The cozy sewing simulator Dressmaker unexpectedly became a hit, but its creation story turned out to be no less interesting than the project itself. Behind the project, where players sew dresses, lies the personal story of the developers — Jonathan How-Yun and his wife Sabrina Becker.
Dressmaker was released on September 21 and invites players to open their own workshop. Users choose fabric, cut out details according to patterns, sew them together, and then decorate the finished outfits. The game focuses specifically on the process of creating clothes, turning dressmaking into a calm and meditative activity.
However, long before the outfits created in Dressmaker began appearing online, the game had a much more personal goal. How-Yun and Becker conceived the project as a way to allow Sabrina to continue doing what she loved.
Becker had been passionate about sewing for many years and even wore a self-made dress on her first date with her future husband. She dreamed of connecting her professional life with costume design, but a diagnosis of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome seriously affected her plans.
This condition is associated with peculiarities of connective tissue, which supports various body structures, including skin, tendons, and ligaments. Possible manifestations include increased flexibility and joint instability, pain, and severe fatigue, although symptoms can vary significantly among different people.
Instead of completely giving up her favorite hobby, Becker, together with How-Yun, decided to transfer it to the virtual world. Thus, the idea of a game gradually emerged that would allow Sabrina to once again engage in creating clothes without experiencing the physical limitations she faced in real life.
Moreover, Becker did not just become a source of inspiration for the project. She directly participated in its creation: she developed and selected clothing elements, formed the visual style of the game, and tested the project, sharing her comments. Therefore, Sabrina's professional experience and love for sewing are literally embedded in the foundation of Dressmaker.