The heartwarming story behind cosy indie hit Dressmaker
Cosy indie sewing game Dressmaker was born from a creative partnership between the developer and his chronically ill wife.
By JEUGD
Cosy gaming goodness
Before we dive in, let’s talk a little about Dressmaker and what it has to offer. It's a cosy simulation game that delivers what the title promises: you make and design dresses. From choosing your fabrics and patterns to deciding how to decorate each dress and sewing it all together, you have plenty of room for creativity. Customers visit your shop with their own stories and requests, and it’s up to you to create dresses for their special occasions. You also get to display your creations in your very own store.
The game has become a great success, currently sitting at “Overwhelmingly Positive” on Steam with almost 10,000 user reviews. Gamers praise the creative freedom they have in the game, with some reviewers also sharing stories about how the game managed to recapture their love for fashion and sewing.
A story about dedication and love
Developer Jonathan Hau-Yoon initially started development on the game as a way to help out his wife, Sabrina Becker. After being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a connective tissue disorder that can cause symptoms such as joint pain and hypermobility, Becker had to give up her dream of studying costume design at school. Her love for the profession was evident from the start of their relationship, as Becker wore a self-made dress to their first date.
Through Becker’s passion for costume design and with Hau-Yoon looking for a new gaming project to sink his teeth into, the pair set out to develop Dressmaker. At first just a side project, Hau-Yoon eventually brought the idea and concept to indie game studio Free Lives, where Ruan Rothmann and Sara Laubscher helped him build his initial playable prototype.