Cindy Bithell of The Sew Sew is Dreaming of a More Sustainable World

When you meet Cindy Bithell, a licensed architect, mother of two and self-taught clothing designer, you quickly realize her story is about more than fashion. It’s about design, the joy of process, passion, friends and evolution of the self.

Bithell’s love of sewing began before she ever created pieces for local runway shows or designs for her brand. “My mother was a seamstress growing up,” she says. “Couture wedding gowns, prom dresses — it was sort of her side job on top of being a mother, and I grew up hanging out in her sewing room.” After taking sewing classes in her youth, Bithell pursued architecture in college, drawn to its blend of creativity and structure.

“I kind of invented my own little way of drafting, loosely based on those zero-waste principles.”

While in graduate school, she joined the DesignBuildBLUFF program, an experience that ignited her passion for sustainable, hands-on design and unconventional approaches. After a COVID-era layoff, she returned to sewing, starting with leather handbags, then took clothing courses and began creating her own unique patterns. Bithell launched her brand by growing an Instagram following of more than 270,000 through viral videos showcasing zero- and low-waste designs.

“I just started designing clothing. I didn’t really know traditional [garment] drafting, and at that time I had discovered the idea of zero waste sewing,” she says. “I began introducing these age-old techniques into my drafting so I kind of invented my own little way of drafting, loosely based on those zero-waste principles, and then [it] slowly evolved.”

“It was a full-circle moment. Going back to the basics, reviving lost technologies.”

Her first breakthrough piece was the LeeLoo, inspired by the film The Fifth Element: a straight dress with cutouts, made entirely from rectangles and with a focus on form-fitting the body. Then came the Bog Jacket, a contemporary take on a 2,000-year-old garment discovered in archaeological digs. “It was a full-circle moment,” she says. “Going back to the basics, reviving lost technologies.” Another major turning point arrived when she began experimenting with textiles themselves. For her first runway show she created the Scrappy Dress from layered scraps of fabric stitched into a new textile. “It’s more than just a garment; it’s about adding another level of design, making the material part of the story,” she says.

Sewing fabric into new textiles mirrors how Bithell lives: creating space by bringing different pieces together. “We’re lacking third places, spaces where creative people can gather,” she says. “Art and fashion can bring a community together.” Her collaborative spirit has led her to work with local artists, stylists and makeup teams on volunteer-run events like Shaped by Salt, a fashion show benefiting Great Salt Lake conservation.

“Slow fashion should be fun, a whole creative event.”

Today, Bithell continues her work as a PFAFF sewing machine ambassador, a role that connects back to her mother’s beloved 1981 model. She uses PFAFF models in her videos and creations, including a secondhand 1981 model that her mom found for her — another nod to zero-waste traditions. She’s also submitted a lingerie-inspired collection for the August Brasileida Pool Party Fashion Show. As for the future, she’s aiming for small-batch manufacturing, continuing designing and, eventually, a New York Fashion Week debut, but she’s in no rush: “It’s about doing the right work at the right time and not forcing it,” she says.

Most importantly, joy guides Bithell’s designs. That happiness drives her to share her sewing patterns publicly, a rare choice in the fashion world. “We can do better. We live in a high-consumption society,” she says. “If I’m adding something to it, I want it to be unique, thoughtful and something people will keep. Slow fashion should be fun, a whole creative event.”

For those discovering her work for the first time, Bithell hopes they notice the thoughtfulness behind each piece. “It’s not just about wearing something pretty,” she says. “I want people to think about what it was before it became a garment — the flat fabric, the lines, the process. That’s where the magic is.” To learn more about Bithell’s magical sustainable dream, check out her Instagram @the_sew_sew and her website sewsewdesign.com.

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