A representation of your creativity, passion for fashion, skills, and ambition of being a fashion designer, your fashion collection is all of this and all that you stand for. Whether you’re a student or someone who is simply trying their hand at this diverse career in fashion designing, your fashion collection needs to reflect a personality, your personality. Having said that, it is clearly not as simple as sketching out some illustrations of apparel. A fashion collection is a detailed selection of looks or apparel that you conceptualise and curate, based on ten different factors. It needs some technical knowledge and a whole lot of research and of course, some planning. But, as discussed, it is not a piece of cake and, certainly, needs some understanding and know-how on the subject. So, let’s get started.
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First things first, what do you need to be equipped with, to design a fashion collection?
1. Passion, Interest, and Aptitude
These ingredients that are needed for any other profession are also needed for a fashion aspirant. When you wish to make your dream fashion collection too, you need to be armed with the right passion, interest, and aptitude in fashion. Now, the range and degree of these may vary, depending on who you are and what your purpose is.
As an amateur who simply wishes to explore the fashion designing profession or wants to pursue it as a hobby, the interest may be higher than the aptitude and passion. For a student who is just starting out and wishes to present a fashion collection as a designing portfolio to qualify at a dream school, the passion and interest may be higher than aptitude. Similarly, for a student working on their dream fashion collection as a final presentation to graduate, all three must-haves may be on the same level. Nevertheless, what is most important is to have enough passion, interest, and aptitude to pursue fashion and build your dream fashion collection.
2. Inspiration
Inspiration is key in any creative profession. Without any source of inspiration, your work may not be as compelling and impactful as it needs to be. It is said that what makes every creative work unique is the individualism that reflects through it. And, that personalised beat comes from your own unique inspiration sources. Ideally, there are three things that you can seek inspiration from when designing a fashion collection. First is yourself, then the world, and lastly, the material in hand.
Now, every person is different, which means seeking inspiration from within, from yourself will never be the same as someone else. Moreover, the way you perceive the world, things that matter to you and touch you, can be a source of inspiration and an ideal way to express opinions. Lastly, the material that you’re working with; fabrics, patterns, and colours. Of course, all of the above has to come together to complement the current season, requirements, trends, and more. In the end, it is your inspiration from within, the world, and the materials to be used, blending with your research of consumer behaviour and other factors.
3. Basic Know-How and Skills
To design your fashion collection, you need the basics of interest, passion, and aptitude. But, at the same time, you also need the right knowledge and basics of fashion designing. Curating a fashion collection takes many skills that need some guidance and learning. So, whether you’re designing a collection as a student, a fashion designer, or as an amateur, you need to be equipped with detailed knowledge of how to do so.
How to design your dream fashion collection step by step?
Although you may need to deep-dive into the technicalities and the art of curating a fashion collection, understanding the basics of fashion designing can kick-start the process. It is not as simple as deciding that you want to curate a collection of bridal wear or a range of fall fashion. It needs a step by step process that involves a whole lot of brainstorming, research, planning and more before you get started with a pencil and paper.
So, before you set your mind to a particular design or theme, park that thought, note it down for reference later and begin from the top. Here is where you start!
1. Use that inspiration and create a mood board
We’ve spoken a great deal about inspiration earlier, and we’re going to bring your attention back to it. This is where you start. At this point, you may have a mix of many thoughts, ideas, and concepts running through your head. But, it is best to start fresh and take it step by step to avoid an outcome that is nowhere close to your expectations.
To start with, note down all the random ideas you can think of when you seek within and reflect on the world. Say, you are passionate about feminism and that comes not only from yourself but also from the world.
Now, you note that thought down. Next, you resort to fashion magazines, portals, TV shows or any other source that inspires you further to build on that initial idea. You save or note down things that inspire you – designs, colours, or people.
Next, you hop onto the internet or the library and deep dive into research. Look up a particular era or a popular feminism movement in the past and derive some more fashion designing inspiration to build on the core idea.
Last step? Combine some introspection, research, and ideation to curate a mood board. Keep it your focal point for the next few steps; something to derive a concrete concept from and to inspire your designs later on.
2. Derive and decide the exact theme
Now that you have a basic theme, let’s build on it further and come to a clear and sold concept that will guide all your designs. Dive into some more research into the current season and on-goings. Delve into the current trends and forecast the future ones. That could be another guiding point for your designs. Blend the mood board theme with your trend forecast and hop on to choose a specific target audience.
Who do you see wearing your designs? How old are they? What do they do? Do they spend more time indoors or outdoors? Answer these questions and have a persona in place - someone you’d like to design clothes for.
It is also important to take global situations into consideration. Say, in a pandemic-struck world when people will be spending more time indoors and at home, your designs could target the current fashion needs. Comfort, convenience, lounge-wear, transitional outfits, etc.
Based on all of the above, you come down to a set colour scheme, a clearer mood, and other basics. Essentially, there should be a synergy in your initial inspiration/idea, your creativity, market trends, consumer research and requirements, and probably, even the fabrics and colour schemes.
3. Start Putting that Vision on Paper
Once you have the concept note ready based on the above, you can get to the main and final part of the process – sketching and illustrating. Start with the silhouettes, expand on them with details and intricacies, fabric texture, patterns, and more. Lastly, fill it all up with the right colours. Make sure the designs and the overall collection speak your concept and theme. Make sure it connects with the target audience you’re looking at and it fits with the season, consumer needs, and upcoming trends. Make sure it resonates with your individuality and personality.
The final takeaway?
Designing your dream fashion collection is all about YOU. What you want to introduce to the world, what you think, what you want the world to wear, and what you stand for. It is also about making a creative concoction that has an equal proportion of the right skill-sets, a visionary approach, expression, and of course, passion. It is fair to introspect and take your time to curate a mood board and then delve into the latter. It is, after all, a creative process. But, at the same time, it is important to know that it is also an industry that doesn’t wait longer. So, let’s find the right rhythm and knowledge in fashion designing and kick-start that dream fashion collection? Click here to start now!