James Maciver Costumes Ltd
Senior Creative Pattern Cutter / Drafter
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Salary: £30,000 - £36,000 per annum (Dependent on Experience)
Location: Milton Keynes (MK46 5ED)
Hours: 37.5 Hours Per Week, Monday to Friday (Flexi start and finish)
What do we do at James Maciver Costumes?
Create Costumes. Solve Challenges. Bring Ideas to Life.
At James Maciver Costumes, we're passionate about transforming creative concepts into extraordinary costumes for clients across the UK and internationally. As our business continues to grow, we are looking for an experienced Senior Creative Pattern Cutter / Drafter to become a key member of our Creative Studio team.
This is not a standard pattern-cutting role.
We're looking for someone who can take a costume designer's vision, whether that's a sketch, photograph, mood board or concept, and turn it into an accurate, well-constructed pattern ready for production. You'll be working on a huge variety of projects throughout the year, creating everything from fitted garments and stretchwear to corsetry and bespoke costumes for high-profile events and productions.
No two projects are ever the same, making this the perfect opportunity for someone who enjoys variety, creativity and technical problem-solving.
What You'll Be Doing
- Translating costume designs, illustrations and concepts into production-ready patterns
- Drafting patterns from measurements, photographs and design references
- Creating toiles and samples for fittings and approval
- Adapting and amending patterns as projects evolve
- Working with existing stock patterns and developing new styles from block patterns
- Collaborating closely with Designers, Lead Pattern Cutters, Technical Leads and Production teams
- Drafting patterns across a wide variety of fabrics including woven fabrics, knits, chiffon, lycra and stretch materials
- Producing specialist costume patterns including corsetry and stretch garments
- Maintaining technical documentation and project records
- Managing your own workload and contributing to project planning and delivery
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About You
You'll be a confident and experienced Pattern Cutter who enjoys combining technical expertise with creativity.
You will ideally have:
- Professional experience as a Pattern Cutter or Pattern Drafter
- Excellent knowledge of garment construction and pattern development
- Experience working with a wide range of fabrics and construction methods
- Strong understanding of proportion, fit, shape and silhouette
- Previous work experience creating patterns from sketches, photographs and measurements
- Excellent attention to detail
- Strong organisational and communication skills
- The ability to work independently and collaboratively
- Experience within costume, theatre, fashion or bespoke garment production
- A positive, adaptable and solutions-focused approach
The Pattern Team
We currently have a team of 4 pattern drafters which include 2 Lead Pattern Makers, 1 Senior Pattern Maker and 1 Junior Pattern Maker.
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Why Join James Maciver Costumes?
We are a dynamic and expanding team of 35 creative professionals producing bespoke costumes for clients throughout the entertainment and hospitality sectors.
Our projects span the entire year, including:
- Christmas productions
- Pride celebrations
- New Year events
- Easter events
- Live entertainment
- Hospitality experiences
- Bespoke costume commissions
We encourage our team to develop their skills, take ownership of projects and grow their careers within the business.
Benefits
- ✅ 20 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- ✅ Up to 5 additional days annual leave through our loyalty scheme
- ✅ Flexi-working scheme
- ✅ Birthday early finish
- ✅ Free parking (subject to availability)
- ✅ Tea, coffee and milk provided
- ✅ Comfortable break room and kitchen facilities
- ✅ Bereavement leave
- ✅ Career development opportunities within a growing business
Our Values
At James Maciver Costumes, our PASSION values guide everything we do:
- People Matter
- Accountability
- Shared Success
- Standards of Excellence
- Integrity
- Openness
- Nurturing the Future
Ready to Apply?
If you're an experienced Pattern Cutter looking for a role where your craftsmanship, creativity and technical expertise will genuinely make an impact, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today and join a team that creates exceptional costumes and brings extraordinary ideas to life.
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