Creative Pattern Cutter

De La Vali is seeking an experienced freelance Creative Pattern Cutter to work with the design team, turning sketches and samples into well-fitting, production-ready patterns for our womenswear collections. This will include working closely with our designers and production team, and your patterns will go straight to our factories.

Key Responsibilities of the Creative Pattern Cutter:

• Cut first patterns from design sketches, technical drawings or reference garments, in line with the brief and the intended fit, and make your own toiles to test and refine each pattern before sampling.
• Develop and correct patterns after each sample and fitting, recording every change clearly.
• Attend fittings (live model and fit sessions) and give clear feedback on fit, balance and construction.
• Advise designers on construction, fabric behaviour and cost-efficient pattern and marker use.
• Prepare clean, labelled final patterns, with notches, grainlines and seam allowances, for factory release.
• Support technical packs with construction details and measurement specifications.
• Work with the production team to resolve fit or pattern queries from our overseas factories.

What De La Vali is looking for…

Required:

• At least 7 years’ professional experience cutting womenswear patterns, ideally in dresses, tops and lightweight tailoring.
• Strong, proven experience draping on the stand, alongside solid flat pattern cutting skills and a good understanding of fit and garment construction.
• Able to make your own toiles, sewing them to a high standard and fitting them on the stand and on a model.
• Experience working to a brief and a sample schedule, and communicating changes clearly to a design team and to factories.
• Excellent attention to detail, and well-organised, clearly named pattern files.
• Own transport or ability to attend fittings in London.

Beneficial:

• Experience working with overseas manufacturers and wholesale-quality production standards.
• Knowledge of fabrics such as viscose, cotton, linen, silk and knits, and how they behave in production.