Meet The Team: Elle – Garment Technologist

‘Hi, my name is Elle and I am the senior Garment Technologist for Fashion-Enter Ltd.

‘I’ve not always worked in this role, my journey started a long time ago as a design room assistant for a company in the heart of London’s West End. Here, I spent a few years as a showroom assistant, my role was to cut out samples and carry out minor pattern amendments. I had just finished my BTEC Diploma and this opportunity was too good to miss.

‘Fashion in the late 80’s early 90’s was booming, there was no fast fashion and we only worked to seasons. I was surprised how much I learnt in my role just by cutting samples. My knowledge allowed me to progress to junior pattern cutter, creating patterns from sketches and then soon enough I had the ability and confidence to create patterns from actual garments.

‘A few years on, I took the role of designer/pattern cutter. I was fortunate to travel all over, picking up fashion ideas from top designers in New York, Paris and Milan just to name some of my trips. Once inspired by the shows and fashion trips abroad, I was straight back in the office creating ranges for our customers. It was my knowledge of pattern cutting that lead me to my current role.

‘Fast fashion took over just after the new millennium, bringing with it, new guidelines and rules. Garments were required to be measured, fitted and had to correspond to the specifications agreed. Failing to meet these specifications, lead to cancellations. That is why it is important for a garment tech to have good knowledge of how a garment should fit and most importantly, what they can achieve to put it right.

‘There are two important factors to being a good garment tech. Firstly, having good knowledge of patterns and how they fit, secondly good communication skills. You need to work closely with the customers you are dealing with and build up trust. This trust attributes to many positive factors in the day-to-day running of the company.

‘My experience working with so many companies has not only broadened my knowledge it has awarded me to repeatedly cross paths with many talented individuals, and continue to meet a whole bunch of new ones.’