EN: Discovering the job of a cutter: a little-known but essential skill

In the world of fashion, the spotlight often shines on designers and patternmakers. However, behind the scenes, other experts play a crucial role in garment creation. This is the case with M., a cutter at a prestigious couture house within the LVMH group for nearly seven years. Passionate and experienced, she opens the doors to her profession for us.

A Central Role in Garment Making

"Cutting is an essential step in garment production," explains M. Her job involves cutting fabrics according to patterns created by patternmakers. It’s a task requiring extreme precision: "You have to correctly position each piece, match patterns when necessary, and respect the direction of the fabric."

Dresses, jackets, trousers... M. works with a wide variety of designs and materials: silk, cashmere, sequins, printed fabrics... "Each material reacts differently when cut. It’s a genuine skill acquired through experience," she points out.

Learning on the Job

M. discovered sewing at a young age in Ivory Coast, in a traditional workshop. "I was about 7 or 8 years old when I started learning. Everything was done by hand, without patterns or digital tools." Upon arriving in France, she attended training at the school of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode and gained diverse experiences before specializing in cutting.

"Many young people pursue careers in fashion design or patternmaking, but very few truly understand technical roles like cutting," she regrets. This lack of awareness poses problems, making it challenging to recruit experienced cutters.

A Manual and Demanding Job

Beyond precision and attention to detail, cutting is also physically demanding. "We stand all day, handle large pieces of fabric, sometimes very heavy," M. reveals. Rigor and patience are also essential: "You must be passionate and enjoy working with your hands."

Teamwork also plays a key role. "Cutting is done in several stages, and each cutter may be responsible for a different part," she details. Once the pieces are cut, they go through ironing, essential for preparing the fabrics before assembly.

A Passion Born in Childhood

Emotionally, M. recalls her first memories linked to sewing: "My uncle was a tailor, and I loved spending time in his workshop. I collected scraps of fabric to make clothes... for my dolls made from banana bunches!" By 15 or 16, she knew she wanted to become a seamstress. "My father asked if I was sure of my choice and agreed to finance my training. Today, I absolutely do not regret it!"

Passing on Precious Expertise

M. occasionally welcomes interns, although their stays are often too short to fully immerse themselves in the profession. To raise awareness about cutting, she believes more outreach is necessary: "Once people discover cutting, they can quickly fall in love with the job!"

For young people interested in this field, her advice is simple: "You must try it. You can't love a job you don't know! Be curious, ask questions, and most importantly, practice."

M. concludes enthusiastically: "I love my job, the team is fantastic, and the atmosphere is great. When you feel good somewhere, why leave?"

French version