I want to make structured jackets
Course 4: Tailored Jackets & Waistcoats is the course. Jackets and waistcoats drafted for the male form, with advanced construction planning, stabilisation and lining.
Tailoring Course in Cape Town
A tailored jacket is the hardest thing most sewers ever attempt, because the shape is not in the fabric — it is in what you put inside it.
Course 4 drafts and constructs tailored jackets and waistcoats to fit the male form, with the construction planning, stabilisation and lining work that make a jacket hang properly and keep hanging properly.
Where tailoring sits in the school
Tailoring is the fourth course, and it is deliberately not an entry point. The construction work assumes you can already draft and build a garment.
I have not done the earlier courses
You will need to. Course 4 requires successful completion of Courses 1, 2 and 3 — strict, not advisory. Start at Course 1: Beginner Pattern-Making and work up.
I want the whole professional path
The Courses 1 to 4 package takes you from your first block to a finished tailored jacket, in one enrolment.
I want corsetry and structured eveningwear
That is Course 5 — corsetry, bra cup drafting and draping. It is taken by arrangement rather than open enrolment, so enquire first and we will talk about whether you are ready.
What the tailoring course covers
Drafting for the male form
Jacket and waistcoat blocks drafted to the measurements of the body being dressed, not adapted from a women's block and made to work.
Construction planning
Deciding the order of the build before you cut — what gets stabilised, where the seams fall, and what has to happen before the lining goes in.
Structure and stabilisation
The interlining and support that keep lapels flat and shoulders square. This is the part that separates tailoring from dressmaking.
Lining and finishing
Professional lining techniques, clean internal seams, and the hand-finishing that makes the inside of the jacket presentable.
Questions about the tailoring course
Do I need experience before the tailoring course?
Yes. Courses 1, 2 and 3 must be completed first. Tailoring assumes you can already draft a block, plan a construction order and operate an industrial machine.
Is this Savile Row hand-canvassing?
No, and we will not pretend otherwise. It is structured tailoring: drafted patterns, professional stabilisation, correct construction order and lining work. Traditional hand-canvassing is a lifetime apprenticeship and a different discipline.
What do I make during the course?
A tailored jacket and a waistcoat, drafted to measurements rather than a stock size. Fabric for assignments is not included in the course fee.
How much does it cost?
R2 250 for the course, or R9 000 for Courses 1 to 4 together. Fees can be split into three instalments via Payflex at checkout.
How long does it take?
Courses run through the year with one class a week. Registration is open all year, and you can start at the next intake — most people take Courses 1 and 2 first, which affects the timeline more than anything else.
The honest starting point
If tailoring is where you want to end up, Course 1 is where you begin. Trying to skip the blocks shows in the first fitting of a jacket and there is no way to patch it later.
Phone the studio on (081) 330-8775 or email info@schooloffashion.co.za.