London. Joshua Dobrik was hard at work on a coat when I arrived on the first floor of 26 Beauchamp Pl for the last article of my The Young Elite series. May I finish this first before we start the interview?, asked Joshua. I must admit that I was surprised but more than a bit impressed by this request as it gave me a clear insight into his priorities: Craftsmanship comes first.
From Medical School to Edward Sexton
Once he was satisfied with his work, we sat down with a cup of tea in the next-door fitting room and Dobrik started to explain why he was currently working for Edward Sexton. However, let us start at the beginning:
After finishing high school, Joshua moved to Paris to study medicine. He found the science behind it all very intriguing.
On paper, it looked like a great idea! - Joshua Dobrik
In life, however, it is not about what looks good on paper, but rather how much pride you take and joy you find on the path you have chosen. After four years, he dropped out of university, moved to London, and enrolled in tailoring courses at Newham college. On his first day of school, he went to Edward Sexton to ask Dominic Sebag-Montefiore (creative director of Edward Sexton), for a work experience opportunity during his studies. Dominic said Yes and Joshua is known to proudly state that he is still Dominic's nescafé machine. After eight months and having proven his passion and himself to Dominic, he was offered an apprenticeship and Joshua enjoys every minute at the tailoring house whose work he values most.
Joshua Dobrik: Tailoring is part of British culture
The young cutter said that it is not only tailoring which he finds appealing: He is passionate about anything involving meticulous craftsmanship (be it watch making, shoe making or any such art). What so fascinates him about tailoring is the sense of being an important part of British culture and mastering an age-old set of skills. This is also reflected in his statement that bespoke tailoring is as much about fashion as it is about carpentry.
When asked about his personal tailoring style, his answer was quick and direct: Pretty much what we are doing here. Given that he has chosen his path and his workplace so carefully, any other answer would have come as a surprise to me.
Additional information
First, the accessories of this one-of-a-kind tailoring house may be found in my online shop. Second, Joshua said something that I personally found very motivating: If you do get work experience or an apprenticeship (in tailoring), assume you will be doing crap jobs for quite some time and just know that it is also part of the journey to becoming a bespoke tailor. MM/DC
