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About Emily Magli

Discovering The Art Of Couture

Some people may be intimidated by the word couture sewing, but actually it is very beginner friendly and appropriate for all levels of sewists. Learning the basic steps in couture construction just teaches you to slow down and enjoy the process. The more you put this method into practice, the sooner you will achieve the results you want. I had a basketball coach who always said “you have to know the fundamentals”. We would practice our passing and free throws in our best form over and over. Sewing is no different. The problem is that sewing fundamentals have been replaced with the desire for speed and fancy machine stitching. Your sewing will never look like a garment produced in a factory somewhere, nor should it. 

I was in my twenties when I took up garment sewing. At the time, it was just a hobbie, and I spent many years making mediocre clothes. It wasn’t until I discovered haute couture techniques that I  saw a significant difference in the quality of my work .  At this same  time, I  found a sewing mentor in Nashville who was also at one time Dolly Parton’s seamstress. She knew how to achieve a proper fitting garment and taught me many things. A proper fit and haute couture techniques were game changers for me, and I began more seriously practicing these new skills. Now it is my mission to share my sewing knowledge with others so that they too can excel in their garment creations.

Emily Magli sewing class Nashville

"Every stitch tells a story, binding together passion, skill, and creativity into a masterpiece of couture craftsmanship."

Emily Magli

Balenciaga 1967 Envelope Dress

Practicing and Sharing the Art of Couture

I enjoy sewing bias-cut garments (especially in silk) and have long admired the couturière, Madeliene Vionnet, who some consider the master of the bias. Draping and cutting on the bias is a way to break free from typical pattern design constraints. It provides a more flattering fit and freedom of movement for the wearer.

By studying and replicating Vionnet’s work and work by other masters such as Christian Dior, Alexander McQueen, and Cristobal Balenciaga, I have come to understand the relationship of fabric, gravity, movement, space and form. A garment can be more than just a static covering for a particular body part shaped only by darts and seam lines. A garment can be dynamic and even extend away from the body with added fullness and geometric shapes that not only complement the wearer but are stand alone works of art.

My intent in recreating and sharing other designer’s works is to document and gain a better understanding of their methods, from the unique ways a garment was cut to the fine finishing details.

We learn best by doing and the knowledge gained enriches the experience. In practice and in teaching, I want to challenge myself and others to think about cloth and sewing in a new way.

I look forward to using this platform to share this art experience with you.

A Journey in Sewing Excellence

From self-taught seamstress to pursing mastery in couture construction.

  • Sewing Instructor and Fit Specialist, Nashville and Franklin TN
  • Owner of Emily Magli Clothing, custom bias silk dresses, lingerie and loungewear
  • Tailor and pattern-making assistant, Nashville, TN
  • Member of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (ASDP)
  • Contributer to Threads Magazine, "Grainlines in Concert", Summer 2021
  • ASDP Conference Instructor - Sewing with Silk and on the Bias
  • Couture Tailoring with Thomas Von Nordheim
  • Cristobol Balenciaga Museum: Haute Couture Tailoring and Haute Couture Fantasy Techniques
  • Couture Construction with Susan Khalje
  • Couture Tailoring with Alison Smith
  • Draping with Elena Ryleeva, EWST Fashionlab
  • Clothing Construction and Flat Pattern Design, O’more College, Franklin, TN

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