– where dreams become reality with the help of fabrics
Being in a tailor’s shop is like being in a hair salon – here, your life is about to be turned upside down. „A lot of things happen here,“ says Cathy Shanidze, giving her mother Dali a meaningful look. „My mother is like a dating doctor and has already helped many couples meet that are now engaged or married.“
What is it about?
It’s an artist’s place, you can tell at first glance. The shop is colourful and full of clothes and fabrics; paintings and drawings alternate on the walls. Amid several dressing dolls there are large mirrors. „Familiar, reliable and crazy,“ states Cathy when asked how she would describe her store. When you enter Atelier Shanidze, it feels like you’re stepping into another world, like the Mad Hatter – a world full of fine fabrics, elegant dresses, fancy coats – a world full of creativity and fashion.
Fashion is so much more than just the fabric that is covering our skin. Fashion influences our perception of people. Fashion influences our sense of well-being and the way we behave. That’s why the owner and fashion designer Cathy Shanidze from Regensburg puts the well-being of her customers first: „The most important thing for me is that my customers are satisfied and see themselves as they had previously imagined and as they want to see themselves. They should feel comfortable within their skin.“
How the idea came about:
As a family-run business, Cathy joined her mother’s tailoring business and turned the alteration tailor shop into an atelier in the alleys of the cathedral city. But what is actually behind Atelier Shanidze at Obermünstertraße 21? „I called it an atelier because so much more is created here than in an ordinary store. It’s my creative space,“ creative mind and fashion designer Cathy reveals to us.
During her studies to become a fashion designer, she was on the road in Georgia, Berlin, Petersburg, and Munich and came back to Regensburg a few years ago. During this time, she participated in Fashion Weeks, tailored evening gowns for the Vienna Ball and held sewing workshops alongside her mother. She also recently had an assignment for the Regensburg Theater, making the dress for the lead role of Morticia in the Addams Family.
The store:
With so many fabrics accumulating in the store, she also got the idea to include upcycling in her portfolio. „We get so many fabrics and clothes from other stores and individuals that are still very high quality and would be much too good to throw away,“ she explains.
So why not make an extraordinary gift?
„You can simply choose a fabric and decide what should be sewn from it. In addition to clothing, we have already made cuddly toys, handbags, napkins, wedding decorations, blankets, or tea towels at the request of customers,“ says the charming designer. Of course, you can also give a gift certificate for a custom-made garment. In terms of gift ideas, customers will find an extraordinary range of creativity and individualism. Depending on the fabric selected and the customer’s wishes, Cathy creates offers that are as individual as the customer’s ideas. The price for a hand-sewn jute bag is about 20,- €, a t-shirt is 70,- € and custom-made dresses start at a price of 200,- €. (Author’s note: as of 12/10/2019 – subject to change).
And maybe one or the other will meet their future dream partner during their next visit to the atelier. „People like to linger a little longer in our store. This often leads to interesting conversations and connections with new people,“ explains Dali. Henceforth, when browsing for the next gift idea, customers can look forward to a unique experience.
Obermünsterstraße 21
93047 Regensburg
0941 29085826
Open
Mo: 09:00–19:00 Uhr
Di: 09:00–19:00 Uhr
Mi: 09:00–19:00 Uhr
Do: 09:00–19:00 Uhr
Fr: 09:00–19:00 Uhr
Sa: 09:00–17:00 Uhr
So: Geschlossen
Author: Jennifer Hermann
Gifts from Regensburg 