Highlights of my  Costume Design Career

Hi, I am Shawnelle Cherry, the founder and main teacher at Future Fashion Designers.

I started the school after "accidently" moving to Mooresville, NC when the recession of 2009 slowed the film industry and I had a chance to discover new places :)  

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My career before F.F.D.  was in the film industry as a costume designer specializing in comedy's. 

I lived in Los Angeles so finding jobs in the entertainment arena was easy.  To date, I have designed over 30 films and became a proud member of the Costume Designers Guild Local 892 in 2003. 

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I started my costume design career in 1997 with my first feature "Duty Dating".   Before that I had a my own design studio in Pacific Palisades where I designed evening gowns for the Hollywood crowd.  I specialized in one-of-a-kind gowns for the Oscars, Emmy's, Golden Globes, Daytime Emmy's and the individual Guild Awards.  I also had a number of Daytime Soap Opera stars that I loved to work with.  I also made many wedding dresses, I was pretty bad at taking photos but it must be around 100 custom clients. 

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My plan was to stay in North Carolina and run my new school until the film industry picked up again but I never did go back to LA permanently.  I was bi-coastal for quite awhile and then decided that the quality of life was far more enticing and that I loved it here.  So here I am, 12 years later :)  9 years at one location and then moving to a smaller location so I could concentrate on other projects.  I have had a ton of fun with my school and all my little designers, from the annual Mac and Cheese cook offs and the Cheezy fashion shows to Project Sew Way - kits with all the bits to keep kids sewing.  To my You Tube Channel-"Sew Shawnelle",  Online classes and now my new "Sew On the Road" show I am developing and the new FFD membership "Thread Bosses" that is currently in the works and due to launch on May 9th.  My favorite day of the year, the day I started my first film :)

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I love helping others with their dreams of fashion design and sewing.

I am willing to help those who know what it takes to succeed in anything  

and know what the true meaning of luck is..... it is when opportunity meets preparation.