Tailor Job Profile
April 22, 2025 - April 22, 2025
Find out the typical duties requirements and opportunities of a tailor…
TAILOR
Job Description
A tailor differs from a fashion designer, because a tailor provides a personal service to each client specialising in modifications and adjustments. Most tailors run their own businesses within a small shop, whereas others offer home services whilst working elsewhere. As a tailor you will complete a lot of repair work, and alterations, to suit a customer’s needs. Sometimes you may be required to create custom clothing. This entails letting the customer choose which fabric they want, taking the customer’s measurements and making the requested garment. The customer will then come back to your shop (or you will visit their home) for a fitting and to see if alterations are needed. The majority of tailors work 40 hours a week, but they are often needed to work weekends and evenings.
Typical Duties
- Completing alterations to garments using a thread or sewing machine
- Adapting and developing existing designs
- Dealing with customers
- Drawing patterns or altering existing patterns
- Pressing garments
Skills and Interests
- Be willing to work extra hours
- Be able to communicate clearly and provide a personal customer service
- Have the ability to work to deadlines
- You must show a keen interest for tailoring and fashion
- Have the relevant sewing/pattern cutting skills
- Give off a friendly and approachable vibe
- Be able to work quickly but efficiently
Job Requirements
If you are starting up your own tailoring business you will need business acumen. Most tailors learn on the job, so you may wish to go straight from school to work as an apprentice. You will work alongside a master tailor and follow an extensive, lengthy on-the-job training process in order to become a skilled bespoke tailor.
It could be an advantage when looking for work if you have some relevant skills and there are a number of courses that may help you with this, for example:
- City & Guilds levels 1 to 3 in Creative Techniques in Fashion
- ABC awards in Fashion and Textiles
- BTEC National Certificate or Diploma in Art and Design
- NOCN levels 1 to 3 in Creative Skills.
Opportunities
After working within a company, you may decide to become self-employed, or progress to a supervisor or senior tailor role. Self employed tailors are able to set their own rates of charge. Starting salary for an inexperienced tailor is usually £11,500 to £13,000 a year. With experience it can rise to between £14,000 and £18,000. Then finally the highest wage for a senior tailor (Savile row outlets) can be around £50,000.
