Two seamstresses at Wimbledon expect to have altered 1,000 items of clothing by the end of the tennis tournament.
Erica Russell, 66, and Marlien Beets, 59, work 12-hour shifts adjusting clothing for players at the Grand Slam event.
The pair, who both live in Surrey, said this involved advising competitors to check their clothing complied with strict dress codes and ironing on sponsors’ badges, as well as alterations.
A “mind-blowing” figure of more than 900 items of clothing have gone to the seamstresses since the tournament’s draw was announced, according to Russell.
She said she started the role at Wimbledon in 2019 before recruiting Beets two years later.
“I didn’t sugar coat this job at all because nothing in life prepares you for this, it is just full on,” Russell said.
Beets said: “We’ve worked out our system, our routine.
“If I’m busy, she’s not busy, she’ll help me, and if she’s busy and I’m not then I’ll sit and nip the threads off quickly and pick stuff up.”