Meet Khatera DeGrate | Fashion Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Khatera DeGrate and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Khatera, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
What’s one thing about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?

I believe outsiders are unaware of how time consuming designing can be. Designers make their craft look easy because they spend lots of time learning and perfecting it. Sometimes a garment can take 30 minutes, a day, or more. Sketching the design, cutting and measuring fabrics, fitting and sizing of different body types, and constructing patterns, alone itself could take up to 1-5 plus hours.

That’s just the basics. Now, you have to sew the fabrics to create the garment. This alone itself could take another 1-5 plus hours, depending on what it is and how skilled you are at it. You have to make sure your stitches are clean and straight, no threads hanging, and fit correctly on what it was made for. The hoodie, collar, buttons, pockets, zippers, and other notions have to be lined and placed correctly, which could make the process a little longer. Most of this process isn’t always exposed.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
With the knowledge I’ve learned over the few years, I offer handmade clothing, custom clothing, and alterations services. To go in depth, I alter clothes such as making them fitted, longer, patching a hole, or fixing a seam. Custom clothing can range from rhinestones being added, all the way to a coat made from scratch. So far with sewing, I’ve learned to make things such as a skirt, shorts, pants, shirts, bra, coats, pillowcases, and even steering wheel covers. It hasn’t been easy to get to where I am today, everything has been more so of a trial-and-error. I am proud that my passion is aligned with myself, others, and that amazing opportunities come about even though I’m inconsistent at times. Despite being somewhat inconsistent in the media, I’ve learned how to endure and be persistent behind the scenes as the foundation of my brand builds.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my bestfriend was to visit the city, I’d take her out to Klyde Warren Park on a nice day. I like this location because it has food trucks, friendly people, and a play area for children. We’d for sure go on a nail date to get dolled up. I’d take her to an arcade such as Dave and Buster’s or Main Event, a museum such as Dallas Museum of Illusions, bowling, skating, spa, lake or go on a trail. At night, we’d bar hop in Downtown Dallas or somewhere in the DFW area. There’s always so much going on to choose

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to shoutout, RAW: Natural Born Artists. In 2019, I was hand-picked to be a part of the international arts organization. I didn’t realize how big of an opportunity it was, until I participated in my first fashion show they curated. The models and staff took a huge weight off of my shoulders playing their role. I connected with the staff, photographers, models, painters, singers, other creatives, and attendees who loved my runway set. I’ve had amazing opportunities come my way such as fashion shows and editorial articles. I’d participate with RAW every time for knowledge, to give a platform to other creatives, and the amazing experience.