A garment is never just the fabric. It’s the people, the process, and the cost of doing things properly.
What is the Price of a Garment?
It’s a simple question.
One I didn’t fully understand when I started.
I didn’t start Šumska thinking about price.
I started it because I couldn’t find what I was looking for.
Clothing that felt considered. That fit properly. That worked.
I also wanted to do more than just make clothing.
To bring together technical performance, thoughtful design, responsible materials, and a strong sense of style.
Balancing all of that wasn’t simple.
What followed was a process I hadn’t expected.
I worked with multiple pattern makers.
Made sample after sample.
Some didn’t understand the vision.
Some couldn’t execute it.
It took time to find the right person.
At times, I wasn’t sure if I would.
Manufacturing was no different.
I went through several makers.
Some said no.
Some tried and couldn’t deliver the standard I was after.
Some closed their doors altogether.
Even now, experienced machinists are becoming harder to find.
Many are retiring, and there are very few coming through to replace them.
Even sourcing fabric in small quantities is a challenge.
There’s also a reality that isn’t often spoken about.
The knowledge is fading.
Fewer people are willing to take on small-scale work.
And when they do, it comes at a cost.
Because skilled work, done properly, always does.
Then came fabric.
Finding someone in Australia to dye small runs was almost impossible.
When I finally did, it took five months to get it right.
There were moments where it nearly didn’t work at all.
I remember thinking I might have to start again.
Delays happen. Things go wrong.
And everything around it continues moving.
I remember one shoot in particular.
Everything was booked. The team was there.
And then it rained.
We only managed a few hours.
But everyone was still paid.
There are days where nothing works.
Roadblocks. Setbacks. Conversations that end in “no.”
And then you keep going.
Because by that point, you’ve put too much into it to stop.
Over time, I started to understand what really goes into making something properly.
By the time a garment is finished, it carries all of that with it.
Not just the fabric.
But the time. The people. The effort it took to get there.
From the outside, it can look simple.
A T-shirt.
A pair of shorts.
A material.
But that’s never the full story.
We’re used to seeing clothing as something quick and inexpensive.
Something that should cost less.
But when you look closer, it’s made up of many parts.
Each one requiring skill.
Each one taking time.
By choosing to make locally, you’re not just buying a garment.
You’re supporting the people behind it.
The pattern makers.
The machinists.
The technicians.
Skills that take years to build, and are becoming harder to replace.
I know the people behind each part of the process.
They’ve been chosen carefully.
Each one brings a level of skill that deserves to be recognised and valued.
This is how manufacturing is preserved.
Not through intention alone,
but through what we choose to value.
We don’t question the cost of skilled work in other areas of life.
A haircut.
A plumber’s call-out fee.
We understand that time, experience, and labour carry weight.
So what is the value we place on a garment?
One that has passed through many hands.
That has taken time to develop, refine, and produce properly.
At Šumska, I’m not interested in removing that from the process.
I’m interested in making garments that reflect it.
Slavica Šimičević