| THE WORK:
Handcraft tailors produce ‘bespoke’ (custom-made) suits, jackets and coats for men and women. They may create the entire garment or work in a team, where each person has their own specialism. What does a handcraft tailor do?
Handcraft tailors produce ‘bespoke’ (custom-made) suits, jackets and coats for men and women. They may create the entire garment or work in a team, where each person has their own specialism.
On consultation with the client, the style and fabric of the suit will be agreed upon. The tailor will then prepare a costing and work out how long it will take to complete the work. They will then produce a design, either by hand or using computerised programmes. The pattern prices can then be created from these designs and cut out in fabric. The fabric pieces are then sewn together to form the garment. The completed garment is then fitted to the client so any alterations can be made.
A handcraft tailor may produce a mock-up garment, or ‘toile,’ in a cheap fabric so that alterations can be made easily, before the actual garment is produced. A tailor may also spend much of their time researching and gathering design ideas from magazines, brochures, pattern books, art exhibitions and fabric samples.
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| HOURS AND ENVIRONMENT:
Handcraft tailors usually work around 40 hours a week, this can increase depending on the workload and deadlines. Occasional evening and weekend may also be required to carry out customer fittings. Tailors are usually based in a sewing room, which may be attached to a shop or small factory. This space will be warm and well-lit. Tailors may spend a lot of their time doing intricate, close work.
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| SKILLS AND INTERESTS:
It may be useful for a person considering a career in handcraft tailoring to have some of the following skills and interests, some of which can be obtained by gaining a relevant qualification: · pattern cutting and sewing skills
· knowledge of fabric types, fashion trends and the ability to visualise designs
· attention to detail and high levels of accuracy
· good communication skills and a smart appearance
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| ENTRY :
Handcraft tailors usually look to recruit young people who will remain committed to the trade throughout a lengthy programme of training. The prestigious Savile Row employers endorse the pre-apprenticeship component of the Bespoke Tailoring Apprenticeship Programme. This course enables young people to develop skills in hand and machine sewing, pattern cutting and garment construction. It lasts four years and is offered by Newham College in conjunction with Savile Row. For further information, visit: www.newham.ac.uk/about/documents/BespokeTailoringApprenticeship.pdf.
There are also a range of other courses available for those who want to develop their skills prior to joining the industry. The following courses are available in this area:
· ABC Level 3 Diploma in handcraft tailoring
· ABC Level 3 Award in pattern cutting and construction techniques
· City & Guilds Level 1, 2 and 3 Certificate in design and craft
For more information on the ABC level qualifications, visit the ABC website: www.abcawards.co.uk/ . For more information on the City & Guilds qualifications, visit the website: www.cityandguilds.com.
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| TRAINING :
An intensive programme of training is required to become an experienced bespoke tailor. Those studying the apprenticeship programme will gain all the relevant skills over four years. It is also important to gain on-the-job experience, learning from other tailors in the industry.
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| OPPORTUNITIES:
Most opportunities are likely to be in small and medium-sized companies in the major cities throughout the UK. In larger companies it may be possible for handcraft tailors to gain promotion to supervisory roles, such as senior tailor. A common career move for tailors is to set-up their own business.
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| ANNUAL INCOME :
A handcraft tailor can expect to earn between £10,500 and £13,000 a year when starting out. This could increase to between £14,000 and £18,000 a year with experience. Those working in prestigious Savile Row outlets could earn around £40,000 a year. Qualification information (external sources)
Other
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| CASE STUDY | |
Imtaz Khaliq is the owner / manager of Imtaz Bespoke Tailor, a company which creates suits for bot...
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