Outerwear pattern cutting, from a studio in Italy.

Pattern cutting or pattern making — the same craft

British brands call it pattern cutting, American brands call it pattern making. It is the same work: turning a design into the pieces a factory can actually cut and sew, and making sure the garment repeats at every size.

The studio works in the vocabulary you use: first pattern, grading, fit sample, tech pack, defect correction. What matters is the garment, not the label on the job.

How it works when you are not in Italy

Most of the work has always been done at a distance, including for clients in the same country. Distance changes the logistics, not the method.

1. You send the brief. A tech pack, a sketch, a reference garment, or an existing pattern that is not behaving. If it is an existing file, its condition is assessed before anything is accepted.
2. The NDA is signed first. Before any file is exchanged. Patterns, tech packs, sample images and the existence of the collaboration itself stay confidential.
3. The pattern is developed and graded. You receive DXF AAMA/ASTM files, which open in Lectra, Optitex and Gerber, so your factory or your internal team can work with them directly.
4. The prototype, if you want one. It can be made in Italy and shipped to you, or you can prototype in-house and send back photographs and measurements for the fitting corrections.

Timelines

• Base pattern, size grading, one fitting and tech pack: 10–15 working days, plus prototyping lab time, which sits outside the studio.
• Seasonal variation on a validated pattern: 4–6 working days.
• Defect correction on a pattern you already have: 3–5 working days, if the file is in good condition. The state of the file is assessed at no cost before the work is accepted.
• A complete seasonal package of five to eight garments: 6–10 calendar weeks, depending on overlap and your priorities.

What the studio does not do

No design, no styling, no manufacturing at scale. The studio builds patterns and prototypes for garments someone else has designed and someone else will produce. That limit is the reason the work is precise.

Confidentiality

Every project is covered by an NDA signed before any file sharing. The names of the maisons the studio works with are never disclosed, in either direction — which is also the reason you will not find a client list on this website.

Open a conversation with the studio