your end creation using different types of fabrics. I buy my fabrics in the Bastelkiste in Luxembourg and also from the Stoffen Spektakel, which is a huge fabric fair that comes to the Luxexpo in Luxembourg each year. At this fair there are hundreds of fabric rolls to choose from as well as buttons, threads, ribbons, and everything you could possibly need to make your projects. I know in Paris there is a street dedicated to just fabric shops. It would be fun to shop there too.”
Julie: “I go to the fabric fair with my mum and look for suitable fabrics for my projects. I think about whether I want to sew t-shirts or clothes for my soft toys or carrier bags.”
Juliette and Julie have sent us a few pictures of themselves proudly presenting their works of art.
Juliette: “They really loved everything I have made. Some people are really surprised when I tell them I made my t-shirt. At first they did not believe me. Recently I made some small bags, my friends loved them and asked me to make them one too. My friend in school said she would also like to learn to sew. I think what really surprised people the most was the coat I made. Even my grandparents were really surprised that I made that.”
Julie: “Some think it’s great, others don’t care.”
Juliette: “I like to go shopping and seeing and knowing what the latest fashion is. I like going to Cloche D’Or and going into Zara and H&M and other smaller shops in the city too. You don’t always have to make everything you wear, of course I buy fashion too but it’s really nice to make some stuff for creativity and sustainability. I have made lots of simple pieces myself like t-shirts, hats, small bags, and pajamas. My sewing teacher helped me make a coat, that was a more advanced project and I learned a lot, like how to put in a zip. I guess the more I learn the more I can make in time.”
Julie: “I like to go clothes shopping, but at the fabric fair there are simply different designs that aren’t available in the shops and I use them to sew a t-shirt, for example.”
Juliette: “For the moment I do it for myself, to just learn and enjoy the process. I really like to be able to make a simple t-shirt for myself, they are very easy to make. I also like that I can gift something handmade to my friends or cousins too. In fact I have seven cousins and I have recently made a winter hat for each of them which I am sending to them soon.”
Julie: “I only sew things for myself.”
Juliette: “If you want to start sewing I say just go for it! It is fun! Just ask or search for sewing courses near you. In my sewing class there is a mixed group of people of all ages, young and old and the youngest girl is about five. We all get to work on our own individual projects. The teacher asks you to come with a project in mind and she helps you achieve that. ... A good tip is to try and have a dedicated space for your sewing machine and then keep your machine and project out so you are ready to sew at any time. Also having a dedicated table nearby to spread out your material and pattern pieces is a good idea to keep organised. That way you can always spend 10 or 15 minutes at a time on your project. “
Julie: “If you like sewing, sew just for yourself, your own things according to your ideas. It is a matter of organisation and desire.”
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Ultimately, Juliette and Julie are two young girls who seem to be going against the grain of the phone-obsessed ‘Gen Z’, who spend hours on TikTok or Instagram. The students have cultivated sewing as a hobby because they truly enjoy it, not because school dictates that they have to.
Their creative hobby also shows that leisure activities after school don’t necessarily need to involve sports or music. Right now, both of the teenagers manage their hobby well alongside schoolwork and believe it is up to their organisation and desire to sew which shifts it from a task to a distraction.
