A dressmaker, also known as a seamstress, is a person who makes

clothing Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...

for women, such as dresses,

blouse A blouse () is a loose-fitting upper garment that may be worn by workmen, peasants, artists, women, and children.The Concise Oxford English Dictionary It is typically gathered at the waist or hips (by tight hem, pleats, parter, or belt) so th ...

s, and

evening gown An evening gown, evening dress or gown is a long dress usually worn at formal occasions. The drop ranges from Ballerina skirt, ballerina (mid-calf to just above the ankles), Tea length, tea (above the ankles), to Skirt length, full-length. S ...

s. Dressmakers were historically known as

mantua Mantua ( ; ; Lombard language, Lombard and ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region of Lombardy, and capital of the Province of Mantua, eponymous province. In 2016, Mantua was designated as the "Italian Capital of Culture". In 2 ...

-makers, and are also known as a modiste or fabrician.

Notable dressmakers

Cristóbal Balenciaga Cristóbal Balenciaga Eizaguirre (; ; 21 January 1895 – 23 March 1972) was a Spanish fashion designer, and the founder of the Balenciaga clothing brand. He had a reputation as a couturier of uncompromising standards and was referred to as "th ...

Pierre Balmain Pierre Alexandre Claudius Balmain (; 18 May 1914 – 29 June 1982) was a French fashion designer and founder of leading post-war fashion house Balmain (fashion house), Balmain. Known for sophistication and elegance, he described the art of dre ...

Coco Chanel Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel ( , ; 19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971) was a French fashion designer and Businessperson, businesswoman. The founder and namesake of the Chanel brand, she was credited in the post-World War I era with populari ...

Christian Dior Christian Ernest Dior (; 21 January 1905 – 24 October 1957) was a French fashion designer and founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, Dior, Christian Dior SE. His fashion house is known all around the world, having gained promi ...

* David Emanuel *

Norman Hartnell Sir Norman Bishop Hartnell (12 June 1901 – 8 June 1979) was a leading British fashion designer, best known for his work for the ladies of the British royal family, royal family. Hartnell gained the Royal Warrant of Appointment (United Kingdom ...

, royal dressmaker * Elizabeth Keckley, modiste and confidante to Mary Todd Lincoln * Jean Muir, fashion designer * Madame Palmyre, a favorite designer and dressmaker of Eugénie, empress of France * Anna and Laura Tirocchi, Providence, Rhode Island * Isabel Toledo * Madeleine Vionnet * R'Bonney Gabriel, fashion designer and beauty queen of Miss Universe 2022 * Mak Tumang, fashion designer * Michael Cinco, fashion designer * Janet Walker, costumier and dress-making-bust inventor * Charles Frederick Worth

Related terms

Jean Baptiste Jules Trayer Bretonische Schneiderinnen 1854

* "Dressmaker" denotes clothing made in the

style Style, or styles may refer to: Film and television * ''Style'' (2001 film), a Hindi film starring Sharman Joshi, Riya Sen, Sahil Khan and Shilpi Mudgal * ''Style'' (2002 film), a Tamil drama film * ''Style'' (2004 film), a Burmese film * '' ...

of a dressmaker, frequently in the term "dressmaker details", which includes ruffles, frills,

ribbon A ribbon or riband is a thin band of material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily as decorative binding and tying. Cloth ribbons are made of natural materials such as silk, cotton, and jute and of synthetic mate ...

braid A braid (also referred to as a plait; ) is a complex structure or pattern formed by interlacing three or more strands of flexible material such as textile yarns, wire, or hair. The simplest and most common version is a flat, solid, three-strand ...

trim. "Dressmaker" in this sense is contrasted to "

tailor A tailor is a person who makes or alters clothing, particularly in men's clothing. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the thirteenth century. History Although clothing construction goes back to prehistory, there is evidence of ...

ed" and has fallen out of use since the rise of casual wear in the mid-20th century. * Mantua-maker, in the 18th century a maker of mantuas, or in general a dressmaker. * Modiste, a maker of fashionable clothing and accessories, with the implication that the articles made reflect the current

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

fashion Fashion is a term used interchangeably to describe the creation of clothing, footwear, Fashion accessory, accessories, cosmetics, and jewellery of different cultural aesthetics and their mix and match into Clothing, outfits that depict distinct ...

s. * Fabrician, a person who is considered an expert in making modifications and alterations to fabrics and other articles of clothing. * Sewing professional is the most general term for those who make their living by sewing, teaching, writing about sewing, or retailing sewing supplies. A sewing professional may work out of the home, a studio, or a retail shop and work part-time or full-time. This work may include any or all of the following sub-specialties: ** A custom clothier makes custom garments one at a time, to order, to meet an individual customer's needs and preferences. ** A custom dressmaker specializes in women's custom apparel, including day dresses, career wear, suits, evening or bridal wear, sportswear, or lingerie. ** A tailor/tailoress makes custom menswear-style jackets and the skirts or trousers that go with them for men or women. ** An alterations specialist or alterationist adjusts the fit of completed garments, usually ready-to-wear, or restyles them. Note that while all tailors can do alterations, by no means can all alterationists do tailoring. ** Designers choose combinations of line, proportion, color, and texture for intended garments. They may have no sewing or patternmaking skills and only sketch or conceptualize garments. ** Patternmakers flat draft the shapes and sizes of numerous pieces of a garment by hand using paper and measuring tools, computer using CAD software, or by draping muslin on a dress form. ** A wardrobe consultant or fashion advisor recommends styles and colors for a client. ** A seamstress is a woman who sews, especially one who earns a living by sewing. Before the

Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...

, a seamstress did hand sewing, especially under the

putting-out system The putting-out system is a means of subcontracting work, like a tailor. Historically, it was also known as the workshop system and the domestic system. In putting-out, work is contracted by a central agent to subcontractors who complete the p ...

. Older variants are seamster and sempstress. **A

costume designer A costume designer is a person who designs costumes for a film, stage production or television show. The role of the costume designer is to create the characters' outfits or costumes and balance the scenes with texture and colour, etc. The costum ...

is a person who designs costumes for a film, stage production, or television show.

References

External links

{{Authority control Fashion occupations Sewing

Notable dressmakers

Related terms

See also

References

Further reading

External links