Dear Eric,Eric_YoungTailor wrote:Good evening all.
I don't post much here but I do spend a great deal of time reading posts and marveling at the beautiful workmanship on display. I wanted to post a comment on this topic from a different view. I hope to not come across bitter in this "rant". I am an apprentice, or rather I was an apprentice. My wife and I sold all we own in order to pursue my love of tailoring. I was 26 at the time and together we moved to Italy where I learned under Maestro Gallo until our money ran out. I lived and breathed tailoring. For two years I was the first to arrive at the shop and the last to leave. When I went home to our closet sized studio I crouched by the little light source and practiced button holes. At night I dreamed the steps necessary to make a bespoke coat so perfectly described by Mr. Shattuck. I worked hard and even with the huge language barrier I was able to complete three full suits with the aid of my Meastro. 6 months ago we left Rome and returned to the states, broke but full of hope. I came back with experience anda basic understanding of suit making. Upon arrival to the states I hit the ground running I contacted every tailor in the states who remotely looked like he does something relatively close to bespoke work and I got nothing. Not one tailor wanted to "try" me out, most never responded to my calls or emails. I never asked for money just knowledge. All I wanted was to continue my work. To put in the time needed to become a Maestro and all I asked for was a master to help me. Frank is right you cannot learn this in a little time, you can't learn it on your own and no book will contain the information needed to train your hands what to feel or how to move. But if those in the know won't teach then tailoring is already dead and has no chance of even thinking about entering into the "computer age." I currently am trying (with little luck) to teach myself how to tailor when I am not at work in a coffee shop.
It just becomes boring hearing tailors complain about their craft dying when there are youth out there dying to work.
this is a moving story and proof that young people are passionate about tailoring, the same as young people (some, I admit it) are also passionate about wearing tailored suits.
Stay true to yourself and follow your path, please. And keep us updated. Fingers crossed!
David