Bespoke cutter and tailor - Tailor

The UK has a well earned reputation as the home of bespoke tailoring with British tailors dressing everyone from royalty to rock stars across the world. Tailoring is an industry steeped in tradition and heritage. Bespoke garments are custom made and sustainable in nature - constructed to have longevity. Part of the ‘slow fashion’ approach - distinguished by quality garments, produced on a smaller scale and with slower production times.

Bespoke cutters and tailors are qualified artisans who need to be precise, have an eye for detail, a technical approach, good communication skills and work to a high standard of excellence.

A bespoke cutter is involved in liaising with clients to ascertain their individual requirements. They advise clients on the style, cloth and trim of their garment and have overall responsibility for the order. They construct the garment pattern and cut the components ready for assembly by the bespoke tailor. They also conduct fittings and record customer feedback as appropriate.

The bespoke tailor is responsible for assembling the garment, preparing the garment for fittings, amending the garment construction, completing final alterations and hand finishing the garment.

A bespoke tailor works closely with a bespoke cutter, as a team they create the tailored garment stage by stage, conducting fittings with the client along the way.

Training to work as a skilled craftsperson is extremely demanding. There are many specialities within the trade from coat makers to cutters and hand finishers.

Client relationship sits at the heart of this occupation and bespoke cutters and tailors will work with the client, through the complete bespoke tailoring process.

Bespoke cutters and tailors are traditionally and ideally based in a workshop within a tailoring house. The workshop is often attached to a shop where the tailoring service materials and accessories are displayed and business and fittings take place. The workshops contain specialist equipment, mannequins and a cutting table. There are many tailoring houses across the UK and some offer a travelling tailor service, giving employees the opportunity to work abroad.

In their daily work, a bespoke cutter would typically measure and analyse figure variations, carry out client fittings, construct garment patterns, lay, mark and cut cloth and organise and purchase materials.

In their daily work, a bespoke tailor would typically baste and stitch garments, prepare garments for fittings, make alterations, press and part hand finish garments.

This is an active role which requires bespoke cutters and tailors to be responsive to client and company needs. For example - prioritising workloads, working with varying materials and responding to client specification changes.