Clothes You See First

I wake up early and take the time to greet my day.

I drink my coffee and let my feelings settle in. How am I feeling today, and what’s ahead of me? Over the years, I’ve come to realise that my choice of outfit is key to shaping my day and helping me carry out my plans. What do I need for today, and what does this day need from me? Do I need something cozy and comfortable to support me, or should I wear bright colours to lift my mood? Or perhaps I want to be creative and opt for unusual colour combinations I’ve never tried before?

My mood and my plans are reflected in my clothes, which will accompany me throughout the day. 

That’s why I take my time and make thoughtful decisions, so by the time I leave the house, everything feels just right.

I enjoy sewing as a hobby as it allows me to choose the material, style, and pattern that I want. This is how I grew up. In my home country, Estonia, sewing is very common — even now.

It used to be the only way to wear something unique or personalised, as the clothing market was limited during the Soviet era.

My entire family sewed, and that shaped me. At university, however, sewing took on a new meaning — it became my way of finding balance during the intense study periods. I bought a second-hand sewing machine and started right away.

Sewing became the perfect counterbalance to mental work.

I love the different stages of the process: the focused planning phase — choosing the pattern and material, calculating everything, and adapting it to my body — and then the sewing itself, where I can simply let my thoughts flow. Sewing is hands-on, physical work, and it grounds me. It does me good.

But there’s another layer to it: when I sew for myself, I also analyze myself — my appearance, my body, my expression, and my style.

Who am I? Who do I want to be, and how do I want to present myself? Which design, pattern, and material should I choose? For example, I gravitate toward comfortable, natural, and breathable fabrics.

Sewing has always been a way for me to discover and express myself.

This was important to me even as a child — my clothes and my self-expression. Maybe I was a little vain, too. With my background in anthropology, I now understand from a scientific perspective what clothing means to people. Almost every culture has sewing traditions. There are countless variations and histories, but clothing everywhere is tied to origin and identity. The clothes are the first thing you see. Who might that be?

Clothes communicate something — even when appearances can be deceiving.

Through my studies in migration anthropology, I found my way to Social Fabric and began my role as communications manager. It was here that I first witnessed what it means to sew professionally, and I realized how amateurish my sewing had been up until that point — just going for it, with lots of experimentation and improvisation.

A professional approach is entirely different! I began to understand, and my standards grew.

It now took me much longer to complete my sewing projects. But having access to great infrastructure and equipment, plus the generous space, was a wonderful and positive experience. Still, the relaxed balance that sewing had brought me was over, because at Social Fabric I learned how to sew properly and well. It’s challenging and takes more time and attention, but it’s worth it.

When it all comes together in the end and everything fits just right, I feel proud, and I keep that garment for the rest of my life.

The Communication and Marketing Manager Mari Kuuse in conversation with Barbara Imobersteg; part of the "Conversations about Sewing" series.