It’s often said that one phone call can change your life and that is certainly the case for Anca Toma and Adriana Kiran-Suleac at Thistle Alterations.
For what started as any other regular day at the Chapel Street shop ended with a race against time to help superstar singer Leona Lewis get ready before taking to the stage at the P&J Live as the support act for Gary Barlow.
“It was just a normal day at work for me and Adriana, ” said Anca, 34.
“Then the landline phone began to ring and I heard this soft voice on the other end who sounded a bit worried and concerned.
“She told me that she was at the P&J Live with a VIP celebrity who needed some urgent help with her dress and she asked us if we could come along immediately.”
Star struck
In a state of shock, Anca initially turned down the offer, worried about closing the shop she runs with her husband Amir early.
But quickly realising her mistake, Anca phoned Leona’s assistant back and before she knew it herself and her tailor Adriana were in a taxi en route to the arena.
“I didn’t know who the VIP was until the assistant sent me some photos through, I couldn’t believe it when I saw it was Leona Lewis.
“I got really excited so the assistant said ‘just act cool about it’.”
Race against time
Arriving at the venue with only a few hours to go until Leona was due on stage, the pressure was on.
“After going through checks and Covid testing, we saw Leona sound checking before we were taken to her room,” said Anca.
“We were instantly amazed by her beauty, she’s so beautiful.
“I follow her on Instagram and Facebook but her photos don’t do her justice as she was just glowing and the way she spoke was so gentle and she was so down to-earth.”
Scissors came in handy
It soon transpired that Leona’s sparkling white designer tulle skirt (complete with matching top), was a tad too long, leaving her at risk of tripping over it on stage.
“Leona was worried because the skirt was really long on the side and she said that when she turns on the stage she steps on it and trips so it was a bit of an emergency,” said Anca.
Armed with scissors, measuring and sewing equipment, Anca and Adriana quickly got to work.
“We took measurements and then we shortened the skirt and we also added an extra layer in between the skirt.
“She tried it on again and asked for a bit more taken off the length so we did it a bit more.
“Afterwards she thanked us because she said she was really struggling with time as we got there at 6pm and that’s when she had her sound check and at 7.30pm she had to go and prepare to go on stage.
“But we managed to do everything in an hour and a half so she was happy.”
Hairdryer used on Leona’s shoes
After working their magic on Leona’s skirt, Anca then came to the rescue yet again.
“Leona said her shoes were really tight, can you sort this out for me as well, is there anything you can do,” said Anca.
“So I came up with an idea to use the hairdryer to warm the straps of her shoes and pull them so they loosen a little bit.”
Fangirl moment
Keeping her composure as she fixed Leona’s outfit and shoes, Anca eventually had her fan girl moment at the end, confessing to Leona that she’s a huge fan.
“I told her that I knew I had to be professional until I finished my job but now I just want to tell you that I love your voice and I watched The X Factor and then we gave each other a cuddle.
“I said that anytime she’s back in town and she needs help, she knows she can let us know.
“We were then escorted by her assistant out, it was just an amazing experience and such an adrenalin rush.”
Anca, who is originally from Romania and now lives in Aberdeen with her partner Amir and their three-year-old son Aydin, said they have been walking on air since rubbing shoulders with Leona.
“I was excited and grateful for the opportunity because I’m a big music lover and I love to sing myself and when I was a child I used to dream of becoming a singer,” said Anca.
“It was such a great experience to be back stage as not everybody gets the chance to do that.
“So to be backstage, to see Leona Lewis doing her sound check and to see her in person and to speak to her for almost two hours was just amazing.
“I also thought for our shop it’s such a big opportunity especially the fact that they called us first as they checked on our reviews which is amazing.”
Walking on air
It’s no surprise that Anca and Adriana worked wonders on Leona’s outfit as at Thistle Alterations they do all kinds of clothing alterations including on wedding dresses and men’s suits and also provide a laundry and dry cleaning service.
Anca and her partner Amir took over Thistle Alterations back in May and haven’t looked back since.
“It’s a family business and we’re really proud of that,” said Anca.
For more information about Thistle Alterations check out their Facebook page.