The Atelier · Lorraine Lobert Freeman
A lifelong seamstress whose hands have shaped thousands of garments — and whose studio has become a sanctuary for women who want to feel beautifully, uniquely themselves.
Born and raised in Guyana, Lorraine learned to sew at age eleven on her mother's treadle pedal machine — turning fabric scraps into doll dresses, then dresses for her five sisters and friends. That early apprenticeship became a lifelong craft. After formal training in Pattern Making, Draping, and Grading at the Fashion Institute of Technology, she worked as an Assistant Designer and Pattern Maker in the New York City fashion industry before founding Customly Yours.
Today, with more than four decades of experience, Lorraine transforms ideas into beautifully crafted garments — from bridal couture to perfectly altered everyday pieces. Every consultation begins with a conversation about the moment, the silhouette, and the story you want to tell.
"My mother was a seamstress. I took her fabric scraps and made dresses for my dolls. By the age of eleven, I was sewing for my sisters and my friends — and I never stopped."
— Lorraine, on learning to sew in GuyanaThe Atelier
She walks in with a photo on her phone, a wedding date circled in red, a memory of the way her grandmother's dress moved. She leaves with something that fits like it has always belonged to her.
That's the work — forty years of it, and still no two pieces alike.
Sitting Pretty
Sitting Pretty is an innovative fashion brand connected to Customly Yours, designing garments that celebrate the non-standing lifestyle. Every piece is crafted with intention — beautifully made, thoughtfully fitted, and designed for women who deserve clothing that moves with them and honors who they are.
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