Growing up in South Korea, Jeannie Johng-Nishikawa would dream of being a fashion designer as she watched her mother spin yarn and make fabric. Today, Johng-Nishikawa owns Jeannie’s Alterations and Design Studio, a one-stop-shop Davis-based tailor that specializes in wedding dress alteration, customization, preservation and design.
She has worked on over 700 wedding dresses since starting the business in 1991; much of that work involves redesigning dresses. A bride-to-be will bring in an heirloom bridal gown to modernize it for her own wedding.
This sequined ‘20s-era dress pictured on client Jen Wilcox took roughly 60 hours to complete. “When you’re so inspired, and really doing what you love, you don’t really think about how many hours you’re working,” Johng-Nishikawa says.
In addition to bridal gowns, Johng-Nishikawa works on evening gowns and even theater costumes for a local high school. She opened the brick-and-mortar location in September 2017, her and her husband’s home having long been taken over by sequins and sewing materials. Her team now includes one employee and an intern.
It’s important to Johng-Nishikawa to pass on the “lost art” of sewing. “Everyone can learn to sew, but they have to have an eye for it,” she says. “Like you can learn to write, or you can learn to sing, but only few people have a gift or an eye for certain things.”