Resume

Country of birth

Germany

Qualifications

• Certificate in Fashion Technology (Newcastle TAFE)
• Cert. IV in Training and Assessment

Experience

Ilona has worked in the Australian fashion industry for more than 20 years, mainly as a pattern maker par excellence. In that time, she has accumulated a thorough knowledge of all the production processes involved in creating fashion. Ilona’s impressive resume also includes a stint in the costume department of the Koblenz City Theatre in Germany.

Sewing has always been Ilona’s “number one passion” and she feels very fortunate to have been able to turn it into a stellar career.

Achievements

Ilona has built up her own dressmaking and design business, and also sells a range of exquisite children’s formal dresses. In addition, she freelances her expertise and services to other fashion companies and designers. Ilona’s greatest thrill is seeing her clients “ecstatic” about wearing one of her beautiful suits or a gorgeous dress they have always dreamed of.

Teaching Style

Ilona acknowledges that sewing can be a challenging, even frustrating new skill to learn, and so has made it her mission to pass on her knowledge and expertise in a way that is fun and enjoyable for her students. Her lessons are designed to be easy to follow: “I am very hands on and believe the best way to learn is to demonstrate each step and have lots of visual tools to guide people.”

Something Unique

Ilona chiselled off her very own piece of the historical Berlin Wall when it was brought down by liberation-hungry protestors more than 20 years ago.