Legacy, the word of the day 31/12/22! As I looked back over the years of Vivienne Westwood and pondered her legacy yesterday. Today we have the news that Pope Benedict XVI, leader of 1.3 billion believers worldwide, the first modern pope to resign. His struggle with the clergy sexual abuse scandal and ill health seemed to lead to his unexpected resignation. "An influencer", imagine that many followers!
What would my legacy be?
Well I certainly don't have too many followers and don't have a reason for being followed. Nor do I feel the need to tell followers what I am doing each day. Most days I'm working on a bride's dress and that is her secret that she is paying me to make for her, not for me to use to boost about.
However what might my legacy be? I'm not wanting to die anytime soon but with life comes the reality of death. It will happen to all of us. But that doesn't make dealing with or understanding it any easier.
With me working for brides since I left my textiles and fashion studies I have just aspired to work out how to use what I have been taught to make customers, mainly brides, happy. I haven't had time to have had children, I have been fortunate that I have two step boys, so what is my legacy? Most of my brides go on to have children that I can follow online and see what they achieve. However I think about the unfortunate women who can't have children and how must they feel seeing posts online of how fortunate others are.
This year I can say I managed to achieve 37 years in business, but only 33 Google reviews(one of which the reviewer didn't bother visiting us but she felt it fair to give us a 1 star review), I think someone would say "Could have done Better" at my end of year(s) report. Maybe one day as customers look at old photos of their wedding ensembles there might be a story about the girl that made the wedding dress and someone can remember her because she came out a dress us, but they can't remember her name. Often people know my shop window rather than my name.
This year I was delighted that some former brides honoured me by bringing their daughters to have their wedding dresses made. I think this might be me ultimate compliment. I remember two of my brides once said that if they won the lottery they would get me to make all their clothes, but so far neither former brides have appeared if they have won the national lottery. Maybe the best I have managed is to connect with people from all walks of life. Little did I know when I started out all the years ago that sewing was not necessarily my best skill but that I needed to read and understand my client. There was little point in making someone something if it was not exactly what they wanted whether they knew it or not at the start of the process.
What would my legacy be?
Will any of what I have created over the years last the test of time. Yes I make wedding dresses and special occasion outfits but it is more likely my veils or maybe my christening robes will still be brought out for those special occasions. I have done a few different things, mainly embroidery pictures, one was for the secretary of state in memory of someone who had died. The embroidery piece had the irish shamrock which is in so many of my designs. Believe it or not I also did a pupit fall for Methody College but I haven't a notion if it is still there or they may have replaced it. The notable thing about that commission was the committee didn't choose my favourite so I secretly hide my preferred design inside the one that they selected. Peace of mind.
"Beverley Summers" another bridal designer who I was fortunate to meet and be inspired by. However Beverley no longer seems to make bridal dresses, I have to admit I have not hear from her in years sadly. I mentioned Ian Stuart in my last post, a bridal icon who designed vibrant, much loved styles. I didn't mention the fact that he wanted me to stock his dresses in my shop, something I should maybe regret but at least I got to meet him too. Others that I can say I remember meeting are Zandra Rhodes, Andera Wilkins, Ritva Westenius, Stewart Parvin, Rosa Clara, Alan Hannah, Mark Lesley, David Fielden and unfortunately I have yet to meet David Emanuel ( maybe one day)
