Many people dream of designing and sewing beautiful wedding dresses and evening gowns, but the practicalities of learning how to do so can seem difficult and unattainable. Tatiana Kozorovitsky, a legend in the sewing world, is changing lives by teaching people to hold onto their dreams and turn them into reality. Tatiana is the fashion designer from Tel Aviv and the founder of online fashion design school Dressmaking Academy in the USA, which provides the opportunity for everyone to learn the art of sewing. By teaching its students that high fashion is attainable both financially and skill-wise, Dressmaking Academy is helping its students create the dresses and lives they desire. In this interview, Tatiana shared the story of her success along with details of the quickly growing Dressmaking Academy.
Hello, Tatiana! How did your career in sewing begin, and where did you receive your sewing education?
I was drawn to sewing from a very young age. I remember my mother praising me for excelling at school but confidently telling her: “Mom, I’m going to sew anyway!” My head was always full of models and sketches.
Right as I entered the Faculty of Mathematics in 1984 to train as a programmer, I simultaneously began three-year courses covering cutting and sewing. These courses were taught by professionals in their field and covered all the same disciplines as in a state educational institution: modeling, technology, design and materials science. They were held in very high regard. When I graduated, my own wedding dress became my thesis! I didn’t stop there, but continued my education, enrolling in machine embroidery courses from a very famous master. I was then a free student at the Architectural University of Design and Interior for a whole year and studied under incredibly accomplished faculty.
However, the most important “university” was moving to Israel and working in fashion houses. These experiences taught me all of the technological subtleties. People were so generous that they openly bestowed their knowledge. I grew from an ordinary seamstress to the hostess of a large salon in the center of Tel Aviv on the main wedding street Dizengoff, where the most famous wedding designers are concentrated.
You’re known for creating groundbreaking techniques that modernize the sewing process. Can you tell us more about these achievements?
With my background and industrial experience, I’ve been able to modernize some key processes such as the rapid creation of patterns. We have been able to efficiently create unique custom dresses that fit perfectly using patterns that are formulated over three times faster than average. I adapt a set of standard-size patterns to each individual client within a matter of seconds using calculations and a program I developed myself. I automated the process for the convenience of my clients, writing a program that only needs to score their measurements before calculating which aspects of the pattern need to be subtracted from and added to.
I’ve managed to reduce the number of fittings my clients need into one! Traditionally, one would have to undergo four or five fittings, which can be a tedious and disappointing process. My customers were very surprised when, at the first fitting, they were waiting for a completed dress and not merely a rough version.
These innovations are among the skills that you teach your students at your very own sewing school, Dressmaking Academy. Tell us: how did you come to open your own fashion school and community of masters?
Opening the school was a very simple and unexpected development. I already owned a large wedding salon at the time, right in the center of Tel Aviv. I needed to hire workers capable of making unique dresses for each individual client but realized that I couldn’t find well-educated seamstresses to employ. I decided to teach my new seamstresses myself and give them the tools to succeed. Eventually, this gave me the idea to create an online school, and Dressmaking Academy was born. With the help of my son and business partner, Vladimir Kozorovitsky, the school became an international community that fosters the continued growth of its students.
Who would benefit from joining Dressmaking Academy? Can anyone participate?
All our students are required to have is the internet, a sewing machine, and a smile! Well, they’ll also need an iron, scissors, needles, threads, a ruler… the standard set, or course. Anyone who wants to create beautiful outfits and gain the skills to monetize their hobby can participate, though it’s beneficial when the student can already sew a straight line on a household sewing machine and understands the terminology. But this isn’t necessary—we have a course for beginners that can give you a great foundation!
We have students from all over the world. Our main customer base is in the USA, Canada, Britain, Australia, and Germany. We continue to grow a client base in Italy and France as well. There is even a small market in Nigeria
What will students learn at Dressmaking Academy?
Students at our academy basically get a whole profession from scratch. Upon completing our courses, they will have the ability to make literally any wedding or formal dress. If dressmaking is your career or side hustle, you can transform it into a booming business. If sewing is your passion, you’ll step up your game.
Does “Dressmaking Academy” have a main program? How will new students know where to start?
Yes! We start with the basics—creating one’s first pattern—and finish with the completion of a whole collection!
A great deal of careful planning went into the formation of the main program. We make six garments from start to finish, and the process teaches the basics of all key skills including making patterns and editing their sizes. Upon completing the program, I’d estimate, without exaggeration, that a student receives nearly 10 years of work experience.
Once a student finishes the main program, are there still courses available for them to continue learning?
Of course! In addition to the main program, there are more than 50 other courses. These teach a variety of useful subjects: skirts, decorating methods, leather corsets, children’s clothing, drapery, clothes for larger and smaller wearers, short and tall items, sewing business steps, and much more.
Additionally, our library is updated constantly! Once paid, the value of the subscription constantly grows, as we continue to add new and exciting lessons. With Dressmaking Academy, one never needs to stop learning—there’s always something new.
How do you foster community within the academy? Are students able to ask questions?
One of my favorite aspects of Dressmaking Academy is our intra-school community. It was established to unite students and create a setting for shared experiences. Live support is offered to each member of our community, and students are heard, seen, understood, and able to find help. Even though we launched the community recently, hundreds of our members are already communicating on a daily basis. It’s wonderful to see them share resources, network, and make friends.
Additionally, we created a section called “Ask Tatiana,” in which members of the academy can communicate with me directly. I’m able to personally get in touch with students who seek advice.
You mentioned your son and business partner Vladimir Kozorovitsky. How did Vladimir contribute to the development and growth of your business?
Despite his demanding work in the movie industry, Vladimir has always believed in the importance of my sewing business and has made a major impact on Dressmaking Academy. At first, he taught me how to mount cameras for video lessons and assisted with editing. He took over video translation, organized technical aspects, marketing, and advertising.
Eventually, Vladimir became the producer of our academy and its main shareholder. He helped us enter the US and European markets and is leading the effort to enter the Spanish-speaking market as well. His belief that the academy can improve people’s lives by encouraging them to follow their dreams has made an incredible difference in the academy’s future!
How will Dressmaking Academy prepare students for today’s dress market?
The modern sewing market can be divided into three categories. The highest is haute couture and pret-a-porte. These are global fashion houses that have their own factories. Next is ateliers and wedding salons, which have their own workshops. The simplest level is a workshop in a house or apartment that performs the function of a small atelier, selling individual orders.
At Dressmaking Academy, we want to create a huge community of artists around the world that will transform the landscape of the fashion industry, just as Youtube changed television in its time. We are ready to give knowledge to every student within all three categories of today’s dress market. Our courses contain interesting and relevant knowledge for all—whether they are a novice apprentice or an experienced pro. Dressmaking Academy provides basic knowledge as well as secret techniques and technologies that are of interest to eminent masters.
We’re proud to be supplying the sewing market with qualified players, and they—our students—are already creating for themselves and for their clients. It’s a joy to see the beautiful creations coming out of the academy, and we can’t wait for what’s to come.
