Dr. Su-Jeong Hwang Shin, Associate Professor

Email: su.hwang @ ttu.edu

Website: www.myweb.ttu.edu/shwang

Agricultural / chemical(raw material suppliers)

Retailers

Consumers

Finishers

Contractors

SellingAgents

Wholesale Jobbers

•Advertising•Publications•Merchandising•Trade

associations

Fiber/ Yarn manufactures

Knitting / Weaving mills

Converters(Finished fabrics)

Apparel ManufacturesApparel Manufactures

The major steps in manufacturing a garment (Tate, p. 39)

Concept phase

Develop storyboards and pre-selling concepts

Sampling (sample patternmaking)

Textile development and selection

Line merchandising and costing

Marketing and sales

(Tate, Chapter 2)

Design apparel products “to sell”.

Develop a line.

Designer have interaction with the sales and production departments of manufacturing plant. (Design+ Production+ Sale)

Must understand the production procedures. Know about compatibility with the price range (fabric

price), technical limits of the production (sewing ability).

Should recognize potential problems. Should test fabric reaction, washing/dry cleaning, etc.

Sales meetings to explain to sales people the styling of a line and the specific information to sell the merchandise to buyers.

Should have contract with retailers.

Should have other outside sources to discuss fashion trends and consumer reaction.

Visit stores to see figures.

Designer is promoted as a personality and makes a fashion shows or in retail stores.

Researching colors and fabrics Investigate color trends and

set “color story”. Review textile lines. (Fabric

selection) Usually one type of

fabric (e.g. denim)

Design fabric (e.g. knit fabric) A successful style

Runs(=continues) one season to next season.

Tract styles (hot items) And, re-fabricate (= put

the good body into another fabric)

Creating styles for the line Work within the narrow

constraints of the category. E.g. a junior, moderate dress- rayon

print dress.

Overspecialization is danger (if goes out of fashion).

Diversify the product line is necessary!

Think about “the customer (who will buy)”!!! Must understand “what the customers

want”!!!

Direct sale to customers / Multi-channel retailing

Catalog sales/ home shopping/networks/ online catalogs

E-commerce: direct market to consumers

E-retailers: Spiegel group, Eddie Bauer, JC penny, the Gap.

Creating styles for the line Constantly shop stores/retail

outlets that distribute their line to evaluate how their styles are selling.

Knock-off good sellers Aesthetic Appeal Attractive design to the

target customer.

Hand (feel) of the fabric.

Hanger appeal in retail store.

Computer simulation.

Creating styles for the line Price

Similar “price points” in a store. Market competitors.

Timing Fit Care & Durability

Developing a Line Draw/ create a ‘working sketch’

using a computer program and give it to pattern makers.

The silhouette (shape of the garment) is important to tell how much fullness in a skirt, sleeves, or bodice.

Copies of working sketch. Identify the sample pattern and

the cost sheet. Draping muslin or the final

fabric/ or Working on the flat (flat patternmaking)

Developing a Line Good design: the Right fabric, cut, & trimming,

the Right price,

and the Right margin of profit !!!

Creating a line = a “Team effort” !!! A designer must cooperate with the sales force, the production

department and merchandisers.

Designer

Assistant designer (first patternmaker)

Sample and Dupe (=Duplicate) cutter

Sample maker

Sketcher (computer flats & storyboards)

Miscellaneous duties: Shopping for findings, filling out cost and spec sheets, receipts, etc.

Fit models

Merchandising the line After all samples, merchandised to weed out (modified or

discarded) potentially unsuccessful styles. The owner, chief operating officer (COO), sales manager, and production

staff are asked to participate in weeding the line.

High-priced lines contain more styles for exclusiveness and broad selection.

Pattern Development Pattern making, grading, and

marker. Designer may involve the pattern

development.

Advise the production to make the garment fit better, to make it easier to produce, minimize fabric yardage in a garment.

Pre-production

Basic pattern (showroom model)

Stock pattern size (missy 8-10 junior 7-9)

Grade for every size (e.g. missy 2-16)

Distribution The showroom, contracting

buyers to review. Trade shows for selling

garments e.g. Man’s Apparel Guild in

California (MAGIC) in LA Fashion show and Trunk Show The designer begins a new

season by presenting/explaining the line, the styling, and theme at a sales meeting.

Initial order may not be large but, Check (=sell well) are reordered in greater quantity.

“Good styling means profits for both manufacturers and retailers.”

Custom design Usually small manufacturing

firm. The custom designer should

have knowledge of fitting and patternmaking to have flexibility in creating design.

Have direct contract with customers.

Developing a Taste level A person develops a taste level by constant exposure to better merchandise in stores, in publications, and

on the streets.

Good taste is the ability to recognize styles that will appeal to a specific segment of the market.

Specializing without researching market is risk! Successful designers create a product for a specific customer and

view the customer objectively. DO NOT impose personal design on their product !!

Topic: Inspired to Design (Brannon, Ch. 2)

Bring your Journal Sketchbook !