A woman has revealed how she created her dream designer dupe dress out of a pair of £5 curtains from a charity shop.
Sophia Brown, 41, who is known as Velvet Jones online, spent hours cutting and stitching the fabric together, inspired by Teuta Matoshi dresses that can sell for thousands.
The London-based burlesque artist and costume designer, who is known as Velvet Jones online, posted a video revealing how she made her fabulous dress.
Her video has since gone viral with over 250,000 views and thousands of users wanting their own version.
Sophia Brown, 41, (pictured) from London, says she wants to show that anyone can pick up the sewing and they don’t have to spend lots of money
Burlesque artist Sophie showing off the floral curtains she found in a charity shop before turning them into a dress
Sophia wanted to show people that they don’t need to spend a lot of money to make amazing clothes and posted a clip demonstrating how she turned charity shop curtains into a stunning bustier dress with tied straps.
She spent hours cutting and stitching the fabric together after she was inspired by Teuta Matoshi dresses that can sell for thousands.
Sophia told Jam Press that she was invited to the wedding of her partner’s friend and had ‘nothing to wear.’
The London-based costume designer who is known as Velvet Jones online has been sewing for 26 years but only launched her own business in 2019
Sophia loves dresses by the Kosovo-Albanian designer Teuta Matoshi, such as this floral number, but they can cost upwards of £1,000
She says she ‘wanted a fabulous dress’ and has always ‘admired princess dresses.’
Revealing that Teuta Matoshi dresses are her favourite but that she has never been able to afford the price tag.
Sophia has been sewing for 26 years, first picking up a needle when she was 16, but she only turned it into a career a few years ago.
She said: ‘I’ve always liked fashion designing since I was a kid. Fashion wheel as my favourite toy.
‘I would spend hours designing outfits. I loved watching the Oscars and would draw the dresses.’
Sophia has a degree in fashion design and trained with bridal designers whilst she was at university.
However, she never pursued fashion design as a career and instead got a job in marketing, admitting ‘I didn’t believe in myself.’
Sophia studied fashion design at university but didn’t have the confidence in herself to pursue this as a career
Yet on the side she was making things for herself and work colleagues would always marvel at and complement her outfits.
She says that she remembers when she got her first commission from a work colleague, who wanted a dress for a party, she went home ‘crying’ because she was ‘flattered’ that someone believed in her and ‘trusted’ her to make her a dress.
Then in 2019, Sophia quit her job and pursued her dream becoming self-employed making costumes and dresses.
Back in 2017, before starting her own business, Sophia spotted the curtains she ended up using for the viral dress in a charity shop in Margate, Kent.
She is also a burlesque artist and costume designer. Pictured is one of Sophia’s designs
She said: ‘I fell in love with the print and kept the fabric for “something special”. You will find with fellow sewers that we have bags of fabrics that we have collected over the years for “something special” and they never get used.’
It took her two weeks to complete the dress, working around other costume design projects and her other job as a burlesque artist.
Once finishing the piece, she shared it online where thousands of people commented on how amazing it is.
One said: ‘Woooooow, looks amazing, how clever.’
Another wrote: ‘The talent is unreal!!’
A third said: ‘OMG!!! Blown away!! What talent, that dress is absolutely amazing!! I want it.’
A fourth added: ‘That is some serious skill. the pattern even matches perfect on the back.’
Sophie at work creating the dress. It took her two weeks to complete and cost just £5 for the material
Sophia Brown shows her process for making her curtain dress. While she has lots of experience she says she wants to show that anyone can pick up the skill and they don’t have to spend lots of money
A fifth said: ‘Wow!! That is absolutely amazing and you look gorgeous in it.’
Sophia reveals that she was ‘overwhelmed’ and that she is still getting comments and likes now.
She says that everyone has been so positive and a few people have ordered a dress via her video.
While she has lots of experience she says she wants to show that anyone can pick up the skill and they don’t have to spend lots of money.
Sophia added: ‘Sewing is such a useful skill to have. It’s really underrated.
‘My big advice is to go for it.’
She says it’s not a rave and practice makes perfect, explaining that she is constantly learning and watching YouTube videos.
‘There are so many techniques to learn. The Possibilities are endless.’
You can visit Velvet Jones at velvetjonesburlesque.com
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