So what is a pattern, anyway?

Hilary drafting a pattern by hand.

For us, the most important stage of creating a garment is the pattern. A pattern can make or break a piece of clothing. So what is a pattern, anyway?

A pattern is the 2-dimensional plan, or blueprint, of a piece of clothing. They can either be drafted by hand or digitally on CAD software (we make ours by hand on alphanumeric dot paper).

Each part of a garment needs a pattern piece. The pattern pieces are laid directly on a piece of fabric, and each piece is carefully cut out. The shape of each pattern piece determines how the different pieces of the garment fit together, and how the garment fits on your body. Ever try on a piece of clothing and it just feels weird? Shoulders uncomfortable? Too boxy looking? All problems with the pattern. The pattern is fundamental -- if there is a problem with the pattern, there will inevitably be a problem with the garment.

After a pattern is made and tested and approved, it is digitized and size graded. Each size is printed out on a marker which is used to cut an entire production of a style. More on that later...