Lewis Heath, Creative Pattern Cutter for Simone Rocha

Lewis Heath has been a Creative Pattern Cutter for Simone Rocha for 5 years and has been a pattern cutter for 10. He has worked with a variety of companies from supplier, high street, and luxury. Hearing from Lewis gave me a really rare and valuable insight behind the scenes of being a pattern cutter. Lewis is the first pattern cutter I’ve heard from or spoken to outside of university staff, and I eagerly anticipated his insights into his career.

Lewis spoke about the catch-22 of getting the first job in pattern cutting: jobs want experience, and you can’t get experience without a job, so what’s the solution? Lewis encouraged us to keep trying, be persistent; it will be hard in the beginning, but hard work pays off, and determination is the key. In a few months' time, when I am finished with my master's, I will be entering the job market and will need to be absolutely committed to applying for jobs. I think, in the early career stage, once you have a great portfolio and CV, it’s a numbers game; the more applications you make, the better. Attention to detail is going to be key; employers want to see that the application has been made in earnest and it’s not a copy-and-paste job.

Reflecting on my interaction with Lewis Heath and the profound insights he shared about the field of pattern cutting, I recognize the unique opportunity I had to delve into an aspect of the fashion industry rarely discussed in academic settings. Lewis's journey, marked by dedication and resilience, serves as a potent reminder of the challenges and rewards inherent in pursuing a career in the highly competitive fashion industry.

The catch-22 situation Lewis described—needing experience to get a job, but needing a job to gain experience—is certainly an issue we will encounter, but is something that can be overcome. So what can a graduate with no experience offer to potential employers? Strong foundational skills and a portfolio that showcases abilities? A determined mindset? Someone that is passionate and well read on their specialism? I think all of these things would give us an edge and a strong chance to be given an opportunity.

AI is an inescapable topic currently for anyone, regardless of the industry you come from. Are we going to be replaced by AI? Is AI going to take over? Well, there's one thing that AI is nowhere near being able to do, and that's create physical products that are human-tested. AI cannot make clothes. It can't try them on or make alterations. When I asked Lewis his take on how AI is affecting his industry, he said, "AI is only as good as its operator; a tool is only as good as the person who wields it." I couldn't agree more, and it was really encouraging to hear his take on it.