A Perfect Fit
Ericka Engelman Couture
Offers Custom Ser vices
B Y R E N E E B R I N C K S • P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y T G O
OR 15 YEARS, CARMEL RESIDENT MARION BOTTOMLEY HAS
TURNED TO DESIGNER AND SEAMSTRESS ERICKA ENGELMAN FOR
NEARLY ALL OF HER ALTERATIONS. ENGELMAN TRIMS WIDE-LEGGED PANTS
DOWN TO CLASSIC, NARROW-CUT STYLES. SHE CUSTOMIZES EVERYTHING
FROM DENIM TO EVENINGWEAR. BOTTOMLEY EVEN PURCHASED A TOP THAT
WAS THREE SIZES TOO SMALL, BECAUSE SHE TRUSTS ENGELMAN'S TRANS-
FORMATIVE POWERS.
"IT WAS THE ONLY SIZE LEFT, AND SHE GOT IT TO FIT," SAYS BOTTOMLEY,
WHO TAKES BOTH EXPENSIVE AND INEXPENSIVE PIECES TO ERICKA
ENGELMAN COUTURE. "SHE'S A MASTER. SHE KNOWS JUST HOW TO PULL
A SEAM OR PUT IN A SEAM TO MAKE THINGS WORK."
FOR 29 YEARS, ENGELMAN HAS TAILORED GARMENTS AND CRAFTED CUS-
TOM CLOTHING AND BRIDAL GOWNS FOR SOME OF THE REGION'S MOST
STYLISH RESIDENTS. NOW, AS SHE PREPARES TO RELEASE HER FIRST READY-
TO-WEAR LINE, SHE'S ALSO REFASHIONED HER BUSINESS AND CREATED A
PRIVATE COUTURE SERVICE WITH IN-HOME APPOINTMENTS.
ENGELMAN, THE DAUGHTER OF A SEAMSTRESS, STARTED SEWING AS A
CHILD AND EARNED A FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN & MERCHANDISING
(FIDM) SCHOLARSHIP. AFTER COMPLETING HER UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES,
SHE MOVED FROM LOS ANGELES TO CARMEL WITH THE MAN SHE EVENTU-
ALLY MARRIED. THEY MADE THE TRIP BY MOTORCYCLE.
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