In The Hood: Miosa Couture
From December 2006
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Miosa Couture
Sacramento has been known for many things over the years — dysfunctional politics and would-be-NBA-champions ring a bell — but definitely not for its fashion sense or tastemakers. Yet surrounded by the masterpieces at Miosa Couture, you’d never know it. For the past six years, owners Michael and Sanea Sommerfield have been crafting couture gowns that can stand hem to hem with the likes of Vera Wang, Angel Sanchez and Versace.
“We design with the best in mind,” says co-owner Michael Sommerfield. “We didn’t just want to make stuff. We wanted to create beautiful pieces.”
It’s a gutsy move in a city where the largest retailer of evening gowns is a department store and most wedding gowns are purchased at discount warehouses. A Miosa gown, on the other hand, can lighten your wallet by $1,500, about half the average Sacramento resident’s monthly salary. But for those in search of fine fashion in the region, there’s no comparison.
Known for its exquisite fabrics, impeccable sewing technique and eye for design, Miosa has developed a national following, with clients as far away as Oregon and Florida. Its dresses have been worn to Golden Globe, Oscar and the Independent Spirit awards and have caught the eye of Hollywood A-listers such as Gayle King, George Clooney and Donatella Versace.
“Not bad for an old tentmaker,” jokes Michael, referencing his first foray into sewing and assembling pre-manufactured tent- and sleeping-bag kits for his father’s camping-goods store.
“The first kit took me about two months to figure out,” he remembers. “Then it got easier, and I was hooked.”
After a brief stint studying engineering and a successful run in the alterations business, Michael followed his heart and attended design school. It was here that he met his wife, Sanea, and decided to open Miosa.
Originally, Miosa was a custom-design house for evening gowns and men’s suits. But the Sommerfields quickly noticed that while many locals balked at couture suits, brides were surprisingly willing to fork over a few thousand bucks for the dress of their dreams.
After painstakingly producing several custom wedding gowns, Michael saw a need for a more standardized product. The Miosa bridal collection launched in 2001 with 15 gowns and has steadily expanded, including 50 new designs this year. The Sommerfields have also produced bridesmaid dresses and evening wear, including an elaborate $5,000 bronze leather and beaded gown worn by Ana Divac, wife of former Sacramento Kings player Vlade Divac.
Having a design line hasn’t made the process of constructing a gown any less custom. After an extensive consultation, detailed measurements are taken and an initial pattern, called a sloper, is made to accurately mimic the client’s body. From this point, a pattern is cut and fitted to the sloper. Pieces of the gown are then individually cut and sewn completely in-house by Miosa’s expert seamstresses. The process is a unique combination of accuracy, skill and art.
“It’s just amazing when you have that ‘aha’ moment, and you get the perfect dress for that woman,” says Sanea. “How could there be anything more beautiful than that?”
Michael estimates that 95 percent of their current business is bridal but has big plans for Miosa’s couture clothing line. They’re expanding into the storefront next door, remodeling the space to be a 7,000-sq.-ft. designer showroom, complete with a runway where they can show their upcoming collections.
Haute couture doesn’t just sound fancy, it is fancy. To earn the official French designation, a shop must maintain a staff of 15, sew all designs in-house and produce a runway show in Paris twice a year. In doing so, Miosa would join Chanel, Christian Dior and Givenchy as members of an elite group of just 10 designers worldwide, not one of which is American.
Despite its success, Miosa’s address (1125 J St. in downtown Sacramento) begs the question: Can a couture culture thrive in Sacramento’s fashion scene? Ever the optimists, the Sommerfields see their location as an advantage that allows them to be a leader in the regional economy.
“Sacramento’s really changing and growing in wealth,” Sanea explains. “We’re seeing an evolving clientele: more people who really care about fashion. It’s an exciting place to be.”
Move Over, Givenchy
By Jennifer Teel WolterSacramento has been known for many things over the years — dysfunctional politics and would-be-NBA-champions ring a bell — but definitely not for its fashion sense or tastemakers. Yet surrounded by the masterpieces at Miosa Couture, you’d never know it. For the past six years, owners Michael and Sanea Sommerfield have been crafting couture gowns that can stand hem to hem with the likes of Vera Wang, Angel Sanchez and Versace.
“We design with the best in mind,” says co-owner Michael Sommerfield. “We didn’t just want to make stuff. We wanted to create beautiful pieces.”
It’s a gutsy move in a city where the largest retailer of evening gowns is a department store and most wedding gowns are purchased at discount warehouses. A Miosa gown, on the other hand, can lighten your wallet by $1,500, about half the average Sacramento resident’s monthly salary. But for those in search of fine fashion in the region, there’s no comparison.
Known for its exquisite fabrics, impeccable sewing technique and eye for design, Miosa has developed a national following, with clients as far away as Oregon and Florida. Its dresses have been worn to Golden Globe, Oscar and the Independent Spirit awards and have caught the eye of Hollywood A-listers such as Gayle King, George Clooney and Donatella Versace.
“Not bad for an old tentmaker,” jokes Michael, referencing his first foray into sewing and assembling pre-manufactured tent- and sleeping-bag kits for his father’s camping-goods store.
“The first kit took me about two months to figure out,” he remembers. “Then it got easier, and I was hooked.”
After a brief stint studying engineering and a successful run in the alterations business, Michael followed his heart and attended design school. It was here that he met his wife, Sanea, and decided to open Miosa.
Originally, Miosa was a custom-design house for evening gowns and men’s suits. But the Sommerfields quickly noticed that while many locals balked at couture suits, brides were surprisingly willing to fork over a few thousand bucks for the dress of their dreams.
After painstakingly producing several custom wedding gowns, Michael saw a need for a more standardized product. The Miosa bridal collection launched in 2001 with 15 gowns and has steadily expanded, including 50 new designs this year. The Sommerfields have also produced bridesmaid dresses and evening wear, including an elaborate $5,000 bronze leather and beaded gown worn by Ana Divac, wife of former Sacramento Kings player Vlade Divac.
Having a design line hasn’t made the process of constructing a gown any less custom. After an extensive consultation, detailed measurements are taken and an initial pattern, called a sloper, is made to accurately mimic the client’s body. From this point, a pattern is cut and fitted to the sloper. Pieces of the gown are then individually cut and sewn completely in-house by Miosa’s expert seamstresses. The process is a unique combination of accuracy, skill and art.
“It’s just amazing when you have that ‘aha’ moment, and you get the perfect dress for that woman,” says Sanea. “How could there be anything more beautiful than that?”
Michael estimates that 95 percent of their current business is bridal but has big plans for Miosa’s couture clothing line. They’re expanding into the storefront next door, remodeling the space to be a 7,000-sq.-ft. designer showroom, complete with a runway where they can show their upcoming collections.
It’s Haute in Here
They also hope to offer the brand nationally. The Sommerfields recently purchased a pattern-making system that will allow them to develop standardized sizes, so that Miosa gowns can be sold at exclusive, high-end bridal salons in fashion hot spots such as Los Angeles and Chicago. Producing at a higher volume could be a step toward their next ambition: to become the only true haute-couture house in the United States.Haute couture doesn’t just sound fancy, it is fancy. To earn the official French designation, a shop must maintain a staff of 15, sew all designs in-house and produce a runway show in Paris twice a year. In doing so, Miosa would join Chanel, Christian Dior and Givenchy as members of an elite group of just 10 designers worldwide, not one of which is American.
Despite its success, Miosa’s address (1125 J St. in downtown Sacramento) begs the question: Can a couture culture thrive in Sacramento’s fashion scene? Ever the optimists, the Sommerfields see their location as an advantage that allows them to be a leader in the regional economy.
“Sacramento’s really changing and growing in wealth,” Sanea explains. “We’re seeing an evolving clientele: more people who really care about fashion. It’s an exciting place to be.”
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