Tailor
Tailors and dressmakers make and sometimes alter clothes to fit individual customers. Tailors mainly make jackets, suits, trousers, kilts and coats. Dressmakers make skirts, dresses, shirts and other outfits.
The Work
You could be:
measuring the client and discussing the choice of style and fabric
working out the cost of the garment
making a paper pattern using a stencil or computing software and laying it out
marking the fabric round the pattern and cutting out the pieces
tacking the pieces together, fitting the garment to the client and making any adjustments needed
sewing the garment by machine
hand finishing the garment (adding trimmings and fastenings)
pressing the garment
altering or repairing existing garments.
Pay
The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:
where you work
the size of the company or organisation you work for
the demand for the job.
Starting salaries are around 950 lva a year. With experience this can rise to around 12,00 lev a year. In haute couture (fashion houses producing exclusive designs for private clients), tailors\' and dressmakers\' salaries can exceed 14,500 lev a year.
Conditions
You would work around 37 to 40 hours a week.
You would be based in a workshop, in a shop or work from home.
Conditions may be noisy.
You might have to travel to meet clients.
Part time work is available.
You would need to work quickly to meet deadlines.
You have to bend and kneel to measure and do fittings.
You spend long periods of time sitting or standing.
