What makes a cohesive fashion collection

You need to nurture that person over time, building trust and credibility between your company and the lead as he or she gains knowledge of your products and services. At this point, it is necessary to carry out an analysis of current fashion trends in fabrics, colors, accessories, etc.

This information is the basis that determines the characteristics of the product and it is also essential when exhibiting or supporting our fashion collection, both to our customers or to the media. Next we will see the color chart selection of shades , which I will use in the materials:. This topic is absolutely free and as it is investigated, analyzed and deepened, little by little it takes shape and begins to throw at us the key words or concepts on which we are going to focus and we will decide to work on our design proposal.

As textile bases I used the silk crepe in a beige hue, cotton drill in rusty blue, woven wool jersey with melange effect in blue and ivory and finally I used waterproof fabric with blue and iridescent hue and metallic touches. As you can see below, the pictures regarding the cities, supporting the profile of an urban woman and the other images have almost the same colors of the fabrics and in some cases try to imitate the textures.

I did this in order to maintain a coordinated line but not necessarily all mood boards should be based on this concept:. Then we begin to make the Technical Drawings of our designs. In this process of creation we must identify the major factors that dictate the type of silhouette. After creating the first sketches, we select the final garments as having as golden rule that the pieces can be combined easily with each other.

All details of clothing should be illustrated in the best way to facilitate their understanding, especially in the production phase:. Next, we must perform the complete collection plane with the view of the front and back of each garment. Later, each garment must have a reference code or name that identifies it. We should also note the respective materials, colors and names of the factories or suppliers of fabrics.

All this will help us to support when keeping track of each garment in the production phase:. Now is the time to view our full collection, so we should develop the Fashion Illustrations with the main objective to reflect the characteristics of materials such as weight, texture, volume, movement etc.. In this step you need to remember our profile, this way the poses, accessories and general attitude of the figures, will be achieved perfectly identify with it.

Finally, it is necessary to complete the production technical sheets in manner minutely and as detailed as possible with all the details related to the product, stitchings and the making of each piece. One of the most tedious processes but certainly one of the most important, because it is from these spec sheets our collection takes shape and becomes in physical garments.

Here are some examples:. Well, here ends the design process of the fashion collection, but actually the process of the garments should be continued with the realization of prototypes and with the production. Do you want to know more about this theme? Would you like to know what roles does a fashion designer play in the Fashion Industry? I think the design and planning stage was definitely one of the most enjoyable - choosing and sourcing the colours, fabrics and sewing patterns, sketching the designs and watching these evolve, and generally having the opportunity to approach the entire process in the way in which a fashion designer might.

One of my biggest regrets was giving myself a tight deadline in which to complete the project; although I had three pieces made already, I gave myself the month of May to complete the other seven pieces. Although this was manageable, it added a lot of unnecessary pressure and definitely detracted from the enjoyment of the process. I managed to complete six of the pieces by early June, with just the coat remaining and I had no desire to rush this final garment, preferring to let the process unfold in its own time to produce a high-quality, well-finished garment.

This project highlighted some important points to bear in mind to ensure that future collections are successful:. Before embarking on your project try and pinpoint your own style - which colours look good on you? Which styles flatter your shape?

Synonyms that also can be used to describe the same result are words like coherent, compatible, coordinated, even proportioned. So — really and truly for a group of products to make a cohesive fashion collection it is key to have all products work well together as a union. The collection must be evenly proportioned and coherent. In other words — it must have logic and be easily understood. But if your goal s for your brand to grow and generate income and eventually be self-sustaining, then you need to ensure that the success of your fashion collection is also tied to some financial metrics.

Here are the key ingredients a commercially successful and cohesive fashion collection should have. All too often we see brands we fall in love with only a season or two later to wonder what awe liked about it. Did your style and taste change seemingly overnight or did the brand change beyond recognition? Those brands that have stood the test of time and weathered many economic storms are the ones that have a vision they keep close to.

That is not to say your vision cannot evolve. It has a life just like we do — the humans running it. As you learn more about your customers, as the market and the fashion industry changes. Just like you have seasons in nature and collections often reflect these seasons, so does your brand and vision will also evolve and go through seasons. That evolution takes time and shows progression. It is connected to the before and informs the after. Creating a strong vision for your brand at the start is important.

What is even more important is that the vision reflects you as a designer and brand creator. That you can live with it daily, that you are proud of it and feel aligned and true to it effortlessly. When you see new fashion brands change beyond recognition almost with every collection, it is because they are still searching for that vision.

But what that does is that it means you miss out on creating loyal fans and customers. You miss out on repeat sales and word of mouth marketing. Instead, you need to reinvent the wheel every season, look for new buyers all over again and basically start from scratch every few months. That has an impact on your sales and brand reputation. We, humans, are predictable creatures. Most of us like to know what to expect and what we will find in a brand we like trust and buy from.

It can be different and new — yes. But not so different that we have to double-check the label name and question our memory. Knowing your target market and understanding how to attract the right customers and repel the wrong kind is vital. The most valuable commodity we have is time.