Gents -
Having had a fantastic experience of bespoke suits made for a number of years by my tailor, until reading and researching more recently about tailoring and the history of bespoke online - I did not know there was such a thing as a 'cutter' or a 'coatmaker'.
To me a tailor was a tailor. Someone who 'did it all'.
That is someone who takes your measurements, creates your pattern, cuts the cloth and sews the cloth himself, til the garment is on your back.
Only until a few weeks ago, repeatedly hearing the term 'cutter' did I realise that it was not being used as euphemism for 'tailor'.
So my question is.... what does a cutter do? !
Is it simply someone who cuts the cloth, nothing more?
I am very intrigued by the different roles. Which is deemed the most 'skilled'?
Cheers
Cutters, tailors, coatmakers, candlestick makers and bakers.
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storeynicholas
You are setting the tinder box near the keg.Bespoke Gent wrote:Gents -
Having had a fantastic experience of bespoke suits made for a number of years by my tailor, until reading and researching more recently about tailoring and the history of bespoke online - I did not know there was such a thing as a 'cutter' or a 'coatmaker'.
To me a tailor was a tailor. Someone who 'did it all'.
That is someone who takes your measurements, creates your pattern, cuts the cloth and sews the cloth himself, til the garment is on your back.
Only until a few weeks ago, repeatedly hearing the term 'cutter' did I realise that it was not being used as euphemism for 'tailor'.
So my question is.... what does a cutter do? !
Is it simply someone who cuts the cloth, nothing more?
I am very intrigued by the different roles. Which is deemed the most 'skilled'?
Cheers
NJS
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Greger
In big houses the tailors construct the garments and cutters measure and make the patterns and cut the cloth.
In smaller houses they are the same thing, because they do both.
In smaller houses they are the same thing, because they do both.
The very first page of Richard Walker's The Savile Row Story: An Illustrated History contains a piece of conceptual clarification which might be helpful here:
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storeynicholas
More kindling around that keg please - on we go..............get those sparks flying from that tinder-box ------------and watch your backs please ------there she goes!!!!!!!!!!
NJS
NJS
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andreyb
Actual cutting of cloth called "striking"... thus, this is a job for a "striker" (cutter's apprentice). 
Cutter just draws lines on cloth. Of course, if there are no suitable apprentices, he/she also cuts the cloth himself/herself.
Andrey
Cutter just draws lines on cloth. Of course, if there are no suitable apprentices, he/she also cuts the cloth himself/herself.
Andrey
there is no law to consult concerning titles in the tailoring industry.
if you deal with a tailor working by himself. he is the designer-pattern maker-fitter-cutter- tryon maker-pant maker-vest maker-the bushel man-the sales man-the manager-he collects the money-and from that pays the bills. if he is really fast he can do one suit in a 60 hour week but often more hours.
in a large custom establishment there are many people in many jobs. one that i remember was [and not related to billy] "strayhorn" here in chicago.
first the owner who did the selling. then the cutter did the measuring and pattern makin. then the chopper laid patterns cut the cloth and cut the trimmings. the cut jacket and vest went to the try on maker. the cut pant to the pant maker. the coat and vest fittings were done by the cutter then recut and patterns adjusted. the coat went to the coat maker and the vest to the vest maker. additional fittings may be done by the cutter when the coat is half done. there are also finishers, ladies that do hand work, padding canvas, lapels, and collars also felling tapes, and linings. some just made buttonholes. if the finisher helped, then the coat maker was paid less. the coat maker had to choose how to work. some large places had an off presser who only pressed finished coats. that also cut the coat makers piece work rate. but then he could make many more coats. when the finished suit needed adjustment there was the bushel man who did alterations. if there was no bushel man, then a coatmaker or the tryon maker was paid extra for that. in the large custom shops there were quite a number of coat makers and such.
thats a lot of different tailors.
if you deal with a tailor working by himself. he is the designer-pattern maker-fitter-cutter- tryon maker-pant maker-vest maker-the bushel man-the sales man-the manager-he collects the money-and from that pays the bills. if he is really fast he can do one suit in a 60 hour week but often more hours.
in a large custom establishment there are many people in many jobs. one that i remember was [and not related to billy] "strayhorn" here in chicago.
first the owner who did the selling. then the cutter did the measuring and pattern makin. then the chopper laid patterns cut the cloth and cut the trimmings. the cut jacket and vest went to the try on maker. the cut pant to the pant maker. the coat and vest fittings were done by the cutter then recut and patterns adjusted. the coat went to the coat maker and the vest to the vest maker. additional fittings may be done by the cutter when the coat is half done. there are also finishers, ladies that do hand work, padding canvas, lapels, and collars also felling tapes, and linings. some just made buttonholes. if the finisher helped, then the coat maker was paid less. the coat maker had to choose how to work. some large places had an off presser who only pressed finished coats. that also cut the coat makers piece work rate. but then he could make many more coats. when the finished suit needed adjustment there was the bushel man who did alterations. if there was no bushel man, then a coatmaker or the tryon maker was paid extra for that. in the large custom shops there were quite a number of coat makers and such.
thats a lot of different tailors.
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The Doctor
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Years ago at A&S a cutter would normally only speak to a tailor if he was explaining what he wanted done on the coat. It was very much upstairs, downstairs. With plenty of banter each way.
Which brings me to my tale....
A chap walks in to a shop to buy new brain where upon he's told by the proprietor that he has:
A Generals brain that he could do for £2 million
A Professors brain at £4 million
and a Tailors brain at £10 million
When asking why the tailors brain was so much, the reply came... "Its never been used!"
Edwin DeBoise
www.steed.co.uk
Which brings me to my tale....
A chap walks in to a shop to buy new brain where upon he's told by the proprietor that he has:
A Generals brain that he could do for £2 million
A Professors brain at £4 million
and a Tailors brain at £10 million
When asking why the tailors brain was so much, the reply came... "Its never been used!"
Edwin DeBoise
www.steed.co.uk
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