FASHION DESIGN TERMS

FASHION DESIGN TERMS

 

• A fashion designer  conceives garment combinations of line, proportion, color, and texture. While having sewing and pattern-making skills are beneficial, they are not pre-requisites to be a successful fashion designer. Most fashion designers  undergo a formal training or apprenticeship form of training.

• A technical designer  works with the design team and the factories overseas to ensure correct garment construction, appropriate fabric choices and good fit. The technical designer fits the garment samples on a fit model, and decides which fit and construction changes to make before mass-producing the garment.

• A pattern maker (or pattern cutter) drafts the shapes and sizes of a garment's pieces. This may be done manually with paper and measuring tools or by using a Computer Aided Design software program. Another method is to drape fabric directly onto a dress form. The resulting pattern pieces can be constructed to produce the intended design of the garment and required size. Formal training is usually required for working as a pattern marker.

• A tailor  makes custom designed garments made to the client's measure; especially suits (coat and trousers, jacket and skirt, et cetera). Tailors usually undergo an apprenticeship or other formal training.

• A textile designer  designs fabric weaves and prints for clothes and furnishings. Most textile designers are formally trained as apprentices and in school.

• A stylist  co-ordinates the clothes, jewelry, and accessories used in fashion photography and catwalk presentations. A stylist may also work with an individual client to design a coordinated wardrobe of garments. Many stylists are trained in fashion design, the history of fashion, and historical costume, and have a high level of expertise in the current fashion market and future market trends. However, some simply have a strong aesthetic sense for pulling great looks together.

• A fashion buyer  selects and buys the mix of clothing available in retail shops, department stores, and chain stores. Most fashion buyers are trained in business and/or fashion studies.

• A seamstress  sews ready-to-wear or mass-produced clothing by hand or with a sewing machine, either in a garment shop or as a sewing machine operator in a factory. She (or he) may not have the skills to make (design and cut) the garments, or to fit them on a model.

• A teacher of fashion design  teaches the art and craft of fashion design in art or fashion school.

• A custom clothier  makes custom-made garments to order, for a given customer.

• A dressmaker  specializes in custom-made women's clothes: day, cocktail, and evening dresses, business clothes and suits, trousseaus, sports clothes, and lingerie.

• An illustrator  draws and paints clothing designs for commercial use.

• A fashion forecaster  predicts what colours, styles and shapes will be popular ("on-trend") before the garments are on sale in stores.

• A model  wears and displays clothes at fashion shows and in photographs.

• A fit model  aids the fashion designer by wearing and commenting on the fit of clothes during their design and pre-manufacture. Fit models need to be a particular size for this purpose.

• A fashion journalist  writes fashion articles describing the garments presented or fashion trends, for magazines or newspapers.

• An alterations specialist  (alterationist) adjusts the fit of completed garments, usually ready-to-wear, and sometimes re-styles them. NOTE: despite tailors altering garments to fit the client, not all alterationists are tailors

• An Image Consultant, wardrobe consultant or fashion advisor recommends styles and colors that are flattering to the client.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FASHION DESIGNER

 AND A TAILOR

Although both Tailor and Fashion designer are somehow  similar and exist in the same industry, they are different.

A tailor

Tailor is from the Latin word ‘taliare’ meaning to “cut”.

 Oxford dictionary  defines  a tailor as a person whose occupation is making fitted clothes such as suits, trousers and jackets to fit individual customers. Hence, a tailor is a true master of constructing  clothes(SUITS) and example includes; Ozwald Boateng, Saville Row tailors.

 A fashion designer  

A fashion designer  on the other hand  creates original designs and  is the creative force behind any fashion item (dress, jeans, earrings, shoes, etc) . He /she researches, develops   a concept, creates a visual image of the idea , conceives garment combinations, colour, and texture, and brings the designs to life in a three-dimensional form.  

A designer also  works with seasons to produce  collections and is inspired by themes such as; art, life, religion and so on.   Chanel, Christian Louboutin, Tiffany & co, are examples.

Hence, both tailor and fashion designer have different functions and abilities.

HOW TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL FASHION DESIGN BUSINESS

HOW TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL FASHION DESIGN BUSINESS

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After acquiring the necessary skills in Fashion Designing, whether  formally or informally, a serious approach should be taken when starting a fashion design business. All the necessary steps needed in starting a new business should be considered e.g. Having a vision and mission for the business, writing your business plan, having a marketing strategy, identifying your customers and so on.

Here are some few other important things you should consider:

1. Start with a marketing plan that sets out which customers you’re     

    targeting, and how you’re going to approach them.

2. Set the right price. Work out the price by starting with the amount that a
     customer would be willing to pay, then calculate how much you can     
     spend on getting the materials and production that will still make a profit.
3. Pay more attention to feedback from buyers.

4. Be well informed about financial and business related issues.

5. Understand how fabrics move, drape, breathe, react when worn, etc.   Your in-depth knowledge of fabric is absolutely essential to using it     properly when designing. Also know where to source materials from.

6.  Learn from existing designers. You can borrow and build on their ideas.

7. Research trends through media, comparative shopping and trade shows.

8. Downsize your ego. You don't design for yourself, you design for others.

Think about real needs, Don't be too abstract in choosing designs for your customers. Remember that you are not the one that will wear the designs, your customers will.

 Designers are especially needed for people with real, imperfect bodies that still want to look their best.

9. Ask your customers what they need: What do real people need and  want, keep it simple and realistic.

  Extravagant sketches are nice on paper, but great tops and jeans will sell  out in more interesting numbers than evening dresses.

10.  Assess your skills and personality honestly

·        An ability to be self-disciplined, a self-starter.

·        Excellent communication skills

·        Ability to accept criticism

·        Ability to cope with stress

·        A willingness to work very hard (often 24/7)

·        Openness to having many different clients and/or bosses

·        An acceptance that there will be loneliness or isolation occasionally (it depends on how you set up your design business)

Fashion design is not for you if:

·        You don't like uncertainty or instability

·        You can't manage stress well

·        You need other people to praise your efforts

·        You want a career without too many highs or lows

·        You need a lot of guidance

·        You hate being financially unstable and you have too many other interests in life.

Note You need to have these qualities:

·        Highly Creative & Artistic

·        Strong Drawing Skills

·        Good Eye for Detail: it is important for designers to be able to come up with basic drawing and be able to follow through with the details. Details will make your product unique, so this skill cannot be overlooked even if the designer beats the competition in visualizing and drawing.

·        Excellent Interpersonal Skills

·        An understanding of color, quality of fabric and texture

·        Strong Visualization Skills

·        A Good Sense for Business: An understanding of the business world from finance to sales and marketing is essential to becoming successful in the world of fashion. Creativity is the essence of fashion but without an understanding of how a business works, it will be difficult to sustain the business and make it profitable.

 

FASHION DESIGN

FASHION DESIGN

                                          il9.picdn

What is Fashion Design?

Fashion design is the art of application of design and aesthetics to clothing and accessories.

Fashion design differs in different places and times. It is influenced by culture and social values.

Designers start by creating prototypes of their designs, and the end product is then marketed to clothing retailers.

Fashion designers oversee the entire garment production from their initial sketch to final manufacturing.

Fashion Designers who work in small firms are responsible for greater duties e.g. patternmaking and sewing, while larger houses employ a separate team for the various tasks.
Some designers specialize in specific types of clothes, while others design generally for all types of clothes and their accessories.

A fashion designer  should have a formal education e.g. a bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising and/or Fashion Design with programs teaching textiles, fabrics and computer-aided design technology (CAD)

OR

An informal education which that has provided all the necessary exposures needed to survive in the industry.

What they do:

A fashion designers follow fashion trends that helps them to create designs that would satisfy their customers. Once a theme is decided upon, they create sketches  for the clothing, footwear or accessories which can be aided by a computer design program (CAD).

They decide on the fabrics, colours and any other accessories that is needed to make the design.

They visit manufacturers to obtain samples of fabrics and follow trend reports that are published by the fashion industry trade groups.

They are inclined to artistic expressions and draw their inspiration from diverse sources.

Modern fashion design is divided into two basic categories: haute couture and ready-to-wear. Both ready-to-wear and haute-couture collections are presented on international catwalks.

History of Fashion Design:

The first fashion designer who was more than a simple seamster was Charles Frederick Worth, in Paris, in the 19th century.

Before these, clothing was made by anonymous dressmakers and fashion was imitation of styles worn by royalty. Worth was the first designer to actually dictate to his customers what to wear rather than following their demands.

Qualities of a Fashion Designer

1.  They are Artists:  Fashion designers illustrate their ideas by sketching initial designs, which are used later to produce prototypes.

2.  Communication skills: Fashion designers often work in teams throughout the design process and therefore must be able to communicate effectively with their team members.

3.  Decision making skills: Because they are exposed to many ideas, they  must be able to choose the most superior idea to add to their designs.

 4.  They must be Creative: Their ideas must be unique and functional.

5. Good eyes for detail: Fashion designers must have a good eye for small differences in color and other things that can make a successful design.

6.  Computer skills: They must be able to use computer-aided design (CAD) programs and be familiar with graphics editing softwares.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FASHION DESIGNER

 AND A TAILOR

A tailor is a person who makes, repairs or alters clothing professionally.
While
A fashion designer is a professional who applies the rules of design and aesthetics to a particular product, majorly apparel and accessories.

A fashion designer probably may have never stitched a single garment in his/her life, but he/she should have the mechanical skills involved in sewing and cutting all types of fabrics.

Comparing the two would be like comparing a road side mechanic to a mechanical engineer.

HOW TO DRESS YOUR SHAPE: ESPECIALLY FOR PLUS SIZE

How to dress your shape: especially for plus size

Whether you are plus size, or average size, you will need some patience and lot of trying on clothes for you to be able to dress your shape. You should know what works for the largest and smallest parts of your body. That will be a guide to make you look your best.

The information shared here is also applicable to people who are not plus size.

The most common shapes in women are apple, pear, hourglass, and a rectangle. You should also note that you can be a blend of two shapes depending on your height and weight.

Your aim is to:

De-emphasize or take attention away from your big parts and emphasize or enhance your small parts with accessories, colors, patterns and cuts.

For example If you have short legs wear things that will make your legs look taller or if you have long legs wear things that will make your legs look shorter etc

1. Apple shapes

                                                                       Amber Riley

As apple shape you  mostly have slim legs, large chest, and you carry most of your weight in your belly and top part of your body.

Some apple shaped women have large chest , there are some with small breasts and high waists which can also look like the pear shape.

How to dress your self
Since you carry most of your weight in your upper body it’s important to create an illusion of an hourglass shape in your dressing.
You  should elongate the top part of your body with what you wear. Most apple shapes need to define their waist.
Draw  attention away from your full tummy, and show off your narrow hips and slim legs.

Suggestions
 Skater dresses,  a-line full skirts, v-neck tops, one button blazers, boot cut jeans. You can wear a belt but let it be at the smallest part of your waist  i.e exactly under your breast.

2. Pear shape

                                                                     Michelle Obama
Pear shape commonly have wide hips, thick thighs and legs, narrow shoulders and small defined waist.

Some pear shapes can also look like they’re bordering hourglass.

How to dress yourself

You need to balance your upper part with your lower part. You can appear less bottom-heavy by elongating your legs.

Most of the time  pear shapes have a hard time finding bottoms that fit their ample hips and small waist so a tailor should be  your best friend.

Suggestions

A-line full skirts, flared bottoms i.e (trouser or skirt), high waist  wide leg trousers, fit and flared dresses, detailed tops.

3. Hourglass

                                                                   Christina Hendricks

Common characteristics of an hourglass are large chest, defined waist, and round full bottom. This is a well balanced proportionate body.

How to dress yourself

Look for more structured and tailored styled clothes. Your goal is to find clothes that fit your curves.

Except  loose tops and dresses, Hourglass figures can wear just about everything.

Suggestions

Curve enhancing dresses, wrap and structured tops, structured jackets, pencil skirts , trouser and boot cut jeans.

4.Rectangle

 Queen Latifah

                                                                                  

Rectangle– The most common characteristics of a rectangle shape are, same size bust and hips and an undefined waist. Women with rectangular shapes can look a bit boyish.

How to dress yourself

Find clothes that create a curvier shape (e.g Queen Latifah in first picture above)

Suggestions

Dresses that create curve, bias cut jackets, pleated skirts, tie neck blouses.

Always  remember to De-emphasize or take attention away from your big parts and emphasize or enhance your small parts with accessories, colors, patterns and cuts.

You can also check out what plus sizes are wearing across the web to learn more about how to dress yourself.

You can also sew African fabrics like Ankara, African Lace, Kente etc using these styles we have discoursed as a guide.