Dressmakers, Sewing Teachers, and the Caledonia crew…
Dorothy Simpson 1925-2011
Few women dare to wear heels in their 80s, but Dorothy Simpson is cut from a different cloth. Hair slicked back into gathered gray chiffon, feet tucked into a matching pair of pumps and neck adorned with five strands of faceted crystal, she was elegant, with a twist.
“Here I am, just a little old lady,” she said, to the amusement of her staff.
At 82, Simpson is the grand dame of Caledonia
Fine Fabrics, a multi-faceted Boise business that began in a Boston basement in 1947.
It was there that Simpson started working with textiles when she was 22. Two years later, she pieced together an inventory of remnants from her father’s import business and $200 made from the sale of her collection of fine old clothes.
Within a year, she was making $100 a week buying and selling fabrics, and after leaving her first husband, she poured all of her energy and resources into being an entrepreneur.
“I was divorced and in business. Ladies didn’t do that then,” she said, smiling.
By the time Simpson was running her own successful fabric shop in Pelham, N.Y., people were thinking differently about what women did and did not do. Six were featured in a 1952 article in Glamour Magazine called, “What it takes to operate your own business.” Managerial know-how, capital, personality, integrity, trustworthiness and robust health were listed, along with photos and descriptions of successful women, including Simpson, selling everything from baby clothes to holiday decorations.
“There are three things I don’t believe in: retirement, homework and undercutting other people’s products,” Simpson said, reading aloud a needlepoint of a John Ruskin quote done by a former employee. ” ‘The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.’ ”
“My customers are everything,” Simpson said. She remembers her first one, an Italian woman who was still buying fabric from her 40 years later.
“I always bought value, attractive things that would wear well and give good service I made up my mind I was never going to sell a woman something bad.”
It is with this in mind that Dorothy continues to provide sewers and craftspeople with the finest materials available.
This biography is comprised of the most relevant excerpts from an Idaho Statesman article published 11/11/07, authored by Erin Ryan – eryan@idahostatesman.com
Diana Howard-Turner
Diana has been in the business since a very early age. Appointed “Thread Drawer Manager” when she was very young, it was only uphill from there. As the daughter of our Dorothy, she developed an interest in fashion and her own set of unique skills.
From high school, Diana went to work managing a fur salon in New York. Realizing she wanted more from life, she went on to obtain a degree in management from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Following her graduation, she moved out to Boise and opened a Benneton store with her sister. The success of their first store led to seven more within the Pacific Northwest. Diana is currently building a thriving home decor inventory, as well as trying to expand Caledonia to its full potential.
Barbie McCormick
Barbie started sewing her freshman year in high school, and found she had inherited a knack for dressmaking from her mother and grandmother.
After sewing for herself, her family and her friends for several years, she started a job doing alterations on an army post, then moved to doing alterations for Macy’s in California.
Barbie moved to Idaho and officially opened her business, aptly named “Sew Good” in January of 1994, and shortly thereafter became a member of the Professional Association of Custom Clothiers.
She attends yearly educational sewing conferences to learn different and the latest techniques in her field, and takes classes whenever she can to further her sewing abilities. She studied with Kenneth King of San Francisco/New York to learn European pattern drafting and fitting, with Sandra Ericson to learn Madeleine Vionnet methods, and with Susan Khalje of Baltimore to further enhance her couture clothing construction knowledge. She even attended Susan’s “Couture Tour” of Paris, where she spent 11 days in Paris learning pattern draping and couture embroidery techniques.
While Barbie does all sorts of sewing, she specializes in formal, bridal, and couture clothing. Much of her form fitting formal wear for women encases a built in corset-type foundation, that whittles the waist and keeps a smooth, firm line under the dress. These are essential for strapless garments so that they stay securely in place throughout the day or night, but are often built into sleeved garments as well, to enhance the figure and make the wearer absolutely stunning in her personally designed gown.
Barbie can create a dress from a sketch, picture, or series of pictures, or she can design a gown based off of an idea.
BarbieMcCormick.com
Lauren Levinson
Lauren has been sewing for more years than she cares to admit! She attended fahion design school in California, before moving here to the Boise area and refining her sewing techniques. Lauren enjoys fine garment sewing for herself and her family, and has recently been coerced into sharing her skills and knowledge with others!
Erin RetelleErin has been sewing more or less all her life. She began designing and sewing clothing for her dolls as a child, and then moved on to full-sized fashions after learning to use a sewing machine.
She’s been her friends’ go-to gal for custom costumes and outfits, mending and alterations for more than a decade. After moving to Boise in 2004, she picked up some more advanced design and construction techniques from local instructors and fell into helping design and build costumes for the ballroom dance community she is a part of.
She and partner Frank now own and operate Oversway Originals, a custom ballroom dance costume company. Erin thoroughly enjoys teaching, learning and sharing sewing tricks with others. She comes from a family of educators, taught laboratory classes in graduate school, and was once a dance instructor.
Lori Applegarth
Lori has been sewing since she was a child and has completed many sewing courses over the years. She dabbles in many stitching pursuits, including quilting, beading and garment sewing. Lori sews virtually non-stop for herself and her family, has instructed a 4-H youth sewing group and assists on the sales floor at Caledonia. Lori has enjoyed a variety of careers, including many years in the airline industry, real-estate, and organic farming, but her constant is creating beautiful works in fabric.
Mary Hyde
I have been associated with Caledonia for over 10 years. Prior to Caledonia, I traveled to New York and Los Angeles to purchase my fine fabrics. What a treat it was to meet Dorothy Simpson and her fabulous Caledonia Fine Fabric store. WOW, right here in Boise, Idaho.
I began sewing at the age of 8 years and had my first client by the time I was eleven. Yes, it was only a wrap around skirt, but it was my beginning. I realized then that I could convert my love of fine fabrics and design into a business. My business began in Westport, Connecticut, just an hour outside NYC. I have always had a passion for design and fine fabrics and now 27 years later I still have that passion. I take great pride in my work and enjoy seeing my client’s excitement in their completed garment. I consider the personality, coloring and body type of the individual I am working with when designing their garment.
There is nothing like wearing a garment custom-made for you – one with the perfect design, fit, fabric and color. My goal is to design fabrics into one-of-a-kind, custom fitted clothes that you love to wear. My focus is on fit and fine construction details. I specialize in unique jackets, coats, pants, and separates.
I would be happy to meet with you for a consultation, either in my studio or at the fabric store. We can discuss your needs, fabric and design, schedule and charges. I can give you an estimate at that time.
Web site: http://www.doubleheart-customclothing.com
You may contact me through email: maryhyde@cableone.net
or you may call me at:
208-336-3773 or 208-631-9208.
Sandi O’Shea
Sandi O’Shea has been sewing since she was 7 years old. The first dress was a cooperative effort with her mom completing the most difficult portions of the garment and the rest stitched by Sandi. The next dress was completed totally by Sandi. She went from there to making most of her clothes, entering sewing contests and winning several blue ribbons (from grade school through high school). After showing her expertise in Sewing and Tailoring class, Sandi worked as a teacher’s assistant in the Home Economics department. She was allowed to teach the classes, make all of the samples, and supervise the students in the Sewing Lab. During that time, she designed, constructed, and altered party dresses and tailored suits for herself and others. After getting married, she found herself without a sewing machine, so she just sewed a pair of shorts by hand. Since hand sewing just wasn’t her thing, she acquired a sewing machine ASAP and continued to design and sew garments, clothing, and accessories. Sandi enjoys designing and constructing tailored suits,unique blouses, and creative knit tops (not t-shirts). She started designing purses and handbags about 3 years ago. Sandi’s purse and handbag designs are available at her sewing classes.
We are proud to announce that Sandi has joined our teaching team at Caledonia Sewing school. Try her classes for a fun time while learning to sew and create projects that show off your unique personality!