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Melange Africa -Africa’s premier lifestyle website
  • Fashion
    • Accessories
    • Clothing
    • Footwear
    • Photography
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African Fashion

    ClothingFashion

    Tailors vs. Designers: Why the Industry Needs Both to Thrive

    by melange August 12, 2025

    A client walks into a corner store tailor shop with a photo of a screenshot took on Pinterest from a renowned Designer. They ask for the exact same dress, but “better.” The tailor, armed with years of sewing experience, can replicate the garment’s cut, even improve the fit- but that designer look didn’t begin at a sewing machine. It began on a designer’s sketchpad, rooted in research, storytelling, and a brand’s creative vision.

    In fashion conversations, especially across Africa, there’s a silent tug-of-war between two essential roles: the tailor or seamstress and the designer. The public often conflates the two, sometimes even pitting them against each other. But the truth is, neither can truly replace the other, and our industry would be stronger if we stopped comparing and started collaborating.

    The Distinction That Matters

    A tailor or seamstress is a master of garment construction. They ensure clothing fits perfectly, drapes beautifully, and lasts longer. They interpret patterns, adapt designs, make alterations, and work with the precision of a surgeon.

    A designer is a visionary. They create original concepts, forecast trends, develop collections, and craft the story that a garment communicates. They know how to balance creativity with market demands, building a brand identity that resonates beyond fabric and thread.

    Of course, some tailors design, and some designers can sew – but their primary functions differ. Think of it like architecture and construction: the architect imagines and plans the structure, the builder ensures it stands strong. Both are indispensable.

    Misconceptions that Holds Us Back

    One of the biggest misconceptions is that tailors are “just sewing” or that designers are “just drawing.” These oversimplifications devalue years of skill, training, and practice.

    In many African fashion markets, this misunderstanding has economic consequences. A client might expect a tailor to create an original couture-level design at the price of an alteration, or dismiss a designer’s work because “my seamstress can make it.” This mindset not only erodes mutual respect but also discourages collaboration.

    Why the Industry Needs Both

    Fashion thrives at the intersection of vision and craftsmanship. Without designers, fashion risks becoming repetitive, lacking fresh ideas and cultural relevance. Without tailors, even the most brilliant design remains just an illustration.

    Here’s why the partnership matters:

    • From Concept to Creation: A designer’s mood board becomes wearable art through a tailor’s technical skill.
    • Quality and Longevity: Expert tailoring elevates the durability, comfort, and finish of a garment, ensuring customers come back.
    • Innovation Meets Tradition: African designers can introduce new silhouettes, but it’s tailors who adapt those ideas for local body types and lifestyles.
    • Scaling the Industry: Strong designer-tailor partnerships can help African brands compete internationally, balancing creativity with production efficiency.

    Globally, the most celebrated fashion houses from Valentino to Chanel rely on highly skilled ateliers to bring a designer’s ideas to life. Why should our industry be any different?

    Bridging the Gap

    The solution lies in collaboration, education, and respect.

    • Collaborative Training: Design schools should teach sewing and construction; tailoring apprenticeships should include lessons in design, branding, and trend analysis.

    • Mutual Credit: Designers should publicly acknowledge the tailors who execute their collections; tailors should credit the designers whose ideas they adapt or replicate.

    • Shared Platforms: Fashion weeks, exhibitions, and awards should spotlight both visionaries and makers, not just one side of the equation. As we’ve mostly seen only ‘designers’take the reward at fashion shows.

    When these worlds merge, the results are extraordinary. Ghanaian and Nigerian brands that combine strong design with impeccable tailoring are already setting a standard for excellence, showing the global industry what’s possible when creativity meets craftsmanship.

    A Call to the Industry

    Fashion is not a one-man show; it’s a chain of skills and passions linked together. Tailors and designers are two sides of the same coin, and one without the other is incomplete. As we work to position African fashion on the global stage, let’s celebrate both – the dreamers and the doers, the vision and the hands.

    Because when tailors and designers thrive together, so does the industry.

    August 12, 2025
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  • ClothingEvents & News

    “What’s Happening with Our Oceans? Banke Kuku Set to Blend Sustainabilitywith Style in New Collection, Oceans”

    by melange October 18, 2024
    October 18, 2024

    Internationally recognized fashion designer, Banke Kuku, is set to make waves in the fashion industry once again with the release…

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  • ClothingEvents & NewsFashion

    February by Serwaa Launches New Collection ‘Sea La Vie’

    by melange August 28, 2024
    August 28, 2024

    The “Sea La Vie” Resort 24 collection by February by Serwaa is a feminine and captivating line inspired by the tranquil and vibrant…

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  • AccessoriesClothingEvents & NewsFashion

    ZIMBABWE FASHION WEEK 2024: A SENSORY CELEBRATION OF FASHION,CULTURE, AND TOURISM

    by melange June 3, 2024
    June 3, 2024

    Zimbabwe Fashion Week Trust (ZFW) is proud to announce its highly anticipated return to the iconic Victoria Falls for its…

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  • AccessoriesClothingEvents & NewsFashion

    Accra to Host Maiden ‘ROOTS: Made in Africa’ Fashion Industry Pop-Up Tour

    by melange May 31, 2024
    May 31, 2024

    LHAUDE Africa is proud to present a new program, developed to bring a wide array of African fashion stakeholders together…

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  • Fashion

    Is African wax print, the future of fashion?

    by melange July 15, 2021
    July 15, 2021

    The African wax print popularly known as ‘’Ankara’’ or the ‘’Dutch’’ print have gained much attention in the 21st century…

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  • Events & NewsFashion

    African Fashion Foundation Hosts First Ever-Creative Industry Retreat in Accra

    by melange June 2, 2021
    June 2, 2021

    The African Fashion Foundation hosted the first of its kind Creative Industry Retreat in Accra from 19 th May, 2021…

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  • Events & NewsFashion

    ALL THE GLITZ & GLAM FROM THE AFF INDUSTRY RETREAT ARRIVAL DINNER

    by melange June 2, 2021
    June 2, 2021

    The most anticipated first-ever Creative Industry Retreat in West Africa was held from 19 th May, 2021 to 23rd May,…

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  • AccessoriesClothingFashion

    ANDREA IYAMAH IS CELEBRATING A DECADE OF AUTHENTICITY, LAUNCHES NEW COLLECTION

    by melange April 1, 2021
    April 1, 2021

    Fashion label Andrea Iyamah, celebrating its 10th-year anniversary launched a new collection the “HARVEST COLLECTION” Founded by Dumebi Andrea Iyamah,…

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