It all started with Mrs. Presley...

Growing up in Evansville, Indiana I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Presley when I was 14 years old. As my high school Home Ec teacher and mentor, she took me under her wing when she saw my unique love for clothing design. I ended up taking her class three years in a row because I felt that I could continue to grow in my new found niche. From there no need to go to the mall again! I started creating, designing and producing my own clothing as well as started a small sewing and design business while I was still in high school.

About 24 years ago after moving to MN, I put my only daughter into dance hoping she would find a love for it like I did back in my childhood days. From watching her grow from a little girl in tap class to a highly invested competition dancer, I knew that I would be buying a lot of costumes. At that point, I realized that I just needed to start making beautiful one of a kind costumes designed especially for my her and make it something different from other dancers. Little did I know that my niche would grow into a business as a costume designer.

My training has come through my years of experience. In my early years of sewing I realized that I had the ability to take an idea and make it work creatively however I wanted. More difficult sewing techniques and patterning are skills that I have acquired by years of trial and error. I feel that experience is the best teacher and I have gained so much knowledge by testing my limits and creating designs even if it was a little out of my comfort zone. I also realized that the "details" in the construction and style made the difference between just an "ok" garment to a beautifully made garment! As I have perfected my skills, I paid attention to the details that makes a costume unique and "custom" and have learned what is important in a costume for a dancer.

As a veteran custom costume designer for past 20 plus years, one thing you should know about me is that I love to make YOUR VISION HAPPEN!! I like to get to know you and what your looking for, I want to know your music, your personality, and your style to make something you will LOVE. What once started as a personal hobby has turned into much more and a passion I work hard to bring my best in every costume that I create!

**Testimonials from Design by Sharon Clients**

“If you want an impeccably designed, one of a kind, jaw-dropping costume, Designs by Sharon delivers!
Sharon and her team not only design unique, exquisite dance costumes, their attention to literally every detail of the process is unmatched.
Sharon’s beautiful personality, professional insight and years of experience are so beneficial throughout the entire design process – from initial consultations to placing those final special touches and embellishments, we couldn’t be happier! She truly cares about each and every dancer she is designing for.
Sharon and her team are a joy to work with, always taking our inspiration to the next level and surpassing our expectations!
Our dancers always feel so special when wearing one of her original designs on stage.
No cookie cutter costumes here! Designs by Sharon is unbeatable! ”

— Jill Nelson, Asst. Director, Champion Legacy Dance, Sioux Falls, SD. 2015 USASF Dance World Champions

“Sharon Luth is the most talented seamstress I have ever worked with. She makes the most gorgeous dresses and has incredibly beautiful designs. Everything Sharon makes is exquisite, and absolutely stunning. Sharon designed a solo dress for my daughter and it honestly should be hanging in a display case- it is simply that ornate, ravishing and DIVINE! Sharon is capable of creating magic with material and fabulousness with fabric- you will never be disappointed. Sharon is simply spectacular and sensational!
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— Sara McLenighan, Solo Costume Client

“Sharon is amazing to work with. She comes to the table with a lot of experience, tons of samples and fabrics to choose from, and a keen eye for detail and perfection. She really listened to what my daughter wanted in a solo costume and created something so beautifully crafted and way beyond our expectations!”

— Britt Theis, Solo Costume Client

“Sharon creates pieces that bring the vision of your art to life. Her knowledge of so many disciplines and styles of dance allows her to design pieces that are uniquely perfect for your needs. Sharon’s attention to fit and cut makes our dancers feel confident on stage; having costumes that are truly made for movement makes all the difference during high intensity performances.”

— Rachel Doran, Co-Director of Crash Dance Productions

“Sharon is the best at making the dancer happy by designing exactly what they dream to be the best costume. She discusses ideas, colors, sequences and fabrics to be customized for just you! Her organization and preparedness with all the fabrics to choose from made it a smooth process. We will always use Sharon!”

— Maria Sampson, Solo Costume Client

“Edina Dance Team has enjoyed working with Sharon for the past 8 years, she always helps us create the most perfect look for both our jazz & kick routines. We feel so lucky to have such beautifully produced custom fit costumes for our team!”

— Kristin Biwan, Head Coach of Edina Dance Team