Enormous,wall-mounted ceramic Sicilian
heads calledtesta di moro(opposite) are
at the entrance to thesartoria– literally
meaning ‘tailoring’ in Italian – and
everywhere around the building. There are
approximately70 people in the sartoria,
where all the samples are produced, and
50 people in the pattern-making team on
thefloor below. The school’s students have
one end of the huge airy room, working
right alongside the company’s tailors.
‘That’s the difference between this training
and going to a fashion college,’ says Giusi.
‘Here, the students don’t just learn theory,
we think it’s crucial that they understand
straightaway about being in a team, in
a real work environment.’
The students start by learning basic
skills using ‘lino’ (practice cotton), and
there is no set time to move through
thecourse. ‘They have to work on each
skill until it is perfect,’ says Giusi.
‘Some students go from step one
to two in a month; others take longer.
It’s an individual process.’ She explains
thatthey have to learn how to do
everythingthe ‘Dolce way’ – the house
hasparticular techniques for unlined
garments,and corseting, and the way
zips are put in is very specific. ‘By
the end of the course, I want every
studentto know how each detail on
a Dolce garment is made, to a precise
standard and method,’ she says.