I fell in love with this boutique about a year ago when I first discovered it randomly (see that post here)…BDA. Initialed after it’s founder Bastien Del Ameida.

A concept vintage fashion store that also offers couture lessons. I wanted to try…. I finally got the occasion to thanks to a deal by Groupon purchased a few months ago.

You can come to your couture lesson with a project of your own, or you can go empty handed like I did, and hope that you will be able to decipher the teachings transmitted to you by the skilled couture seamstress. I was given a list of instructions with a pattern diagram on a sheet of paper, and I discovered that I was to learn how to draw my own pattern by following those instructions!

I first drew a pattern for a size 38 (French sizing) and once I had done that correctly, was instructed to create one for my own size, (which was just a few centimeters different from a size 38 so not too difficult). Um… did I just give you all my size???? Oh well, 38 is the most common size in France anyway… it’s the fist one to go on the sales racks.

Moving on…

The pattern I was drawing out was for a pencil skirt, created by the woman who gives the couture lessons.

There was like math and stuff… Drawing a pattern is not easy as pie… more like baklava or croissant level of difficulty.

Then you pin it to your fabric, cut around it with a 1 centimeter margin and head to the sewing machine!

The whole thing was quite a delightful experience, and the store had a slow yet steady stream of what seemed to be regulars coming in for a lesson to work on their projects, or coming in to talk about the progress of their custom made order (yep! they do custom made dresses!). I highly recommend heading over for a lesson or two, you will enjoy yourself immensely if you are the slightest bit interested in fashion, or like to create things. Plus you can browse their amazing collection of vintage couture for sale! There was a little white wiggle dress that caught my eye….