About Me

Hello! My name is Sisca, welcome to my portfolio site, a visual playground to showcase some of the works that I have done. Enjoy!

I first was drawn into the world of fashion when I was in Junior High School. There was a particular thirst for everything fashion for me back then, from flipping magazines for outfit pictures to creating my own fashion board of mix and match.

This continued all the way till I graduated from Senior High School. I was determined to pursue formal education in fashion design, but there was hardly any fashion school in Jakarta at the time. I began to think that a dress-making career was too much of a challenge, so there went my short-lived dream, buried somewhere in the back of my mind.

I figured my next best choice would be to graphic design. I graduated soon from the major and applied for an advertising agency in Jakarta. While I was working as a graphic designer, my love for fashion lingered on. I would be browsing for fashion inspirations instead of doing design tasks or I’d searched for endless fashion items for my visual pleasure, from dresses, shoes, bags, you name it!

I spent every weekend sketching gown designs, weeks after every weeks. There was a certain fear in me to make the jump, but I knew the fashion world is where my heart really belongs. I finally took the leap and quit my graphic design job to wholeheartedly pursue the professional path of becoming a real fashion designer.

SZH Atelier was born in 2015 out of my pure love for fashion and quality craftsmanship. My little fashion workshop and fantasy playground. It stands for my name Sisca and Zh, my surname- Zhang. It sounds simple, straightforward and unpretentious – just the way I like it.

As a couture gown specialist, I’ve created countless customized formal wear, from evening dresses to wedding gowns. Despite my many creations, each piece is always unique and holds a significant story to me and my client. Thus, the need to chronicle all my collections, journals, and activities through this site.

For me, dressmaking is not a matter of transforming a piece of fabric into ready-to-wear pieces, but a meaningful love affair – one that involves inspirations, discussions, and perspiration to bring your dream gown into a reality. It is essentially, a journey.

My personal journey in the fashion world too has taught me that “dreams don’t work until you do”. It wasn’t always rainbow and butterfly, because I personally had overcome plenty of hardships to achieve my dream in the fashion industry. From self-taught sketches, learning materials, to every poke of the needle, SZH Atelier is a worthy journey that I wouldn’t change for the world.

My designs are mostly inspired by international designers. My 2 biggest favorites are Elie Saab, Monique Lhuillier and Zuhair Murad because I really love their superb play on lace. My idea for every piece of my work is becoming the source of confidence for its wearer.

If you ask me what my biggest aspiration in life is, it’s probably to follow the footsteps of other international designers. Perhaps one day, my designs can make the spotlight in the catwalk of NYFW or Milan Fashion Week. Until that happens, I’m just going to do my best, in the place I love the most- the couture world.

If there is something else other than dressmaking that I’m passionate about, it’s making friendships. I’m a very easy-going and quirky girl who loves to listen and sharing stories. So, please feel free to drop me an email. I’m certain, you and I can make many great fashion stories together.