Fashion Seeds Sewn

Walking or driving through the center of Westville Village, intriguing window displays at Rodrick Gilchrist Design at 911 Whalley Avenue, signal the artful creations one will find inside. Beyond the gleaming coat-of-arms that bears a large tailor’s shears at the studio’s entrance, is a polished mosaic floor of chunky irregular granite pieces. Racks of clothing are arranged in a setting that seems more art gallery than boutique, more museum than working studio. That vibe may soon change with the advent of new fashion sewing classes that will be offered to the public beginning on September 19, according to partner/owners Rodrick Williams (Gilchrist) and Aysegul Ikna.

Several rows of industrial-grade sewing machines brought out from a back space now claim a portion of the spacious boutique and will be used by students needing a refresher in sewing basics or by more advanced students during the initial five-week seminars that will run through October 20th. To facilitate individualized attention, classes will be limited in size to five students, with morning or evening sessions totaling four hours per week. Classes at Rodrick Gilchrist distinguish themselves from sewing classes offered elsewhere, according to the couple, because of the breadth of professional experience the owners have had in the fashion industry as clothing designers, sewing specialists and marketers, and their emphasis on skills designed to take students to the next level of the business.

Returning to New Haven from Los Angeles after a five year intensive ​“boot camp” in the trenches of the L.A. fashion district, Williams said he garnered hands-on skills, worked for Ruuff Jeans learning the commercial aspects of the trade, and studied at the L. A. Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. Williams later earned a degree from Pasadena City College’s Fashion Design Program, and with a partner, opened a high-end boutique in L.A. before making his way back to New Haven. Soon after, he established a new enterprise — Lordz, a boutique located at trendy Sherman’s Alley on Chapel Street.

As downtown New Haven continued to evolve as an entertainment and dining destination, Williams began to consider establishing a business in Westville with a demographic, that he believed, would both appreciate and be able to afford the custom work that is at the heart of the business. Rodrick Gilchrist House of Fashion opened in 2010 and has since grown to include the work of outside designers and consignors whose work is held to the highest standards. Even when work is not accepted, Williams said he is happy to offer free consultations and advice to help designers improve the quality of their work. Alteration work represents a small part of the business, but fashion design, custom tailoring and now teaching, will be the primary areas of focus.

Williams was philosophical in discussing past businesses, saying that each business enterprise brought with it both blessings and lessons. ​“You can’t be afraid to make mistakes. You learn from your mistakes and you learn something new with every creative endeavor.” Williams said he hopes to eventually bring his fashion lines to prestigious venues like New York’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, an international platform for industry insiders presently showing its Spring 2012 collections. Williams is clearly passionate about design, saying he draws inspiration from the environment and that he never tries to impose his ideas on the unfolding creative process, but sees himself as a vessel — receptive and open to unexpected directions.

Partner and wife Aysegul said she believes Westville has the potential of becoming more like portions of Antwerp, Belgium, a fashion-forward city housing the the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, where fashion houses are plentiful and original designs are created in-house at local businesses across the city. With several long-established fashion boutiques already in Westville, the area is well-positioned for continued growth in the fashion market. ​“It is not necessary to go to the big cities to find good fashion” said Aysegul. And apparently good technical training will also become more accessible when sewing machines are pressed into action later this month.