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I spoke with Sianalee Valdez about the club, and she had a lot of great stuff to say.

Tessa: What club are you part of and what’s your status within it?

Sianalee: I am the President of the Sewing Club here at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß¹Û¿´Èë¿Ú.

Tessa: What year are you in and what is your major?

Sianalee: I am in my Junior year and my major is Fashion Media, minoring in Society and Culture.

Tessa: What is your club about?

Sianalee: Our mission is to teach and provide the fundamentals of sewing and designing. We want to help students create their dream designs become a reality. We want to create an environment for young creatives to grow and create bonds with other rising designers/creatives. In our club, students have a place where they can be guided if they have any questions on their current projects.

Tessa: What do you believe is special about your club?

Sianalee: Our club is an inclusive community where you can build your creative abilities and share them with others. Whether you can sew or not, we are here to help and support each other. Our members not only learn how to make their dream designs come to life but also how to create direct photoshoots, and have the option to build on their modeling and/or photography skills. Our club is a place to freely create, build, and learn with other creatives.

Tessa: What are some events you do for the club?

Sianalee: We weren’t able to have any events last year because our first semester since we created the club got cut short.

Here are some event ideas we had in mind for the future:

Photoshoot Fundraiser: Students would pay $5 for a 10-minute photo shoot in the Maxwell photo studio with our club photographer members. All proceeds would go to the Sewing Club

Support Your Peers Fundraiser: Sewing Club members will showcase their designs and LIM students will be able to support them by purchasing and even following them on Instagram. All proceeds will go directly to the club member who created their design.

Save a Bag Fundraiser: The Sewing Club members will all design a shoulder bag that can be used in the replacement of plastic bags when shopping. This fundraiser would be in collaboration with the Sustainability Club. All proceeds would be split 50/50 between both clubs.

Bake Sale: Members would bake desert and sell them. All proceeds would go to the Sewing Club.

Tessa: How many meetings are there for the club per month and when are they?

Sianalee: We are restarting the club during the 2021 Spring Semester.

Schedule as of now with COVID-19:

• We meet twice a month.
• 1st Meeting (1st week of month) - Sew and discuss designs & concepts for Photoshoot later that month.
• 2nd Meeting (last week of month) - Photoshoot in Maxwell’s photo studio.
• **During the time in between, we have a group chat (on Instagram) where fashion is discussed **

If COVID-19 lowers and regulations go back to normal:

• We will meet once a week on Thursdays during the lunch break.
• Meetings have a workshop vibe (members come into work on their projects)
• 1st Meeting (1st week of month) - Sew and discuss designs & concepts for Photoshoot later that month 
• 4th Meeting (last week of month) - Photoshoot in Maxwell’s photo studio

Tessa: How has your club changed amongst the pandemic?

Sianalee: Right now, we are taking a break as everyone gets accustomed to the new regulations. In the Spring Semester (2021), we will be returning and meeting fewer times a month if social distance regulations continue to be strict.

Tessa: Anything else people should know about the club?

Sianalee: The Sewing Club environment is laid back, inviting, and inclusive. We want to know what’s on your mind! We watch music videos and talk about the fashion industry/ music industry and overall broad topics, even share about our week experiences. If you are looking for a place to work on your creative projects and meet other creatives in the school, this is the place for you! We are always open to members joining at any point in the semester!