Savannah Summers
When Savannah Summers first stumbled across wrestling she was instantly hooked. Looking back on that moment Savannah has since come to realise that it was the combination of athleticism, characters & theatrically that made her fall in love. Now as a professional wrestler herself & wrestling gear maker that infatuation with the theatrically it's makes a lot of sense, as she attempts to elevate that element of wrestling through the gear that she makes.
Speaking to Pario Savannah explained how her journey in wrestling saw her first begin training at 18 before then expanding her role in the scene as a gear maker.
When Savannah first started out in wrestling she wasn't making gear at all, even though she had a background in sewing in high school. However, as time went by Savannah realised that it was very difficult to find reliable, high-quality gear makers here in Australia. So given her background, Savannah said 'you know what, this doesn't seem like it would be that hard for me. Why don't I just give it a go.'
"In the beginning, I only made gear for myself, which is a lot easier than making gear for other people," explained Savannah. "When you make gear for yourself you can try it on as you go & make little changes here & there... At first, I copied a few of my own outfits that I already had & just remade those in different colours & fabrics."
As Savannah's confidence grew over time she decided to expand her horizons by making something entirely original for herself & it was here where the gear making side hustle took on a life of its own.
"When I debuted that first original piece a lot of people started asking where I got it made, "said Savannah. "When I told them I made it myself they asked if I could make something for them... It definitely didn't take long for the gear making side to take off."
Despite gear making being a very time consuming & stressful side business Savannah says it is all worth it when she sees someone wrestling in the gear she made.
"When I see someone wearing an outfit that I made it makes me feel really good inside. Sometimes there will even be a show where everyone is wearing an outfit that I made, which really warms my heart."
Over the years as her confidence has expanded so too has the intricacy & flair that Savannah is able to put into the gear that she makes. Perhaps the biggest challenge for Savannah though in regards to making gear has been coming to grips with the vast size differences between her clients.
"One of the biggest challenges has been grasping different sizing for people. It was easy for me to make my own gear because I could just try it on as I went. Quite often if I get women who are a similar size to me I can base it on myself which is nice & easy. But, when you get a guy who is huge it takes a lot of trial & error."
Looking back on her career as a gear maker Savannah sights two pieces in particular as personal favourites, "When I made matching gear for Blair Alexis & myself that was a lot of fun because I surprised her with that gear, so that was special... Making the World Class Egos matching gear for when they won the Riot City Wrestling (RCW) Tag Team Championships was also really nice. When someone wins a championship wearing your gear that's always a bonus."
Keep up with Savannah on social media at: @5avannah5ummer5
Support Pario Magazine
Become A Publisher
$10 / Month
- Name Added To Publisher List
- Physical Print Issue
- Early Access
-
