Dressmaker, an indie job simulator built around realistic tailoring and fashion design, arrives on Steam on September 21, 2026. Developed by Cozy Lives and published by Free Lives, the game puts players in charge of a dressmaking studio where they cut patterns, sew garments, and run a storefront for a town full of clients.
From three-week prototype to full release
Dressmaker started as a small passion project at Free Lives. After early social media posts went viral, the team built a playable prototype in just three weeks and posted it to itch.io. That prototype earned a 4.8 out of 5 rating across 780 reviews and generated over 1,100 comments from players who wanted more. The surge of attention led Free Lives to greenlight a full production under their Cozy Lives label.
The prototype (version 0.5.5) is still available as a free download for anyone who wants a taste of the sewing mechanics before launch, though the developers note it has rough edges and missing features compared to the final product.
What you actually do
The core loop is hands-on garment construction. You buy fabrics (cotton, linen, wool, silk, velvet), sketch designs in a sketchbook, arrange and cut dress patterns, preview them on a mannequin, then sew the pieces together at your machine. Every step is player-driven, from choosing fabric colours to placing finishing touches like buttons, bows, and lace trim.
There are two main ways to play. You can take on client commissions, where townsfolk visit your shop with specific requests for occasions ranging from a breezy summer slip to a layered ballgown. Meeting their guidelines builds your reputation and earns coin. Or you can work in sandbox mode, designing whatever you want and displaying pieces in your shop window for walk-in customers to browse and buy.
The developers, some of whom have real-world dressmaking experience, describe the system as detailed and realistic but accessible for players without sewing knowledge.
Who this is for
If you gravitate toward cozy job simulators, crafting games, or the creative design side of life sims, Dressmaker sits at a very specific intersection. The Steam tags (Crafting, Job Simulator, Cozy, Life Sim, Relaxing) tell the story: this is a single-player, family-friendly creative sandbox with management elements layered on top.
Platform and system requirements
Dressmaker launches on Windows and macOS, with SteamOS compatibility also listed. The minimum specs are modest: an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen processor, 8 GB RAM, Intel UHD 630 graphics or better on Windows, or an Apple M1 on Mac. Storage requirement is just 1 GB.
No pricing has been announced yet. Language support at launch covers English and Simplified Chinese.
One final note from the Steam page worth highlighting: among the listed features is "Pet the kitty." Priorities in order, apparently.