In the hands of Lilder Sherrod, a needle and thread became the tools that made works of art. She began as a child, learning from her grandmother how to sew and, later, studying the craft at a school of design on the South Side.
Her hands made dresses and costumes for a number of Chicago’s jazz singers, mostly unknowns. But she also fashioned one design of blue chiffon for famed blues singer Billie Holiday, a creation that Holiday wore for an appearance in Chicago.
“What she loved about sewing is that she had a chance to make original designs,” said her daughter, Pamela, a writer for the Tribune’s Home section.”She always liked making something no one else had and that uniquely expressed her personality. And she liked being able to do that for others.”
Mrs. Sherrod, 80, of Chicago’s South Side, died Saturday in Grant Hospital of complications from diabetes.
She was trained as a nurse and worked in the pediatrics departments at Columbus and Provident Hospitals in Chicago. But her calling was sewing and fashion design. Her petite stature–standing only 4-feet, 11 1/2-inches tall and weighing about 100 pounds–forced her to alter most of her store-bought clothes. Soon, her work garnered a reputation with the neighborhood women and she gradually built a clientele.
From the dressing rooms of the city’s jazz clubs, where she altered and made dresses for the women singers, Mrs. Sherrod watched the world of jazz and became a fan. Her dresses were classy, but always had a hint of sexiness to them, said her daughter. Mrs. Sherrod believed a dress was made to be worn and she enjoyed watching her creations as her clients walked across the room.
In the 1970s, she partnered with Tony Eloriaga, a Chicago fashion designer with whom she helped create Asian-inspired clothing. More recently, she helped design clothing for the lead actress in a not-yet-released independent film, “Ms. Parker’s Secret,” by Chicago filmmaker and friend Alden Brigham. “She was remarkable, full of grace and generosity and had an incredibly positive spirit about life and living,” Brigham said.
Her exuberance about life was infectious. With her daughter, she made certain that the two always had one-on-one time together–making it a yearly tradition as Pamela grew up that the two shared a luncheon at the elegant Pump Room. But she also nurtured many of her daughter’s friends, such as Brigham and Wanda Herndon.
“One of her philosophies was to live life to the fullest,” Herndon said. “She had an adventurous spirit. I learned from her not to be afraid. She was fearless. I learned how to face challenging situations and just go for it.”
Age didn’t slow her down. When she was in her 70s, she took a ride in a glider and road a motorcycle in San Francisco.
“She was someone who never gave up and she was always willing to try,” said her daughter.
She is also survived by a stepdaughter, Barbara. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, followed by services at 11 a.m., in First Church of Deliverance, 4315 S. Wabash Ave.
