Sew Much Style: Junior Mazie Alber sews her own clothes for various projects

The audience chattered, marble pillars towered and refreshments were served in Kirkwood Hall at the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum. The spacious atrium was home to the annual Nelson-Atkins Teen Fashion Show: a must-attend event for any budding fashion designer.

A U-shaped runway spanned the middle of the hall, and spotlights illuminated models as they began to walk down the carpet. Junior Mazie Alber waited anxiously behind a curtain, anticipating her time to strut the runway.

Finally, it was time for Alber to display her original design — a white two-piece dress, adorned with red beading. She notices the audience smile and turn to each other, pointing out their favorite details of Alber’s dress as she walked down the runway.

“I walk out and I see everyone stare at me, and it’s scary,” Alber said. “But at the same time, I could see everything, which arguably is more intimidating, but also it helped me realize that I had an effect on the people that I was walking in front of.”

Alber has been going to the show for the past three years and sews dresses and pants to fulfill requests from friends and family in her free time. These pieces are used for various events across Kansas City, including the Teen Fashion Show and local weddings. 

Last spring, Alber sewed colored pants and a white top for her hairdresser Kelsey Hemenway’s wedding.

“I was so impressed by her designs,” Hemenway said. “When I got married, I was pretty picky and wanted a lot of color. So, it was really hard to find an outfit that was gonna go with what we were going for. So I just asked her to do it.”

When Hemenway texted Alber during school one day and requested the design, she received an eager response from Alber: “absolutely yes.”

Alber made the bustier top and retro-flower pants in the one month before Hemenway’s wedding. It was her first time working with boning, a stabilizer, in a project, according to Alber.

“That girl is gonna be somebody someday,” Hemenway said. “I mean, she already is. She’s incredible and so determined — she has the most unique ideas. I wish I could crawl into her brain for a day and see what it looks like inside of there.”

Alber’s main purpose of sewing is to wear what she wants, not clothes from fast fashion stores like Urban Outfitters. Because she can transform a thrifted piece into a new creation. 

Thrifting at stores like City Thrift is a go-to activity for Alber and her friend senior Jo Wilson-Head on weekends — topped off with a cup of boba, of course. 

“Sometimes I’ll try something out and it doesn’t fit, and she’ll be like, ‘I can make it fit,’” Wilson-Head said.

Hemming various clothing, such as dresses and shirts, helps Alber to refine her sewing techniques for the Teen Fashion Show. After the show every year, Alber attends the post-program reception.

Standing in the Kirkwood Hall after the show, Alber heard someone behind her. 

“Excuse me?”

She turned around to see a group of young girls looking up at her, a program in her hand.

“Could you sign this for me?”

Alber, overcome with emotion, nodded and autographed the program for the girl. 

“It was the sweetest moment, and I almost cried,” Alber said. “They were just random girls, and it was so precious.”

Experiences such as the past Teen Fashion Shows and Hemenway’s wedding outfit have helped Alber build a resumé that was noticed at this year’s Teen Fashion Show. 

The Savannah College of Art sent Alber a letter in the mail, delivered to the counseling office, inviting her to an orientation at the college and complimenting her recent designs. No matter where Alber goes, she hopes to pursue fashion in college, ultimately opening a small label one day.

“I just adore her, I’m so amazed by her, and I can’t wait to see what she does in the future,” Hemenway said. “Whatever it is, it’s going to be awesome.”