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Step one

Design clothing

It’s not enough to come up with smart and interesting business models for a would be fashion business. Without designs, there is nothing to make and therefore sell. It’s important to push both of these aspects forward. As thinking about business propositions is something I do all the time and which is something I have started to draft here on this very blog, it’s time to also put energy into the “unknown” of creating my clothing designs. It’s easy to immediately start thinking in restrictions and hurdles, for example; Fashionary creates these Figure template cards that are very well made and would give a good sense of proportions and poses. However, I don’t NEED to have that to be able to create. It’s just me trying to come up with a reason why I can’t start right now.

My biggest challenge right now is stepping over these imaginary hurdles and to start creating/scheduling in time for myself to start making. And the scary part in that process is the unknown; not knowing what you will come up with and if you will be capable of doing so. But this is the process and something you have to learn and learn to enjoy.

What was useful after all, was finding inspiration in the work of Connie Lim who made the final illustrations to form an impression of how you can use the Figure template cards. Her style is free flowing but also clear and realistic in a sense. It’s something I’ll be looking at further for inspiration when I’m stuck with my own work in the coming months.

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DSM

One of my favourite places in London is Dover Street Market (probably my No.1 favourite place to be honest). I have been going there for many years to soak up the vibe and gain immense inspiration from the store design/layout, clothing designs on display, people that go and work there and Rose bakery. The complete package makes it’s worth visiting with frequency because there is always something new to discover or gain creatively.

The DSM logo has come to represent this experience and memory I have of this place. When I look at their logo, I feel connected to my inspired self. Analysing the logo further;

  • The shape is a sort of primal drawing shape, representing a house. This simplicity creates a sort of open platform for the diverse selection of brands and styles within the store.
  • A home which represents the family, which is very suited to their store concept; a group of brands together under one roof, some united by brand origin (Comme des Garçons) some related to it and yet others invited in as new friends.
  • “Dover Street Market” as a form of an adres places it in a space and time, a location*. Variations of the logo add the city name underneath “Market” (NEW YORK, LONDON, GINZA).
  • “Market” signifies a collection of sellers/retailers and a certain temporality to what’s on offer. It also brings up an image of a lively and communal atmosphere.

*Dover Street Market London, which was the first location of all DSM locations, was located originally on Dover Street in Mayfair, London. This is where its name originates from. Although the London store has since moved to Haymarket, its name is still linked to the first store location, rooting it in a place and linking it to a certain time.

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Observations on trend

Clothing design creates garments that may or may not be trendy.

Trend is based on community, on mass; when a majority considers something of a new/unique (design)style and want to associate themselves with it, you could see a trend appearing of appreciation for this certain style.

When a garment or style is in trend i.e. trendy, you could also say it is in fashion.

A trend being constant would mean it at some point becomes the norm to some extend. When a trend increases for it to degrease at a later stage, you could say it is a fashionable trend. For example; it has come into fashion to be associated with this trend (A), but trend A subsequently becomes surpassed by another trend (B), thus A is not able to sustain itself to become the new norm.

Fashion design therefor is a rather misguided term as it is not the designer that creates fashion, its the people that decide what is in fashion (which in tern is based on trend).

Something can be fashionable when it is designed to go along a certain trend that is currently in fashion. However, it is very unlikely that a designer creates something that will become fashionable, if it is not linked to a current trend within society. The term fashion designer therefor merely means that the designer is designing something that follows a currently fashionable trend (which either can be on the rise or decline, depending on the foresight of the designer). Success as a designer, or the success of their designs, is somewhat dependent on a variety they can bring within the boundaries of a current trend and on the suitability with a currently fashionable trend.