THE FASHION INDUSTRY Fashion Interior Design The Role

THE FASHION INDUSTRY Fashion & Interior Design

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 Brand 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, etc. ■ May also have different price range – designer, better, moderate ■ Top designers – responsible for most of the company’s creative decisions

Top Designers in Fashion Houses ■ 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

The Design Process Step 1 - Idea ■ Art exhibits, theater productions, movies, newspapers, magazines, travel, ethnicity ■ New fabrics, textures, patterns,

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 –

Fashion Capitals ■ Milan, Italy- design center despite Rome being the government capital ■ London, England- center for all fashion in England ■ Tokyo- significant and recognizable style ■ Paris – significant fashion always started in Paris until the end of WWII ■ New York- 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 ■ http: //fashionweekdates. com/fashion -week-2017 -dates. html

Designer Ready to Wear ■ US started ■ Pret-a-Porter (pret a port a)– 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

Check You Knowledge ■ What is the role of a fashion designer? ■ What is a collection? ■ What is a fashion House? ■ What a makes an apparel industry designer different from a regular designer? ■ What do stylists do? ■ Explain the steps in the design process. ■ Define: – Couture – Haute couture – Pret-a-porter