From Creative Outlet to Community: The studioHENNIS Journey

When I first launched studioHENNIS in 2023, I'll be honest, it started with a selfish mission. After more than a decade working in the fashion industry as a pattern cutter and designer I found myself creatively starved. My professional work had become routine, lacking the spark that originally drew me to fashion. I needed something more, something that was purely mine.

The Beginning: No Plan, Just Play

I didn't have a grand business plan or a clear vision of where this would lead. Instead, I simply began to play. Armed with my half-scale dress form, I started experimenting.Draping different fabrics, exploring silhouettes, and adding various trims and details. I wasn't creating complete garments at first; I was simply letting my creativity flow freely.

My half-scale dummy became my canvas, serving as both a three-dimensional mood board and a physical sketchbook. Each draping session was an exploration of "what if?" What if I tried this fabric with that silhouette? What if I added unexpected details here? It was pure creative expression without the constraints of commercial viability or client expectations.

Taking the Leap: Sharing the Process

Then came the terrifying part: sharing my work on social media. Despite my professional experience, putting my creative process out into the world felt like standing at the edge of a cliff. The questions that haunted me were familiar to any creative: "What will people say? Am I even good enough to share this publicly?"

But as I reminded myself, you never know until you try. So I jumped.

That leap turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made. The response from viewers, subscribers, and the growing community around my channel gave me something I hadn't expected. Confidence in my work and a genuine sense of belonging in the creative space I was carving out for myself.

Evolution: From Experiments to Education

What started as personal creative play gradually evolved into something much more meaningful. I began documenting the complete process of creating dresses on my half-scale form, sharing not just the finished pieces but the journey of bringing each design to life.

Working at half-scale opened up incredible possibilities. It allowed me to think big and experiment boldly, even when my budget was small. Paradoxically, even though designing and making dresses was my profession, creating them at this smaller scale felt less intimidating and more freeing. There was room to take risks, to try techniques I might hesitate to attempt on a full-scale garment or didn't have a chance in a professional setting.

Finding the Balance: Educational Meets Entertaining

As studioHENNIS grew, I discovered my content sweet spot: educational material that was genuinely entertaining to watch. I moved onto creating garments in full scale. I wanted to share the technical knowledge I'd gained over my years in the industry while keeping viewers engaged and inspired. The positive feedback I received encouraged me to continuously improve, not just the quality of my videos, but also the quality of my designs and construction techniques.

Each comment, each question from viewers, and each milestone reached has pushed me to be better. What began as a personal creative outlet has transformed into a platform where I can share my passion for fashion construction, inspire others to explore their own creativity.

Looking Forward

studioHENNIS has become far more than I ever imagined when I first started draping fabric on that half-scale form. It's a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful projects begin not with grand plans, but with a simple need to create something that feeds your soul. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is share that creation with the world,you never know who might be inspired by your journey.

And this is still just the beginning. This is still just a side gig, studioHENNIS is still small, but I hope to make it more 🙂

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