As a kid, she picked up a pencil and began drawing her favorite princess ballgowns. But she didn’t just want to admire them – she wanted to create her own.

Influenced by her grandma, sophomore Payton Cha has been interested in sewing since she was young. She began designing clothes in middle school after purchasing a dress kit. While her grandma taught her how to sew by hand, she continued to teach herself using YouTube tutorials throughout the years.

“I was really the only person in my life [who knew] how to sew, but I’ve had people like my great grandma [teach] me how to sew an invisible zipper,” Payton said. “Even though I [might be] advanced [and] can use different techniques, I still choose to use her way because I feel like that was her way of supporting me.”

Payton has been a part of theater since middle school and had originally planned to continue acting in high school. After watching “Wicked” in theaters two years ago, she realized she wanted to become a costume designer instead.

“I’ve always loved theater, singing, dancing and acting,” Payton said. “I knew I wanted to pursue sewing and fashion [in] my future, but I didn’t want to do manufacturing [or] couture. I wanted to do something that had elements of storytelling in it. I fell in love with ‘Wicked’ because of that fantastical part, and it served a purpose connected to theater.”

During the production of “The Addams Family,” Payton was originally cast as a performer in the show. After speaking to head director Chelsey Thornburg, she was given the opportunity to assist with designing costumes.

“Not only did she seem happier [working on costumes] than she was acting, but she also had ideas that she brought to the table,” Thornburg said. “It wasn’t that she waited for me to tell her what I wanted. It was that moment where I realized she not only is good at it, but she enjoys it.”

After helping with “The Addams Family,” Payton worked on the “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” a freshman showcase with a $0 budget. This school year, she is the head costume designer for “The Old Man and the Old Moon” and “Little Shop of Horrors.” For the latter, Payton had to keep track of over 160 costume pieces throughout both versions of the show.

“I remember watching her [as] she started to realize how organized she needed to be,” Thornburg said. “She’s gained a lot of confidence [and] I’ve seen it with how she communicates with actors.”

Over the summer, Payton and sophomore Addison Dittfurth created a dress together. She wanted more practice to start a business, helping Dittfurth with sewing and picking fabrics. Dittfurth has been working in the costume team under Payton for theater.

“She really focuses on the type of design and making sure whoever she’s making it for knows that she made it for them,” Dittfurth said. “She really does try to bring her designs to life.”

On her first official show costume designing for “The Old Man and the Old Moon,” she faced a major obstacle. Three days from opening night, Payton was told the costumes did not have enough textures and patterns on the actors and she had to change her designs.

“I’m a perfectionist sometimes and I didn’t want to experience failure,” Payton said. “I felt it very strongly at that moment. [It took me] a couple days to build back that mentality to try again, because I was ready to give up at that point.”

Payton decided to open a business, “Sweetheart Designs,” for homecoming and prom dress alterations. Although she’s not officially launched it, she chooses requests to take on carefully.

“It’s hard to start because school keeps [me] busy and there’s a lot of things I’m [still] learning,” Payton said. “I’m very cautious [on] what I choose to do, because I don’t want to be blamed or held responsible.”

Last November at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, Payton competed in costume construction for the Texas Thespian Festival. She decided to make the “Into the Woods” Cinderella ball gown, which was her first time creating a ball gown. With a budget of $100, she made national qualifiers, but is not able to compete in June as the district does not sponsor the school’s troupe.

“A ball gown has always been [at the] top of my list [since] I started sewing,” Payton said. “Doing it for the first time for a competition piece and seeing the results for it [was] a big moment for me.”

Payton hopes to become a costume designer on Broadway. For now, she wishes to build up the theater’s costume department and teach others how to sew. She has started to keep a notebook of tips she’s learned to pass onto someone else after she graduates.

“If I want to make my dreams come true, I have to keep pushing myself and be able to adapt to what I’m given, even if it isn’t perfect or easy,” Payton said. “There’s no one making me do this [but myself].”

This story was originally published on The Hawk Eye on March 13, 2026.