By Stamatina Notaras
Come New Year, resolutions run awry. Some we keep, others take a back seat. For Leah Plakias, 2024 saw her tackle one of her biggest to date.
Although her hands took the brunt of it, her patience, determination, and passion were what led her to the shiny light at the end of the tunnel. This tunnel, though, was 14 months long, with a uniquely designed and handmade traditional Greek costume waiting at the end.
But before I continue, I want the superstitious (and those who are just a little) among us to sleep well knowing that Leah’s Yiayia made sure there was no measuring, designing, sewing, or anything of the kind on January 1st. Because you know what they say: “If you start something on the 1st, you’ll be doing it for the rest of the year.”
Taking part in traditional Greek dancing from the age of five, Leah’s passion for traditional dress started early. Since then, she has had the privilege of draping herself in traditional dresses from all across Greece.
In 2023, at a Pontian event, Leah met Maria. Somewhere between Maria sharing her own dressmaking story – divulging on the journey she went through and the trials it presented – the seed was planted. While it took a little bit for that seed to bear fruit, when it did, it was in abundance.
“When I came up with the idea in 2023 that I wanted to create my own costume, I wasn’t 100% sold on it. But when New Year’s hit, I thought to myself, “No, I am going to commit”,” she said.
I’m sure anyone who has undertaken such a project would agree that mindset is everything. These little moments in between, whether a peak or valley, bring weight to the sentiment that most of the time, it’s about the journey, not the destination.
“The headspace matters. Late last year, when work was so chaotic, whenever I got home, anything I did felt like a chore. So I made sure that when I spent time on the dress, my heart was in it, and I wanted to do it,” she said.
With podcasts a button push away, YouTube tutorials a click, and ‘How To’ audiobooks at our disposal, it’s easy to forget the wealth of knowledge that lives inside the four walls we spent most of our time in growing up – the one where we started to outgrow the sink, and our school photos from 2009 are stuck to the fridge with Greek island magnets.
“My pappou was a tailor in Greece and moved out to Australia in the 1960s. From a young age, I remember watching my pappou make suits and dresses while I helped sweep the scrap threads and fabrics off the floor with my little pink broom. Sewing ran in the family. Unfortunately, I lost the opportunity to learn sewing techniques from him,” Leah explained.
Sadly, Leah’s pappou passed away in 2019. And although making the dress without his guiding hands carried a sense of melancholy, she held the earlier memories near and dear.
For Leah’s Yiayia, this project was a chance to relive moments from her past – back to when she used to watch her late husband make garments in their living room, relishing every element of the craft he called home. For Leah, it also meant having on-call help whenever the sewing machine decided to turn against her (she only used the sewing machine for 5% of the project, might I add).
“I would go to my Yiayia’s house to sew, putting on Epirotiki music while she sat and watched me – just like she used to when my pappou would sew,” she said.
Much like a puzzle, every part of the costume had a place and purpose, requiring meticulous planning right down to the last thread. From the pirpiri and chemise, brocade dress, and the smaller elements – like the embroidered hat, shoes, and jewellery – Leah is the definition of ‘If you’re going to do something, do it well.’
When all was said, sewed, and done, and it was time for Leah to try on her hand-crafted masterpiece, tears were shed, and relief overcame her. In those 14 months, life didn’t stop, and the world kept spinning.
Leah still had familial responsibilities, work commitments, social engagements, and community involvement. Yet, she never called it quits or decided it was time to put a pin in it. So the feeling was truly all she could have hoped for – and more.
While diamonds are built under pressure, don’t forget that good things can also take time. You just have to decide whether it’s time well spent. For Leah, the answer’s a no-brainer.
