FRENCH COUTURE JACKET

THE DRESSMAKERS ACADEMY

This journal series documents the process of learning French couture jacket construction — from fabric sourcing and preparation to hand stitching, structure, and slow assembly through traditional methods.

During an eight-day course in Arona, Italy — near Lake Como — I learned traditional couture construction methods rooted in French tailoring. Working primarily by hand, the process focused on structure, patience, and precision, with techniques passed down through generations of makers.

THE ARTICLE SERIES

These three walk through the whole workshop — the teaching, the hands-on bits, and the endless hand-stitching that ate up most of the eight days. What I learned there still shows up in how I sew now. When you're building something entirely by hand, there's no rushing it and nowhere to hide.

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