Meet Annie Masarie

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Annie Masarie. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Annie below.

Annie, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I started my career with a great deal of imposter syndrome, largely because I am mostly self-taught. I learned to sew at a very young age from my mother, who was a quilter, and I started trying to replicate my own clothing not long after learning to sew. What followed was years of trial and error—on my own, with no formal instruction.
Eventually, I pursued a degree in Apparel Design and Production from Colorado State University. The program was exceptional, but only a handful of courses truly focused on pattern making. Once I entered the industry, I made it a point to absorb everything I could from those around me: graders, tailors, and other pattern makers. Each experience became part of my education.
The slow shift from believing I wasn’t qualified, to simply acknowledging those doubts without letting them define me, came from both internal mindset shifts and external validation. Each time a sample turned out well, I had one more reason to trust my abilities. Over time, I realized that my work spoke louder than any formal qualification. And when respected colleagues began to trust my skills, I started trusting them too.
As a born perfectionist, I initially struggled with the fact that first patterns are rarely perfect. But I came to understand that many variables—fabric behavior, sewing styles, and designer preferences—dictate necessary adjustments. The sample stage is where true refinement happens. Sitting down with the sewers to review that first sample often provided some of the most valuable lessons in my career.
Bringing a designer’s vision to life is the ultimate goal, and learning to interpret and honor their creative intent takes time and trust.
In recent years, I’ve spent significant time training an expanding team. Teaching my methods, sharing the tricks I’ve picked up, and walking others through the checks and balances of the process has shown me just how much I’ve grown in this field.
Pattern making is as much an art as it is a science. I may never truly “master” it—but that’s part of what I love. The constant opportunity for growth is what keeps me moving forward, and it’s what helps keep imposter syndrome at bay.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

After earning my degree, I moved to NYC for an internship at DVF, where I found myself making excuses to go to the patterning room. After deciding the world of haute couture wasn’t for me, I got my first job at a grading and marking service in Manhattan digitizing patterns. I’m a math brain and size grading just made sense to me – I loved it! But I always wanted to be a patternmaker, so armed with a grading background I got myself a position at a high end manufacturer in the city as the in house patternmaker. There, I gained endless knowledge about development and production while working with dozens of different companies and styles.
In 2014, I left to be a freelancer and have been busy ever since! I approach pattern making with a customer service perspective. I’m there to make the designer’s dream come to life.
In 2018, I relocated to Nashville and was floored to find so much talent and creativity in the growing fashion industry. While I do work with larger companies such as Imogene + Willie and Able Clothing, my passion lies in helping the newcomers get going. I realized these Nashville based creatives needed help with more than just patterning, there’s a great need for assistance with the full development process. Over the last few years I have grown my team and we now offer everything you need to get production ready: sourcing, tech packs, sampling, sizing, and more!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

What is the opposite of the phrase ‘my way or the highway’? I love learning better methods from other patternmakers and tailors. It’s my job to make the sewer’s job as smooth as possible, so if they say I’m doing something wrong, they are right! I’m not afraid to make mistakes and am always trying to improve my skills and knowledge base. My best advice is ask questions, gather data, and treat each project as a collaboration.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Whether you’re an aspiring designer, a sewing enthusiast, or already established in the industry, we’d love to connect with you!
Our network continues to grow beyond our small but passionate team, and one of the most rewarding parts of our work is building relationships with fellow creatives across the country. Collaboration and connection are at the heart of what we do—and there’s always room for more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.masariepatterns.com
• Instagram: @masariepatterns