New Term, New Project

This term we have an industry project, working with Thom Sweeney, a tailors located in Mayfair. I studied them  last year for one of my projects and I fell in love with their suits! They're more contemporary than Savile Row tailors, and a mix of British and Italian tailoring. When I visited their shop last time they were very welcoming, letting me wander round and take pictures, some other tailoring stores I've visited weren't as kind.

At the end of the project, 2 placements are available at Thom Sweeney and I really really want one of them! We've got to do an industry placement in the second half of the third term which I need to get a placement for so this would be ideal.

I'm not entirely sure what my career plans are for when I finish uni, so the placement I choose will hopefully give me a better idea of which path I want to take. I've wanted to go into dressmaking for a long time, but since studying tailoring I've really enjoyed making mens suits, though I like women's suits too! So I'm really confused...

I don't particularly want to work on Savile Row, though certain tailors I wouldn't mind working for. I also would ultimately have to decide whether I wanted to be a cutter or a coat maker, or a finisher. Being a cutter would entail: meeting clients, measuring, drafting patterns, cutting patterns, fitting, recutting. Being a coat maker would entail: constructing garments, pockets etc. Being a finisher would entail: hand sewing, e.g. stab stitching, D-tacks, buttonholes, buttons, and the final press. I'm leaning towards wanting to be a cutter at the moment, though I like the idea of being a coat maker too. And I quite enjoy making trousers so I could potentially be a freelance trouser maker, meaning I could be working with tailors both on and off Savile Row, but not being tied to just one place. My ultimate goal would be to own my own business, perhaps for tailored womenswear and/or tailored menswear or (and this has long been my dream) bridal! I've kinda had the idea that I could run a business in partnership with someone else on my course, me making bridal and prom wear, and them making men's suits, so we could serve the needs of both the bride and groom (or bride/bride & groom/groom). But obviously I can't just start a business when I finish uni, with all that debt and zero business experience! But only time will tell...