About
Since 2015, Sugarcane Studios has become Asheville’s premier custom sewing and luxury alterations shop. We specialize in Bridal Alterations and formalwear, but also do general alterations and make custom clothing. Basically, if you wear it, we sew it!
Our studio focuses on high-quality sewing, and the highest level of customer service. We are not your average alterations shop. We believe that clothing is a self-reflection and that if your clothes fit, you not only look your best, but you also feel your best! That is why we take ample time to listen to our customers’ needs, to fit each garment carefully, and to be sure each client is satisfied before we are done with their work.
We truly believe that well-made and well-fit clothing can transform how you feel about yourself, how you present yourself to the world, and therefore it can truly have an impact on your life. It is a luxury, and you deserve it! Come let us show you how it feels to have high quality alterations or custom clothing.
Our Team
Tara Nyanga (Owner/Fitter)
An Asheville native, Tara’s professional career started in New York City with creating costumes for Broadway shows at Barbara Matera’s. She continued to the men's tailoring shop at The Metropolitan Opera. Tara then spent 5 years in the film and television world, starting with the high-fashion world on the hit TV show Gossip Girl, continuing with multiple movies including the Emmy-award-winning HBO series, John Adams, and ending with...Magic Mike XXL.
With a diverse range of period costumes, dancewear, as well as extensive menswear fitting and alterations, Tara is a fit expert. She has 25 years' experience with the demands of top-level designers and extremely particular celebrities. She has fit, altered, and made all types of clothes, with all sorts of personalities, and on all body types. Additionally, her costuming career has trained Tara to think outside the box and problem-solve complex projects. The more creative, the better!
Jo Leichte (Bridal Seamstress)
With a background in theater and professional experience at Bernina sewing machine company, when it comes to sewing, Jo has done a little bit of everything! Her role at Sugarcane Studios is to take the fitted dresses, interpret the pins, take the dress apart and put it back together again in a way that suits each bride’s figure. Her calmness, willingness to think outside the box, flexibility, and consistency is vital to our team, and allows us to help as many brides as possible. When not in the shop, you can find Jo singing with her choir, and caring for her rescue cats.
Kassandra Tuttle (Studio Manager/Fitter)
Also a native from Asheville, Kassandra keeps the shop organized, the clients scheduled, and everything moving along. She has a Masters in Design and Construction of Costumes from Savannah College of Art and Design, and a passion for sewing. She is always looking for ways to improve our process and help our customers look and feel amazing! Kassandra LOVES working with brides and helping them feel their best! When not sewing, you can probably find Kassandra at a concert, with her cat, or grabbing an ice coffee!
Emily Ohrlich (Custom Sewing Manager/Fitter)
Emily has had an eye for clothing since the very young age of 3, when her mom finally let her choose her own wardrobe.…you could even say she was “destined” to work in fashion. Once in college, Emily pursued a degree in Fashion Design from Kent State, before working in design positions in New York City for the fashion labels SUNO and Sea NY. To avoid burnout, in 2017, Emily and her [now] husband traveled around the country for 2 years before deciding to settle in Asheville…where she enjoys the beautiful mountains, the art scene, good beer, and baseball. Emily has a passion to make every client feel confident and special.
Jennifer Ackland (Fitter/Seamstress)
Jennifer's professional background is in the regional theater world, including North Carolina Shakespeare Festival and Appalachian State University. She has 20 years of experience in building, fitting, and altering costumes, as well as managing costume shops. She has seen and done a bit of everything, which means that she is a problem solver and has a strong creative streak! Our clients reap the benefits of her experience…she will be sure you can move confidently in your pants, dance the night away in your dress, and just simply feel amazing in your clothes! When Jennifer is not in the studio, she can be found relaxing with her family and exploring Asheville.
Cheryl Birch (Seamstress)
Cheryl comes from a long line of sewing enthusiasts and has been honing her skills since she was a young girl. As a teen, she competed in 4H programs, winning several regional first place awards as well as state level recognitions. As an adult, she has worked professionally for several bridal shops, alterations businesses, community theaters, and for her friends and neighbors. Cheryl is our hand-work extraordinaire, doing much of the tedious finishing work on gowns and garments. She enjoys the focused work so much that she even spends her free-time doing crewel embroidery!
Niki Litersky (Seamstress)
Niki's lifelong passion for sewing started at age 14, when she began learning from her mother, and continued when she went to fashion design school for college. Professionally, Niki has worked doing high-end alterations as well as bridal alterations for over 15 years. This experience means that she has the experience and the know-how to execute at a high level for our clients. She enjoys the challenge and variety of work that comes through the shop. When Niki is not working, her hobbies include making (and wearing) detailed historical garments from the late 17th Century through the late 19th Century…this has given her a deep and thorough knowledge of fashion history and construction.
Internship Opportunities
Our studio's intern program runs almost year-round and is meant to give an introduction to custom-made clothing and alterations, as well as running a small sewing business to young adults who are still in school, or newly out. We have 3 times each year...a fall, spring, and summer window...when an intern can work. This can be a full-time or part-time position, and pay is determined on a case-by-case basis. Interns do a variety of tasks around the studio to help keep the work flowing and our customers happy. We train our interns to do mostly handwork and cutting, but they also assist in administration and marketing efforts as well. For a detailed description of the intern position and details on pay and/or requirements, please contact the shop.
The Studio
Located in South Asheville, our studio is our creative hub and a destination for our discerning alterations customers. Come here to get your clothing altered, have a bridal fitting, take a one-on-one sewing lesson, or shop for gifts and accessories in our small retail shop!
Gallery
To schedule an appointment, select the link below:
828-785-3167
1550 Hendersonville Rd. Suite 214. Asheville, NC, 28803
Fittings by appointment only
Monday
- Saturday, 10:00am - 6:00pm
