One lives in New York City. Another, Venice, Calif. The third stayed closer to home, in Elma. Their unique designs have landed them on the pages of national magazines, and even celebrities have worn some of their creations.

Their styles vary greatly – designs range from bikinis to baby bonnets – but there’s one common thread – all three women were raised in the Buffalo area.

Mara Hoffman, whose Circle line has been featured in Elle and other publications, lives in New York City, where she dyes fabrics in the kitchen of her Chinatown apartment.

Marianne D. Schubbe, of Elma, specializes in hand-smocked christening and First Communion dresses.

And Kevin Simon, who moved to California 13 years ago, designs the sort of linen and silk clothing favored by Whoopi Goldberg, Diane Keaton and other women the designer describes as “confident and creative”.

Marianne D. Schubbe, designer, teacher and the owner of Smocked Treasures & Heirlooms, Orchard Park.

Maybe it was the Polly Flinders dresses she wore as a child, but Marianne Schubbe is hooked on hand-smocking.

She designs and makes christening gowns, First Communion dresses with coordinating smocked socks, purses and, if requested, matching doll outfits, heirloom baby items, and wedding accessories ranging from ring-bearers’ pillows to bridal hankies.

This year, she will complete 60 First Communion dresses alone.

A lifelong sewer, Schubbe, 42, began her business, Smocked Treasures & Heirlooms, in 1995. Her shop now shares space with Originals by Renee, a bridal and special occasions shop, in the Barrington Professional Centre, 4211 North Buffalo St, Orchard Park.

Many of her original designs have been – or will be- featured in Sew Beautiful magazine, including her daughters’ First Communion dresses, with matching My Twinn doll ensembles, and her signature smocked baby bonnets with removable winter liners.

Her bonnets, Schubbe points out, are not just for newborns.

“My girls wore them until they went to school and noticed that no one else wore them” said Schubbe, who graduated from West Seneca East High School in 1977 and, after completing a degree from Erie Community College, worked for 10 years as a medical office assistant, until her third child was born.

And, yes, that was Schubbe and her daughters, Maria and Laura, now 13 and 10, respectively, in the televised and print ads for Bernina sewing machines back in 1998. Schubbe and her husband, Jack, also have two sons – Jayson, 19, and Joe, 15. Even the boys wore hand-smocked one-piece suits as tots.

The median price is $150 for one of Schubbe’s christening or First Communion ensembles, which may include a personalized bib, slip, bonnet or other item. Costs vary depending on the fabric, laces and details. Indeed, Schubbe has created christening gowns in the $400- to $500-range.

Schubbe sews at home in Elma, sometimes beginning as early as 4:30 a.m. to accommodate her workload and family’s schedule. She also teaches heirloom sewing and smocking classes at the Aurora Sewing Center.

“When Bernina USA came to us and asked if we knew anybody who could represent their company as a designer in its “Portrait of the Artist” ad campaign, we immediately thought of Marianne Schubbe. Her work is superb, and her personality is lovely,” said Barbara Perry, who runs Aurora Sewing Center along with Regis Boire.

And there’s something else about Schubbe. “She not only designs clothes, she has the desire to teach young people to sew at an early age,” Perry added.

“I like to see the young girls sew, to know how creative it can be,” said Schubbe, who leads the class in projects such as making fleece bean bag chairs stuffed with packing peanuts.

Last year, her business made about $35,000. “I’m not going to be a millionaire but even now, with my oldest son in college, it helps pay a portion of the tuition,” she said.

And while she acknowledges that today’s Gap generation doesn’t exactly run around in smocked dresses, there is a place for heirloom sewing for special events.

Someday, she hopes to reproduce some of detailing she used to create her daughters’ First Communion dresses for another big day in their lives.

“I have an idea of what my girls’ wedding dresses will look like; I just hope they go along with it,” she said.

Article from the Buffalo News, Sunday dated April 21, 2002