In difficult times, people make their own clothes.

When times are tough people build their own houses, grow their own food and make their own clothes and by so doing find a new pride in working with their hands as well as saving lots of money, Futurists label this new trend towards making things as ‘status skills’.

Consumers are weary of their purchases and jobs and making money and spending money has lost its appeal as people feel they want more out of life. As the ‘atmosfear’ grows there people are staying home more and looking for ways to simplify their lives and reduce the stress

Fashion is reflecting this trend and is changing from throwaway fads to long lasting classics.The mass produced is something that people are looking to avoid these days. Brand labels are rapidly losing their loyalty as consumers are look for ways to make themselves stand out an be seen as an individual.

They are looking to the roots of their past to find their individuality in the hope that the things that were solid back there may help with what the future will bring.. Consumers are looking for value, anchored more in the past when skill and individuality were in vogue

Modern designers , like Lisa Gorman who took a big commercial risk in producing only chemical free garments for her designs is now becoming fashionable in the market place and has in Melbourne very distinctive designs in her two flagship shops in Richmond and the Post Officewhich are doing well despite the higher price. She is invidual and so are her clients.

Others are now gearing their business to the local market as they become increasingly disillusioned with the wasteful resources used in the global manufacturing chain.

As Gwendolyn Burkin says “There is a saturation of ‘ready to wear’ product in the market, the culture of constant sales is now so predominant and there is so much imported product that I’ve identified bridal and evening wear as a more viable business” It is very rewarding when a mature age learner rings the College of Fashion Design and says “How exciting that I can realise my dream at last I have always wanted to do this since I was 15 and now I can do it home in my own time!!

Or a young person says “ I want to learn to make couture like Balenciaga or Dior I hate the mass production. I want to make all my own clothes”

The wonderful thing is that the SITAM AB skills education program used by the College of Fashion Design combines the best of the old European couture knowledge with the modern teaching methods, so even though couture is no longer economical (unless you have 100 seamstresses) you can make custom made garments both for yourself and others which equal the elegance and fit of the golden age of couture. Believe it

You need good patterndrafting skills to make your own clothes. I am constantly amazed at the variations in womens’shapes. Long back, large bust, tiny waist. The good thing is that as you learn to use your SITAM AB patterndrafting template you have a frame of reference to make the adjustments for your figure shape. It is very exciting seeing your shape appear on the paper.