COUTURE PATTERN MAKING
FOR EVENING WEAR/SPECIAL OCCASION

Program Duration: 14 weeks x 20 Hours a week
Your Instructors: Nargas Khabazha

Prices: Domestic $6,995.00

Prices: International $8,450.00

Start Dates: January, May, September

COUTURE PATTERN MAKING FOR EVENING WEAR/SPECIAL OCCASION

Where couture craftsmanship meets refined technical construction.

The Couture Pattern Making Evening Wear and Special Occasion Certificate is a comprehensive 280 hour professional program designed for students who want to develop advanced skills in couture garment construction, evening wear drafting, and special occasion design. This program focuses on precision pattern manipulation, fine fabric handling, structured garment development, and couture finishing techniques.

Couture construction requires discipline, accuracy, and technical sensitivity to fabric behavior. This certificate prepares students to construct cocktail dresses, evening gowns, and structured garments using advanced seam finishes, boning application, silk handling techniques, and refined hand sewing methods.

Students graduate with a professional portfolio that includes two completed couture evening wear looks supported by sketches, mood boards, fabric boards, and documented development process.


PROGRAM DETAILS

The Couture Pattern Making Evening Wear and Special Occasion Certificate provides in depth training in couture drafting, garment construction, textile analysis, and advanced finishing techniques.

Throughout the program, students develop technical precision and construction confidence. You will learn how to draft cocktail dress patterns, manipulate circle skirt blocks, construct bustier, apply boning, install invisible zippers, integrate linings, and refine garment fit on a live model.

This program emphasizes hands-on development. Students draft, construct, manipulate, adjust, and finish couture garments while learning professional workshop standards and couture level detail execution.

Areas of focus include:

  • Couture applique principles and terminology

  • Fine fabric handling including silk and silk charmeuse

  • Cocktail dress drafting and construction

  • Circle skirt block manipulation

  • Bustier drafting and boning application

  • Hand beading and lace integration

  • Invisible zipper and lining installation

  • Crinoline construction and garment structure

  • Ruching and controlled fullness techniques

  • Development of a final two look couture capsule collection

By the end of the program, students are able to construct couture garments with advanced seam finishing, structured support, and professional presentation standards.

Program Structure & Hours

Duration: 14 Weeks
Total Program Hours: 280 Hours
Weekly Schedule: 20 Hours Per Week
Delivery Method: In class and Live Online Hybrid

Students participate in lectures, couture drafting labs, garment construction workshops, live fittings, critiques, and technical portfolio reviews.

PROGRAM JOURNEY

  • Students begin by exploring couture applique techniques and advanced fashion terminology. You will analyze textiles suitable for special occasion garments and identify appropriate pattern blocks for structured designs.

    This module establishes technical understanding required for couture garment construction.

  • Students draft cocktail dresses and manipulate circle skirt blocks to create structured evening wear patterns. You will construct patch pockets, bound buttonholes, shoulder pad installations, and tailored details using couture methods.

    Bustier drafting, boning application, lace integration without visible seams, and crinoline construction are emphasized. Students adjust garment fit on a live model to ensure proportion, balance, and structural alignment meet couture standards.

  • Students develop precision hand sewing skills essential to couture construction. You will apply and remove sequins, perform seam allowance beading, install invisible zippers, and integrate linings.

    Hem finishes, hand stitching techniques, and surface embellishment methods are practiced to refine garment detail execution.

  • Students analyze silk fabrics and learn proper cutting and preparation techniques. You will match printed textiles across seams, prepare knit fabrics, and stabilize delicate materials.

    Techniques such as ruching and controlled fullness are explored to strengthen fabric manipulation control and structural design.

  • In the final stage of the program, students create a mini couture collection composed of two completed evening wear looks. Each piece demonstrates drafting accuracy, garment construction precision, and couture level finishing.

    Students present their final collection to peers and instructors, developing professional presentation and critique skills.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:

✔Draft advanced couture evening wear patterns

✔Manipulate circle skirt blocks and structured bodices

✔Construct cocktail dresses using couture standards

✔Apply boning and structural garment support techniques

✔Execute professional hand sewing and seam finishing methods

✔Handle fine fabrics including silk and silk charmeuse

✔Adjust and refine garment fit on a live model

✔Develop and present a cohesive couture capsule collection

Graduates leave the program with advanced couture construction skills and a portfolio demonstrating their ability to execute professional evening wear and special occasion garments.


CAREER PATHS

Graduates of the Couture Pattern Making Evening Wear and Special Occasion Certificate are prepared for specialized roles within couture and evening wear production.

Career opportunities may include:

  • Couture Pattern Maker

  • Sample Sewer

  • Bridal Tailor

  • Production Assistant

  • Assistant Designer

This certificate prepares students to work within couture ateliers, bridal studios, evening wear houses, costume production environments, and high end fashion studios.

TUITION & GRANTS

Domestic Tuition: $6,995.00

International Tuition: $8,450.00

Application Fee (Domestic): $250

Application Fee (International): $500

Books & Materials Excluded

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To apply, you must meet the following criteria:

  • High school graduation or mature student status 19+

  • Admissions interview in person or via Zoom or Skype

  • Application Essay minimum 250 words outlining your passion and career goals

  • English proficiency, if applicable

  • CLBPT minimum 6

  • Duolingo 85 to 90 accepted in certain circumstances

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS

Nargas Khabazha

Nargas opened her first studio in 1997 as a pattern maker for private label of her own clothing line and developed her skill for specializing in special sizes for women. She was featured in the Vancouver Sun and north shore news as a realistic designer. In 2002Nargas launched her ready to wear collection for the chic sophisticated baby boomer woman, which sold across country. She then opened her own studio on west 8th Avenue to create and control a high-end garment. Nargas has over 40 years of extensive experience as a fashion technical instructor in pattern, draping, fitting and textile development. She has supported her students to showcase their design through a fashionable collection twice a year at the Vancouver Fashion Week from 2008 to 2025. Nargas share her passion and knowledge with her students and supports them as a caring mentor to the successful walk to the runway show. I moved to Canada in 1984 as anew arrival who chose metropolitan Montreal to settle in. A year later Nargas opened her own handcrafted shore store without any prior experience in the trade, in downtown Montreal.

Soon she became specialist as a shoemaker or men. Few years later Nargas’ passion for design, landed her in the fashion design program at Lasalle college in Montreal. A year later she moved to Vancouver and continued at KPU Polytechnic college in the fashion program. Nargas opened her first studio in 1997 as a pattern maker for private label of her own clothing line and developed her skill for specializing in special sizes for women. She was featured in the Vancouver Sun and north shore news as a realistic designer. In 2002Nargas launched her ready to wear collection for the chic sophisticated baby boomer woman, which sold across country. She then opened her own studio on west 8th Avenue to create and control a high-end garment. Nargas has over 40 years of extensive experience as a fashion technical instructor in pattern, draping, fitting and textile development. She has supported her students to showcase their design through a fashionable collection twice a year at the Vancouver Fashion Week from 2008 to 2025. Nargas share her passion and knowledge with her students and supports them as a caring mentor to the successful walk to the runway show.


LOOK FOR A WAY TO APPLY?

Applying is straightforward and designed to be personal.


The application is our first opportunity to get to know you. Once you submit the form, an Admissions will reach out to you.

This conversation allows us to share meaningful insights about the program, the industry, career pathways, job opportunities, and available tuition grants or financial aid options. Just as importantly, it gives us the chance to learn about you: your goals, what you hope to achieve through your training, and any questions or concerns we can support you with.

Please note that no enrolment deposit is required until you have been formally accepted into the program. We invite you to submit your application here below

Frequently Asked Questions

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If you can’t find what you’re looking for in our FAQ section below, use our online submission form.

 This program has been approved by the registrar of the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.
The Cut Design Academy is designated with PTIB