What really shocked me about the Ebay seller from Asia was how cheap those MTM dresses are. If it ruins anyone’s business, it would be domestic custom clothiers’ businesses.

I’m a custom clothier and I could care less if a client asks me to reproduce a garment in a fashion magazine for their own closet. To me it’s the same as ripping off something from a costume history book or from the vintage store. My garment will always be from my own original pattern that will fit better than RTW. I charge the client what it costs me to make it, regardless of price of the original. Even when they ask me to reproduce a garment they own, I’ll look at it but I’m still going to make my own pattern. I don’t bother doing a rub-off pattern. By the way, I do mostly menswear so the designs and silhouettes are not as varied as they are in womenswear. Maybe that’s why I don’t mind imitating what’s out there for menswear. It’s like playing rock n roll. Same chords and riffs over and over. I still love it.

Megan said: I don’t understand when people see something in a mag and bring it to me to replicate at a cheaper price.

It does happen that people ask us to do work well below our typical pay grade. There are sundry methods of dealing with this situation and weeding out clients as a custom clothier. Though, those are beyond this forum. However, I will say that it’s interesting to speak to folks from either side of the ‘divide’, namely: production sewists and custom clothiers.

Several of the production sewists I know tell me that they get calls from people asking for one-offs or alterations. They tell me they have a difficult time reading commercial patterns and frequently do not have the skill to alter a pattern (or, garment). They simply want to sew piecework – with all the engineering passed off to the patternmaker and sewing room supervisor.

Conversely, custom clothiers (at least those I know) are entirely too expensive (i.e. at least twice the retail price) to copy a garment. In that regard the proposition is upside down. However, collaborating with a client to design a garment, technically, and providing style guidance is an entirely different matter.

I draw inspiration from some name brand creations but I have no desire to recreate any piece I see in a magazine – there’d be no point. It wouldn’t really be mine or my creation. I like to create new things not just rehash someone else’s design. I don’t understand when people see something in a mag and bring it to me to replicate at a cheaper price. Grrr!

And on the fake bag thing – not only is it tacky to carry a fake LV (or Coach, whatever) it’s also illegal to sell them! They are protected and the copyright infringers fund all kinds of horrible things (child labor, drugs, etc.) I’m assuming clothing design copyright laws are different (though the ebay seller using designer photos is just wrong) since the piece ‘copied’ wouldn’t have fake tags or the designer name attached to it (right?).

Very interesting conversations!

-Janyce

Honestly, because I rarely pay retail for clothing and doing such would be like paying close to a retail price (or more). If I personally knew a showroom that had the dress that I wanted, I’d ask for a favor before I’d pay close to what I think is a retail price for that item.

If I were going for an evening wear, special occasion type dress, I’d consider it. But for my weekend casual look, it’s doesn’t fit with my shopping philosophy.

And don’t get me wrong, I love DEs and I love what you do. But years of selling off price merchandise have just trained me to wait for the job-out.

I am a manufacturer in Canada. I have had endless problems finding a good manufacturer and thinking about bringing some of our designs to Asia because of the frustration and time that I have spent looking and dealing with our current manufacturer. Does anyone know of a city with good manufacturing in the states or china? (most of our business is in the states) I heard Brooklyn has a large manufacturing sector but don’t have a clue what the process and quality is like.
I look forward to hearing about the abroad adventures.