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Useful experience for tailors/dressmakers includes:

• community or night courses in dressmaking
• work as a sewing machinist
• work in a clothing factory or workroom.

Tailors/dressmakers may do some or all of the following:

• discuss customers' clothing requirements
• take customers' measurements and fit clothing on customers
• estimate how much the clothing will cost to make
• source materials
• mark and cut the material according to the design
• sew clothing
• do alterations or add details such as padding to clothing
• design or alter patterns.

While the number of available roles is currently low, employers still struggle to find tailors/dressmakers with the right skills and practical experience as there are not enough students studying fashion technology.

According to Statistics New Zealand, the number of tailor/dressmaker jobs is expected to rise between now and 2027.

This is due to growing demand for:

• high-end clothing such as suits and wedding dresses
• clothing bought online, such as wedding dresses, needing alteration
• environmentally-friendly clothing
• clothing made in New Zealand.

While the number of available roles is currently low, employers still struggle to find tailors/dressmakers with the right skills and practical experience as there are not enough students studying fashion technology.

Experience in sewing and customer service a must

Practical experience is important for getting work as a tailor/dressmaker. Many tailors/dressmakers have experience in other clothing-related roles such as cutting and sewing, or through a fashion technology course.

Employers also prefer to hire tailors/dressmakers with customer service experience.

According to the Census, 684 tailors/dressmakers worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Types of employers varied

Tailors/dressmakers may work for:

• high-end and businesswear tailors
• clothing alteration shops
• clothing retailers
• wedding and special occasion wear makers
• corporate wardrobe manufacturers.

Many tailors/dressmakers are self-employed.

Competenz

0800 526 1800 - info@competenz.org.nz - www.competenz.org.nz

Whitecliffe College of Art and Design

0800 800 300 - admissions@whitecliffe.ac.nz - www.whitecliffe.ac.nz

Tailors/dressmakers may progress to set up their own business, or with further training become garment technicians, patternmakers or fashion designers.

• Garment technician job information
• Patternmaker job information
• Fashion designer job information

Tailors/dressmakers may specialise in:

• alterations
• wedding and special occasion gowns
• suits
• corporate wear
• work wear.

Tailors/dressmakers need to be:

• creative, with an eye for colour
• quick and neat
• accurate, with an eye for detail
• able to work well under pressure
• able to be honest with their clients about how clothes look on them
• good at customer service
• good communicators and listeners, with the ability to interpret a client's requirements.