By Miriam Moss
This book looks at the career and life of a Fashion Designer. It's dated, but a mine of info!!!!
The first chapter talks about how some designers create expensive, extravagant haute couture clothing, and others create ready-to-wear "designer label" clothes using fine materials and taste, and lastly, there are mass market ready-to-wear materials made from cheap materials.
Fashion designers have to constantly adapt to the changing styles, and be able to be under the pressure of many deadlines and long hours.
Chapter 2
Most designers go to design school, where they learn technique as well as art. They also choose whether to specialize in women's, men's, or children's clothing, and then what category to specialize in; sportswear, evening wear, lingerie, knitwear... Many have internships, and enter design competitions for exposure in the field, and eventually jobs.
Many start out as assistants
There are three ways of working as a designer: Free-lance (sell to stores, fashion houses, manufacturers, and are labeled by the companies that buy the clothes), work in-house (designers are employed full time by company), and lastly, designers can choose to start their own company. Some designers don't even have formal training, some do, some are lucky, and some never break out.
Some designers used to be architects... Paco Rabanne "It is very important to have access to other ways of creating because all creation is the same gesture. If you can design a dress, you can design a piece of furniture. You have a feel for technique." This is like my thoughts for learning to make clothes! I know how to paint, now why not try clothing?
Chapter 4
Betty Jackson- "Sometimes you rack your brains for the muse to strike and she doesn't and you get in a panic thinking you'll never think of anything again." I really like this quote, since after Judy said at Carrie's presentation that you must force yourself to create everyday, and you can't wait for the muse, it made me feel guilty. I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets blocks in thought!
Designers don't just sit around and sketch all day. They usually have to meet deadlines, budgets, cope with stress, and work long hours.
Since designers work for seasons, they have to start a season about a year in advance
Each collection has a theme for inspiration
A team: Fashion designer designs shape/style, knitwear picks color combos and patterns, fabric designer designs fabric for fashion designer, assistants, sample makers, pattern makers
Sketch or drape to work out design, or use old patterns
Think about market, season, and cost
Paper pattern, then MUSLIN- muslin copy called toile (Autumn calls it a sloper), then cardboard copy
Inspiration/FUSION
French designer Jean Louis Scherrer inspired by trip to Rajasthan, India- pant suits, turbans, silks
Brit jewelery designer Dinny Hall inspired by classic domes/spirals
Jean-Paul Gaultier inspired by skeleton
JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER
Isaac Mizrahi inspired by Matisse
Irina Burmistrova uses black plastic, gray foam, garbage bags, cable...
LOOK UP ROMEO GIGLI
Chapter Four
Fashion show- buyers come from all over to view completed collections- buyers, rich, and magazines
In Paris, lasts ten days, with over 40 shows, anywhere from the Louvre to the banks of the Seine
Jean-Paul Gaultier used an abandoned bomb shelter
SEARCH AZZEDINE ALAIA
YOHJI YAMAMOTO
Major Events
fabric exhibition @ Interstoff Clothing Textiles Trade Fair in April and October- new colors predicted two years in advance
Italy (Milan)- clothing is a large industry, purpose to make sleek designs (Georgio Armani, Versace, Benneton)
London- young, innovative fashion, resist conformity, no barriers
*** One of my favorite London brands is All Saint's*** very edgy- you'll have to see the store, 'cause I couldn't find any good pics online
New York City- led by multimillionaires (Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Christian Lacroix, Oscar de la Renta***)
***LOVE Oscar de la Renta!!! One of my first magazine clippings (see wedding dress post) was a dress by him- see images below
Paris- ship samples to New York for Americans- showcase streets are Fifth Avenue (NY), Bond Street (London), Boulevard Saint Germain (Paris)
Funding
financial backing is difficult- as expand, need more money for materials
international- i.e. French designer financed by Japanese, and manufactures in Italy
several price levels so affordable- same look, different fabric, less extravagant cut
No comments:
Post a Comment