Tailoring

A Tailor is a person whose occupation is the making, mending, or altering of clothes, especially suits, coats, and other outer garments. A Tailor's job is to fashion or to adapt to a particular taste, purpose or need. Tailoring is the term given to the skill or craftsmanship of the Tailor. 

In the United Kingdom, traditional tailoring is called bespoke tailoring. London's Savile Row is the central location for this trade in the United kingdom. Bespoke tailoring differs from made-to-measure in that it does not use pre-existing patterns. A bespoke item of clothing is completely unique and original. It has been created to fit and suit the taste of only the customer who commissioned the garment. I found a really interesting website that archives all the history of bespoke tailoring at London's Savile Row from the Jacobean era to the present day. Most definitely worth having look; http://savilerowbespoke.com/about-us/history/

A Golden Age of Couture Tailoring came about in London and Paris in the years 1947-57. In Paris, the production of tailored Couture was based on a division of labor, with separate in house workshops for dressmaking and tailoring supported by a luxury trade in trimmings and accessories supplied by specialist ateliers all over France. As in Paris, London's tailored Couture workrooms were based on Savile Row and divided between tailoring and dressmaking. The Couture garments created during this period in both London and Paris were ordered by the client, tailored to fit perfectly in the salon, and worn for social events. Two years ago I visited the Victoria and Albert Museum in London which houses a couture tailoring collection of garments tailored in London during this period by British designers such as Digby Morton, Hardy Amies, Norman Hartnell, Lachasse, Charles Creed and Michael Sherard. It also houses couture garments tailored in Paris during this period by French designers such as Christian Dior, Cristobal Balenciaga, Jaques Fath and Pierre Balmain.

Tailored 'Chesterfield' suit by Digby Morton. Wool Tweed, 1954.

Tailored 'Toffee' suit by Charles Creed. Wool with silk braid, 1953.

Tailored Evening dress by Hardy Amies. Machine stitched silk satin, lined with vilene, 1950.

Tailored Cocktail dress by Michael Sherard. Lace with applique lace flowers, 1958.

Tailored evening ensemble by Norman Hartnell. Tulle with embroidery and sequins, 1948.

Queen Elizabeth arrives at a state reception in Paris wearing a tailored 'Flowers of the Fields of France' evening gown by Norman Hartnell, 1957.

Tailored suit by Christobal Balenciaga. Tweed, 1950.

Tailored Suit by Christobal Balenciaga. Tweed, 1954.

Tailored 'Batignolles' day suit by Christian Dior. Worsted, 1952.