My proudest achievement during my time as a tailor's apprentice was creating a trench coat from start to finish using bespoke and commercial methods. This development project allowed me to join both my previous knowledge of the overcoat method, which is the jacket making method commonly taught at universities, with the bespoke methods I was learning. This lead to a jacket that represented a balance between commericallity and true bespoke quality.
I worked on the pattern for this garment too, which was an interest I felt my apprenticeship didn't quite satisfy. I thoroughly enjoy pattern making, and the menswear pattern making system, particularly for jackets is very different to women's, mostly functioning on flat pattern making based on formulaic mathematics similar to pattern block making. I converted the raglan sleeve of the previous trench style into an engineered sleeve or set in sleeve, I toiled and altered it until perfect. Once I moved onto to cutting the garment, I drafted the back pleat and pattern adjustments on the fabric with chalk, in true tailor fashion.
I was responsible for undertaking every part of this garment, with oversight from the head tailor and assistance when issues arose. This coat taught me many valuable lessons; how to commercially apply canvas to an undercollar, hand setting a back vent, perfectly setting a lining in the body and the sleeve, manipulating fabric with iron work, pitching a sleeve in accurate alignment, executing chest and hip pockets to bespoke standard and inserting shoulder pads and boomerangs. At the end of my experience, it was the one piece of work I wished I could take with me. But the invaluable techniques and methods of working are something I can apply to all aspects of my work, I find myself drawing on these processes as well as the understanding they provided of garment construction, quality fit, fabric behaviour and quality standards often.
Comments