Written by Sarah Johnson. Photo courtesy of “Invisible Seams”.
“Invisible Seams”, a documentary short, explores the lives of eight pivotal people in one of the hottest and most prominent industries in today’s culture, fashion. This documentary highlights, “eight different seamstresses and pattern-makers in New York.” Throughout the film, the history each seamstress or pattern-maker had with the craft and what brought them to New York is given, going into depth about their relationship with fashion. Some studied fashion design simply because they love to shop, while others worked in garment factories because they knew it was reliable money. As the pandemic approached, these seamstresses started to realize the lack of necessity for expensive garments. Instead, they began to see the necessity for a quick turnaround.
Not only does this documentary discuss fashion, but it focuses on how it felt to be Asian in America during the pandemic. The women in “Invisible Seams” speak of how they, “wouldn’t dare to live where other ethnicities lived.” In addition, the seamstresses moved their sewing machines to their homes for safety, due to hate crimes Asians faced during the pandemic. Despite this, because of their skills as seamstresses, the women made hundreds of personal protection equipment pieces for frontline workers throughout the pandemic.
“Invisible Seams” is an informative and passionate documentary that displays the hard work and drive that goes into being a seamstress and pattern-maker in the United States.
