When you wake up in the morning and put on your clothes, do you ever stop to think about just how much effort and work went into such a simple garment?
While sitting in on a lecture with Product Development and Production specialist, Ericka Mays, I was brought along the extensive process of creating a product. Although we as consumers can so simply just enter a store, pick something up off the shelf, and purchase it for use, we often don’t ponder the hundreds of hands and minds that have touched that one product as it was being created – the thoughts, creativity, planning, and time taken to deliver what’s right before our very eyes.
If you yourself have ever contemplated entering a career in fashion or design, but don’t know where to start… keep reading. In listening, Mays described the “equation” of production – detailing the 9 steps of the design process. And guess what…? Each one of those nine steps is just pouring over with career opportunities that personally, I didn’t even know existed before last week!
So, let’s break it down.
The 9 Steps of the Design Process
Mood Board, Ideation, Inspiration
Everything has to start somewhere… Here is where you can get really creative. This step is, in a way, the freest – not bearing too many limits. It doesn’t look one specific way- your idea could simply be in writing, or maybe you’d prefer to compile a collage of visual inspirations! Either way, let your mind run wild. No idea is wrong and the sky’s the limit!
Fashion Illustration or Sketch
Here is where a concept begins to formulate on a piece of paper (or computer nowadays). Still maintaining creativity, step two is where those wild ideas become a bit clearer. This could look like taking your nature-filled inspiration and designing a dress full of floral features and earthy tones. Or on the more entrepreneurial and ideation side of things- maybe you lost your brand new hat in an animal pasture because the wind swept it away and now have a big idea to solve that problem… (I may or may not be speaking from personal experience…)! This is where that genius idea becomes a visual picture.
Technical Sketch
As fun as it may be to let your creativity flow, designing things without limits, there comes a time where things need to get a little more technical… But it’s all for the best, I promise! In order for your designs to actually begin to come to life, a technical designer must then come in from a more practical standpoint assessing measurements and functionality- these measurements are what we call SPECS.
Tech Pack
Tying right into the step previous to this, following the technical sketch, a technical pack must now be made. Here is where all garment specifications are outlined. Look at this as a factory’s instruction manual- they can’t properly make the garment without proper direction. Rooting from the name, tech packs get very… Well, technical. Here you must ensure to outline the nittiest gritty details including stitch type, number of buttons, placement, how many findings necessary, etc.
Sourcing
Well now that the instruction manual has been made on a flat screen or piece of paper, it’s finally time to take steps to make this product into something real! Communication is key in sourcing as you may be speaking with people from all over the world – typically many materials are outsourced due to lower cost. When many hear sourcing, their minds go straight to the fabric going into our clothing, but don’t forget… the hem must be sewn somehow, and the brand must be placed somewhere… Sourcing comes down to the tiniest of things including thread, tags, and buttons.
Factory, Sampling
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations – you’re in the home stretch! You finally will get to see that inspiration from 5 steps ago come to life in a way you can actually feel with your two bare hands! All excitement aside, factory selection is a very important decision in this design process. Not only do you want a place that will deliver what you ask of them, but especially now, ethics must be taken very seriously into consideration. In this step, the most important thing to remember is “to be clear with what you want” (Mays).
Fit & Review
After the factory delivers a sample of your product, it comes time to assess. Here in step seven, the product is tested and fit on what we call a fit model. It is the model’s job to convey any discomfort or issues with sizing. Here it is key to “write everything down” including the tiniest of comments and observations (Mays). It’s easy in the moment to think you’ll remember later on, but when it comes to making a product, the small details matter most.
Design Approval
You’re in the home stretch! After adjustments are made from the fit session, here is the final approval stage before the garment or product is sent to production… so, be sure to triple check everything! Here you want to confidently say “I’d like this many of this exact product, please!”.
Production
And finally… you’ve made it! Your product is ready to be sent to production. However, the hard work doesn’t stop here; a lot of times product needs to be delivered in a timely manner, so tracking and communication is key here. Stay on top of what’s happening within the production chain because this could make or break your end result!
Final Thoughts
The design process is a tedious, yet (I find) exhilarating practice that is crucial to carry a mere brainstorm to an actual, full-blown product! Next time you put on your t-shirt, look at the stitches, or maybe even count how many buttons reside… and just think of all of the thought, effort, and time that went into delivering what you hold and wear before you.
Interested in making an idea of your own come to life? Or maybe you just want to learn more about the design process and see what resources are at your fingertips? Check out: Stateless – Fashion Brand Consulting, Modemonline.com, Fashiondex.
I want to give a huge thank you to Ericka Mays for taking the time to come in to speak with our class. I left last week with a wealth of knowledge and even more inspiration to kickstart something of my own in the future! Interested in knowing more about the speaker? Visit About Us — ERICKA MAYS & ASSOCIATES, APPAREL PRODUCTION & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANTS (erickamaysandassociates.com)
