I had the pleasure of visiting fashion designer and dressmaker Janice Martin in her Ardmore, Pennsylvania studio on a fine Fall day a while back. The striking red-headed designer, who I had met a few years ago at a Mural Arts Program fundraiser, generously allowed me to chat with her about her business, her work, and her passion for the art of creating beautiful handmade couture.

Ms. Martin’s career grew out of her creations sewn for herself.  “People asked,” she shrugged, “and I thought ‘I could do that.”  And so, she began a career that has lasted 25 years and grown her clientele to include opera singers, socialites, and savvy average ‘Janes’ who want a fairly heirloom restored or re-envisioned.

Martin has even worked for Philadelphia’s own Princess - the legendary Grace Kelly, Princess Grace of Monaco - posthumously.  In 1997, the Philadelphia Museum of Art came to Janice Martin Couture for expert care in restoring the Princess’ wedding veil for its “250 Years of Style” exhibition.  More recently, she designed Claire Putnam’s gown to be one of the ‘brides’ at the Assembly Ball.  “That was really fun because they gave me a lot of freedom; basically, they just picked a wonderful fabric and took measurements.”

One memorable client who helped her get her start, she recalls, was “a woman from Wilmington who arrived in a car with a driver.”  This fine Brandywine dame, no doubt, appreciated the lost craft and diligent process Ms. Martin employs.  If you are looking for a day suit that fits the way it should, she is not just the only game in town, she’s one of a few independent boutique couturiers nationwide who makes a custom women’s suit from scratch.

Ms. Martin says she dresses herself conservatively, and “fairly classic because I can’t get away with anything too funky.”  When she married husband John Mainka, a photographer, in 1993, she made her own gown.  “It was victorian from the waist up, and contemporary from the waist down.  I put it together the week before.”

In 2005, Janice Martin Couture moved from its Manayunk location to Cricket Avenue in Ardmore, a few blocks from Suburban Square.  “We were on Ringgold Street for twelve years, and I was worried about moving,” said Martin.  “Our old space was a three-level Victorian; the new space is on one level, double or triple the size, and we shifted our focus to daywear and evening gowns from brides.”

Martin credits “great clients with classic taste” for her continued success.  As long as these clients continue to appreciate fine craftsmanship and design, Martin will continue to create clothing with the credo “Nothing should be disposable.”

Samples await clients’ approval.	Janice Martin & John Mainka	A sampling of custom bridal gowns.

For more information on Janice Martin Couture, visit www.janicemartin.net.

Correction: When originally released, Janice Martin’s husband, John Mainka, was incorrectly referred to as an architect.  Mainka is a commercial photographer working in the Philadelphia area.