Clothing was often made by hand at home. It was frequently repaired and even repurposed into different garments.
From 1860, ready-to-wear clothing, made on sewing machines in sewing workshops, also became available. Working conditions at that time were similar to today's sweatshops.
Better-quality made-to-measure clothing was made by tailors. Until the Second World War, you would have called upon the services of a tailor for a suit, overcoat or shirt. Tailors did use sewing machines, but everything was mostly finished by hand.
In this tailor’s workshop dating back to approximately 1930, the master tailor is sitting on top of his workbench to prevent large pieces of material from dragging along the floor. This position gives him a clear overview of his work and easy access to everything he needs. The wool fabric on his lap provides extra warmth in winter. He is sitting cross-legged to spare his back.
The tailor would need accurate arm, leg, chest and waist measurements to produce a made-to-measure suit. Once you had chosen a fabric from the range on offer, he was ready to start. A design would be drawn on tracing paper, the pattern cut out and transferred to the fabric using chalk and basting thread. He would then cut the fabric, allowing extra fabric for the seams.
Once the garment had been provisionally sewn using basting thread, which was easy to remove afterwards, the tailor would invite you for an initial fitting. Any necessary adjustments were made before the different parts were finally sewn together. The garment would then be finished, e.g. adding stiffener in the collar and a lining, beautifully pressed and delivered. Tailors used irons that were heated on their typical stoves.
The workshop for men’s tailoring includes several unfinished items of clothing. These clearly illustrate the various stages of made-to-measure clothing production. Pattern shapes are hung on the wall alongside the sewing machine, and the tailor’s window displays the latest fashion trends from Paris.