Insufficient allure: the luxurious art and cost of creative pattern cutting

Creative pattern cutting really pushes the boundaries of design. It is a luxury that breaks all traditional rules. The whole process however is costly, in both the use of cloth and the time it takes to produce a pattern. This paper examines creative cutting from final year fashion students. It celebrates the student’s individual philosophies towards creative cut and examines how the industry promotes pattern cutting to students as a viable career option. The role of the pattern cutter can have as much glamorous allure as the role of the designer although it is at a lower key. Its allure comes from creative satisfaction and integrity. The paper also discusses the realistic and commercial cost implications in the production of creatively cut garments and suggests pragmatic ways to maintain this luxurious creativity with cost effectiveness.