Dezhane Lurk is a 22-year-old senior at Savannah State University, who is majoring in Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Everybody calls her Nae and she has a bright and warm spirit and loves to talk. She’s originally from Brooklyn, NY and plans to become a state patrol officer sometime after she graduates. Knowing these things you would never guess she has a passion for sewing. Nae caught the whole campus’ attention when she debuted her 2019 Homecoming Collection on Twitter. Her designs were original, fun and showed the right amount of Tiger Pride! She’s has quickly gained popularity for something she had no idea she would love.
In May 2015, Nae wanted a nice prom dress but didn’t want to pay a big price tag. Her grandma taught her how to hand sew and within 3-4 days she had constructed her very first dress. Years later in 2018, Nae entered the Iota Phi Theta pageant. She needed a nice dress so she decided that she was going to make her own gown. She borrowed a friend’s sewing machine to craft another beautiful dress. She was crowned Miss Iota Phi Theta that year and got many compliments for her dress, but she never made clothes for anyone other than herself until May 2019. Nae’s best friend and future social media coordinator for “That’s Sew Nae” begged her to make a sassy birthday dress for her. Ms. Lurk never really thought about designing and sewing for other people but with motivation from her bestie, she made a show-stopping dress that encouraged her to take her talent seriously.
Other than her friends encouraging words, the reason why Dezhane started “That’s Sew Nae” was to continue her family legacy. “My great-grandmother knew how to sew, my grandmother taught me how to sew and I plan on teaching my kids when I have them.” Even though she is very happy making and designing clothes, she has had some struggles. Nae said that having enough time to do everything is a big challenge. Trying to juggle multiple jobs, school and a new business can be hard for a young entrepreneur. It’s all worth it though because Nae genuinely loves people and making them happy. Her focus is on affordable but quality clothing and keeping her customers satisfied by delivering their dream looks.
Dezhane’s clothing is inspired by life and the people around her. She said that the students on Savannah State Campus are her biggest support system and they inspired her to start the homecoming collection. So support Dezhane by following her on
Instagram: @d.zhanee and on Twitter: @thats.sew.nae