“Where Do You Buy Your Fabrics From?”
A guide to my favourite fabric, haberdashery and couture dressmaking suppliers
It’s one of the questions I’m asked most often, and one that I’m always happy to answer. After all, finding beautiful fabrics and materials is one of the loveliest parts of dressmaking. Although, I have to admit, when it comes to fabrics, I can shop, shop, shop til I drop! I can spend hours looking at fabrics, imagining what they might become!
When I was a fashion student in London in the 1990s, the fabric and haberdashery shops of Soho were among my favourite places to visit. Berwick Street and the surrounding streets were full of wonderful cloth merchants, their shelves stacked with rolls of fabric, boxes of buttons, ribbons, lace and all sorts of haberdashery.
I could happily spend hours wandering from one shop to another, discovering beautiful silks, exquisite trimmings and the little treasures that make creating something special such a pleasure.
Those visits were very much part of my student life. There was so much to learn from handling different fabrics, understanding their qualities and then using them to discover the materials and techniques used in beautifully constructed garments.
And, of course, there was always the temptation to buy just a little more fabric than I needed!! My fabric stash is legendary!
A little bit of London, wherever you sew
Much has changed since those student days. Although the charm of Berwick Street remains, many beloved London-based cloth merchants have transitioned online, ensuring their beautiful materials remain available.
Over the years, I've discovered other lovely suppliers too, from specialist couture haberdashery merchants to independent fabric shops offering beautiful designer deadstock fabrics.
I'm excited when I find a supplier who offers something a little different. Perhaps a beautiful piece of lace, an unusual button or a length of ribbon that inspires an entirely new project.
And I firmly believe that the materials we choose are just as important as the care we take in sewing them.
Beautiful fabrics, thoughtful choices
One of the things I love about dressmaking is the opportunity to create clothes that fit beautifully, reflect our sense of personal style and are made to be worn and treasured for years. Choosing good-quality materials is an important part of that process.
I'm also a great advocate of using designer deadstock fabrics whenever possible. These are surplus fabrics from fashion collections that might otherwise remain unused in storage or eventually be discarded.
Often of exceptional quality, they offer the opportunity to work with beautiful cloth while making more thoughtful choices about the materials we use.
Quantities are usually limited, of course, but I think there's something rather lovely about knowing that you've created a garment from a fabric that may never be available again.
For me, this is part of the pleasure of slow sewing: taking time to choose fabrics and materials carefully, and enjoying the process of turning them into something beautiful.
My favourite couture sewing suppliers
A little something for your sewing library
With all this in mind, I've put together a little booklet sharing some of my favourite dressmaking suppliers.
Inside, you’ll find a selection of my preferred suppliers, from pattern drafting papers to the finest couture fabrics, specialist haberdashery, designer deadstock fabrics, trimmings and buttons.
It’s a collection of businesses I've come to know through my years of couture dressmaking, from my student days in London to running my own bridal atelier and now teaching couture techniques at To Gather & Stitch. Some are long-established businesses, while others are more recent discoveries.
Whether you're planning a special occasion dress, building a wardrobe of beautifully made clothes or simply looking for an elusive piece of haberdashery, I hope you'll discover somewhere new.
I hope it becomes a useful addition to your sewing library, something you can return to whenever you're planning a new project or searching for that perfect fabric or finishing touch.
And I'd love to know where you buy your fabrics and haberdashery. Do you have a favourite independent shop, an online supplier you return to again and again, or perhaps a wonderful little fabric shop you've discovered on your travels?
Please let me know if I have missed any of your favourites. I'm always delighted to discover somewhere new!
Happy sewing!
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