One of the most rewarding aspects of running the school is hearing from former students and learning how their course has empowered their career progression. When we caught up with Anna recently, we found that, since graduating in July 2020, she has used her skills to launch a career simultaneously in both industry and academia. Naturally, we had a few questions:
What brought you to the Tailoring Academy in the first place?
After researching bespoke tailoring at university, I was keen to learn the craft first hand. I looked into a few courses in London which were either too long or too expensive for what I could afford. Then my mum sent me an article for the Textiles Society magazine, about a bespoke tailoring school up in Macclesfield. She jokingly asked if I fancied moving to the hills for a year, and I thought “why not? I love hiking!” I contacted Brita and went to do a week long trial, which I loved, so applied!
You already had a Fashion Design degree when you joined. Did the Level 5 qualification add to your skillset?
Having completed my degree, I already felt a relatively confident womenswear maker. However, my learning and pattern cutting had focused solely on womenswear, and working from pre-existing blocks, so bespoke pattern drafting was completely new to me. Covering all garments, for both men and women, was definitely a big undertaking in a year but I loved the challenge and felt really immersed in the whole process. The course gave me a more holistic view on crafting garments that work for specific bodies, understanding the qualities of cloths and their uses.
What were the most important lessons you took away from the programme?
I think my most valuable learnings were to draft bespoke patterns from scratch and how to fit garments correctly. The skills required in fitting garments, how to read the garment and apply pins correctly, but also how to conduct myself and work with the client to achieve the best possible fit, I have used time and again since graduating. Another very valuable skill I developed at The Tailoring Academy was to create shape and structure in my garments. Using a variety of materials, hand stitches, pressing forms and an iron, to manipulate and transform the cloth were techniques I found very interesting. Above all, the course instilled a joy of taking my time to carry out all tasks with care and patience, particularly the hours of hand finishings that go into making fully bespoke garments.
How easy or difficult was it to progress into the industry following graduation?
Having the Bespoke Tailoring qualification on my CV definitely helped me to progress in the industry. Whereas before I was being hired for a narrow range of roles, after graduating the door was opened to be hired in a greater variety of opportunities. Although the garment making industry is always a hard one to break into, I have found that an open mind and willingness to learn is always a great starting point. Having a strong understanding of the fully bespoke tailoring process has given me a strong grounding of skills in which to apply to many styles of garment.
What has been your progression and what is your role now?
Following graduation from The Tailoring Academy I have continued freelance working in the fashion industry for both large and small companies. I also started to work in costume, for theatre, opera, TV and film. I have worked for the National Theatre, Royal Opera House, on television shows such as Netflix’ Bridgerton and Wednesday, in both ladies and mens tailoring departments. I am also a university technician, teaching sewing to fashion and costume students at multiple London universities. I have met so many talented practitioners and still learn from each new job I have. I love being able to work in diverse environments, and my skills and experiences I learnt at The Tailoring Academy inform my work every day.
Thank you Anna. It’s truly gratifying to see your hard work has paid off, equipping you with the skills to forge such a varied and fulfilling career. Those hours spent stitching away quietly were definitely worthwhile doing!
