Prom Season: Two Seniors Plan to Light Up Council Rock's Prom With Their Unique Fashions

Karen Evanetz is a Holland resident with a passion for sewing. As owner of both Karen Evanetz Designs and The Sewing Studio at Tyler State Park, she sews costumes and other garments and instructs adults and children in the art of sewing.

Two of Evanetz's private students, Michelle Kye and Sydney LeFever, are currently working on prom gowns. Both are seniors at Council Rock High School North, and both will be studying fashion design in the fall, but at different colleges.

As former costume manager at Sesame Place in Langhorne, Evanetz designed and created colorful parade costumes for the former "Rock Around the Block" parade. Evanetz studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Moore College of Art & Design, The Baum School of Art, and Clarion University. She is a member of the Association of Sewing & Design Professionals.

In her custom business, she has been working on various projects this year including refurbishing a 1920's wedding gown, making a communion veil from a wedding veil, several custom special occasion dresses, and altering numerous prom dresses. However, costuming dancers is the major portion of her business. She has created several salsa costumes for the Calle Sol and Calle Luna dance teams at La Luna Dance Studio in Bensalem.

In her adult classes, she instructs sewers on elementary sewing techniques that involve sewing from a pattern. In the children's classes, primarily for ages nine through twelve, the students have created gathered skirts, pajama pants, fleece hooded vests and dresses. Last year before the winter holidays, students created cell phone covers, zippered makeup bags and hair ornaments as gifts.

While most senior girls purchase their dresses, Kye and LeFever created their own designs and sewed their own gowns with Evanetz's assistance.

Michelle Kye wasn't into shopping or buying clothes until she reached high school, she said. "I began liking fashion sophomore year when my mom brought home Women's Wear Daily magazines from work. After that, I became obsessed with fashion magazines and clothes." Kye's mother works at an area clothing manufacturer.

Kye started sewing lessons last year with Evanetz. She first made a gray corduroy skirt, but forgot to wash the fabric beforehand, a common error with beginners. "This was my first mistake. When I steamed the skirt—it shrunk!" After that Kye made another skirt successfully and then her first dress last summer.

Kye has worked at Notations, her mother's employer, as a garment inspector for the past two summers. "I've learned about errors in garment construction and some of the different stitches that are used," Kye said. This summer she'll work there as a seamstress.

Kye described her prom dress as a "chili pepper red strapless chiffon gown with hand-pleating." Kye plans to attend the Moore College of Art in Design in Philadelphia this fall as a fashion design major.

Sydney LeFever started sewing at home when she was seven years old. She has been taking fashion design and art classes at the high school. She began studying with Evanetz last summer.

LeFever described her prom dress as "two layers of white organza with a big pink bow in the middle." LeFever was inspired Katy Perry's illuminated dress. "When I saw that dress, I said 'that's it!—that's my prom dress.' "

Perry's silk-chiffon ball gown lit up with 3200 flashing LED lights at the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala last spring. The next day she was on the cover of Women's Wear Daily. The dress was designed by London-based CuteCircuit. Perry has also been known to wear $2500 light up platform high heels by Jimmy Choo.

LeFever plans to light up her dress with multicolored LED string lights, powered with a hidden battery pack.

LeFever plans to study fashion design at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) this fall. She hopes to continue with her passion of riding horses by trying out for SCAD's equestrian team.

Both girls have learned advanced sewing techniques with Evanetz. They both agreed that Evanetz encourages them to create what's in their hearts and pursue their fashion dreams.

Evanetz offers ongoing adult and children's classes. In addition, she'll be offering summer classes this year. Check her website for more information.