Pause Couture classes prove fashion inspiration

Tucked away in an old building in Amir Omar Street in Clemenceau, Sabrina Cesari, a fashion designer and founder of Pause Couture, which provides sewing classes for women, is busy at work. On Tuesday mornings, Cesari, who is of French and Italian descent, waits with her Lebanese fiance and friendly dog Woody for two students to arrive for her morning class. She typically takes on four students and gives each her full attention.

Cesari prepares class materials before her students arrive, laying out patterns on a large wooden table.

The doorbell rings and the first student, Sylvie Fiore, originally from Cameroon but a 20-year resident of Lebanon, enters. She pulls out bright yellow and pink tulle and other silk fabrics from her bag.

“Today I am cutting and sewing a kimono I designed for my 22-year-old daughter. She is acting in a Japanese-themed play in college,” Fiore says.

Cesari provides all course materials, including her own fabric stockpile and plenty of thread and needles along with three sewing machines and one overlock machine.

A hanger displays some colorful clothing, Cesari’s latest pieces, to inspire her students.

“I saw the mini red dress hanging. I thought it would be cute for my daughter’s prom this year. Today I started working on it, but I’m using a white taffeta fabric instead. Let’s hope it works,” longtime student Sanaa Abdul-Latif said. “All my daughters are excited that their mother is designing for them now and even gave me a sewing machine as a gift recently.”

photo: junior bridesmaid dresses

“Sewing makes you concentrate on one task at a time. That’s very relaxing,” Abdul-Latif added.

After graduating from Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne and with years of experience in the field, Cesari moved to Beirut, where she has been living for almost four years, working with local fashion designers and labels, and freelancing as a pattern maker.

“I decided to share my passion for sewing and clothes-making. The idea became popular in just one year and people are coming more,” she told The Daily Star.

Cesari owes her passion for fashion to her mother and grandmother, both designers. “This is what comes to my mind every morning �" how people are dressed on the street, in magazines, on television.”

The name of her workshop was inspired by an image of girls hanging out in a cafe while working on an interest they have in common.

“I wanted to find something that would inspire the girls but in a space that felt like home,” she added.

There is no strict workshop schedule. “Some attend to shorten their pants, others to develop their sewing skills with dreams to enter the design field professionally. Sharing this passion of mine with people is what makes my heart smile. Attendees come up with their own ideas but also get inspired with what I post on my blog.”

A month old, Cesari’s fashion blog covers fashion trends, personal style and her workshops and personal sewing projects. “I started it as there is this constant need to talk about fashion. I post personal items I sew to inspire my students and show people how fun sewing can be,” she said.

“I also want to show people outside of Lebanon the different side of this charming country,” she added.

Cesari plans to develop her workshop and her blog to inspire more people. “I put up a sequence on the blog about how an item is sewn for people who are interested but can’t attend the courses.”

In the long run, she wants to create her own fashion brand and sell her patterns in a format similar to Burda magazine. “People will be able to find the patterns online and print them for immediate use.”

Besides fashion and pattern-making courses, Cesari is giving other workshops like interior design, furniture design and fashion accessories design including clutches and headbands.

Also read: http://www.queeniebridesmaid.co.uk/yellow-bridesmaid-dresses