Some clothes never find their way out of people’s college dorm closets, remaining abandoned for many reasons, whether it be because a pair of pants are too big, a dress is not tight enough or a shirt is missing a button. Seeing an opportunity to put her sewing skills to use, Charlotte Platt ‘28, a psychology major and studio art minor, decided to start an affordable alteration and tailoring service for Muhlenberg students. Constantly hearing her friends talking about their clothes not fitting and knowing she could sew, she asked herself, “Why not make a business out of it?”
Platt’s business, Berg Buttons, was created last year in her fall semester. Providing accessible and convenient services, Platt does everything from hemming items to fixing holes and loose buttons. Though there are a lot of people on campus who express themselves through fashion, Platt noticed, “There’s not a community for people who enjoy fashion.” She thought, “It would be fun to have a class or something on campus that teaches you design” because it is something Muhlenberg does not offer.
Sewing on and off her whole life, Platt expressed, “I just love doing arts and crafts and I love making stuff.” Through watching videos and attending classes at summer camp, Platt learned to fix her clothes herself. She has always loved being busy with craft projects and as a fan of fashion, she found that she could be less wasteful by repairing her own clothes and reusing articles of clothing she likes for the print.
Clients interested are able to DM @berg.buttons on Instagram for any requests. With quick turnaround times and free fixes if anything she works on breaks, it’s a simple process where the only thing to keep in mind is that Platt will likely want to see the clothing piece in person to determine the cost and if it’s something she can help with. She hopes to be more active with making promotional content for her business but finds that, “when I get a project I kind of just want to do the project.”
Platt’s favorite part of running Berg Buttons is the new connections she’s able to form. She shares, “I get to meet people who I wouldn’t meet unless through this.” Though she can feel the pressure of being a perfectionist at times because, “I’m taking someone’s potential favorite clothing item and changing it,” Platt still has a lot of fun with the process. A recent client, Sophia Stassi ‘28, shared, “I would highly recommend her service to anyone looking for clothing alterations, hemming or anything of the sort!”
Even though there’s been times where Platt could have pushed her business, she puts her clients’ needs first. Sometimes people come in and Platt would have to be honest and admit, “I don’t know if I can do this.” Certain materials and requests can be more challenging than others because she works with her own supplies. Wanting to provide everyone with the best service she can, she can acknowledge when something is beyond her abilities.
People have also come in and left without any alterations because there have been times Platt recognized that sometimes all someone needed was to be told they look good in their clothing. At the end of the day, Platt explains, “My goal is to make people feel good in the clothes that they’re wearing. So, if that means that I don’t get business from it, that’s okay.”
Ultimately, this is a service she likes being able to offer because it is convenient for college students to go to someone with less experience but more affordable services. Stassi vouched, “Charlotte is very communicative and has very reasonable prices.” Though, with the competing businesses outside of a college campus, Platt does not believe she will continue this service once completing her time at Muhlenberg.
Still, with Halloween coming up, Platt hopes to be able to do fun projects. She would love to sit down with someone and just brainstorm costume ideas and see what they can create together. Berg Buttons is more than just a tailoring service for Platt as it is a way to form a community and create a space for fashion and design at Muhlenberg.
Gabriela Mendez ‘28 plans to major in English with a minor in Spanish. She is very excited and honored to be joining the Weekly staff! Outside of writing, she loves to read, be one with nature, and watch new movies.