New York City · Garment District · Est. 1964
Learn traditional pattern making from one of the last master pattern makers still teaching by hand inside NYC's Garment District.
This is not fashion content. This is preservation.
Sessions sell out within days · 500+ students taught in person
Franco Maselli · Master Pattern Maker · Master Tailor · Naples · NYC Garment District · Sessions sell out within days
Franco is 80 years old, a master pattern maker and tailor from Naples, and has worked continuously inside NYC's Garment District for 60 years.
These sessions preserve his traditional rub-off method: reading an existing garment through balance, proportion, structure, and construction, drafting a clean paper pattern by hand, testing it in muslin, and correcting it on the body.
The knowledge he carries was never written down. It was passed hand to hand, inside pattern rooms, cutting rooms, sample studios, and factories — many of which no longer exist.
In the past year alone, Franco has taught more than 500 students in person. Sessions sell out within days of opening. Each student receives direct, hands-on correction from Franco himself.
Franco teaches the rub-off method as analysis, not tracing. Students learn to read an existing garment by studying its balance, proportion, ease, structure, and construction. The goal is not simply to copy a garment. The goal is to understand how it works.
Book an Intro Session →Franco studies the existing garment before touching a single tool. Balance. Proportion. Structure. Ease. Construction. He is not copying — he is understanding.
From the analysis, Franco drafts a clean paper pattern by hand. Each mark is precise. Each correction is intentional. Nothing is approximated.
The drafted pattern is cut and assembled in muslin, then tested on the body. The muslin is where the idea meets reality — and where the real learning begins.
Franco corrects fit directly on the body. Balance adjustments. Proportion refinements. Each correction is marked, transferred to the pattern, and resolved.
Corrections become a refined garment. Construction decisions are made consciously. Sewing and finishing logic follows the pattern — not the other way around.
The goal is to understand how the garment works. That understanding is what the rub-off method builds — session by session, correction by correction.
For students, designers, sewists, tailors, makers, and anyone who wants to understand garment construction through the hands. You do not need to be advanced to begin.
Tools and muslin are provided. Bring a simple symmetrical garment — pants, a basic shirt, or a coat are ideal starting points.
Session Availability
"Last summer's sessions sold out within days. This summer is filling the same way."
500+ students have studied with Franco in person. Capacity is limited by design — each student requires real time, real attention, and hands-on correction from Franco directly.
Small group — usually up to 3 students.
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM · 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM
$75 deposit holds your spot. Remaining balance in person or via Zelle.
Spots fill within days · Limited capacity
Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday — depending on availability.
11 AM – 2 PM · 2:30 – 5:30 PM · 5:30 – 8:30 PM
No deposit required. Pay day-of or prepay to lock multiple dates.
We work with out-of-state and international students. A Wednesday morning intro is sometimes possible when a Saturday doesn't fit the travel schedule. Follow-up sessions can be stacked Wednesday through Friday to make the most of a limited NYC window.
DIONYSOS Atelier · 306 W 38th Street, New York, NY Address confirmed upon booking
A self-paced archive of Franco's traditional rub-off method. Fully pre-recorded. The same method taught in person. Built as preservation, not rushed content.
Presale is open now. Purchase today to lock your access. You will be notified directly with login details once the platform launches.
A working set of professional pattern-making tools sourced from long-standing suppliers in and around NYC's Garment District. It exists to support Franco's rub-off method directly. This is not decorative. This is not merch. This is a preservation tool.
Order the ToolkitDaytona Trimming
Steinlauf & Stoller
Manhattan Ward Supply
Sil Thread
Pacific Trimming
Toolkit owners receive access to a private reorder portal for restocking consumables and core tools — connected to the same Garment District suppliers used to build the kit.
Franco's knowledge is being documented — on film, in pattern, and in print — as a permanent record of a method that exists in fewer and fewer hands every year.
The studio supports an active apprentice pathway. This is not a credential program. It is a direct transmission of skill from one generation to the next — the way it has always been done.
Franco's Studio is connected to a broader preservation initiative supporting technical documentation of Garment District practitioners and businesses. The knowledge of this neighborhood belongs to everyone.
Everything you need to know before booking an introductory session with Franco.
DM to Book
Whether you want to book a session, join the presale, order the toolkit, or simply want to know more — reach out directly. Every inquiry is answered personally.
Available dates and times are sent after checking the live calendar. A $75 deposit holds the introductory spot.
Julian@byjulianmedina.comDIONYSOS Atelier
306 W 38th Street, New York, NY
Inside NYC's Garment District · Address confirmed upon booking
Saturday Intro · 11 AM – 2 PM · 2:30 – 5:30 PM
Follow-Ups · Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
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