Paula Schmalisch followed in her grandma's professional footsteps and trained as a tailor.
A good decision, as it turns out now.
Hohenschäftlarn
- Paula Schmalisch almost couldn't find an apprenticeship position in 2018 after graduating from secondary school. “I applied wherever I saw something,” says the 19-year-old from Hohenschäftlar. She was also not discouraged by numerous rejections, because she already knew in kindergarten that she wanted to become a seamstress, and she did not let anyone dissuade her from pursuing her dream and following in her grandmother's professional footsteps.
Her grandmother was a traditional tailor and was passionately involved in the traditional costume association of Hohenschäftlarn. "That's how I actually got into tailoring," says Schmalisch.
But her grandmother was initially skeptical as to whether the job would be the right one for her granddaughter.
Too much work.
Too bad pay.
“But I prevailed,” says the young tailor.
Best number of points in the guild
Ever since she graduated, it has been clear that her persistence has paid off. In the final exam she got the best number of points of the entire guild and thus became the winner of the performance competition of the German craft at chamber level. In the bespoke tailor category (focus: women). 82 craftsmen and women were honored by the Chamber of Crafts as "best in their field in Upper Bavaria". “I really didn't expect it, but I became a chamber winner,” said Schmalisch happily. With her victory she automatically qualified for the performance competition at state level.
The 19-year-old from Hohenschäftlar completed her training from 2018 to 2021 with the fashion designer Irene Luft.
"We outfitted celebrities there and were at Fashion Week in Berlin," she says, "but we also made normal clothes for the store on Donnersberger Strasse."
No desire to work as a fashion designer
But she doesn't want to become a fashion designer later, she says.
“That's so much work for a ten-minute show.” She sees herself more at the interface between design and production and is therefore currently doing a one-year training course at the technical school for cutting and design.
“That's where I learn how to make the cuts so that you can sew a dress at all.” With that, she would be better able to find a job in industrial companies.
Because their previous training was purely manual.
She also made her journeyman's piece, a dress with a coat, including pockets, zippers, embroidery and lapel processing, entirely by hand.
First work experience and then to the master school
After completing her training, Paula Schmalisch would like to gain some work experience and then go to the master school.
“You then learn to make tailor-made products, you get a training certificate and you are prepared to run your own company.” At least 20 years old, she has enough time to make her dreams come true.
Many at this age do not have a precise idea of their career, but Paula Schmalisch's idea of their future has a water-proof effect: "I have the feeling that this is a job that I could do all my life."
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