About Marneale
Marneale is a sewing academy in Pimlico, Central London, founded by Zlata Ksen, founder of the tailoring atelier Altbes, and Ksenia Semirova, hand embroidery and textile artist.
The academy was created to provide professional, high-level craft skills for students, textile enthusiasts, and curious learners who want to approach sewing, hand embroidery, and more with serious attention. Marneale is built around practical education: clear guidance, professional knowledge, and skills that can be used in real projects.
At the centre of Marneale is the experience of its founders. Zlata Ksen and Ksenia Semirova come from different areas of fashion and textile practice, bringing together garment knowledge, hand embroidery, textile education, and professional teaching. This combination allows the academy to support learners with different goals: preparing for further study, developing personal projects, improving practical skills, or exploring craft with more depth.
Zlata Ksen is the founder of Altbes, a multi-award-winning tailoring atelier in Pimlico. She has formal education from FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, and many years of experience in fashion practice. Her background gives Marneale a strong foundation in garment-focused education, professional standards, and a close understanding of how clothing is developed and refined.
Ksenia Semirova is a hand embroidery and textile artist with an MA in Textiles from the University of Brighton. Her practice focuses on hand embroidery, embellishment, textile art, and education. She teaches embroidery as a practical skill that can be used in fashion, accessories, textile projects, and personal creative work, not only as decorative stitching.
Together, the founders shaped Marneale as a place for people who want to learn properly. The academy welcomes students preparing for fashion or textile education, adults returning to sewing or embroidery, textile enthusiasts, and curious learners who want more than a casual introduction.
Teaching at Marneale is practical and direct. Students are guided through making, observing, correcting, and understanding their work. The aim is not only to follow instructions, but to understand what is being made, why particular methods are used, and how to apply the same knowledge to future projects.
Marneale is designed for learners who want clear instruction, professional guidance, and enough time to understand what they are doing. Classes focus on practical work, individual questions, and the development of skills that students can continue using after the lesson.
Located at **43 Moreton Street, Pimlico**, Marneale offers a focused setting for sewing, hand embroidery, and related craft education in Central London. It brings together professional experience, academic training, and practical teaching for people who want to develop craft skills with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
