Wardrobe By Me

Wardrobe by Me 

Meet Christina, founder of Wardrobe by Me, a fast-growing Danish sewing pattern company renowned for their contemporary style. 

Introducing Christina, the visionary behind Wardrobe by Me. 

What prompted you to start Wardrobe by me?

Christina: I have been working in the fashion industry since the 1990s, mostly in pattern marking. I worked both in California and Denmark. In 2012 I started working as a consultant and the uneven workload left me with spare time in between collections. 

I started Wardrobe by Me in 2015. Initially a side business, by 2018 it became my full-time work. As for the name, I liked the word and the visuals of a wardrobe. 

What is your typical design process?

I take a very hands-on, prototyping approach. I create the initial pattern, sew it up, and fit it. I then make adjustments and sew it up again, and possibly again depending on whether it works as intended. Then I finish with the digitisation process and, of course, instructions write-up.

Jensen Shirt Sewing Pattern by Wardrobe by Me and Heavy Shirt Sewing Pattern by Wardrobe by Me

Where does your inspiration come from?

I design comfortable clothes for everyday wear. It takes effort to create your own clothes and I want every seam and stitch to count. 

I also think of my collection as a whole. I spend time thinking of how the patterns I create work together. The different garments should be compatible so they need to fit within a certain aesthetic. I want my customers to be able to mix and match the different clothes they design. This means I need to have enough of each type of garment (top, pants, jacket, etc.) to help my clients build a wardrobe that best represents their personal style. 

As for my aesthetic: I am inspired by the simplistic, clean lines of Scandinavian designs. Silhouettes in Europe have become more gender-fluid and more business-oriented. I also draw inspiration from these new trends.

One defining feature of Wardrobe By Me is your strong community, can you talk about that?

We initially started on Facebook. At the time, you could still reach large crowds organically on the platform. With every new pattern, we would look for testers, usually between 10 and 30 sewists. I met many people and formed lasting bonds this way. Over time, our community grew. 

Our Facebook group is currently 14,000 members strong and quite active, with customers showing their finished products and asking for feedback. We also built a great community on Instagram, with about 30,000 followers. Both online communities are gathering places for people and foster this strong sense of belonging around the love of sewing and the love for Wardrobe by Me patterns. 

Boxy Shirt Sewing Pattern by Wardrobe by Me and Cocoon Pants Sewing Pattern by Wardrobe by Me

Favourite and least favourite parts of being a designer and running a business 

Favourite part: Hearing about my customers’ success with my patterns. I love when people reach out and say that they made something that they really like. 

Least favourite part: Marketing! Running a business selling digital files requires you to reach your customers through digital marketing. I wish there was another way. 

Favourite Designs 

My designs are like my children! It’s hard to just pick one. Each new pattern I make becomes my new favourite. I wear it to pieces. That is, until I create a new pattern. Working on a new pattern requires all of my energy. 

That being said, I’m very proud of my menswear line. We offer patterns for a complete men’s wardrobe, which is something few sewing pattern brands have.

Balka dress - PDF sewing pattern by Wardrobe by Me

Favourite designers and stores

Designers

Waffle Patterns: I love the detailed and very unique styles. I find their Instagram posts very inspiring.

Puff and Pencil is a new Danish pattern designer. I love their fresh, young style, which connects with a younger audience.

Stores

På Skrå, from Sewden. They have such a wonderful style, and they keep finding deadstock fabrics I need! 

Metermeter, from Denmark, has amazing fabrics and creates their own prints. If you buy one of their fabrics, you are certain to find matching trimmings, buttons, thread, ribs, etc.

Looking forward, what are you most excited for?

The Replic app! And I am not just saying that because of the interview. I am very excited at the prospect of being able to sell my patterns to businesses without the current hassles. This technology will open new avenues to grow and reach new customers and truly help elevate the business.

Heavy Shirt Sewing Pattern by Wardrobe by Me

Do you have any advice for aspiring pattern designers?

Just do it! Create one pattern at a time. You have to roll a big stone up a very steep mountain. Don’t expect to make much money in the first few years. However, if you stick with it, you can have a sustainable business.