Fashion Design Essentials- 100 Principles of Fashion Design - Jay Calderin (2012)

rwt Design Essentials 100 Principles of Fashion Design... Fashion Design Essentials offers principles, tools, and processes for succeed ing in a l l fashion endeavors.. The fashion fi l

rwt Design Essentials

First pu blished in the U n ited States of America i n 2011 by

Rockport Publishers, a m e m ber of

a rtists concerned, and n o responsibility i s accepted by producer, p u b l isher,

or pri nter for any i nfringement of copyright or otherwise, a rising from the contents of this publ ication Every effort has been made to e n s u re that cred its accurately comply with information suppl ied We a po l ogize for any inaccu racies that may have occu rred and w i l l resolve inaccurate o r m i ssing information i n a s u bsequent reprinting of the book

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available

Design: Kathie Alexander

Photogra p h s and i l l u strations by Jay Calderin u n less otherwise noted

Printed in C h i na

rwt Design Essentials

100 Principles of Fashion Design

I ntroduction 7

T H O U G H T 1 Historical Reference and Reverence 8

2 Emulation and I nnovation 10

3 Trends: On, Off, and Adjacent 12

4 Corroborating Couture 1 4 5 Forging Identity 1 6 6 Sensing Style 1 8 7 Fashion Equations 20

8 Suits of Armor 22

9 C l ient Compatibi l ity 24

10 Custom ization 26

11 Restra int, I m pu lse, and I m pact 28

12 Mind Ma pping 30

13 Net and Narrow 32

14 Disposable as I nvestment 34

15 Environ menta l Context 36

I N V E N TO RY 16 Acquisitions 38

17 Collaboration 40

18 Articu lation of Style

19 Building and Breaking Templates 42

44

20 Pattern I nstruments 46

21 Stitching Tools 48

22 Rendering Media 50

23 Ta ming Textil es 52

24 Letters: Siopers 54

25 Words: Garments 56

26 Sentences: Ensembles 58

27 Stories: Collections 60

28 Punctuation: Details 62

29 Closures 64

30 Specialty Requisites 66

31 Miscel laneous Markers 68

32 Care and Feeding of a Garment 70

33 Ancient Tools and Techniques 72

34 Accessory Closet 74

35 Vintage Patina 76

T EC H N I Q U E 36 Fashion Translations 78

37 Fou r Seasons: A Timeline 80

38 Rote, Ru les, and Roughs 82

39 Hand to Eye 84

40 Checks and Balances 86

41 Machine I nterface 88

42 Cut, Drape, and Fold 90

43 Underpi n n i ngs and Assem bly 92

44 Manipulating Full ness 94

45 Body Mapping 96

46 U niformity 98

47 Fit 100

48 Mend and Alter 102

49 Deconstruct and Reconstruct 104

50 Structure and Scale 106

51 Anatomica lly Correct 108

52 Roads Less Traveled 110

53 Camouflage and Complement 1 1 2 54 C l othes That Carry 1 1 4 55 Design u nto Others 1 1 6 56 Reshape and Reconfigure 1 1 8 57 Resu rface 120

58 A Cut Above 122

59 Fringe and Fray 124

60 Add, Subtract, and Preserve 126

61 Change Agents 128

62 Drawing the Eye 1 30 63 A-Symmetry 132

64 I ntarsia: Puzzles and Missing Lin ks 134

65 The Revea l 136

A R T I STRY

66 C u ltivated I nfluence 1 3 8

67 C u rated Experience 140

68 Culture Filter 142

69 More Is More 144

70 Less Is More 146

71 Meditation on a Dress 148

72 Build ing on Basics 1 50 73 Design of Dissent 152

74 Attitude Adjustment 154

75 Myths and Archetypes 156

76 Wit 158

77 Blackouts and Fu l l I m mersion 1 60 78 Representation and Abstraction 1 62 79 Symbols 164

80 Dynamics 1 66 81 Trompe L'Oeil 168

82 Space and Sculpture 170

83 Matters of Size: Addressing C u rves 1 72 84 Dressing for Bowie 174

85 O bjects of Art 1 76 N AV I G AT I O N 86 A Designer's I n heritance

87 Luxury Washing

1 78 1 80 88 Copies Degrade 182

89 Platforms 184

90 Label Maker 186

91 Master and Apprentice 188

92 Designing the Job 1 90 93 External I nfluences 1 92 94 Lifestyle: A Rosetta Stone 194

95 Fashion Portals 196

96 Diversification and Specia lization 198

97 C rowdsourcing Style 200

98 Labors of Love: Diy 201

99 Rapid Prototyping: Twenty-Fou r-Hour Fashion 202

100 What Is Good Fashion? 204

Contributor I ndex 206

Acknowledgments 207

About the Author 208

Pierre Card i n coat and hat,

zons, hone you r s k i l l s, a nd experim ent with strat­

egies The idea behind col lecting and cataloging the essential principles of fashion design is to

b u i l d a framework for artfu l exa m i nation that the designer can revisit reg u l a rly for i n spiration and

i n struction This book is for a nyone devoted to fashion-whether you are a professional design­

er, a design student, o r a fashion D I Y enthusiast

The world of fas h ion design is constantly

c h a nging-what was in style last month may be old hat now, but if you know how to stay a head

of trends and keep you r design ski l l s sha rp, you' l l

a lways b e ahead o f the c u rve Fashion Design Essentials offers principles, tools, and processes for succeed ing in a l l fashion endeavors

Editing the l ist to o n e h u n d red concepts is meant

to h e l p o rganize and prioritize this information for m a x i m u m efficiency The references in each layout have been selected beca use they hone i n

o n the essence of the topic with precision, while

a l lowing for d iverse rei nterpretation, not simply reproduction

structure for the book In many ways, they can be described a s a set of best practices for c u ltivat­ing creativity:

Thought Intellectual exercises that a re intended to serve a s catalysts for channeling creativity

Inventory

Definitions and applications for using o r repu r­

posing tools, man power, and raw m ateri a l s for fas h ion design

Technique

Fundamental skills for identify ing and executing fas h ion design ideas

Artistry

Creative rituals that h e l p conj u re a n d cult ivate the

i maginative instincts of a fas h ion designer Navigation

Diverse strategies designed to a l low a fashion designer to negotiate a clear path to success Each essential concept is u l t imately a source of sti m u l i that m ust be deciphered and then s ha ped

to fit the project at hand Dedication and atten­tion to det a i l d u ring that exa m i nation will help leverage a designer's vision

I n a n attempt to round out the whole experience, some phi losophical debates a re woven i nto the ideas t h roughout the book, such as the benefits

or fa r-reac h i ng i m pact today's fas h ion designers

w i l l have on the foreseea b l e future

7

1 Historical Reference and Reverence

It is said that those who don't learn from h istory

a re doomed to repeat it Within the fra m e of

fashion, those who don't learn from h istory a re

doomed to waste a wea lth of i n s p i ration Three

m a i n stays in the fashion world that a re restyled

t i m e and aga i n a re corsets, a prons, and kimonos

The corset, orig i n a l l y a fou ndation garment,

sti ll reigns s u p reme on the fashion landscape

Commonly a ssociated with goth, fetish, and

most recently, Steam p u n k fashions, couturiers

such as Thierry M ugler and Jean Pau l G a u ltier

have been responsible for raising the corset to

an iconic status

The apron at its most functional protects cloth­

ing from wear and tear Aprons at their m ost

gla morous have graced the ru nways of A l exander

McQueen, M i u M i u , and M a rc Jacobs a s fash ion

accessories Short-waist aprons made in practi­

cal fabrics as wel l as decorative hostess aprons

speak to a time when homemaking was a way

of l ife for most women Long versions such as

the bistro a pron are a mong many that a re used

in the service i n d u stry The bi b-style a p ron can

take shape in leather, rubber, or heavy canvas for

more rugged uses The pinafore is a decorative

style of apron that conj u res u p i mages of l ife on

the pra irie-a look that was very popular in the

1 970s The cobbler apron is a pul lover style with

a front, a back, and ties on the side Whether it is

incorporated i nto a col l ection by way of nosta lgia

or util ity, the a p ron sti l l m a kes strides in fash i o n

T h e k i m o n o is a ful l- l e ngth, T-shaped robe

When part of a traditiona l ensemble, it is sec­

u red with an obi sash The kimono is m ade from

a tan, which is a fixed bolt of fa bric m ea s u ring

14 i nches by 12.5 yards (35 cm x 1 2 m) The

length is cut i nto four pa nels of fabric that make

up the two sides of the body and both sleeves

A col l a r and la pel-style panels a re added with

s m a l l strips of fa bric Kimonos were orig i n a l ly

disassem b l ed for clean i ng a n d reconstructed

-1 Corset by Joe Carl

French model Audrey

Marnay in a tweed corset suit by Thierry Mugler, haute couture collection, Autumn/ Winter 1998/99

2 Emulation and Innovation

Emu lating styles from the past often w i l l go a

long way i n fashion design, as everyth ing eventu­

a l ly m a kes a comeback The grace of G recian

gowns forever i m mortalized i n stone is a prime

exa mple of the power of a fashion idea that does

not s i m p l y s u rvive, but th rives in the i m agina­

tions of fashion designers t h roughout h istory I n

the 1 920s, Madeleine Vionnet was influenced

by the dances of I sadora Duncan who, in t u rn,

was i n s p i red by G reek scu l pt u res W h i le Vionnet

commanded the bias, H alston s u m m oned the

spi rit of these enduring d ra pes and folds with the

knit jersey in the 1 970s The H ouse of H alston

conti n ues to pay homage to that aesthetic today

At every level of the marketplace a n d from every

corner of the globe, the goddess gown contin­

ues to spring from the col lections of designers

who can appreciate its bea uty and who wish to

interpret it for themselves Designers can take a

cue from t h is exa mple a n d explore the degrees of

separation that l i n k them a n d a ny of their ideas

to k i n d red h istorical cou nterparts

Below: G reek-inspired statue

Right: Floor-length Madeleine Vionnet d ress, September 1935

Halston fashion show Autumn/Winter 2008/09 New York City

3 Trends: On, Off, and Adjacent

Although trends a re no longer d ictated, design

houses spend a great deal of time and money

try i ng to predict trends and/or set them into

motion Designers looking to find thei r place in

the market m ust know whether they i ntend to

be o n-trend, trend -adjacent, o r off-trend a lto­

gether They m ust consciously decide whether

they w i l l lead, fol low, or ignore a trend Although

trend-conscious designers ride the wave of the

media and the public's clamoring for exa m p l es of

the latest fashions, designers who i ntention a l ly

m iss the bandwagon sometimes find that their

independent perspect ives i n advertently trigger

trends or cou ntertrends of their own On-trend

col l ections w i l l be boil ing over with the concept

An a lternative approach to the latest craze may

be to find s m a l l e r and s u btler ways to e m b race

it without m a king it the focus The consumer

b reaks down the same way, and a designer who

has a clear understand i ng of where she sta nds

on trend will connect with the right audience for

her product

Leopard and other a n i ma l pri nts get pu lled out of

relative obscu rity a n d a re presented as fresh and

new every few seasons I n fa i rness, designers

w i l l be m oved by a t rend i n different ways from

season to season, resu lting in new and i nterest­

ing interpretations of it I f a designer decides to

offer the trend du j o u r as a statement garment,

accent piece, and accessory, she m a kes it easy

for cl ients to adopt at least one i nterpretation of

it on t h e i r own terms Then, of cou rse, there are

those who w i l l want to have nothing to do with

it The fashion fi l m classic Funny Face depicts

the chara cter of fashion editor Maggie Prescott

pai nti ng the town pink Someone on h e r staff

a s ks, " I haven't seen a woman i n two weeks i n

a nyth i ng b u t p i n k W hat a bout you?" Prescott

repl ies, "Me? I wou ldn't be caught dead." Truth

is, many trends a re not merely forecasted, but

often made by a n i n d u stry

Below: Anna Wintour in leopard print jacket, 2007

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Publicity portrait of actress Audrey Hepburn as she

wears a wide-brimmed hat and white blouse d u ring the filming of Funny Face, directed

by Stanley Donen, 1957

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4 Corroborating Couture

Fas h ion h istory is the next best t h i ng to a time

machine for the fash ion designer Contact with

a uthentic a rt ifacts brings the true essence of

a t i m e into sharper focus, whether those a rti­

facts a re the actual garments and accessories,

or i l l u strations, photos, and f i l m cli ps Eras are

com posed of complexities that i nvolve every­

thing from science to celebrity The 1950s, for

i n stance, could be a source for fashions i nformed

by the Cold War, teenage cultu re, fou ndation

garments, rock-and-ro l l , o r popular television

program s such as I Love Lucy

Paco Rabanne's fashions i n the 1 960s were

considered "out of t h i s world." At a time when

the race to the moon was heating up, visions of a

futu re i n space fueled the i maginations of many

designers Raba n n e's foray i nto fi l m led h i m to

team with designer Jacques Fonteray Together

they created the costumes for the cult classic

film Barbarella Although many of the clothes i n

this gen re now seem dated, elements of their

fas h ion pred ictions for the fut u re live on

H a l l m a rks of the 1 970s i n c l ude the exploration

of a n d rogyny and a growing im portance for the

relations hip between fashion and celebrity U n i ­

sex fashion blu rred t h e l ines between the sexes,

and even though genderless j u m psu its never

beca me a m a i n stay, pants played a bigger part

in women's fashion than ever before Fashion

beca me a bout la bels, so much so that they were

no longer on the i nside of garments but boldly

displayed on the back pocket of designer jeans

Everyt h i ng was big in the 1 9 80s-h a i r, jewel ry,

belts, and most of a l l, shoulder pads, which

were served u p in d ra m atic proportions Fashion

designer and television costumer N o l a n M i l ler is

best known for creating the fashions for the cast

of the popul a r 1980s television series Dynasty

C a reful study of bygone eras (or the current o ne)

can lead designers to consider how they may be

able to best define the ti mes they are living i n

Right: Maureen McCormick and Barry Wil liams rehearse

on the set of The Brady Bunch Hour, 1977

Below: Linda Evans, John Forsythe, and Joan Coll ins, who starred in Dynasty

5 Forging Identity

"Age can not wither her " These words from

Shakespeare best describe Betsey Johnson's

staying power in the fas h i o n i n d u stry A Betsey

J o h nson ru nway show is not com plete u n t i l the

b ra nd's n a m esake takes her bow i n the form of

a cartwheel Gymnastics aside, the spi rit of the

gesture is what is i m porta nt The brand's the

thing in fas h ion, and i n this case, consistency­

youthfu l spirit, fl i rty fem i n i n ity, a n d a wild-ch i l d

playfu l ness-is responsible for ma king Betsey

J o h nson such a recognizable label

G reat b ra n d s h ave one thing i n common: They

del iver messages, prod ucts, and services that

evolve, but never deviate too far from the fun­

damenta l s that generated them Designers can

craft an identity with every choice they m a ke

Designer Betsey Johnson does a signature cartwheel after her spring 2009 collection show at Mercedes­ Benz Fashion Week, 2008,

in New York City

6 Sensing Style

Each of the five senses plays a significant role

in how we interpret fashion, and each s h o u l d be

considered in the design process

Sight

This is easily the fastest way to assess whether

somet h i n g is pleasing or not H ow d o shape and

scale relate to each other? How vi brant is the

color? H ow d ramatic is the contrast?

Touch

This is the second most i m portant factor H ow

does the materi a l feel aga i n st your skin? Does

the garment conform to your body and feel com­

forta ble? Is the material soft and p l ia ble, o r stiff?

Sound

I magine the clicks of loose beads knocking i nto

each other; crisp, papery fa brics that rustle a s

they sway o n t h e body; t h e synthetic squeak a n d

crunch of plastic as i t stra i n s t o move

Smell

Scents have been designed and a re chosen to

transform enviro n m e nts, camouflage, or se­

duce For exa m p l e, the Thomas Pink label, which

primarily sel l s dress s h i rts for men a nd women,

pi pes a fresh l a u n dered scent i nto its stores as

part of its reta i l strategy Although subtle, deta i l s

s u c h as t h i s serve a s a psychological trigger,

heighte n i ng the fashion experience through

a romathera py

Taste

Edible ga rments m ight seem l i ke the excl usive

domain of naughty n ovelties, but food a n d

fas h i o n have always had a mutually inspirational

relationship Jean Pau l G a u ltier's dress scu l pt u res

made of b read m ight make the mouth water

inasmuch as they could inspire the color, texture,

and form of an actual garment The Salon d u

C hocolat is a chocolate expo that recognizes the

bond between the food i e and the fash i o n i sta A

fa nciful fashion runway show is a h i g h l ight of the

event, and features models clad in every kind of

Left: Jon F ishman's Sonic Rhythm Dress by Alyce Santoro, Sonic Fabric 2003

Sonic fabric is woven from

50 percent recorded audio cassette tape and 50 percent polyester thread When gloves equipped with tape heads are rubbed against the fabric the d ress makes sound

Below: Y ing Gao's Walking City pneumatic fashions, which are triggered by movement, wind, and touch

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Human beings have more than just five senses Con­ sider the sense of balance, acceleration, temperature, kinesthetic, pain, and the sense of direction Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is working on projects that promise a new level of interaction between appa rel and the wearer Textiles infused with sensors that read and respond to movement, biological varia­ tions, and external factors hint at the future of fashion One example is the S K I N : dress, which uses pattern and color changes to display

a person's emotional state

7 Fashion Equations

The basic a rithmetic of dressing can be a useful

way to build a collection Top p l u s bottom is easy

enough, but which top? W h i c h bottom? Once

the designer figu res out which basics w i l l fit into

a collection as well as i nto a c l i e nt's ward robe, he

can begin to calcu late the va riables

Design details aside, c u stomers have other

demands, such a s practica l ity and comfort, when

it comes to m ix i ng and matchi ng The designer

m u st a n a lyze those needs, design components

that w i l l fit i nto the architectu re of the col lection,

and engineer the garments themselves B roaden­

ing a c u stomer's ward robe of basics or a de­

signer's core line is easy to do H aving more than

one variation of each fundamental garment is a n

effortless way to increase the n u mber of options

O n ce a structure is i n place, it is easy to pull i n

accessories to keep t h ings i nterest ing

I n 1 985, the fi rst Donna Kara n col l ection was

launched a n d it featured her Seven Easy Pieces

The o rigi nal Easy Pieces were the bodysu it, a

wra p s k i rt, a ch iffon blouse, a blazer, a longer

jacket, leggings, and a d ress; they a l l rema i n

relevant today This system o f dressing was a n

im portant tool for women i n the workforce who

had a desire to replace their "power suits" with

more fashionable choices, and to stream l i n e the

decision-making process so that they could put

together outfits for the office, travel, or a social

occasion at a moment's notice In 2009, Donna

Ka ra n rei ntrod uced her version of the Easy Pieces

with an u pdated list of m u st-haves: a t u rtleneck,

a skirt, the pant, a jacket, a coat, and jeans

TECHNICAL DRAWINGS BY MARIE-EVE TREMBLAY

21

8 Suits of Armor

The i n stinct to cover our bodies for protection

came before the desire to decorate ou rselves,

i n it i a l ly from the elements and eventu a l ly from

each other Com bat necessitated the shielding of

vul nerable parts of the body d u ring warfa re The

major sections of a rmor broke down i nto hel met

(head), ga u ntlets (forearms), gorget ( neck),

b reastplate (torso), greaves ( l egs), and c h a i n

m a i l (for a reas t h a t d i d n o t a l l ow for rigid plates)

It is i nteresti ng to note that some of the early

versions of b u l letproof fa bric were made of many

l ayers of s i l k due to the strength of the fi bers

Although Kev l a r's b a l l istic fa bric is currently the

sta n d a rd, experiments with spider s i l k a re finding

that it has not only compara b l e strength, but a lso

elasticity

Modern-day fashion design can provide protec­

tion i n new, i n n ovative, and releva nt ways I n a

society that values mobil ity, the development

of l ightweight, wea ra b l e a rch itect u re speaks to

fashion designers concerned with social issues

such a s surviva l and homelessness Contempo­

ra ry visual a rtist Lucy O rta created the H a b itent

as part of her exhibition cal led " Refuge Wear a n d

Body Architectu re (1 992-1998)." These works

exa m i n e the common factors that both a rchitec­

ture and fashion design s h a re They also address

a s h ift i n global consciousness rega rd ing what

we produce and why

Right: A model wears a silver ensemble from Jean-Charles

de Castelbajac's ready-to­ wear show, 2010

Below: Refuge Wear­

Habitent: Aluminum-coated polyamide, two telescopic aluminum poles, whistle, and

A model wears an armor­ inspired, silver metal dress

by designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, 2010,

9 Client Compatibility

Designers, l i ke a rtists, a re often court i ng thei r

m uses for inspiration They m ust also cultivate

a rich and mea n i ngfu l re lationsh i p with t h e i r

patrons and those who w i l l partner i n pro mot­

ing their work, such as styl ists and celebrities

H i story provides exa m ples of many successful

pa i r i ngs of a rtiste and m use Yves St Lau rent

had several prominent sou rces of creative i l l u m i ­

nation: former model and fashion icon Betty

Catro u x, designer Loulou de la Fa laise, a n d ac­

tress Catherine Deneuve, whom he also dressed

for fi l m s from Belle de Jour to The Hunger A

l ifetime friendship was the basis of the relation­

ship between designer H u bert de G ivenchy and

a ctress Audrey Hepburn Ove r the years, many

l ovely women have i nfluenced the House of

C h a nel, but recently, head designer and creative

d i rector Karl Lagerfeld a n ointed actress Kei ra

Kn ightley a s the C h a n e l muse And o n the other

side of the camera, film d i rector Sofia Coppola

is recognized as one of M a rc Jacobs' strongest

infl uences

H aving a h ighly visible i nd ividual i n corporate

your designs into her wardrobe can have a

profo u n d effect on a designer U.S First Lady

M ichelle Obama is respons i b l e for s h i n i ng a

l ight o n many talented designers, such as I sabel

Toledo and J ason Wu Toledo has been design­

ing s i n ce 1 985, but it was the inaugu ration s u it

that she designed for M rs Obama that put her

name o n everyone's l i ps Later that day, Jason

Wu, a relative newcomer, having debuted h i s

fi rst col l ection i n 2006, experienced the same

transformation when Michelle Obama wore the

now-famous wh ite gown he designed for her to

the m a ny i n a uguration balls

Whether it is the m use, the benefactor, o r the

mai nstay of every business-the customer-the

best relationshi ps a re sym b iotic ones where both

sides learn and benefit from each other

Director Sofia Coppola with designer Marc Jacobs backstage prior to the Marc Jacobs Spring 2009 Fashion Show

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PHOTO BY MARK WILSON/GETTY IMAGES

u.s First Lady Michelle Obama stands with inaugural dress designer Jason Wu i n front o f the gown she wore

to the inaugural balls The gown is now on d isplay at

the Smithsonian Museum

of American History, Washington, DC

25

10 Customization

Even though the des i re to fit i n is strong, the idea

of i ndividual ity a l lows a person to feel special

Faster, m o re fac i l e man ufacturing now a l l ows

customers to benefit from lower prices, w h i l e

sti ll a l lowing t h e m t o enjoy own i ng somet h i ng

that is truly u nique, becau se they contributed to

the design process Designers of m a ny different

types of products are taking advantage of both

the tools a n d consu mers' i nterest in finding this

balance between the two

Compartmental ized design a l lows the customer

to select how the elements of a product a re

fa b ricated, creat i ng o n e-of-a-kind combi nations

9ta ilors produces q u a lity s h i rts M ix i ng fab rics

and choosing specific design details, such as

col l a r, placket, pocket pocket position, cuff, and

cuff button, a l lows a c u stomer to transform a

9ta i lors s h i rt i nto a n origin a l Converse produces

the iconic Chuck Taylor A l l Sta r h i-top sneaker,

a style that is offered i n the traditional ca nvas,

suede, or leather-but that is just the fou ndation

C u stomers have m a ny choices when it comes

to the design and customization of the shoe, a s

wel l a s a wide assortment o f colors, resu lting i n

infi nite design variations

Based in the Netherla nds, fashion designer

Berber Soepboer and gra p h i c designer M ichiel

Sch u u rm a n designed the Colour- I n D ress, a

s i m p l e s l eeveless dress with a n A-line skirt The

t h i rd partner in the design process is the wea rer

She can use the text i l e markers provided with

the d ress to m a ke it her own The graphic pattern

on the text i l e lends itself to being interpreted

in m a ny d ifferent ways The dress also has the

potential to be a work in progress, should the

wearer decide to add more color each t i m e it

IS worn

The whole customization process is particula rly

s uccessful when the ga rment itself is fa m i l iar a n d

t h e modifications are easy t o i magine Designers

m ight be wary of giving up complete control, but

in a l l of these exam ples, the product designers

have the u n ique opportunity to see their design

through the eyes of their customers The exercise

provides va l ua b l e i nsight i nto what their audi­

ence wa nts

The N3 Zipper Dress by artist designer Sebastian Errazuriz Made of 120 zippers , this dress al lows the wearer

to customize neckline, openings, and length simply

by zipping or u nzipping segments

Above: Colour- I n Dress by

Berber Soepboer and Michiel

Schuurman, 2008

Right: Customized Converse

sneakers

27

11 Restraint, Impulse, and Impact

Design is a s much a bout what you add to the m i x

as what you elect not t o add T h e fabrics, t h e cut,

and the fi n i s h m ust be beyond reproach, be­

cause there a re no d i stractions-what you see i s

what you get Neutra l colors a n d the a bsence of

adornment a re often used to define a restra i ned

aesthetic Fashion with more of a pop usually

rel ies on somet h i n g more This type of design

has a p u l se, someth i ng that can be tapped i nto,

whether it is the vibrant play of color, a stimu lat­

ing pattern, or the hand of a texture

I m pact can have many of the q u a l i ties of i m ­

pu lse, but it is not restra i n ed t o passion o r theat­

rical ity Sometimes this type of forceful fas h io n

c a n b e down right h ideous The role of ugly fas h ­

i o n is t o c h a l lenge O bservers can't help but b e

engaged, whether they f i n d themselves i n t rigued

or offended The l ove-hate relationship teeters

on design sen s i b i l ities W i l l pu rposefu l l y dowdy,

discorda nt, or garish creations be i nteresti ng?

O r does a ru nway odd ity d isturb and u nsettle

you? The point is that regard less of whether you

like someth ing you don't understand you can not

dismiss it, because it has grabbed your attention

It can be appreciated merely for having been a b l e

t o shake t h ings u p and penetrate establ ished

sta n d a rds of beauty far e n ough to c h a l lenge you

A model wearing a H ussein Chalaya n creation, 201 0

1 2 Mind Mapping

A truly creative m i n d is o n e that b u i l d s a founda­

tion with the left b ra i n so that the right b ra i n can

m a ke giant leaps of fa ncy It's easy to identify

and focus on what o u r b ra i n has a natural ten­

dency to be good at, and to disrega rd wea kness

Strengthen ing those sho rtcomings is a key to

success Lefties a re ana lytical, techn ical, critical,

and logical They need to stretch to tap into the

part of thei r b ra i n that a l l ows them to be more

intuitive, i maginative, and i n novative The same

level of effort should be put into plann ing, o rga­

n i z i ng, and b u i l d i n g structure for a right-bra i n

i n d ivi d u a l

S i m u ltaneously enterta i n ing oppos i ng needs and

desires can be a tough t h i ng to contain i n you r

b ra i n I n order t o overcome natu ra l tendencies

that lean to one side o r the other, a designer

needs to move the process outside of her head

There a re severa l ways to map out a successfu l

creative strategy that a l l ows the designer to

see, sort, and s h u ffle everyt h i ng i nvolved

Left-brain fashion thinking can be found in a designer's ability to a na lyze the

needs of the market;

make reasonably logical decisions; craft language that will best represent their vision; have an awareness and basic comprehension

of innovations i n science and technology; and be well-versed in the value of numbers in patternmaking

as well as in business

Right-brain fashion

thinking can be found

in a designer's ability to

consider the process of

design thoughtfully; trust

their intuition when making

decisions; always be open

to creative insights and

exercises; a ppreciate the art

of fashion; and find the music

that creates an appropriate

setting for their work

Talk it out Every designer can use a sound ing board H ea ring ideas out loud is a great rea l ity

c heck, made even better when others provide you with feed back

Write it out Com mitt i ng it to paper a l l ows one thought to lead to a nother on the page, without the risk of letting any idea s l i p through you r

fi ngers

Lay it out The wide open space of a table, a

b u l letin board, or a wa l l a l l ows the designer

to spread out a l l aspects of an idea When a designer can see the whole picture s h e w i l l begi n

to recogn ize relationsh ips between the many d if­ferent elements

M a pp i ng things out is a way to fi ne-tune the process and e nhance the potentia l for o rigi n a l

t h i n ki ng

31

13 Net and Narrow

The world of haute couture is so e lite and exc l u ­

sive that m a n y designers feel they need t o a l l ude

to it i n their work, if not aspire to it Although it

has a very narrow a u d i e n ce, couture has a com­

pel l i ng a l l ure beca use that a ud ience is com posed

of some of the richest, most famous, and most

powerful fashion cl ients in the world This n iche

crowd certa i n l y has its perks, if o n l y by associa­

tion Serving this a ristocratic caste of couture

wel l w i l l often come with critical acclaim, but

not a lways economic success Fashion designers

who su pport their visionary projects with m o re

m a i n stream c reations are the ones who have

staying power

Ready-to-wea r reaches the people en m asse The

only l i mitations when serving vast n umbers a re

man ufacturi ng outlets and developing products

that have m ass appea l Casting such a wide net

not only generates greater sales, but also b u i l d s

name recognition J u st because it i s off t h e rack

doesn't mean it cannot have great infl uence I n

1 994, rapper Snoop Dogg wore a Tommy H i lfiger

s h i rt on an episode of Saturday Night Live The

b l ack, urban, rap subcu lture responded a l m ost

im med iately H i lfiger's work was adopted and

adapted by h ip-hop fol l owers everywhere H i l ­

figer c u l t ivated relationsh ips with other leaders

in this com m u n ity and a retai l star was born

This was enough to place H i l figer o n the map,

but he rea l ized he needed to serve t h i s a u d i

-ence b y sca l i ng the c l othes u p i n s ize, styling h i s

work to reflect the culture, and t u rn i ng h i s logo

into a h ighly visible status symbol in the fashion

com m u n ity His l a rge customer base contin ues

to inform the d i rection of his work The rest is

fashion business h i story

Musician/actor LL Cool J

and designer Tommy H ilfiger,

2007

o e­

o

I

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14 Disposable as Investment

Nontextile projects a re commonly used to

stretch a fashion designer's creative m uscles

Many fas h ion program s offer at least one course

that requ i res a student designer to b u i ld a body

covering without fabric and conventional sewing

methods The exploration of this type of wear­

a b l e a rt i nvolves a great deal of experimentation

What a re the objects of choice? How w i l l they

be asse m b l ed o r woven into a su rface? H ow w i l l

com ponents such as t h e bod ice, skirt, and s leeve

be put together? What kind of method of closure

w i l l be devised? The final prod uct takes shape

as a form scul pted to fit the body and m i m i c

traditional apparel

Depend i ng on the nature of the raw materia l s i n

a ga rment of t h i s category, i t m ight not have a

long l i fe span-a tissue-paper gown's days a re

n u m bered So, why i nvest in such a d isposable

piece of fash ion? The n ovelty and artistic val u e

of garments m a d e o u t o f paper bags, plastic

spoons, or duct tape a re i n h e rent, but there is a

greater va l u e to be fou n d The resu lts of bring­

ing fashion design sensibi lities to nontraditional

projects include u n expected problem-solving

methods and i n s p i red techniq ues Compositions,

color schemes, textu res, and construction s o l u ­

t i o n s that m ight not have otherwise been used to create conventional cloth i ng become apparent

A new set of ski l l s and a fresh perspective can

kick-start a col lection

Left: Nontextile dress

constructed out of pennies

by I nes Antigua

Right: Nontexti Ie d ress

constructed out of tea bags

by Kathryn Feeley

35

1 5 Environmental Context

Geogra phical regions develop a style of their own I n the U n ited States a lo n e, the North and the South h ave d istinctly d ivergent tastes for clothing The West Coast and the East Coast have very d ifferent takes o n the defi n ition of

fashion The M i dwest has a nother standard of style altogether I n stead of m a king val u e judg­ments a bout the wort h i n ess of a certa i n sensibil­ity, a good designer w i l l delve into the roots these assessments stem fro m These foundations a re

u s u a l ly based on the m a n y aspects of a n envi­ronment that would color our choices: h i stori-

cal events, cu ltural i nfluences, geogra phy, and

c l i m ate When t h i s concept is extended globa l ly there are even s u btler d ifferences to be studied

A good fas h i o n com pass w i l l help u n cover the reason s for u ndersta nding why a wardrobe

of b lack has become synonymous with u rban settings such as New York I s the i n c l ination to adopt such a d a rk palette j ust a practical choice?

I s the overa l l look harder and more intim idating, somet h i n g that m ight give you an edge when dea l i ng with the gritty real ities of the city?

What is the explanation for a n i n c l i nation toward

b right colors and bold patterns i n the South? Does the weather play a part in it? Do these

choices reflect the la ndscape? This exa m ination assists designers in delive ring thei r p roduct to a market that is a l ready prone to receive it wel l

Left: Vintage Yves Saint Laurent dress in bright, colorful floral print

Right: Sophisticated, dark

brown cascade collar suit by Sara Campbe l l

1 6 Acquisitions

Setting u p a business o r sta rting a project re­

q u i res that designers shift into h u nter-gatherer

mode What a re the means by which they will

be a b l e to develop work? H ow w i l l they a mass

resou rces?

Good fas h ion h unters w i l l fam i l ia rize themselves

with a terra i n, track thei r ta rget, and acq u i re it

Identify i ng the r ight machinery and the proper

tools is essential Not a l l cutting i nstruments

a re created eq u a l For instance, the d ifference

between scissors and shears is length; the latter

m ust measure more than 6 i nches ( 1 5 cm) De­

sign room s w i l l reserve shears for cutt i ng fa brics

versus scissors for cutti ng paper Pinking shears,

applique scissors, and s n i ps each m a ke specific

jobs a little easier

Fashion gatherers a re a l ittle more s u bjective

They w i l l forage t h rough the many choices of

fa brics and notions to procure the ideal raw ma­

terials, based on aesthetic needs and seaso n a l

demands

O n ce a workroom is outfitted and its she lves

a re stocked with suppl ies, a workforce m ust

be assembled I n doing so, the designer m ust

dete r m i n e how each m e m be r of the staff fits into

the com m u n ity being crafted N ext, the designer

m ust b u i l d a culture, an enviro n ment, systems,

and tech nology

I n some cases, it is a s m a rt idea to accu m u late

reserves A s u r p l u s can mean the d ifference be­

tween enduring and t h rowing in the towel when

faced with situations that c h a l l e nge su rviva l

H owever, stockpi l ing isn't h e l pful u n less the

goods a re releva nt and a re actua l ly put to use

The va l u e of a designer's i nventory-comprising

m a c h i nery, raw materials, manpower, or fin ished

product-depends on how cohesive it a l l is

Right: Design studio: button bins

Far Right: Design studio: fabric and pattern storage PHOTO: JOEL BENJAMIN