The Tailor Profile Series is back for volume 3 and has taken a road trip to Orlando, Florida! We partnered with Florida based photographer, Josh Villatoro, to photograph Teighlor Johnson in her workspace. While Teighlor helped consumers customize their Levi’s® at the happiest place on earth (Yes, Teighlor is steps away from Disney World at our Disney Spring’s location!), Josh had the pleasure of witnessing Teighlor’s contagious smile and capturing it on film. Teighlor also sat down with Josh for a little Q&A to share her craft, what inspires her as an artist, and why she is such a big ambassador for the Brand.
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH LEVI'S®?
Teighlor: I’m the Lead Tailor at Levi’s® Disney Springs, where I have been happily stitching for almost 4 years.
WHAT IS YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF LEVI'S® OR THE MOMENT YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH THE BRAND?
Teighlor: Weirdly enough, my first Levi’s® memory is from school. I’m from Los Angeles originally, and Levi’s® story is mentioned in my California history class. Levi’s® is tied so heavily into American culture, it’s almost hard to think of a time where I didn’t see the Brand.
WHAT GOT YOU STARTED ON THE PATH TO BECOMING A TAILOR?
Teighlor: While I’ve known how to sew since I was little, I actually didn’t start doing anything with it until I got into cosplay. I’m a huge nerd, and using my skills to make my favorite characters come to life was such a cool thing to me. As I continued, I became more and more interested in learning about sewing and embroidery, until before I knew it, I was reading books and watching videos on couture tailoring and embellishment. I worked costuming for Disney and Universal, but wanted to do more professionally, and that’s when the position at Levis opened up. The rest is history.
DO YOU STICK WITH THE SAME STYLE OR STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE WHEN CREATING?
Teighlor: I just honestly love to make things. Coming up with new ideas and sketching them out keeps me engaged in my craft, as well as learning about different styles like Sashiko continue to push me as an artist.
WHO INSPIRES YOU AS AN ARTIST?
Teighlor: I tend to have eclectic tastes, ranging from Nature, Pop Culture, and classical art. Recently, I’ve really gotten into typography art and traditional tattoo styles, so it will be interesting to see how that effects my work.
DO YOU HAVE ONE PIECE THAT COMES TO MIND AS A FAVORITE?
Teighlor: It would be a tie between making a jacket for Dwayne Wade and recreating a dog’s portrait who had just passed as a surprise present. I also love doing wedding jackets for people, since it feels like I’m adding an extra touch of magic to their special day.
WHAT IS YOUR ONE LEVI'S® GARMENT YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT?
Teighlor: I have a Made and Crafted Jacket that I absolutely adore. It’s orange and the embroidery matches the fabric so it’s a big texture thing that I love. Otherwise, I’m very much the oversized trucker and high rise jean girl.
WHAT IS YOUR SPECIALTY AS A TAILOR?
Teighlor: Chain stitch embroidery I tend to lean into and specialize in detailed pieces for consumers. This is a skill I have grown in over the years, since it is a skill most learn over a long period of time. It is so cool that each stitch is done one at a time and can never be re-created. Who doesn’t love a one-of-a-kind statement piece?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DESTINATION TO TRAVEL?
Teighlor: I really enjoy London, though one of my favorite trips recently was driving through the Smokies. The air was so crisp and beautiful. I’m hoping to travel more in the future, especially since I want to learn more about textile techniques around the world.
DO YOU HAVE A DESIGNER THAT PUSHES YOU AS AN ARTIST?
Teighlor: I’m a big vintage fan, and really enjoy early Dior and Schiaparelli. I also love looking at Worth gowns. Otherwise, I take a lot of inspiration from Film and Stage Costume designers.
