Jessie Ravel is a versatile textile designer. She fashions beautiful outfits for children and young women. She embroiders, paints and does different types of handwork on them and also on sarees.Every one of her pieces is an exclusive one.
“I am so interested in designing that I observe every girl’s and woman’s attire closely and minutely. When I design a garment, I try to incorporate the things I have observed in new combinations using my creativity. Even the cloth for an outfit is bought only by me; for only then, I am able to unleash my creativity completely. My creations are really exclusive in ever sense’’ she explains
‘Jessie’s skills are an amalgamation of the talents of her parents. Her father was excellent in designing sarees and her mother at cutting and stitching clothes. Jessie’s designs are exclusive and clothes well cut.

‘I trained in stitching even when I was a small girl. We were in Thoothukudi when I was a child and my mother undertook many stitching assignments and I used to watch her at work. When I was five years old I used to take bunches of threads and twist and turn them to flowers. I first stitched a garment for one of my dolls. When we moved to Chennai ,my mother noticing my interest began training me to stitch. I was also interested more in learning the skill than in studies. I learnt to embroider, knit and other types of handwork soon’, reveals Jessie.

Jessie’s first production was a muffler at the age of eight. Then she went on to design frocks and even handbags.

‘My mother always insisted on me stitching with the hand before embarking to stitch with the machine. This training would help in giving the right cut and rendering a good finish to the garment; she would point out. So I learnt to cut and hand stitch the garments initially and only later undertook tailoring lessons, says Jessie.

With the passage of time Jessie has ventured into other areas also. She now designs cushion covers, and bed sheets. She does many types of craft and handwork and also textile printing.

‘All my leisure time is spent in designing or stitching only. My advice to young women is that they must learnt to stitch; for it would be very beneficial to them and their families’, says Jessie.
Jessie can be reached at 044- 24611450.

(Courtesy ;– Mylapore Talk).
V. PADMASINI