- Game: Dressmaker
- Developer: Cozy Lives
- Publisher: Free Lives
- Genre: Casual and Simulation
- Review Platform: Steam
- Release Date: 21st September 2026
Author’s Note: A Game Key for Dressmaker was kindly provided by Future Friends
Have you ever wanted to enter the fashion world and create beautiful dresses but didn’t know where to start? Worried that you don’t have the skills or knowledge to make said dresses? Well, fear not because Dressmaker has you covered.
What started as a spark of an idea then a passion project soon took the internet by storm and turned into this very exciting and unique game experience. Inspired by the real task of making dresses, Dressmaker is a game that gives you the tools to experience what it’s like to simply make a dress from the initial idea through to the finished product and every step in between. From simple summer dresses to more lavish ball gowns. Create pieces for a variety of different clients, all bespoke, one-of-a-kind pieces inspired by their own tastes and must-have features.
Table of Contents
Dressmaker Game Features
- Buy from a wide range of fabrics, including cotton, linen, wool, silk and velvet.
- Design and colour your dress in your sketchbook, adding fabric samples and appliqué.
- Arrange and cut out your dress pattern, preview them on a mannequin and sew them together.
- Turn in your dresses to your customers to gain both reputation and coin.
- Pet the kitty!
Game Trailer
Curious to see if you got what it takes to become the ultimate dressmaker? Check out the trailer below!
My Tailoring Thoughts
From South African developer Cozy Lives and publisher Freelives comes Dressmaker, a game that took my interest from the moment I saw the first trailer.
As a kid, I spent a lot of time on the performing arts side of extracurricular activities and competed at a national level for a number of dance styles too. I recall having sketchbooks full of poorly drawn dream costumes. So many ideas that never made it into physical outfits. Growing up, I’d spend time doing odd little textile projects, from amending my own costumes to adding detailing as well as studying textiles, as one of my chosen GCSEs at school. While my fashion and essentially dressmaking journey was cut short, Dressmaker as a game was calling my name.
So, I dived straight into the game to see what my virtual dressmaking journey would look like.
Starting with the tutorial, I learnt every aspect of creating the perfect dress for my clients. From taking measurements to designing, cutting, placing and finally sewing them together, I soon enough had the basics covered.
With a successful tutorial commission finished, it was time for the real deal. With every request came new challenges, designs, the finer details and thinking outside the box a little bit to try and get everything just right for the client.
At every stage, I enjoyed what I needed to do. Be it cutting out the different pieces of the pattern, finding the right fabric and style for the dress or even sewing the pieces together. Now, some of this did take some trial and error; for example, maximising the use of the fabric to ensure minimal waste, but soon enough everything began to come together naturally.
The more successful commissions and dresses I created, the more my range of available patterns, fabrics and skills came into play. However, this is what made each dress a unique experience to build from the idea through to the final product. Sometimes the dresses don’t quite go to plan and require some alterations before the final product is accepted by the client, but that’s all part of the journey.
Each character had their own personality, taste and expectations to meet, but with such a diverse array of characters that you met, it made the story come to life even more.
Did you know, you can also pet the cat?
Overall, my time so far with Dressmaker has been wonderful. There’s no stress or pressure to rush through creating commissions; just go at your own speed, and once you’ve finished one, you can jump into the next one straight away if you’re ready. I’ve enjoyed each step of the dressmaking journey, and while my skills and patience with the sewing machine need some improvement, I don’t think my dresses are as bad as they could be. However, dressmaking is a journey where you are constantly learning new things, and this is merely just the start.
For now, I’ll be back to designing some more dresses in my sketchbook and taking on new commissions soon!
Dressmaker launches on Steam and macOS for $14.99 on 21st September 2026.
