Anyone for a dressmaker??

It’s that time of the year when the wedding season is slowing down but at the same time it is also preparing for the next year. Wedding exhibitions are in abundance and the flow of brides looking for ideas and to make bookings in time for their big day, is rife!

With this in mind, I thought I’d tackle the topic of dressmakers; should I have my dress made and if so, where do I find one. In my opinion, I think this career has always been given a lowly status even though people will gasp with admiration at beautiful dresses that have been adorned with embroidery, lace, beading and fabrics which have been sculptured to give “the dress” that beautiful, sophisticated, sexy or the “wow” look. Yet the dressmaker is rarely acknowledged almost as if the clothes that appear in shops or on celebrities are created by magic! A fashion designer cannot create a garment without a pattern cutter they also cannot create a garment without a seamstress each section is dependent on the other. Therefore it is essential that when you’re looking for someone to make an outfit, you know what to look for. Here are some tips:

1. Dressmakers are not all the same. There are people who specialise in doing alterations, people who make general clothing, bridal wear specialists, tailors, fashion designers who also make the clothes themselves and so on. There is a vast difference in someone making a straight skirt with 1 metre of fabric to someone who is making a corseted bridal gown with a minimum of four layers of fabric each layer being four metres each. The skills are vastly different and should be recognised as so.

2. Generally speaking, you will be charged more than if you bought the garment from a shop. Why? If a garment is being made for only you, a lot of time has to be put into it: The design, the taking of personal measurements, drafting patterns specifically for the individual, fittings, sourcing fabrics and finally making it. Whereas if you buy from a retail store it is one of many. They have been mass produced in generic sizes and therefore much cheaper to manufacture and cost.

3. Phone around and ask the right questions such as do you specialise in making wedding dresses, evening gowns etc, can you design the garment or should I get a pattern and will my garment be made in house or out sourced. Once you have established the basics and your happy, go and see the person. Making a garment is not only about the product but there must be a connection between the two parties. Both sides have to be able to communicate effectively in order to achieve the desired look. Also there will be a number of questions to be asked from both sides which is best achieved in a consultation.

4. Be honest and realistic. If your budget is £300 but you want a £3000 dress made it’s not going to be feasible. There’s nothing wrong in stating your budget from the start, it will give them an idea of what may or may not be achievable in terms of labour and fabric. Consequently there might be an alternative which you may not have thought about. Honesty is really the best policy!

Dressmakers, tailors, fashion designers are professionals and very skilled people who know what they are doing and may have worked in their field for many years. They have to listen to what their clients want but equally customers have to listen to the professionals. If at the end of the initial meeting you don’t feel that this is the person you want to make your garment then move on, they weren’t the one for you. It’s a bit like shopping not all of them are going to cater for your style, shape or budget so you have to put in the time to search for the one that does.