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I swapped the corporate grind in London for sun, sewing and self-employment — and built my dream business in Spain with zero experience.
Stock image: Woman at home sewing a yellow-and-white Flamenco dress on her sewing machine.
Credit: adriaticfoto, Shutterstock.
She had no fashion degree, no business plan, and no clue how to make a flamenco dress – but that didn’t stop her.
Meet the woman, who left London’s corporate grind for the sun-drenched streets of Granada. She started her business stitching Flamenco costumes from scratch with no previous experience.
German techie turns to flamenco to make costumes after leaving London’s rat race.
How a software developer swapped the City for the swirling skirts of Andalusia — and stitched herself a brand new life.
Anke Hermann asked a simple self-question one quiet evening
– What would I do without limits? – She is a member of the ‘Adults Only’ group. I never thought the answer would be a life of joy, excitement, and ruffles as a dressmaker for flamenco in southern Spain.
But That’s Not All You can find out more about it here. What happened
She was a German born programmer who worked for a London bank. She now cuts fabric on the cobbled streets of Granada’s Albaicin district, and sews vibrant, made to measure flamenco dresses. She’s never looked behind.
Sewing dreams, Spain and software
In 2004, Herrmann quit her IT job and packed her bags to travel the sunny streets of Andalusia. Her goal was simple: To discover Andalusia. “combine two passions – sewing and flamenco” into a business.
She was not your average seamstress. By her You can also read about the other ways to get in touch with us. admission in her The Medium article, she’d never formally studied fashion design, had zero experience running a business, and knew nothing about flamenco dresses – I just loved the figure-hugging style and the ruffles. She confessed.
What made her so frightened?
A flamenco CD. A summer dress. A flash of inspiration.
“I was cutting fabric while listening to Camarón de la Isla when it hit me – I want to open a sewing studio,” She said
No factories No mass-production. Only one-of-a kind creations for women who really want to “feel like a million bucks.”
‘Plan A’: sack the job, sew the Dreams
The idea was not entirely spontaneous. She had signed up for Spanish lessons through a company called Bilingual America. The course led to a lifelong love of the language – And with Spain.
She was able to visit Granada in just one trip It was hooked.
“I fell in Love with the Place” She said “The Albaicín felt like time had You can also get in touch with us by clicking here. Lost in its cobbled maze”
But love couldn’t pay the rent. She created what she called “Plan A”: Quit your job, move to Granada and become a flamenco dressmaker.
Madness? Maybe. Maybe Method Soon followed.
She hired London’s top tailor Imtaz Khaliq as a private tutor. She made flamenco dresses for dancer Anita la Maltesa as a trade for guiding.e. She decided to take the plunge.
She even got a remote contract from her bank to help fund the transition.
Skirts, stress and sleepless night
Her first proper commission? Twelve skirts were made for the year-end show of a flamenco dance school.
Does it sound glamorous? Not quite.
I didn’t sleep at all for the past 48 hours. She recalled. ‘I finished the last outfit 90 minutes before the performance. When the lights went off, I fell asleep and missed the whole performance.
The footage of those dresses later became a cornerstone of her business — and proof she could deliver under pressure.
Since then, she has designed and stitched hundreds outfits for dancers throughout Spain and beyond. Her Granada Studio, located in the shadows of the Alhambra and a hub for colour, fabric The following are some examples of how to get started: creativity.
No regrets – just ruffles
Would she do that again?
“Most definitely,” Herrmann says. The idea of starting my own business was a huge challenge for me. “It was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
She runs now Flamencreaciones, a bespoke fashion brand specializing in flamenco, mentors sewing entrepreneurs from around the globe. Her message is? You can do it in Spain if you have a little passion.
“Would I do it if I had known how hard it was going to be?” She admits. “Probably not. But do I regret it? “Not for a moment.”
Making the move to Spain
Her journey from keyboard-to-corset shows how going off the beaten path can pay off. Her story proves you don’t need a degree in design or a business plan approved by Dragons’ Den — just a vision, common sense, a bit of nerve, and the willingness to stitch through the sleepless nights.
The next time you notice a flamenco performer twirling through a shower of color, remember this. You can also read more about the benefits of using remember: somewhere in the backstreets of Granada, a German expat is at her sewing machine — living proof that sometimes, Plan A Take the plunge!
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We’d love to hear how you built your dream life in Spain— get in touch with Marc: marc@euroweeklynews.com
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