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I wanted to start this thread for any of you who compete. This is an interview I did with Christine Marsh of Christine Marsh Designs. I hope that it helps some of you out and if any of you have questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
I have been competing for 15+ years on the bodybuilding stage and if there is one thing I have learned it is the importance of your posing suit. My first experience with this was the 1991 NPC Jr. Nationals. I placed pretty well considering it was my first National level show, but I remember very distinctly what a couple of the judges told me after the show. “You would have placed higher, but your suit cut you in half – throwing your symmetry off.” Since then I have always tried to find the perfect fit and have used many different people and companies over the years. Some have been better than others, but until last year I have never been totally satisfied. Last year I went to the NPC Northern Colorado to meet with my long time friend and promoter Jeff Taylor. While there I ran into Heather Armbrust. We talked quite extensively about posing suits and she told me about the person she uses. Heather stated the person is Christine Marsh of Christine Marsh Designs and does incredible work, is very reliable, is very easy to work with and makes the whole experience stress free. At that point Christine showed up and Heather introduced me to her. I had Christine do both my Prejudging and Night show suits for the 2008 NPC Masters Nationals and she just did my suits for the 2009 NPC Masters Nationals. I have also had Christine do suits for both the men and women here in the US and in Canada that I work with. Working with Christine has been a true pleasure, totally stress free and she has produced some incredible suits.
I just recently got to talk extensively with Christine as I wanted to know more about what got her involved, how long she has been doing this, some of the people she has done suits for, etc… See what Christine has to say:
AR: Tell us a little about your business; what first prompted you to get into making bodybuilding, fitness and figure competition suits and how long you have been doing this?
CM: I have been sewing and designing swimsuits and costumes for all occasions as well as stage wear for over 30 years. I met a figure competitor named Mocha Lee from the Washington D.C. area about 12 years ago. She was a regular on the cover of Oxygen Magazine as well as a top competitor. The magazine was doing an article on where to get competition suits and she suggested I send in some suits. I did and they were in the article. I started getting calls from all over the country for suits! I then found the local promoter of the Rocky Mountain NPC, Jeff Taylor and also IFBB Pro Carla Sanchez. They desperately needed my services and I have been designing competition suits for Fitness, Figure and Bodybuilders ever since. I have clientele all over the world!
AR: Would you list some of the people that you make suits for that we would recognize their name?
CM: I am the exclusive designer for the Carla Sanchez Performance Ready team many of whom have gotten their pro cards such as Liza Kamstra, Jessica Steffans, Jesse Booth, Anna Larratta and more. Heather Mae French, Bridgette Murray, Heidi Fletcher, Heather Armbrust, Holly Geersen, Theresa Nystrom, and Phil Heath just to name a few. I also have competitors from other organizations such as Tracy Gamelin, Mike Halsey, Toneka Pires, Amber Ameredes and many others.
AR: How early should someone contact you prior to their show to have you get started on their suits?
CM: People should contact me as early as they can to start the process even up to a year in advance. The 1st step is to mail fabric samples to the client. They can decide on the fabric and place the order with a deposit right away to secure their place on the schedule. They must order no later than 1 month before the competition, although I can make rush orders sometimes. I make the suits about 2-3 weeks before the show to get the closest measurements for the suits. Suits can then be altered if necessary before the show. Rhinestone designs vary in price depending on how elaborate the design becomes. My assistant Kelli who is absolutely EXPERT in design and application creates rhinestone designs. Prices and more info can be found on my website: www.christinemarshdesigns.com
AR: Where are you located?
CM: Christine Marsh Designs is located at 7500 S. University Blvd. Unit 109 Centennial, Colorado 80122. The mailing address is P.O. Box 3652, Littleton, Colorado 80161. Phone number is 303-584-0832. E-mail address is [email protected] and website is www.christinemarshdesigns.com
AR: I know you work with people from all over the US and Canada, how difficult is it to fit someone when they are not in your area and cannot come in for a personal fitting?
CM: Not difficult at all. I design suits for customers all over the country and all over the world. I interview them with specific questions about measurements and designs. I make patterns especially for each individual, which I keep on file for them. When they receive the suits we discuss if changes and alterations are needed. If so they mail the suits back for the changes and then I update the patterns and send the suits back to them. Other things can be done to the suits also like adding more and more rhinestones! My success rate for fitting out of state orders is great.
AR: If someone does not know how the cut of their suit should be, how do you help them decide?
CM: I help them decide what they want by looking at the suits on my website. They can also e-mail me with pictures of suits from other sites or magazines. All suits are customized to suit the client.
AR: What are the differences or are there any between the suits of bodybuilders, figure and fitness?
CM: Fitness competitors need an outfit that represents the theme of their routine. I design and e-mail sketches of the potential outfits to each competitor and wait for their response. Bodybuilders both men and women need prejudging suits and often would like to have fancy night suits. Figure girls need fancy suits!
AR: Is there anything else you would like to add about your business that you want people to know?
CM: We are committed to top quality and the best fit! My motto is “The Winning Fit”
Well thank you Christine for taking the time out of your busy schedule to speak with me. You have been very informative and all I can say to you readers is if you do not already have Christine with Christine Marsh Designs making your competition suits then you need to get on the ball and contact her. That is if you want a great suit that shows off all that hard work the way it should. Both myself and everyone else I have talked with that has suits from Christine Marsh Designs would never go anywhere else again. They are by far the best suits I have ever had. Here are a few pictures of some of the girls in Christine Marsh Suits.
www.anitaramsey.com: Personal site, online training, articles,...
[URL="http://www.needtobuildmuscle.com/"]www.needto[/URL]buildmuscle.com: Supplements, articles,...
www.highpeaksbarbellclub.com: High altitude sport training facility, bodybuilding, figure, powerlifting, articles,...
www.christinemarshdesigns.com: Best posing suits out there...
By: Anita Ramsey
Copyright 2009
A POSING SUIT CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOU ON STAGE
I just recently got to talk extensively with Christine as I wanted to know more about what got her involved, how long she has been doing this, some of the people she has done suits for, etc… See what Christine has to say:
AR: Tell us a little about your business; what first prompted you to get into making bodybuilding, fitness and figure competition suits and how long you have been doing this?
CM: I have been sewing and designing swimsuits and costumes for all occasions as well as stage wear for over 30 years. I met a figure competitor named Mocha Lee from the Washington D.C. area about 12 years ago. She was a regular on the cover of Oxygen Magazine as well as a top competitor. The magazine was doing an article on where to get competition suits and she suggested I send in some suits. I did and they were in the article. I started getting calls from all over the country for suits! I then found the local promoter of the Rocky Mountain NPC, Jeff Taylor and also IFBB Pro Carla Sanchez. They desperately needed my services and I have been designing competition suits for Fitness, Figure and Bodybuilders ever since. I have clientele all over the world!
AR: Would you list some of the people that you make suits for that we would recognize their name?
CM: I am the exclusive designer for the Carla Sanchez Performance Ready team many of whom have gotten their pro cards such as Liza Kamstra, Jessica Steffans, Jesse Booth, Anna Larratta and more. Heather Mae French, Bridgette Murray, Heidi Fletcher, Heather Armbrust, Holly Geersen, Theresa Nystrom, and Phil Heath just to name a few. I also have competitors from other organizations such as Tracy Gamelin, Mike Halsey, Toneka Pires, Amber Ameredes and many others.
AR: How early should someone contact you prior to their show to have you get started on their suits?
CM: People should contact me as early as they can to start the process even up to a year in advance. The 1st step is to mail fabric samples to the client. They can decide on the fabric and place the order with a deposit right away to secure their place on the schedule. They must order no later than 1 month before the competition, although I can make rush orders sometimes. I make the suits about 2-3 weeks before the show to get the closest measurements for the suits. Suits can then be altered if necessary before the show. Rhinestone designs vary in price depending on how elaborate the design becomes. My assistant Kelli who is absolutely EXPERT in design and application creates rhinestone designs. Prices and more info can be found on my website: www.christinemarshdesigns.com
AR: Where are you located?
CM: Christine Marsh Designs is located at 7500 S. University Blvd. Unit 109 Centennial, Colorado 80122. The mailing address is P.O. Box 3652, Littleton, Colorado 80161. Phone number is 303-584-0832. E-mail address is [email protected] and website is www.christinemarshdesigns.com
AR: I know you work with people from all over the US and Canada, how difficult is it to fit someone when they are not in your area and cannot come in for a personal fitting?
CM: Not difficult at all. I design suits for customers all over the country and all over the world. I interview them with specific questions about measurements and designs. I make patterns especially for each individual, which I keep on file for them. When they receive the suits we discuss if changes and alterations are needed. If so they mail the suits back for the changes and then I update the patterns and send the suits back to them. Other things can be done to the suits also like adding more and more rhinestones! My success rate for fitting out of state orders is great.
AR: If someone does not know how the cut of their suit should be, how do you help them decide?
CM: I help them decide what they want by looking at the suits on my website. They can also e-mail me with pictures of suits from other sites or magazines. All suits are customized to suit the client.
AR: What are the differences or are there any between the suits of bodybuilders, figure and fitness?
CM: Fitness competitors need an outfit that represents the theme of their routine. I design and e-mail sketches of the potential outfits to each competitor and wait for their response. Bodybuilders both men and women need prejudging suits and often would like to have fancy night suits. Figure girls need fancy suits!
AR: Is there anything else you would like to add about your business that you want people to know?
CM: We are committed to top quality and the best fit! My motto is “The Winning Fit”
Well thank you Christine for taking the time out of your busy schedule to speak with me. You have been very informative and all I can say to you readers is if you do not already have Christine with Christine Marsh Designs making your competition suits then you need to get on the ball and contact her. That is if you want a great suit that shows off all that hard work the way it should. Both myself and everyone else I have talked with that has suits from Christine Marsh Designs would never go anywhere else again. They are by far the best suits I have ever had. Here are a few pictures of some of the girls in Christine Marsh Suits.
www.anitaramsey.com: Personal site, online training, articles,...
[URL="http://www.needtobuildmuscle.com/"]www.needto[/URL]buildmuscle.com: Supplements, articles,...
www.highpeaksbarbellclub.com: High altitude sport training facility, bodybuilding, figure, powerlifting, articles,...
www.christinemarshdesigns.com: Best posing suits out there...
so I'm ready for Nationals haha just going to keep adding stones 
