To the ball

She’s the  first to admit she’s not one for the limelight. Her word-of-mouth following is large, but her public exposure is non-existent. Yet quietly and in the background, Christa’s gowns have adorned some of the country’s most glamorous and beautiful women. She has also made many pageant dresses for her daughter, Dante.

She’s had loads of practice. In one corner, Ouma’s ancient Singer stands – the start of many big dreams. “I was still young when I began to sew doll dresses,” Christa says. “My parents saw that this was a lasting fad, and I got my  first sewing machine in standard eight.”
She studied dress design and has never stopped sewing, although she refers to herself as a “part-time diplomat”. Keeping brides and matric-farewell belles happy isn’t an easy job. It demands a vast knowledge of trends, body contours, patterns, colours, styles, materials and baubles, but above all, a healthy dollop of tact.
“Creating a dress to match a woman’s expectations is a huge responsibility,” Christa smiles. “I work closely with clients and listen to their suggestions. If I don’t think their idea will work, I try to steer them (gently!) in a different direction. One has to be careful, but there are ways of telling someone that a dress won’t suit her, without hurting her feelings.”
Her studio contains examples of every gown your heart could possibly desire. She’s literally tried her hand at everything.
“Every dress is different,” she says. “Matching a garment to its wearer’s personality is of cardinal importance.” Christa’s also very
particular about not sending two girls to a matric farewell in the same dress – “Fiasco!” she says, rolling her eyes.

Trends change quickly and whereas soft, flowing Empire-line dresses were popular last year, this year has seen the return of ruffles. “I scour magazines and the Internet to see what’s new, but I don’t allow trends to dictate what I do. Or rather, I don’t let them bind or restrict me.”
Her natural inclination is towards classic, elegant gowns. Part of a dress’ eventual success depends on choosing the right fabric. In this respect, Christa is hands-on, preferring to meet clients in Pretoria or Joburg, if needs be, to get it right. “If they choose the right fabric, half the battle is won,” she says.
As the farewell season starts hotting up, Christa experiences her busiest time of the year. From here on in, it’s go, go, go. She makes lots of dresses for each of our local schools – throw in a couple of weddings, and one realises she has to start burning the midnight oil. Luckily, she and assistant Joyce Hlakathi have been working together for 10 years and have a great relationship. “She’s like family,” Christa says. Her greatest reward is the reaction of clients. “I get a bubbly feeling in my stomach,” she grins. “Nothing’s better than a beaming face and a client who tells me her dress is prettier than she expected it to be,” says Christa. “It’s extremely satisfying. It’s a huge privilege to be doing something you believe you were born to do.”
Get in touch
Contact Christa Verwey on 084-247-5726.