As its name suggests, it refers to the assembly of specific types of dress, or clothing items,

particularly women's clothing. Dressmaking is an age old profession that dates back thousands
of years. Some historians would even argue that the history of dressmaking goes back as far
as the invention of the needles.
What is dressmaking//?
Dressmaking is defined as the craft of sewing clothes and dresses. An example
ofdressmaking is the art of sewing a beautiful dress from fabric. YourDictionarydefinition and
usage example

A Brief History in Dressmaking

Wearing clothes
It was around 650,000 years ago when our ancestors covered their bodies with animal
fur and skin as well as barks and leaves of trees. The main purpose was simply to
protect the fragile human body against the rain, the sun, wind, and the cold.

These primitive clothes were either tied up or wrapped around the bodies as people
went foraging for food.

Needles and threads

Some 19,000 years ago, evidence of needles made of bones and ivory were found.
Around 6,000 years ago, woven textiles (linen) were found in Egypt as well as evidence
of silk culture in China 5,000 years ago.

This marked the early beginning of dress-making.

Silk road
This was the series of ancient trade routes between China and countries in Asia Minor.
The trading between them played a significant role in the development of civilization in
China, India, Mesopotamia, Egypt, including Rome.

Classic clothes
In Greece, clothes were simple lengths of wool or linen secured at the shoulders with
sashes used as belts. Peplos was a loose ankle-length robe worn by women while
chlamys was knee-length robes worn by the men. Both were covered with a loose cloak
called himation.

The toga in Rome was an unsewn length of cloth draped on the body over a simple
tunic.
This tunic is held together at the shoulders and at the sides.

Medieval Europe
By this time, there had been improvements on the quality of clothes. The Byzantines
dressed themselves with richly patterned, embroidered cloths draped over a tunica, the
replacement of the toga.
Early medieval Europeans either took to the short tunics with leggings of the invading
population (Franks, Anglo-Saxons, and Visigoths) or to the longer Roman tunics.

Cotton and silk as well as dyed linen were popular alongside the old wool.

Later Middle Ages

Cultural historians agree that the 14th century signaled the beginnings of European
fashion. People now used lacings and buttons. Expensive silk and woven brocades
were imported from Italy.

It was also the time for the beginning of tailoring. Straight and draped garments were
now replaced by curved seams that followed the contours of the human body.

The Renaissance
More people wore complex clothes following the fashion lead of the elites. Variations in
the form and design of clothes adapted in various countries were now showing their
differences.

Modern Europe
The early part of the 16th century had the influence of the formal Spanish dress. The
century also saw the rise of the ruff (ruffles) and the popularity of needle lace.

Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution mechanized the manufacturing processes using steam power.
The sewing machine was invented in the 19th century, while the synthetic fiber, rayon,
was discovered in the 20th. They were all part of the long Industrial Revolution.

In this era, textiles were not only manufactured in factories, they were exported to
unlikely places. The transportation system was revolutionized and had progressed
immensely. Goods became cheaper.

Fashion and the future

After World War II, there was no stopping the dress-makers all over the fashion capitals
of the world (Paris, Rome, New York, and London) from flourishing in their industry.

Fashion trends become media events and followers of fashion lapped them up. Models
became superstars. Whatever Kate, Naomi, Cindy, and Linda wore, everybody wanted
to wear them, too.

Nowadays, the manufacture of the other pieces of the modern apparel is taken over by
the dress-makers. Shoes and bags, kerchiefs and purses, perfume and jewelry and
other beauty-related products are now merchandised aggressively.