Maine Crafts Association is pleased to welcome Cece Haviland of Cece and the Seams to the STITCH 2025 Runway and Style Market!
Cece and the Seams is a Portland-based clothing brand specializing in one of a kind and small batch, handmade clothes using found materials and upcycled fabrics. Celia Haviland, the self-taught sewist and creative behind the brand is used to being recognized as “the one who makes the jackets” because of the popularity of the one-of-a-kind outerwear she creates from vintage wool blankets. In fact, Cece and the Seams has a full line of clothing, including tops, bottoms, outerwear, nighties, and even swimwear, all made from upcycled blankets, quilts, curtains, tablecloths, and other linens. All of the work, from drafting patterns, to sourcing materials, to sewing and finishing, even most of the modeling, is done in house by Cece.
Working with found materials is central to Cece’s ethos. Repurposing fabric instead of buying new stock adds to Maine’s circular economy and helps avoid the human and environmental impacts of new textile production. While upcycled fabrics have their challenges, Cece is drawn to making unique pieces. She enjoys creating new patterns and finding the right design to take advantage of a special piece of fabric. Cece is constantly percolating new ideas and new designs, often finding inspiration in the materials themselves or in the fashion she encounters in her day-to-day life in Coastal Maine.
As a full-time maker and small business owner with a one-person shop, Cece is busy year round. Asked whether she sells mostly online, through consignment, or at in-person events, Cece just says “Yes!” All of that creativity and work is fueled by a love for sustainable fashion, and, of course, by coffee (Cece is a fan of Portland favorites Speckled Ax and Tandem Coffee). You’ll find Cece’s work both on the runway and in the STITCH Style Market in May, not to mention other venues like MCA’s Portland Fine Craft Show in August.
Find Cece and the Seams online: