Her Name Was Susan Lee

Published by Priscila Teixeira

Have you ever met someone who felt "quiet", but later you realize they were carrying an entire universe inside them?

Today, I want to say thank you to everyone who support our mission through one story. A recent one that touched me deeply.

The Woman at the Mending Table

If you've ever attended one of The Fashion Community's Mend in Public events at the library, you probably noticed her.

Susan had a soft, warm smile and a calm presence that made the whole room feel gentler. She would bring a few pieces of clothing, and she'd ask, sincerely, "What's the best way to mend this?"

She cared for her clothes the way you care for a memory: with respect, patience, and intention. Like us, she didn't want to dispose of things. She wanted to make them last.

The last time I saw Susan was in November. We chatted the way we always chatted — about the pieces she'd brought, about fabric, about mending techniques. Based on her questions, I had absolutely no idea how much she truly knew.

The Call

A couple of weeks later, her daughter called me from out of state.

She had found a note with our organization's name among her mother's things. She knew — the way daughters sometimes just know — that Susan would have loved her supplies, her fabrics, her sewing tools, her craft materials, and her clothing to come to us.

My heart sank.

Susan had passed.

What Was Inside

Since that call, we have loaded multiple carloads of donations into our studio. And I need to tell you, I was not prepared for what we discovered.

Susan wasn't just someone who liked mending. Susan was a beautiful artist. An incredible maker. A powerhouse of creativity working in quiet, in private, with a discipline and depth that most of us will never achieve.

We found handmade pieces that made us stop and stare: beautiful cards with 3D origami-designed outfits, tailored pant suits she had made herself, embroidered bags, crocheted dolls, and so many more thoughtful creations in between. It was like walking into a lifetime of quiet brilliance ; work made with skill, with care, with Tender Loving Care by Susan Lee.

She was close to turning 90. And honestly, I would have guessed 20 or perhaps 30 years younger.

It made me think: maybe the secret isn't "anti-aging." Maybe it's purpose. Maybe it's staying curious. Maybe it's staying making and learning.

What Her Legacy Becomes

Susan's fabrics, her tools, her wire, her floral wrap — all of it is now woven into the work we do every day.

Literally.

Some of the wire that shapes the petals in our handcrafted textile flowers — the ones our fashion artists are making for the Spring Fashion Show fundraiser — is Susan's. The green floral wrap finishing their stems is Susan's. Materials she gathered across a lifetime are now in the hands of children who never had the chance to meet her, making something beautiful, signing their names to it, and preparing to carry it onto a runway.

That is the circular model at its most human. Not just materials given a second life — but a person's legacy carried forward by little hands who didn't even know they were doing it.

Our Charity Shop aka "The Archive" is also home to pieces from Susan's personal collection — handmade garments and wardrobe items that deserve to be loved again by someone who recognizes what they are. One piece has already found its new home with an admirer in California. It has been shipped. It is loved. The proceeds returned to fund the programs that made this community possible for Susan in the first place.

That circle is complete.

Thank You, Susan

The Fashion Community exists because of people like Susan Lee. People who show up quietly, give generously, and leave something of themselves behind that keeps growing long after they are gone.

We did not know the depth of what she was carrying when she sat at our mending table. We are humbled by it. And we are committed to honoring it — in every workshop, every class, every garment we steward, every child we tell: you should try.

If you were part of Susan's life and are reading this — thank you for sharing her with us.

And if you want to honor her memory: come to a Mend in Public event. Bring something that needs love. Sit down. Ask how to do it right.

That is exactly what she would have done.

To donate vintage clothing, textiles, sewing supplies, or jewelry making materials to The Fashion Community's mission, visit talkingfashion.net.

About the Author

Priscila Teixeira is an award-winning community leader, sustainable fashion educator, literary artist, and public speaker, dedicated to empowering people through creativity and fostering meaningful change. She is the Founder and CEO of Columbus Fashion Academy, a local social enterprise transforming lives through sustainable fashion, and the Founder and Executive Director of The Fashion Community, a nonprofit human services agency committed to caring for all people through innovative programs and initiatives that cultivate creativity. With a postgraduate degree in Fashion Business and Communications, graduating cum laude, Priscila has earned recognition for her work across Brazil, Cuba, and the United States, spanning roles in major corporations to small businesses. Passionate about human rights, justice, equality, inclusion, fairness, and artistic freedom; she believes adults, parents, educators, and community leaders have a responsibility to guide and support children and youth. She believes our community must lead and inspire by example, showing care for people and the planet. Through her work, Priscila blends artistry and advocacy to inspire others and create a more sustainable and equitable world.