Portifolio Making Process

Portfolio is book of experience. To promote and present your

designing journey, fashion portfolio must be required. Portfolio is the
visual presentation for your project. steps should follow to make a
portfolio these are:

-Inspiration

-Theme ideas - Mood board (collages)

-Colour story - fabric board

-Rough sketches-illustrations

-Developing collection with illustrations

-Technical sketches (close-ups )

-Techpack Snippets & Construction Techniques

-Styling Photography or Runway Shoot

-Brand Promotion
Step by Step Fashion Design Process
Analyzing the Brief:
Before starting your work, it is very essential to understand accurately what is
required for a client or project. It can make the difference between a success or
a failure. To get the right decision, some questions are essential. These are in
below:

 Are there any magazines that you need to refer to?

 Are there any special considerations, for example, when designing
children’s nightwear?
 Are you free to interpret the market in the way you see fit?
 Can you impose a timetable of tasks?
 Can you use inventive presentation and media techniques?
 Do you have to source the fabric?
 Do you need to include samples of finishes?
 Do you need to look at other material such as: historical, cultural,
political, social, artistic inspiration?
 Have you been given a deadline?
 Have you got a firm idea about the colour story, fabric story, silhouette,
details, pattern and texture?
 How are you expected to do it, in terms of format, presentation and
layout?
 How much work is expected?
 How will you break down the tasks?
 Is a shop report necessary to gain a better understanding of the market?
 Is the shop report going to be directional or comparative?
 Is there a budget? What is the budget?
 What are you being asked to do?
 What style of execution is required?
 What types of fabric and finish goods are required?
 What will you use for fashion direction?
 Which season are you designing for?

Analyzing all of the above questions should start with deconstruction and end
with reconstruction. Breaking down a brief allows you to try and determine
what the client wants and more importantly, to identify what the client or
consumer actually needs.
Think your imagination:

Thinking is the first step to imagine a design. So, at first think your design in
your mind and solve different questions which are around in mind. Finally draw
your design on paper or illustrate it and make a decision for fashion design.

Research :

Research is a journey of questioning, exploring, conceptualizing and visualizing

information generated by observation and investigation. Record the all research
information’s and creates a rich visual archive which can be used to inspire your
designs from theme to final detail. Research is the key direction to good design
development. It is actual guideline to start fashion design development process.

Researches are basically done by two ways, They are;

Research inspiration (personal inspiration & concepts):

Inspiration can come from anywhere. Sources of inspiration are individual and
also related to the designer’s personal experience.

Research material will help you to provide a focus on your ideas and product
design. This reference material will provide the theme that will inspire the
colour, texture, image and styles of your designs. Inspiration can be taken from
natural form, colour and texture and raw materials.

Designers can be influenced by the current Trends, Street style, Designers,

New Media(The Internet!), Cinema , Retail, Architecture, Raw Materials,
Fabrics, Museums and Exhibitions, Books and Magazines, Historical
influences, Art, Nature, Global Styles, Graphics & photography Cultures
and Traditional areas of inspiration etc.

Ideas and inspiration collection;

Starting to collect research material will provide a focus for your thought and
provide material from which to start generating ideas. Collect colour schemes,
articles, sketches, fabrics, notes scrap of wrapping paper, wallpaper,
advertisement, photographs, trimmings, articles, sewn samples, memorabilia,
postcards, old patterns, etc. collect stills, video, animation clips, music and
graphics to make a digital scrap-book. remember that one idea leads to another.

b. Research direction (fashion forecasting, comparative & directional retail

& trade fair reports, market research):

Research direction is another way to investigate and information collection.

Inspiration for design can be derived from many sources like:

 Intelligence Gathering: Current and forward thinking developments in the

fashion marketplace.
 Trends: Fashion trends are affected by the economic, social, political and
cultural changes; researchers provide essential design direction for the
designer.
 Street style: Street style or sub-cultures is a rich inspiration source of
contemporary design knowledge.
 Designers: Select the areas of design. It can be inspirational ready-to-
wear, haute couture, menswear, sportswear for example.
 Retail: All the collections can be viewed and stored on the retail shop for
customers.
 Internet: Information’s are available on Internet. So it is suggested that,
this leads to research that is conducted in only one manner.
 Fashion forecasting: Fashion forecasting can provide much of the
direction required to inform the design process.
 Market research: By the market research process they can know the detail
information about latest trends, most usable color, consumer demands,
and preferable fabric & price ranges.

PERSONAL INSPIRATION RESEARCH DIRECTION RESEARCH

&CONCEPTS

LOOK AT
LOOK AT Textile LOOK AT
Films
view View on Trade fairs
Exhibitions
colour Interior Trade exhibitions
Galleries
view Worth Directional retail report
Museums
global style network Comparative retail report if
Books
International textiles you have a product to begin
Magazines
The collerzioni series with! Mintal
Architecture
Prediction companies ,if you and keynote statistics
Photography have access Graphics
Theatre The internet Promotional styling
Travel Bloom
The internet

PERSONAL INSPIRATION RESEARCH PERSONAL INSPIRATION

&CONCEPTS &CONCEPTS

LOOK AT LOOK AT Films

exhibitions galleries
Shape/silhouette
museums books
Volume magazines
architecture
proportion
photography theatre
Scale travel the
internet
Exaggeration
Cut/Construction
Colour combinations

Draw your Imagination:

Drawing helps to form design solutions. Designers take notes and sketches
whilst on trips from television, films, whilst shopping or researching, from
books, galleries, etc. Sketching is an important part of understanding the human
form and basic form of dress pattern. Sketchbook is a meaning of practicing the
skills of drawing. It develops your illustration and fashion awareness. It is a
visual diary of places, events, ideas, patterns, textures, form and colour.
Drawing is a presentation of both design and illustration.

After collecting your research and swatches of fabric and samples, a suitable
figure can be sketched. The pose and attitude of the model figure will have an
impact on the designs that you illustrate. Draw your own design structure,
possibilities, and anything that your eye cannot see all at once.
Theme selection:
Theme selection is the basic part of a designer because that represents their
collection. It can be a period in history, a foreign place, a range of colors, a type
of fabric and so on.

Make inspiration board:

Inspiration board is a references and research framework for your design.
Designer collects different inspirational images, words, and objects (fabric,
colour, textures,trims, paint chips, packaging, etc.) that are organize and keep at
hand as a reference for starting a fashion design. It can be made in the form of a
paper poster, a bulletin board, a digital graphic, or a video.

Fig: Fashion inspiration board

Difference between mood boards and inspiration boards:

Mood
Make aBoards =
mood board: feeling, conceptualized, psychological.
Inspiration
A mood boardBoards
sets=the
details,
moodcolors, textures,
like a style, specifics.
feeling, emotional scenario, ambience,
presence, context, clean and modern, soft and romantic, summertime fun, dark
or light for whatever the final product will be. A mood board will influence
what goes into an inspiration board.

Fig: Fashion mood board (Courtesy: dutchgirlinlondon.com)

Mood board is the summary of your design collections. Put everything together
like fabric, trims and also express emotions and mood on your mood board in a
way that’s not just beautiful but fascinating. Remember that, your mood board
is a selling tool for your ideas, so make it exciting! Mainly it’s a design tool that
will help you to stay focused and consistent as your line develops. Generally it
is prepare for the communication purposes and explaining your vision to others
like retailers, media etc.. It is also use for creating a range or a collection.

Color selection:
Colour is a basic consideration in the fashion design process. In most cases
color is the first element that is noticed about a design and has a huge impact in
how that garment is perceived. Different forecasting companies research and
develop new and existing colour palettes from many sources like yarn
technologists, international fabric fairs, leather suppliers, trimming merchants
etc. some fashion magazine give inspirational colour guideline for fashion
design.
Fig: Pantone color system

The Pantone colour system is an internationally recognized colour referencing

system where thousands of shades are numbered. If you want to select your
color story, you can use Pantone to develop color standards. Pantone is a color
forecasting site. Each color swatch is labeled and categorized with numbers and
letters, so you can find your true color easily for designing.

Fabric selection:

In this stage fabric properties like its weight, tenacity, and construction are
determined. Now-a-days fabrics are becoming smarter. For the textile
development there are new terms are used such as, high performances,
technical, intelligent and smart fabric. Some designers select these kinds of
fabrics to show their creativity and present it on fashion show.

Designer select perfect trims to embellishing fabric in the form of hand work,
computerized embroidery, treadle work and other embellishing media are
selected to decorate the body fabric with due consideration of costs involved.

Texture:
To get attractive design, the feel, handle and texture of fabrics is most essential.
Fashion is a visual medium; so touch becomes increasingly important to express
luxury looks at the fashion market. Textile technologists have made great
improvements in the sensual aspects of fabric like how it feels, looking and
behaves, in addition to treatments that can affect the look and feel of garments
after they are made, for example, washes and abrasions.

Illustration:

 In this stage designer sketch a model with right proportion and express
his or her design idea on figure.(Consider Head Theory)
 Experiment with elements of design like shape, form, silhouette,
proportion, texture, pattern and colour. In fashion design process the term
silhouette refers to express the overall shape and volume of the design.
Silhouette is one of the most important design considerations and it is
easy to overlook when working on paper in a two-dimensional context.
Designer gives the perfect silhouette from the front side and from the
back side or side view. It is the meaningful relationship between garment
and body like A-line, I-line, V-line, two tiered silhouette etc.
 Also apply the principle of art like harmony, proportion, balance, rhythm
and emphasis on dress design.
 Maintain the aesthetic considerations on design.
 They do the surface decoration detail and finish on model figure and also
follow the style and dress fittings.
 Apply the perfect fabrication; handle, drape, structure and linings.
 Sampling of finish, detail, seams and embellishment.
 To start designing it is important to understand the construction
techniques to create basic skirts, bodices, jackets and coats, sleeves,
trousers and collars. It is the key elements that form Western dress. To
create a three dimensional shape on the figure and illustrate contemporary
fashion design should know basic garment cutting and fitting method.
Also follow the two-dimensional planning of construction, fastenings,
performance and movement.

Sample making:
After developing the design process, designer makes a sample to check the final
getup.
Prototype:
In the design process the translation of a two dimensional drawn idea into a
three-dimensional prototype is the essential element in the realisation of a
successful garment design.

At different point in the historical of fashion, the closeness of fit to the body
shape become more or less significant according to the whim of the time. Most
design fit the bode closely at some point; this may be the bodice, hips, sleeves,
or the whole body shape. It is important. therefore, in order to create three-
dimensional garment, to understand how fabric works with the body; and in
particular to know how it can be cut to hang well and enhance the human form.
These skills are learned over a number of years, with experience of difference
fabric capabilities, knowledge of flat pattern cutting, modelling on the stand and
an understanding of the human body.

This translation stage is one of experimentation and evaluation. A prototype of

the design is made and fitted on a mannequin or model; traditionally calico or
muslin is used. However, in mass production this stage is usually carried out in
the intended fabric and called a ‘first sample’. In some companies there is a
dedicated ‘toilist’ drawings of the designer and translate these into prototypes.
At this stage any design problems can be resolved.

The chosen range or collection (putting the look together,

accessories, decision making):

a. Designing collection:
Fashion design collection is a range of garments, accessories or products that
are designed and produced for sale to retailers or direct to the customer. It is
grouped by theme, colour or fabrication, creating a strong fashion statement.
This range of items may be inspired by trends and theme. Cultural and social
influences are reflecting on design. Designs are usually done for the special
occasion or season. Collection is a grouping of outfits that are present for
catwalk, online web pages. For the wholesale market, the collection will be
shown at trade shows or in-house events. For the general customer designer
give their collections on press or magazine by attractive photographs.

Fashion collection and line both are common terms in the fashion industry.
Collections are found within a line. A line may be composed of multiple
collections. Every larger apparel companies often have four or five lines that are
defined by gender; lifestyle or price point and each line will have a new
collection produced for each season. Haute couture, ready-to-wear, menswear,
womenswear and childrens wear are considered lines, the clothing shown in
each of these categories during fashion runway shows for a particular season
makes up the collection.

The professional designer when putting together a collection, they are following
some commercial considerations for example, the target market, lifestyle and
aspiration of the customer.Other factors include seasonal and climatic
considerations of the domestic or export destination and the cost and ease of
manufacture.

b. Range planning:
When all of the designs are completed and set out the financial parameters then
range planning is required. A range plan is an overview of your total design
collection like from how many styles you will have, to what fabrics and colour
ways will be used. It is used before you start into large scale production. It is
extremely useful for you to follow as a designer. But most importantly it gives
buyers a clear conception of your vision.

Fig: Range planning for fashion design (Courtesy: www.offsetwarehouse.com)

Range planning includes the creation of the ratio of garments to be selected in
any given collection. For example, a basic range plan may be formed of four
skirts, three trousers, six tops, two jackets and two dresses in three colour ways.
Every collection needs a breakdown of units (garments) to enable the looks to
be worn with enough combinations. If more volume sales come from tops it
makes knowledge to supply more of these when editing the collection.

Range plans usually include:

 Total number of garments

 Illustrations or flat drawings of every garment
 Proportion of different garments types (Tops/bottoms/dresses)
 Specific garment styles
 Different fabrics and colour ways for each garment
 Cost price per garment
 Selling price per garment
 Order quantities per style
 Sizes
 Manufacturer details

Decision making:

In this stage only experience person who can help to improve decision making.
It is really depends on whether the unfolding of a range or collection fulfils the
original need or philosophy. Decisions on research, colour, design development,
fabrication, silhouette, proportion, construction, prototyping and embellishment
all contribute to a well considered range.

THE WORKING DRAWING:

The working drawing is essential to the design process. It explain to much

greater details, and with clarity, the garment design chose to develop into three
dimensions. Decisions have to be made regarding finish, trims, details,
constructions lines, print and pattern placement. This drawing is used by pattern
cutters in industry. The layout gives some feeling of the mood and sporty nature
of the garments.

In addition to decisions about each individual garment, the balance of the range
as a whole needed to be considered. Is there the right amount of texture, pattern,
price, print or simply interest? Does the color balance well? Dose the range
offer enough impact?

In the fashion industry designers are responsible for designing the range and for
providing design direction to the buyer. They would work with the buyer
regarding previous best sellers in the range and consider this when producing
new styles. Before making any decision designer follow merchandisers or best
sellers data, consider about the upto-date trend information, fashion direction,
buyer and merchandiser feedback, finally maintain consumer and market
demands. Decisions are constantly being made but are always informed.
Construction...........

Promotion

(Product & portfolio promotion/graphics and photographic styling ):

a. Create a brand name or logo:

In this stage designer create a brand name or logo. The philosophy and identity of a range can
be continued into promotional activities such as branding and styling. To promoting and
marketing fashion goods it is very important. Normally the branding would be a graphic
designer’s job. It is the interesting use of the language or words can produce visual effects.

b. Styling photo shoot:

To promote fashion collections, designer need styling photo shoot with a specific theme and
story.

THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SHOOT

The photographic shoot provides another opportunity to promote the range by styling as the designer
intended, or to fit a specific theme or ‘story’ that a magazine may be promoting. There are a variety of
questions to ask:

What are you trying to achieve? What is the ultimate purpose of the styling and photographs? Is it/are they
visually eye-catching? Are you conveying the correct message according to your market and design
research? Is it your intention to attract, shock, inform or amuse? Have you given the photographer enough
time to sort out any special needs, that is, special films or lenses, gels, or filter?

WORKER ON IDEAS

It helps to stay focused – variations on a theme work much better than moving, ad hoc, from one idea to
another. It is also less time-consuming and time can be very expensive in the studio. The stylish works
with the photographer and will direct the shoot. The photographer will take care of all of the technical
requirements.

THE MOOD

Plan carefully how you want the photographs to look! Is your background wide enough for long shots, or
high enough for perspective shots from below? Does the mood match the market level, brand, personality,
identity?

BACKDROPS AND PROPS

The shoot could take place in the studio of on location.

Backdrops/props are important; you need to consider the colour and scale of the backdrop or provide your
own draped fabrics, painted backdrops or textural surfaces.

What are the logistics of moving the shoot to a location?

POSE/CAMERA ANGLES

A good selection of pose ideas or camera angles should be available at the shoot; Four or Five different
poses will not be enough!

LIGHING

Use magazines and books for ideas on lighting. Show these to the photographer at the planning stage and
again at the time of the shoot.
THE MODEL

Good models are crucial to a successful shoot. You could take test Polaroid’s of models to see if they are
photogenic, or if they are professional, look carefully at their portfolio.

HAIR/MAKE-UP

The ‘look’ is very important in any styling shoot. Consider the model from all angles, look the their
silhouette to check for any potential problem, for example creases and folds, and hair sticking out in the
wrong places.