Milwaukee Fashion Week 2015 – SS Couture by Seamingly Sisters

Designer

SS Couture by Seamingly Sisters

House Team member names: Nicole Nannetti, Angela Babbitt, and Maxwell Frantz

I [had] started off in photography. I loved taking pictures, especially pictures of people. I loved making people feel beautiful. I would go to thrift stores to pick out pretty dresses and dress people up to take pictures. I started wanting specific dresses for certain shots and I could not find them anywhere. I decided to start making them and I decided that this is what I always wanted to do. I love creating and making something from just a scrap of fabric. When I started designing it was to create something beautiful. After I realized I could make girls feel beautiful and saw their eyes when they put on the dress I was hooked.

I started designing clothing my junior year of high school. By senior year, I was making prom dresses for some of the students and had started HeadTrip Designs with one of my friends. After college, we disbanded and two girls from Michigan State University joined. Our name changed to “Seamingly Sisters” to represent friendship and sisterhood in 2013.

Nicole Nannetti is the owner of SS Couture which is the apparel section. Angela Babbit does accessories. Maxwell Frantz is our executive assistant. Nicole and Angie met the first day of college and quickly became best friends. They eventually were so close they seemed like sisters, and that’s how the name came about.

We have done Chicago Fashion Week which is where Nicole is located so it was only fair to do a show for Milwaukee Fashion Week which is where Angie is located. It was our first time designing an entirely new line all at once. It was definitely a challenge and very fun.

Nicole was inspired by her heritage. She is half Macedonian and half Italian, both located in the Mediterranean region of Europe. The line’s name was “Okeanos” which is Greek for “ocean”. It was a summer collection. It was a lot of work to create several new looks as opposed to using old looks and adding a few new ones. I definitely learned the amount of time needed to create all of the looks and how much work besides just sewing goes behind it. I would do it again but definitely give myself more time. This was the first time [the collection] was shown but we will use it at future events. We are using one of the pieces in show this Sunday in Chicago.

Besides the endless amount of drawing, sewing, and browsing fabrics. You have to choose your music, fit models, choose hair and make up concepts, as well as accessories. It was a great chance to network and a learning experience in creating a cohesive line of clothing. Our brand had a chance to establish itself and get our name out there. Right before the event we adopted the name SS Couture to separate our couture clothing line from our other products.

We have participated in countless shows. Our most recent events were RAW Chicago, RAW Milwaukee, Fashion Bar Chicago Spring/Summer Show 2015, Modelo International Summer Fantasy Show. The summer fantasy show sticks out in my mind. It was an incredible experience. I got to work with another designer and create my designs around hers. It turned out fantastic! We did a Chicago themed dress for Mrs. Illinois, Lisa Wilcox in the nationals competition. She got 2nd place!

We have done two professional shoots and have another one coming up. They have been a wonderful experience and networking opportunity. There are a few models that stand out as helping us from the beginning. They are absolutely wonderful, beautiful inside and out, and I love working with them: Kat Ellinger, Alyce Johnson, and Nicole Saneighi.

We are working on updating our website, adding new Midwest designers, selling in local boutiques and hopefully one day get our own store.

Our upcoming shows are Live Out Loud Charity Royal Affair Fashion Show on October 18th and the 630 Fashion Show on November 21st.

Our company’s mission is to make our customers feel amazing in our wearable works of art. This is why all of our clothing is customizable so you can have charisma and class and feel beautiful inside and out. I realized quickly I’m one of the few women out there who feels comfortable in their own skin. I wanted to change that. If you can’t feel comfortable in your own skin, hopefully I could make something to help. I feel inspired anytime anyone tells me how beautiful they feel in my designs. This is why I make everything completely customizable. I was friends with a lot of different races and ethnicities. Some girls had to have sleeves, some didn’t feel comfortable in low cut, etc. I made it so they could design what they wanted, what made them comfortable, just using my designs! I think the worst way to go through life is to not be comfortable with yourself and I want to help change that.

Other companies under Seamingly Sisters: Designs Made Mine, Felt to Make Your Heart Melt, Bellina Weddings and Events, The Princess and the Party, and Spaghetti Burger’s Gourmet Games.