The Fashion Industry

Fashion & Interior Design

Mrs. Wagner

The Role of Fashion Designers

Work at different levels Some national & world recognition Others assist high level designers or work

with existing designs Specialization is common – swimwear,

lingerie, bridal gowns, children’s clothing Must be aware of target market

High Fashion Designers – “Name Designers”

Influential in establishing fashionable looks for a season

Some own their own firm or financed by partners Others – Ralph Lauren – are publicly owned

companies listed on stock exchange The companies of high-fashion designers are

called Fashion Houses Some have special style or look – RL – Classic,

Hilfiger, Casual, street smart

Collections

2-4 times a year designers turn out a collection – group of clothes designed or produced for a specific season – 50-70 items

Different collections for different customers – women, men, etc.

May also have different price range – designer, better, moderate

Top designers – responsible for most of the company’s creative decisions

Search for new ideas, design garments, choose fabric & colors & establish an image, set prices, meet with buyers & clients & promote the fashions

Approve the licenses of other products that are sold under their name

Apparel Industry Designers

Most don’t have name recognition Work for garment manufacturers that

provide clothing for a brand or store label Do create original designs

Stylists

Adapt designs created by others, often High Fashion Designers

By adapting – produce less expensive versions – Knock Offs –

Choose less expensive fabric & change some details Must understand

- garment construction- Manufacturing Process- Firms production capabilities- Work closely with buyers of major stores

Freelance Designers

Work independently selling original designs or adaptations

Self-employed – not involved in manufacturers business decisions

Business of Designing

Create hundreds of styles – most never make it to store

“A Designer is only as good as his last collection” – customer makes the final decision

Success once depended on high prices – not inexpensive – just as fashionable – mix & match – exp. With less exp.

The Design Process

Step 1 Idea Art exhibits, theater productions, movies,

newspapers, magazines, travel, ethnicity New fabrics, textures, patterns, prints –

trims, fasteners

Step 2 - Sketching

Makes a sketch – very rough with little detail – some drawn on body silhouette – may add color

Croquis (Kro-KEY) – preliminary sketch as it is developed it begins to get details – yokes, pockets, collars, etc.

Step 3 - Draping

Some do instead of sketching Draping – arranging fabric into graceful

folds & attractive lines. Some use live models

See silhouette, proportion, details longer than sketching

Step 4 – Selecting Fabric & Trims

Swatch of fabric & trim is attached to each design sketch

Step 5 – Making Sample Garments

Develop Pattern Sloper – preliminary pattern is made which

fits a certain body shape Pattern is made – sewn together – tried

out - revised

Designer Collections

Were specifically made for clients Couture (Koo-TOOR) – french word for dressmaking

– designing, making & selling of high fashion clothing Haute Couture (oht koo-TOOR) – High Fashion –

most fashionable, expensive & exclusive designer clothing – Cost thousands of dollars

Atelier – designers workroom - hand sewing Fabrics – finest available, sometimes one of a kind or

created exclusively for the designer – very few people can afford

Fashion Babies

1700’s dolls dressed in detailed copies of Queen Marie Antoinette’s latest clothes

Dressmakers in London used dolls to duplicate the style, fabric & construction details

Couturier- designers who make custom made clothing – copied the idea & sent dolls to copy – was popular until newspapers & fashion magazines

Charles Worth - 1845

1st Designer to present gowns on live models

1st Designer to sell samples to US to be copied

1st to market perfume under his own name Father of Haute Couture

Fashion Capitals

Paris – significant fashion always started in Paris until the end of WWII

US started using more American Designers and started having an influence on other countries

Fashion Shows

2 times a year July – Fall/Winter January – Spring/Summer Paris, NY, Milan – High Fashion

Designers Collections – London, Tokyo, Montreal

Designer Ready to Wear

US started Pret-a-Porter – Deluxe ready to wear – French

couture house present 2 collections a year More practical – not as expensive – fabrics not

as unique – no hand sewing Sold in Major dept. Stores Top designers in NY, Milan, etc. hold showings

as well – retailers come

Licensing

Giving legal permission to use your name to promote a product

Receive a royalty - % of profits Licensing of moderately priced items has

enabled more customers to buy designer products