Dressmaking: a work that matters for people who care.

Dressmakers and their job

Recently I was asked the question I love and hate: ‘So, what are you doing?’  It’s always easier to answer this question if your job title is your job, even if the title doesn’t cover your contribution to your community and the world. As sewists, many of us have the added problem of almost feeling ashamed of the answer. When I tell people I do dressmaking, usual reaction is: ‘Oh, it’s the dying art…’ ; ‘Really, is anyone still doing this?’ or even worse. 

I was at one of the networking events couple of years ago, and when I uncovered what my job was, I was told: ‘You are really brave to come here’ by other girls who were book-keepers and managers.  On another event, seminar about small business running, I met a lady who had a crafty business. She was really scared to sit among all these IMPORTANT people, such as…  marketing specialists. 

By the way… there was another event, networking one about fashion business. There were few dozens of people, and they all introduced themselves in a similar manner: ‘I lo-ove fa-ashion so-o-o much! I want to do a fa-ashion business… No, I haven’t done anything yet, but I have great plans…’ I realised I was the ONLY ONE there who was really doing  fashion and making contribution to real people. One who is not dreaming, not planning, not self-reflectioning, but helping people. I realised that if I hear about ‘fa-a-ashion’ one more time, I will bite somebody. It was so annoying, most of them were just layabouts.

Lots of people can sew. They can place a missing button or shorten curtains. But dressmaking as profession, as a job, is not about it. It is about helping people. It is about having courage to show up  with vulnerability. It is about making garments, ideas, style, to change people. It is about helping people to become who they always wanted to be. It’s work that matters for people who care. This is probably not the approach most people experience (or practice) all the time. This is up to us, to do dressmaking we are proud of. Because we can.