Tailoring Short Course
Course description
Course overview
This course is a unique opportunity to understand the world of bespoke tailoring and start practising some skills.
A tailoring apprentice can take 7 years to perfect their craft, so this course is a great option if you want to have a taste before you commit or just understand more about this complex and secret industry.
The course will start with a week exploring the bespoke tailoring industry, including a trip to Savile Row. The second and third weeks will be about making an individually fitted jacket, and you will be taken through step-by-step from pattern to finished garment. The course will be taught by expert tutors from our degree programmes.
Who this course is for
This course is suitable for beginners. You should have an interest in the subject area and a desire to learn but no previous experience is required.
This is a Summer School only short course running only once a year. We encourage early bookings to secure your place.
Key information
Topics covered
- What does bespoke mean?
- Equipment – Selection, Use and Care
- Measuring and Fitting
- Examples of Tailoring – Traditional and Contemporary
- Hand sewing techniques
- Pressing - Equipment and Techniques
- Tailoring fabrics and Interlinings
- Anatomy of a jacket – construction and deconstruction
- Tailoring Vocabulary – Pockets, Collars and Sleeves
- Finishing – Buttons/Buttonholes/Linings
- Technology in tailoring
- Trip to Savile Row
Learning outcomes
- Gain an understanding of the world of bespoke tailoring
- Explore tailoring skills
- Digital badge and certificate of attendance
Materials
Please bring the following materials to class:
Pattern Cutting Equipment
- Tracing Wheel
- Eraser
- Map Pins
- Pattern Square (Perspex, either a grading square or a Fashion Curve)
- Pencil (preferable ‘Pentel’ 5mm lead)
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- Tape measure
Garment Manufacturing Equipment
- Basting Cotton (reel)
- Box of Pins
- Chalk (White)
- Hand Sewing Needles, size 3/5 Sharps
- Hand Sewing Needles, size 8 Sharps
- Reel White Sewing Thread
- Reel Black Sewing Thread
- Fabric Shears, 17cm
- Small pair of scissors
- Small screwdriver
- Tailors Thimble (Open Ended) – to fit your middle finger on the hand you hold the needle with
- Camera
- Small notebook
- A3/A4 Layout Pad
- Masking Tape
All of the above equipment can be purchased from Morplan, 56 Great Titchfield St, W1P 8DX or visit www.morplan.com
Recommended Reading
The below books are recommended reading during the course, to supplement your studies.
- Aldrich, (2004) Metric Pattern Cutting for Menswear. 4th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Science
- Aldrich, (2002) Pattern Cutting for Women’s Tailored Jackets: Classic and Contemporary. Oxford: Blackwell Science
- Cabrera, (1984) Classic Tailoring Techniques: a construction guide for menswear. New York: Fairchild.
Tutor
Anthony Gouldbourne
Anthony Gouldbourne has a wealth of experience in bespoke tailoring gained from both education and occupational pursuits. From 1991 to 1994 he studied Diploma in Handcraft, which covered handcraft tailoring, production tailoring and pattern cutting for men's and women's wear. Since graduating, he has worked for various companies within the fashion industry, including Lipmans & Sons, Royal Opera House, and Thierry Mugler. Across his career these positions required sample garment making, pattern cutting, alterations and fittings for men, women and children.
For many years Anthony has been producing commissioned tailored garments for individual costumers, both male and female, advising on style, cut, fabric type and fit. One of his proudest moments within his tailoring profession was being commissioned to produce a suit for the then HRH Megan Markle.
Book a course
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