1. Fashion & Interior Design
The Fashion Industry
Fashion & Interior Design

2. 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

3. 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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. Freelance Designers
Work independently selling original designs or adaptations
Self-employed – not involved in manufacturers business decisions

9. 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.

10. The Design Process Step 1 Idea
Art exhibits, theater productions, movies, newspapers, magazines, travel, ethnicity
New fabrics, textures, patterns, prints – trims, fasteners

11. 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.

12. 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

13. Step 4 – Selecting Fabric & Trims
Swatch of fabric & trim is attached to each design sketch

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. Fashion Shows 2 times a year July – Fall/Winter
January – Spring/Summer
Paris, NY, Milan – High Fashion Designers
Collections – London, Tokyo, Montreal

20. 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

21. 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