Design Development

Design development, Design sources and Style selection.

INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

MAKING THE FIRST PATTERN

TRADITIONAL PATTERN MAKING

PATTERN MAKING USING COMPUTERS

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

MAKING THE SAMPLE GARMENT

SAMPLE SEWING

APPROVING THE SAMPLE GARMENT

Determining the cost estimate

INTRODUCTION 

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The fashion development or design department usually consist of designers and assistant designers. After the design have approved the style of design development, the designer sketch, fabric swatch and garment specification sheets are delivered to the fashion or design development department to begin the pattern making process. The first pattern may be developed by the contractor or the apparel manufacturer.

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Other designer prefer to drape the preliminary design idea using either muslin or a fashion fabric on a mannequin or dress form. After careful marking have been made, the fabric pieces of the drape design are removed from the mannequin. The drape then ready for pattern making.

Making the first pattern. 

The pattern maker may work with paper patterns, or the pattern might be created using a computer aided design system. There are similarities between both methods in pattern making process

Traditional pattern making 

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From the designer sketch, the assistant begins the pattern making process. Called the Flat pattern design. An existing pattern is used to begin a new design. This pattern could be basic pattern called the Block pattern or a Sloper in the company samples size.

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The pattern maker creates new pattern by adding pattern design details such as collar, pocket, button hand, back Yoke, and sleeves pleats to the basic pattern as indicated in the designer sketch. Modifying as existing pattern can be much faster way to create a pattern for the new style.

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It is important that pattern maker accurately assess from the sketch the overall silhouette desired, the amount of ease. The existing basic pattern as well stylized pattern are often made of heavy weight paper tag board

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Traditional pattern making procedure require the pattern maker trace the base pattern onto either pattern paper or the new pattern are made directly on tag boards. The in tented fabrics is an important consideration during pattern making. To develop patterns from garments makers made from stretch fabric, it is necessary to know the exact amount of stretch in all direction of the fabric.

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The pattern is made sufficiently larger to account for the shrinkage factor. Pattern maker not only needs patter making expertise to interpret a garment illustration into a pattern, but also must be knowledgeable about production aspects so the pattern can be made feasibly and cost effectively in the factories.

PATTERN MAKING USING COMPUTERS. 

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Computer pattern making has been used in some apparel companies since the early 1980s. Many apparel companies use pattern design systems for some or all of the pattern making functions. The pattern making process is similar to the flat pattern process previously discussed. Pattern making commands are either selected from a menu shown on the screen. Once the pattern pieces are completed, the pattern can be plotted in full size.

Advantages Speed:  All basic patterns, or base blocks, and previous styles are stored in the computer’s memory.  No tracing of an existing pattern is required.  Programs add selected seam allowances and hem allowances and hem allowances to selected edges.  Markings and labels such as grain lines and notches are stored in a special “library”.

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The pattern piece is spread instantly, compared to slashing a paper in several places. Changes in the pattern can be made more quickly.

Accuracy 

Using CAD eliminates the incremental growth that can occur when hand tracing a pattern because of the thickness of the pencil lead.

Integration with production 

Production is faster if the pattern pieces have been stored already in the computer.

Disadvantages Cost : The initial coast of PDS workstation is

high. Another aspect of cost deals with traning costs for pattern makers.

Visualization of the Full Size: For pattern makers who are experienced at pattern making in full size, the use of PDS requires a visual adjustment to the scale of pattern parts as seen on the computer screen.

User friendliness 

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User friendliness: One of the hurdles with learning a computer system is memorizing the commands and the various steps needed to complete a process. Some of the early PDS systems were not “user friendly.” “Down” Time: For apparel companies located in very large cities expert service representatives may be quick phone call away when a computer system malfunctions or “goes down”. However for some companies a malfunctioning workstation can cause great problems and affect the subsequent production steps. Any delays can be extremely costly to the manufacturer and retailer.

Making the prototype or sample garment. 

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Manufacturers develop the line, create the design sketches with fabric swatches, and write garment specification sheet. The steps in-between, those involving the making of the pattern and cutting and sewing the prototype or sample may be performed by either the apparel company or the contractor.

Sample sewing: 

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Apparel companies who sew the prototype in-house have a sample sewing department. The completed pattern is delivered to the sample sewing department, with a swatch of the intended fabric and the garment specification sheet. The garment spec sheet will indicate any special cutting instructions. The cutter will match plaids where specified and make other decisions about layout. The pattern is removed from the fabric after cutting.

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The sample sewer who sews the prototype is highly skilled in the use of a variety of sewing machines as well as in the production process used in the factories. The sample sewer moves from one piece of equipment to the next, until the garment is finished. After the sample sewer finishes making the prototype it is sent back to the design department for evalution.

Approving the prototype: 

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The fit of the company’s products is a way to achieve product differentiation. Therefore, an assessment of how each style fits can be very important to a company. A fit model is used to assess the fit, styling, and overall look of the new prototype. Fabrics are tested for such properties such as color fastness,crocking,pilling and abrasion early in the design process,wash test might be performed. The garment will be laundered. After checking all it is approved .

Determining the cost estimate 

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The cost to mass produce style is an imp consideration in the selection of styles for the final line. An initial cost estimate for the style is based on several imp components. such as cost of materials, quantity of all materials used, the quantity of fabrics, labor cost ,etc.

INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN SOURCES

Design sources Historic and ethnic costume 

Costumes fall into two categories : historic costume ,the fashion of a historical period, and folk or ethnic costume, traditional, national and religious dresses. Both are inspirational sources of design.

Historic Inspiration 

Designers are usually sensitive to the coordination’s of color, motifs, lines, shapes, spaces of design in each historical period of costume .some are inspired to use this in the collection. For e.g. john Galliano used ideas from the 1890s, the 1930s, and 1950s, in some of his collections

Folk influences 

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Designers find the same inspirational blends of colors, motifs, lines ,shapes , and folk costume .many folk influences are shown up in recent collection.: Chinese at Dior Prada, Japanese at valentine and ghost. Vintage clothing shops and services In every city designer shop vintage stores, flea markets ,and thrift shops for old garments and fabrics to interpret for today’s fashion.

Museums 

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Museums costume collection offer the unique opportunity of seeing actual preserved garments displayed on mannequins. Costume gallery, Brooklyn museum – new York Costume gallery, los angels county museum of art- California Costume institute, McCord museum- Canada Museum of costume –England Centro international arty Italy

Libraries and Bookstores 

Costume can also be studied in books. Museums bookstores libraries are excellent sources of costume references. Many libraries also have collections of old fashion magazine. Some colleges have historical costumes.

The Arts   

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Art – exhibitions often have an impact on design collections. Films- films occasionally influence style eg. Filmstars. Music- music and the exposure that videos gives singers and musicians have a significant impact on young people. Television- as seen on programmers the clothes are either design specifically for the show or are chosen from ready to wear collection. A number of programs are targeted to view under 30. the clothes worn by the stars of the popular tv program disseminate youthful fashion trends.

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Fabrics are the most important inspiration and resource for design. However apparel and accessories designers are limited by the fabrics available to them within there price range. Sources of inspirations specially fabric and costume collection, old or new interior decoration, or the market fairs.

Travel 

Travel influences designer collection. Designer likes to visit visually culturally stimulating places. Designer takes working vacation because are always using there awareness skills to observe new stimuli.

The street scene 

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Designers get idea just watching people in the streets, people on there way to work, the trendy young people or the kids on the skate boards. They look in the shop window. They take photos or make sketches of clothing that appeals to them. Some designers look imaginatively to the future for inspiration as we head towards a new century and millennium.

Awareness 

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Designers surround themselves with photographs of ideas, fabrics swatches, and anything else that will stimulate creativity. they usually carry sketch books to jot down ideas wherever and whenever they find them. They hunger for information, letting ideas mingle and shape themselves into new form. Awareness is the key to creativity. designers must learn most of all to keep there eyes open, to develop there skills of observations, to observe visual ideas, and to translate them into clothes that there costumers will like.

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Exposure to beautiful things helps a designer or buyer distinguish genuine beauty and quality from feds and mediocrity. Designers must be aware of everything around them that effects the clothing industry, including economic, politics, demographics and social changes. It is impossible to predict where an idea will come from or which idea may inspire a whole group or line.

INTRODUCTION TO STYLE SELECTION

STYLE SELECTION 

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Each style in t he new line goes through a similar process of development and costing. When all the styles have received the designer’s review.

PRESENTING AND REVIEWING THE LINE 

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The individual garment styles may be displayed on walls in the conference room or “war room.” Or, fit models may try on the garments to present the styles to the review team. Design presentation boards or concept boards may be included as a part of the presentation, showing fabrics, various colorways, inspirational pictures, and garment sketches.

Style: Bridal Wear 

Each style in the line is reviewed by the team to determine how well the style works in areas such as:

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Cost: Is the estimated cost within the range of the target customer’s expectation?

Production: Are there any potential difficulties in 

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production? Could anything be changed to make production easier or less expensive? Could a seam be eliminated?

Styling: Does the style fit the “look” of the target 

market? Or, does the styling look too fashion forward or too conservative when compared with the rest of the line?

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Could zardosi work be added if this is important to customer? Does the style look sufficiently different from competitor’s style?

Fabric/Trims: Has the fabric been adequately tested?

SELECTING THE STYLES FOR THE LINE 

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At the conclusion of the line review, some of the styles will be eliminated and some changes may be required in a few styles. For selecting a line principle of designs are kept into consideration for eg. Color balance.

DETERMINING THE FINAL COST 

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The final cost for each style to be shown in the new line must be determined before showing the line at market. Calculating the cost requires knowledge about production techniques and facilities. There is always the possibility that a style will actually cost more than was calculated, or perhaps, less than calculated.

Contractors can be asked to:  Examine a prototype garment,  Sew a sample garment, and thus provide a labor cost estimate, or  Review a complete and detailed spec sheet and provide a firm cost.  Establishing as accurate a cost as possible is important to the successful financial outcome of the line.

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A design that sells well but is underpriced can be a disaster to the apparel company. The amount that is calculated at this time is called the cost. This is the manufacturer’s cost to produce the goods. The wholesale price will be the price shown to the buyers at market and will be the amount that the retail shore will pay the apparel company for the goods. The wholesale price includes the manufacturer’s profit as well as the fund needed.

The cost of manufacturing includes:  Material  Trims  Labor cost  Other expenses such as packaging, labels, freight duty, shipping agent, etc.

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Books Libraries Internet Television Fashion forecast

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