"It's exactly what I wanted," 18-year-old Mikayla Lewis said.
A high school senior’s glittery prom dress stunned her classmates, but her favorite thing about it was that her 14-year-old sister created it from scratch.
Mikayla Lewis, 18, modeled the floor-length sequin gown with a short train and back decal at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts prom in Washington, D.C., last month.
But the show-stopping dress was not couture, nor was it designer. In fact, it was a one-of-a-kind creation made by her younger sister, 14-year-old Courtney Lewis.
“It was awesome because it’s exactly what I wanted and it was tailored to me and it was one of a kind, which I wanted,” Mikayla told InsideEdition.com. “People asked me where I got it and I said it was handmade by my sister.”
Courtney explained that she has designed dresses for all three of her sisters, but this was the first major project she’s completed.
“When my mom and her asked me if I wanted to do it, if I wanted a chance to do it, I was like, ‘Oh, heck yeah, I’ve been designing since the first year, I’ll do it,'” Courtney said.
Courtney, who had apprenticed under another designer in the past, said she and Mikayla brought the vision to life together, by creating Pinterest boards and deciding what elements to bring together for their final dress.
While Mikayla was concerned she wouldn’t finish the dress on time, Courtney said she wasn’t worried about anything except damaging her tools.
“I’ve been told it can break your needles on your sewing machine, and I was like, ‘Whoa, I’m a rookie, I don’t have money like that to just go out and go to Joann Fabric and go repair my needles,” Courtney said. “I was nervous I would be breaking my stuff.”
But her needles were spared, and Courtney was able to complete the dress within two months – just in time for the big day.
“People really liked the back decal,” Mikayla said. “A lot of people were impressed by it. A lot of people said it was really beautiful.”
Courtney said her next goal is to continue perfecting her craft and pursuing her passion in fashion design.
“It’s taking your dream and knowing you’re able to make your dream come true,” Courtney said. “Even though the process, might not like it, it’s that finale you’re like, ‘Yes! This is what I imagined. It’s on me, and I’m in love with it.’”
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