Our Story
It Started off as a Spark
I never thought I’d start my own business, but here we are. They say some of the best things that happen to you are accidental, and the story of The Frontline Tailor is no exception
I began this journey in the winter of 2020, when I found myself returning to World War Two reenacting after a four year, hiatus. At the time, I was focusing on the Soviet Union during the war years, and became very interested in the clothing worn by its citizens and soldiers.
With the onset of COVID, I needed an outlet for my historical passions, and several friends suggested I put my research into Soviet clothing into a Facebook page, and thus the Leningrad Tailor was born.
The Spark Starts to Catch
I had been sewing for several years, so I figured that I would attempt to recreate a few pieces of wartime Soviet clothing. As the pandemic dragged on, I realized that not only was I getting better with each piece I made, I really enjoyed doing it.
Over the next year, I learned alot, and continued to perfect, and evolve my craft. From drafting patterns, to constructing garments, to sourcing extremely hard to find fabrics, I devoted most of my free time stockpiling as much knowledge as I possibly could on the art of tailoring.
The Fire Begins to Burn
In April of 2021, I launched the Leningrad Tailor as a formal business. I had no idea how to run a business, or how much of an all consuming process it would become. The days were long, sometimes 10-12 hours at a stretch, but the thing that stuck out to me the most was it didn’t seem like work.
For the next four years, what started as a small ember had burgeoned into a huge fire. I’d gone from making people little odds and ends, to tackling very complex garments, having my own fabric reproduced, and sourcing my own ready made garments.
The Soviet reenacting community was extremely supportive and they made the long hours worth it.
The winds begin to shift
The Leningrad Tailor was an outstanding success, and it was that very success which would lead to where we are today.
As the years wore on, I began to get more, and more, requests for garments that were beyond my original scope of work. So much so, that one week I might have a Soviet garment to do, the next I could be working on a CCC Jacket, the week after that it could be a British Officers Service Dress, and so on, so forth.
It was at this point, that I decided to cast aside sentimental reservations, and evolve this business into the next stage of its life.
New Name, Same Fire………………….
Despite my love for the old name, it was time to embrace a name that encompassed what we do here, and look to diversify our offerings to our customers.
The name may be different, but our mission is essentially unchanged- to bring the 20th Century Reenacting Community, quality and affordable, reproduction clothing.
Accurate, reproduction clothing is our passion, and we can’t wait to share it with you!