The appearance and disappearance of the needle in Olinda Manzano’s dexterous hand as she embellishes the chiffon train of a wedding dress is hypnotic in the calm of her shop, Olinda’s Fashion Studio. Olinda, who always wanted to be an entrepreneur, knew that her aspirations of becoming a graphic designer could translate to the realm of fabric. Having apprenticed with a seamstress in Hamilton after learning the tools of the thread and needle trade in fashion school, Olinda went on to open her shop in May of 2009.
Just as a painter imagines a canvas’ potential, Olinda sees a vision of fabric with every design project or complex alteration she tackles. “I’m creating a little piece of me in every project I do,” Olinda says of her artistic process. “A fabric has a mind of its own, but you can manipulate it to do what you want,” she notes. “I incorporate my artistic abilities into the sewing. It’s a must. It’s a technique but at the same time, you really have to be creative.”
