Demand for Skilled Sewers Grows as Tailors and Dressmakers Retire

Shoppers seek custom fits and revived secondhand finds, but the industry faces a labor shortage as professionals age out.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:18am

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As more Americans seek tailoring and alterations services, the U.S. is facing a shortage of skilled sewers, dressmakers, and tailors as the existing workforce nears retirement age. Experts say the physically demanding work and relatively low pay have discouraged younger generations from entering the field, even as demand grows for custom fits, revived secondhand clothing, and alterations to accommodate weight loss. Retailers like Nordstrom are partnering with fashion schools to train a new generation of master tailors, but the industry continues to rely heavily on immigrant labor.

Why it matters

The decline in professional sewers and tailors threatens the future of a skilled craft that has served customers for generations, from hemming jeans to reworking evening gowns. As fast fashion has dominated the industry, the ability to extend the life of clothing and give it a personalized touch has become increasingly valuable to consumers. Addressing the labor shortage is crucial to preserving this artisanal tradition.

The details

Kil Bae, a 63-year-old tailor in Manhattan, is part of a shrinking breed of professional sewers in the U.S. as their services find fresh demand. Shoppers who grew up on disposable fast fashion are now seeking tailors and seamstresses to give off-the-rack purchases a custom fit, revive secondhand finds, or extend the life of their wardrobes. Weight-loss drugs have also driven more Americans to seek alterations like adjusted waistbands and tapered sleeves. But the physically demanding work and relatively low pay have discouraged younger generations from entering the field, even as the median age for sewers, dressmakers, and tailors reached 54 in 2021, 12 years older than the overall workforce. Immigrants have long powered the garment industry, making up about 40% of tailors, dressmakers, and sewers. To address the labor shortage, retailers like Nordstrom are partnering with fashion schools to train a new generation of master tailors.

  • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated almost two years ago there were fewer than 17,000 tailors, custom sewers and dressmakers working in business establishments nationwide, a 30% decline from a decade earlier.
  • The mean annual wage tailors, dressmakers and custom sewers earned as of May 2024 was $44,050 a year, compared to $68,000 for all workers.
  • Nordstrom's nine-week program in advanced sewing and alteration techniques, launched in partnership with New York's Fashion Institute of Technology, graduated its inaugural cohort of 15 students in February 2026.

The players

Kil Bae

A 63-year-old tailor in Manhattan who is part of a shrinking breed of professional sewers in the U.S.

Jonathan Reiss

A 33-year-old customer who paid $280 to have a vintage Tommy Hilfiger jacket slimmed down at Bae's tailor shop.

Nordstrom

The largest employer of tailors and alteration specialists in North America, which has partnered with the Fashion Institute of Technology to launch a training program for a new generation of master tailors.

Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)

A for-profit college that offers degrees in fashion-related disciplines, and has worked with Nordstrom to develop a nine-week program in advanced sewing and alteration techniques.

Marco Esquivel

Nordstrom's director of alterations, who said the company is committed to ensuring tailoring remains an art form that serves customers for years to come.

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What they’re saying

“I recommend this job to young people because this one cannot be AI'd. Different bodies. Different shape. They cannot copy like this. If I close this door, I can go out and find another one.”

— Kil Bae, Tailor

“I think I fell victim to buying cheap stuff, and then you realize it just falls apart or shrinks or it just doesn't last long.”

— Jonathan Reiss, Customer

“Customarily, tailoring has never been part of the American skill set.”

— Michael Harrell, FIT Instructor and Broadway Costume Builder

“We owe it to the broader industry to ensure that this is an art form that exists for years and years to come and continues to serve customers both within our walls as well as outside.”

— Marco Esquivel, Nordstrom's Director of Alterations

What’s next

Nordstrom plans to continue its partnership with the Fashion Institute of Technology to train more students in advanced sewing and alteration techniques, with the goal of hiring them to work in the company's alteration departments.

The takeaway

The decline in professional sewers and tailors threatens a skilled craft that has served customers for generations, from hemming jeans to reworking evening gowns. As fast fashion has dominated the industry, the ability to extend the life of clothing and give it a personalized touch has become increasingly valuable to consumers. Addressing the labor shortage in this field is crucial to preserving this artisanal tradition and meeting the growing demand for tailoring and alterations services.