Wardrobe Skills
Lainie has been sewing all their life having been mentored by their mother, Tracy, a wedding dress designer and studied textiles at GCSE.
They now run Fountain Alterations - a casual alterations business specialising in Special Occassion Wear and Upcycling.
Lainie has also been expanding their Theatrical Wardrobe experience as a dresser and wardrobe maintenance for touring musical productions.
They utilise their specialist laundering knowledge and pressing/steaming skills - trained while working at a B&B as a teenager - to keep costumes in show ready condition.
Costume maintenance has been a valuable skill in many roles throughout Lainie’s professional career.
Alterations
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Repairs
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Commissions
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Pattern Cutting
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Occasion Wear
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Alterations ✳︎ Repairs ✳︎ Commissions ✳︎ Pattern Cutting ✳︎ Occasion Wear ✳︎
Services and Specialist Skills
Core Wardrobe Skills
Costume Maintenance Pressing and steaming, repairs during production runs, quick-fix emergency alterations, and garment care between performances.
Alterations & Fitting Hemming, taking in and letting out seams, waistband adjustments, sleeve alterations, zip replacement, lining repairs, and full garment resizing for a perfect fit.
Construction & Making Pattern cutting, garment construction from scratch, hand and machine sewing, seam finishing, and boning/structuring.
Fabric Knowledge Working with delicate fabrics including silk, chiffon, velvet, lace, organza, tulle, and beaded or embellished materials.
Specialist Theatre Skills
Period & Historical Costume Construction and alteration of period garments including corsetry, crinolines, Edwardian, Victorian, and Tudor silhouettes.
Quick-Change Rigging Rigging costumes for fast offstage changes using velcro, poppers, hooks, and breakaway fastenings.
Distressing & Ageing Making costumes look worn, aged, or damaged for character and storytelling purposes.
Wigs & Headwear Basic wig pinning, setting, and dressing; hat and headpiece construction and attachment.
Amateur Puppet Maker Using recycled materials, designing, pattern making and construction.
Turnaround Times
Standard Alterations
Completed within 5–7 working days
Includes time for a fitting and any tweaks
Occasion Wear & Bridal
4–6 weeks recommended lead time
Multiple fittings included
Bespoke Commissions
Quoted individually per project
Minimum 6–8 weeks lead time advised
Theatre & Production
Rush and short-notice work taken on where possible
Get in touch early and I'll make it work
On-Call Production Support
Available for dress rehearsals and tech runs
Emergency repairs and last-minute alterations
Dressing Track Following
Costume maintenance - Laundry and creative repairs
Steaming, pressing, hand washing
Flexible arrangements to suit your schedule
In-Person Fittings
Based in the East Sussex area
Fittings held at my workroom — relaxed and unhurried
Most clients need just one or two appointments
Travel to venues and rehearsal spaces available for productions
2018-2026
Fountain Alterations Client
“I have used Lainie’s Services for altering family clothes and both my daughter’s prom dresses. They were both a challenge as both dresses had many layers and different types of fabrics. Lainie Completed our requests to the highest quality and kept us in the loop with each decision made and multiple fittings. we were really happy and recommend them to others.”
Sam Roche-Motuel