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January 16, 2025

The Pencil Skirt

An entry-level course and introduction to bespoke tailoring, this five-day sewing workshop is dedicated to the iconic pencil skirt: first introduced by Christian Dior in the 1950’s, the pencil skirt stands for effortless style. The silhouette flatters all shapes and is the basis for all other skirt styles. Tailor your own skirt from a beautiful, 100% wool cloth woven by Dugdale Bros & Co in West Yorkshire, made available exclusively for this course.

The workshop includes the individual pattern construction, tailoring tuition and all materials. The drafting literature is yours and will enable you to create patterns for all sizes and figures in the future. Required for participation is previous experience in garment making. Are you a home sewist and have made your own shirts, blouses or skirts before? This course is for you. You will learn to cut, fit and finish your skirt using heritage techniques.

Pattern cutting or tailoring experience are not required. The workshop is limited to eight places only. 

Included:
  • All equipment (BROTHER industrial sewing machines and overlocker, VEIT steam tables)
  • All drafting provisions
  • All drafting literature
  • All materials (a high quality British wool cloth and BEMBERG CUPRO lining)
  • All trimmings, closures and threads
Please bring along:
  • Fabric shears
  • Small scissors
  • Pinking shears
  • Needles and pins
  • Paper scissors
  • Mechanical pencil
  • Tape measure (metric)
  • Patternmaster ruler (if you have)
Venue

You will be working in our light-flooded, state-of-the-art workshop on the top floor of a former Macclesfield silk mill. Affordable accommodation and parking are available in walking distance. Please contact us for information.

Booking

For more info and to book your spot on the course on the Ticket Tailor platform, follow this link.

Any questions? Get in touch below:


    AN Intensive bespoke tailoring course for those wishing to learn to tailor a women’s bespoke jacket at a professional standard. The class will run over four weeks, from 28 July to 22 August 2025.
    December 31, 2024

    2025 Summer School

    This year, we once again have a Summer School for those wishing to learn to make a bespoke jacket at a professional standard. The course offers 150 hours of expert tuition at our state-of-the-art premises in Cheshire, England.
    Dedicated to the female figure type this year, the course teaches the sought after heritage techniques that are used by master craftspeople in both men’s and women’s tailoring.

    All materials, including a high-quality, British woven suiting cloth, linings and all tailoring trimmings are included in the course fee. A free online pattern construction class will facilitate the drafting of your bespoke cutting pattern prior to the course start. You can choose to participate live, or use the recording we make available after the event. Pattern in hand, just turn up and enjoy an intensive four weeks of tailoring at the highest level in the UK!

    Entry requirement is intermediate sewing experience: we expect participants to be able to construct everyday garments and to use thimble* and needle for hand stitching tasks. Previous experience in tailoring or knowledge in pattern drafting is not required. It is your responsibility to ensure you can work at the required level. No special adjustments will be made should you be unable to follow the course. If in doubt, please contact us to discuss your circumstances. *Open-ended tailoring thimbles can be purchased at MacCulloch & Wallis London (worldwide delivery).

    The Summer School is open to 18+ learners and takes place from  28 July to 22 August 2025. Course fee is £2,995 (incl. VAT) and places are limited to only six, to ensure each student gets the most of the experience. Spots are allocated to eligible candidates on a first come, first serve basis. To secure your place, please download, complete and email us your booking form or get in touch below for more information – we are here to help!


      December 15, 2024

      New Year, New Class

      Building on the success of our Online Tailoring class, which is dedicated to the classic bespoke jacket, and upon request from some of our most aspiring students, we designed a new course: from February 2025, we will once again take to Zoom, to teach you the pattern draft for and the construction of a pair of bespoke trousers.

      Limited to 12 students only, we will guide the class through the process step-by-step, over 18 weeks, with a fitting at the half-way point. The concept is tried and tested and, as before, we will make recordings available to participants who prefer to catch up in their own time. A chat channel with direct access to the course tutor is available, to support students with any queries that might come up between sessions.

      The course fee is £995 incl. VAT and includes comprehensive PDF literature, recordings of each live class and access to tutors between sessions. Places are allocated on a first come, first serve basis to eligible candidates.

      For all the relevant information and the booking form, visit the dedicated webpage or drop us a line below:


        An under collar, marked for proposed adjustments following the forward fitting.
        October 26, 2024

        Online Tailoring

        Can it be done on screen? That is the question when considering an online course, especially learning practical skills. Having had to switch to remote delivery during the pandemic, we learned there are even upsides to learning on screen: we now use ‘Zoom-in-the-Room’ even for classroom demos. Our full-time students never miss a detail as every process step is shown close-up. Any queries are directly addressed via the interconnected sound system.

        The same applies to Online Tailoring, a class attended by students from around the world: they either follow live every Friday, or catch up using the recording we provide. Between sessions, they discuss queries with tutors using our dedicated chat channel. Over the course of a year, our students learn to draft, cut and tailor a bespoke jacket from beginning to end! But don’t take our word for it. Here is Justin, student on the course, on his experience:

        “The course is well structured and the quality of teaching is excellent. Every point is carefully explained, time is always made for questions, and tutors take real interest in students’ progress. The presentation of content is excellent and the online experience has been carefully considered.

        The recordings allow me to recap and the well monitored chat forum makes me feel part of a real class. The dedication for teaching really shines through as praise and encouragement. I will benefit this experience long into the future. If you are interested in bespoke tailoring, you could not choose a better course.”
         Photo credit: Titilayo Okujago

        Once he had completed the 34-week course, Justin chose to stay on programme: he enrolled on our full-time
        Level 5 Diploma course, to qualify as bespoke cutter and tailor under the Regulated Qualification Framework.

        Our next Online Tailoring class starts 12th September 2025. Get in touch if you are interested:


          October 19, 2024

          Bespoke Ingenuity

          One of the most pertinent questions to ask when embarking on a course of study is ‘Where will it lead me?’
          Well, Duane MacLeod, 2023 graduate of our first intake for the International Programme, has just shown how he puts his new skills into practice, in the most fulfilling way: by starting his own business.

          As reported in the fall edition of Threads Magazine and also picked up by Robb Report, since leaving the academy, Duane didn’t miss a beat: along with his new company Hold Fast Bespoke, he set up his tailoring workshop, kitting it out with the tools and equipment he had become familiar with during his time in our workroom, and got to work.

          Using the industry contacts he established during his time in Britain, he was able to liaise with suppliers he knew would provide him with the heritage cloth and trimmings he had become accustomed to work with: custom coated wool cloth from Holland & Sherry in the Scottish Borders region and horse hair canvas from Dugdale Bros in West Yorkshire, to name just a few.

          Linking up with long-standing clothiers David Wood in his local Portland, Maine, Duane was able to take his bespoke offer to a wider audience, and is now catering for discerning customers appreciative of his unique skills set. Duane’s hand-sewn, fully canvassed jackets now start at $3,200, with accompanying trousers at $1,350.
          If that isn’t making good use of talent, ingenuity and competence, we don’t know what is.

          Where would your tailoring journey take you? Get in touch and let us know:


            Finalist of the Golden Shears Awards 2023
            April 28, 2024

            Victoria wins at Golden Shears!

            Victoria joined our class of 2022 with no formal previous experience, but a love for meticulous hand craft, a clear idea of what she wanted and determination to achieve that goal. Following her graduation, to nobody’s surprise, she signed with bespoke tailors Samuel Brothers, holders of a Royal Warrant and Tailors to King Charles III. One of her first jobs was to take measurements at Buckingham Palace, in preparation for the King’s coronation in May 2023.

            Before she committed herself to her role as tailor to the Royal Household, however, Victoria followed her ambition and entered the 2023 Golden Shears Awards, the famous competition between tailoring students and apprentices, also known as the ‘Oscars of the Tailoring World’. The rest is history: Victoria went on to win the Silver Shears as runner up in a prestigious field of 20 finalists. Following her success at the awards, Victoria reflects on her journey:

            “If anyone had told me a couple of years ago that I would be where I am now, I wouldn’t have believed them. To be honest, I still keep pinching myself. Looking back to the time when I made my life-changing decision to apply for a place on the Level 5 Diploma course, I couldn’t have chosen a better path to enter the tailoring world. For me, the ultimate beauty of the course was in the structured way of providing information – something that made it stand out from other options. All of the scattered pieces of knowledge that I gained from so many step-by-step tutorials were topped with bespoke techniques and assembled in a foundation, upon which I can confidently build anything.”

            Are you interested in starting your tailoring journey? Get in touch below:


              April 24, 2024

              NEW: Apprenticeship Training

              The Tailoring Academy becomes the first training provider nationally to offer Level 5 Bespoke Cutter and Tailor
              apprenticeships. The UK Fashion and Textile Association writes in its press release:

              “In a significant boost for tailoring education across England, the Academy will partner with the Textile Centre of Excellence, to offer apprenticeship training at the highest level in the UK.”

              Following the recent review by a trailblazer group that included Savile Row companies, prestigious Opera houses and independent tailoring businesses, funding for the Level 5 apprenticeship was raised to £17,000.  This money is now available for any employer wishing to train their own staff.

              The Academy will build on its track record to provide statutory off-the-job training to apprentices across all of
              England. An experienced team of tutors will deliver an extensive body of practical units, assignments and online
              sessions to cover learning outcomes of the Level 5 apprenticeship that employers choose to entrust us with.

              State-of-the-art facilities and digital technology enable a blended approach to the apprentice’s learning, ensuring highly effective, individual delivery whilst avoiding unnecessary disruption to their work schedule.

              The Textile Centre of Excellence will provide the statutory framework in this collaboration, ensuring employers and apprentices receive the best service from an experienced provider deeply embedded in the UK textile industry.

              Interested in training your own apprentices? Get in touch:


                Student attending a full-time course in a workroom with tailoring mannequin in the background
                October 8, 2023

                New Tailoring Courses

                Short Courses

                Online Classes: tailoring courses in pattern construction for bespoke garments, for male and female figure type as well as the custom shirt and the ever popular hand button hole class are all available in online format this October.

                In-Person Classes: the long-awaited Custom Shirt Making course is scheduled for May 2024, at our workshop in Cheshire/UK. The focus is entirely on the meticulous techniques the shirt is famous for (French seams, etc). 

                Book your tickets on Ticket Tailor: safe and simple to use, the platform has all the details. Once booked, you gain access to the online class with a Zoom link. PDF instructions and live recordings are provided.

                Full-Time Courses

                The Level 5 Diploma in Bespoke Tailoring: now in its sixth year, the course provides a regulated qualification to those who are looking for a professional career in bespoke tailoring, high-end fashion design or stage and film production. The Tailoring Academy remains the sole provider with accreditation to deliver the programme, which is open to British citizens and UK residents, as well as those eligible to enter the UK under the Youth Mobility scheme.

                The International Programme offers two separate courses to overseas students. Each is approved by the UK Fashion and Textile Association UKFT alongside the Level 5 Diploma, recognising the same high standard.
                We can provide access to high quality accommodation for six international students.

                Online Tailoring

                And finally, the 2024/25 edition of our popular Online Tailoring class: this course is designed for enjoyment and has served many of our past students as a springboard to the world of bespoke tailoring. Participants from around the world come together every Friday to learn from the same tutors who teach our full-time courses.

                Find information on all tailoring courses, follow the tabs on the main menu, or drop us a line using the form below.


                  April 23, 2023

                  Last Few Places

                  *** Fully booked for 2023/24. Admissions open shortly for 2024/25 ***

                  The Level 5 Diploma in Bespoke Tailoring (RQF) continues to grow its reputation as a government regulated qualification for those who want to build their bespoke tailoring and cutting skills to a professional level. With its growing popularity, we have received a record number of applications this year and are close to filling the last remaining places. Please note we do not operate a submission deadline but admit suitable candidates on a first come, first serve basis.

                  Approved as a Higher Education (HE) qualification by the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT), the course delivers the full skill set – Bespoke Cutting AND Tailoring  – in ONE structured curriculum. Uniquely, we teach both skill sets for male and female figure types. Our graduates are highly sought after by bespoke tailoring companies, stage production as a well as high end fashion houses. Long-standing experts with decades worth of insight into Savile Row agree The Tailoring Academy is fast becoming *the* place to learn traditional bespoke tailoring skills.

                  “The Tailoring Academy is the benchmark for Bespoke Tailoring education and this
                  should be celebrated 
as the exemplar in the UK.”
                  Alan Cannon Jones MSc. F.FCDE, Chairman of the Judges
                  The Golden Shears competition

                  Once we receive your application, we invite you to a personal interview. This is your opportunity to tell us about your background and motivation to join. Within a few days of your interview you will receive written notification as to whether or not we can offer you a place on the course.

                  Our programme is hugely popular with candidates from around the world and has just become accessible to
                  international students following our accreditation by the British Accreditation Council (BAC).
                  We have now opened the application process for our new International Programme starting 2023.

                   

                  October 2, 2022

                  UKFT awards Approval

                  We are delighted to announce the UK Fashion and Textile Association UKFT has awarded the first course on our new International Programme its stamp of approval! In recognition of its high delivery and assessment standards, the Sector Skills Body will list the Bespoke Jacket course alongside its government regulated qualifications (the Level 5 Diploma in Bespoke Tailoring being one of them).

                  The UKFT Approved scheme recognises and promotes high-quality provision that will equip candidates with the skills required to progress in their chosen career. It is worth noting the panel of assessors pointed out this is the first non-regulated training provision approved by the skills body – proud doesn’t cover it.

                  Admissions are now open: join us for your approved next career move and apply for your place on the programme.
                  Any questions? Send us your enquiry using the form below: