Concept to Creation

The

Design Process

TANYA DOVE

Copyright Tanya Dove The right of Tanya Dove to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers. Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library. ISBN 978 1 84963 573 8 www.austinmacauley.com First Published (2013) Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd. 25 Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5LB Printed and bound in Great Britain

Concept to Creation
The

Design Process

Concept to Creation is a step by step guide to building original designer collections from an inspiration. Concept to Creation will guide you through the processes behind designing; How to select and develop an inspiration, research and development techniques, fabric qualities and manipulation techniques, selecting colour palettes, and how to create your own prints. Design development shows three ways to draw and illustrate your ideas from your research, and build capsule ranges through to large collections. Concept to Creation shows you how to build a customer profile, using different methods to analyse consumers lifestyles. Also guiding you in different ways to present and promote your collection, looking at different marketing strategies and routes to take your product to market. Fashion designers also need A Technical Foundation, which guides you through the processes of womens wear pattern cutting, and builds your knowledge of garment composition, construction, shape and proportion.

Introduction

INTRODUCTION
Concept to Creation will lead you through the processes of design. Starting with an inspirational topic it guides you how to develop this inspiration and concept into designs. In all fields of design a similar process is always followed, where designers gain inspiration and develop their idea into textures, shapes, colours, and silhouettes. Concept to Creation focuses on fashion design, although the principles of developing an inspiration is the same in all fields of design, interior design, product design and all forms of visual communication. Today, fashion design collections range from high-end designer collections seen on catwalks, to high street mass-produced designs in the high street. Budget retailers and supermarkets selling clothing to boutique stores selling designer ranges. The fashion industry is moving so fast that fashion trends can move as quickly as a weekly cycle, fashion trends being a high trend for a short time only. Fashion styles and trends used to be dictated by designer collections on the catwalks of the world, are now also being influenced and directed by street fashion, celebrities, pop stars and global economical influences. With so much competition in the field of fashion, and fashion trends being accessible to the masses, new designers entering the field need to analyze their customers lifestyle to be able to design collections that are commercially viable and unique enough to give them vital positioning in the market place. To build a designer collection requires a foundation of fashion knowledge; from a technical foundation to an understanding of historical fashion and costume, styles and trends. The psychology of colour - what colour means to us, and how to build colour palettes. Ways to market, promote and sell your collection and build your label. Designers must build on this foundation of core principles, and the ability to translate their ideas into finished commercially viable garments. Many elements of fashion run in cycles, some being short, and some lasting longer. Typical to these cycles are: Lengths Fabrics Silhouettes Colours Historical Influences Not all fashion designers create from the same inspirational source, even though some catwalk collections appear to have a similar inspiration. This is due to styles and trends research sites, which are widely used by designers, and an understanding of past fashions to predict the future trends. The press also plays a significant part in directing the mass market in new styles, colours and trends by analyzing catwalk shows from around the world and picking up on similarities, which they then translate in fashion magazines as the trends of the forthcoming season. Concept to Creation will guide you through the processes behind designing, showing in detail how to build on each area of development to achieve a designer collection and how to take your product to market.

This book will cover the following areas to enable designer to take a Concept to Creation: -

The Design Process

How to select an inspirational topic and develop it into a fashion collection. Brainstorming techniques Decades of Designers. Knowing the past to design for the future. A brief overview.

Research and Development

How to develop your inspiration using a variety of different techniques and mediums. The theory of colour in fashion design. To be able to build collections and colour palettes, developing an understanding of the balance of colours, and how they interact with each other. Shape and composition to develop print designs Texturing techniques

Textile Development

Understanding the three fabrics qualities, their properties and origins; woven, jersey and knitwear Fabrics in pictures. Developing textile manipulations; removing from the fabric, adding onto the fabric, changing the look and printing techniques. Textile manipulations developed from your research creates original fabric ideas for design. Garment accessories in pictures

Design Development

The three methods of developing designs - technical drawings, draping experiments and illustrations The Design Process An example from inspiration to design. Garment and composition the ability to draw in perfect detail your designs with a focus on proportion and detailing Garment categories and details in pictures

Collection Building

The Design Process a recap Building Capsule ranges Colour palettes and selecting colour names Fashion Collection seasons

Customer Profiles

Analyzing and building a customer group based on lifestyle, and needs versus wants Customer motivations and Consumer groupings

Collection Presentation Product to Market

Portfolio Building; Design Boards; Look Books; Technical packs and specification sheets

The Production Cycle: Pricing Strategies; Sales and Distribution; Marketing Strategies Promotional Materials; Legal Terms of Sales

Introduction

1. The Design Process

1. THE DESIGN PROCESS

The design process can be divided into four areas of development. All collections need to start with an inspirational topic that is researched and developed. From your development of textures, colours, shapes and silhouettes you will build a foundation of original ideas linked to your topic. Designing a range of textiles from your inspiration, from simple ideas to complicated prints and embroidery designs will give all new designers their own handwriting in the field of design and make their collection unique. Building a collection of designs around your own research will again enable your collection to be unique. There are four areas to research and develop when building a new collection:a. Developing Inspiration b. Developing Research c. Developing Textiles d. Developing Designs Designing collections also requires a foundation of knowledge in complimentary areas to fashion design.

A Technical Foundation

Knowledge of how to create garments can enhance your ability as a designer. Knowing the construction, composition, shape and proportion and ways to finish your garments will enable you to create exactly what you design. Even if as a designer you work with pattern makers and machinists knowing how clothes are made and finished will enable you to achieve the realization of your collections.

Textiles

Knowledge of fabrics and how they will work in different garments will enable designers to make the right choice for their collections. What fabrics will give you the shape and silhouette that is right for your design. Fabrics are as important in design as the design itself. The wrong choice of fabric that does not give you what you were looking for would be a waste of time and money. Where as the right choice of fabric can easily make any garment not only look but feel beautiful. When designing garments that use more than one fabric you also need to know how these two fabrics will react together. Some compliment well but others react against each other due to the nature of the fibers.

History of Costume

Throughout history, costume and designs have always been present in our lives. People have always worn clothes for necessity first and then appearance/social status. Knowledge of the past give us an idea of how our ancestors lived and help us to understand how clothing and fashion has developed in time, and is continuously developing. With knowledge of historical costume details, techniques and skills, together with knowledge developed of the present day, you should be inspired as a designer to create the styles and trends of the future.

Trends

There are cycles in fashion, trends, which flow in and out of fashion, then back in again. Fabrics, silhouettes, historical dress. For example Lace fabric comes and goes around every 5 years. Black as a colour remains in fashion for a long time, periodically replaced by brown or grey, but the trends quickly goes back to black again. The decades of fashion inspire in cycles also, from silhouettes to ethnic inspiration, and specific styles inspired from movements and sub-cultures as well as the main stream fashion of the time. All designers should be aware of the fashion trends and cycles when designing new collections.

Inspiration
This can come from anywhere. It can be a period of time, a certain style of costume (uniforms, period costumes etc), nature, and architecture, almost anything around you. It can be a certain word and what that word makes you think of. An inspirational concept that you can develop from the shapes, silhouettes, colours and textures - through to textile manipulations, fabrics and garment designs. For example Trees you can explore the different shapes of leaves, the different colours through the seasons. Look at the bark of the trees this could inspire fabrics like linen and slub weaves, rough textures. Look at trimmings that could be inspired by the bark. Look at the branches of the trees, how they stand erect from the tree, or how they twist and turn. How the leaves drape from the branches. The fine lines on the leaves could inspire topstitch detailing. Look at the proportion of the branches against the leaves and then against the tree trunk. Consider also the balance of weights of the different elements of the tree. One trunk, big and small branches against hundreds of leaves. Inspiration should stimulate the mind and emotions to a high level of feeling or activity.

Visual

Pictures, Colours, Fabric, Textures

Emotional

Passion, Joy, Sadness Excitement, Fear

Visual imagery
Concept & History brainstorm your concept do you know enough, can you think of enough things to do with this idea? The history of your chosen inspiration will help expand your knowledge further. Research your inspiration; how other artists have used this before you, what is the background of this topic. Silhouette or Shape your inspirational topic should provoke shape and silhouette. Proportion & Details Look into the inspiration to see the proportion of things against each other, the detailing within your concept. Colour palette look at the colours that are within your inspirational pictures. Even the smallest of colours could be used within your colour palette. Fabrication & Texture your inspiration should provoke some kind of texture, whether it is flat and shinny or full of grain lines etc. What textures can you find within your inspiration? How can these textures inspire fabrics? Wood for example could inspire linen fabric and knitwear. Glass can inspire chiffon or organza.

Emotional feelings
Expression of the Concept what do you feel when you think about your inspiration? What do you think is trying to be said by this topic? Beauty, sadness, happiness etc Flow or Movement What is the feeling of the inspiration picture? Other than your emotional feeling, do the pictures have movement, or are they motionless?

1. The Design Process

1. The Design Process

Influences on Fashion
There are common themes that many designers visit as a source of inspiration. When you are considering an inspirational topic firstly consider what you want to achieve with your collection. Spring Summer or Autumn Winter this consideration guides the types of fabrics you will use Tailoring, eveningwear or sportswear etc what type of clothes you want to be designing Colours bright summer or dull winter colours inspiration holds the key to your colour palette. Architecture is predominantly dull greys, blacks, whites. Flowers are bright summer colours. By considering these things will help you choose the right type of inspiration for your collection.

Historical Fashion
Historical costume is a popular inspiration for designers as it has a vast amount of reference materials from shapes, silhouettes, detailing, colour, fabrics and emotional and cultural content. It is an inspiration that can easily inspire and be brought up to date and fresh with modern techniques and technology. By taking elements and not being too literal in design will enable designers to give a new approach to the historical costume and period.

Architecture
Architecture is form and function. Buildings made of a selection of lines and spaces. It is a limitless inspiration for design when focusing on the detailing of buildings and the materials used and how they interact with each other. A perfect inspiration for tailoring where line, form and fit are key elements to design. Consider the inside structure of the building as well as the outside. Buildings also have emotional context, is the building tall and slim, or over powering with its form? Putting the building in perspective of its surroundings is also an inspirational source and an area to be explored. Architecture as an inspirational source can expand into part made buildings, construction sites where buildings are being created or demolished.

Artists
Artists from across the spectrum influences fashion. From the Art Deco period to Pop Art, from the artists style of painting to how they created a sculpture. Either having a focus on a specific persons style or a period/movement in time artists throughout time have influenced fashion designers as a source of inspiration.

Nature
Nature is full of so many colours, textures, shapes and silhouettes. Nature provides inspirational sources from insects and animals to trees, forests, plants and flowers. Rock formations to Ice scuptures, mountains to rivers. From a single tree to Antarctica, nature has one of the widest sources of inspiration to develop collections from.

Ethnic Costume
The smaller the world feels, the more we are exposed to different ethnic cultures and traditions. Tribal clothing is a vast source of inspiration for colour, texture, shape and silhouette. Embroidery designs, prints and motif are plentiful in ethnic clothing. Putting the costumes into the cultural and historical context of their source will also inspire. Ethnic costume is a broad inspirational source, from the costumes to jewelery and accessories, body adornment, dance and festivals. As with historical costume, an inspirational source is a source, and should not be taken literaly for designers. Inspiration can be gained from elements and brought up to date in a modern contemporary collection, which appeals to the masses. Using details, elements, colours and designing around this with modern fabrics and methods.

Street Styles
From elements of the street to street fashion and sub cultures, the street holds a multitude of inspirational sources. Graffiti and other types of street artwork, street dancing or the street and buildings themselves, whether derelict areas or modern apartment blocks, inspiration is all around us. Within fashion there are sub cultures, smaller groups of people with their own unique styles and trends. These sub cultures can inspire designers and bring the street styles to the catwalk.

Technology
Technological advancements in fashion design is evolving in the field of fabrics, and what is defined as fashion fabrics. Traditional natural fibers are now being mixed and replaced with man made fibers, organic fibers and fabrics being made from new materials. Fabrics now have fibers to keep us cool when were hot, and warm when were cool. Technology in fabrics for fashion is also evolving using engineering to link clothing to our smart phones, link LED lighting to garments and charge our smart technology. This is one field that is continuously evolving. Natural fibers have their own properties that are staple in the field of fashion design, but new technology is always exciting to discover new developments and what can now be used to make garments.

Icons
From Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe to Madonna, there are many icons in life who have inspired generations. From the clothes they wore to the society they lived in. From movie stars, pop stars and celebrities. Their colourful personalities can inspire a collection from investigating into the way they lived their lives, and the influences they had on fashion and the times.

Films
Movies and movie heros and heroines can inspire collections from the emotional context of the movie. Movies create the scene, the clothing, lifestyle and surroundings. However, with all inspirational sources new collections should be a source of inspiration and not taken too literally.

1. The Design Process

1. Decades of Designers

1. DECADES OF DESIGNERS
By studying the history of fashion and costume we can build up a better understanding of the functions, importance, design, detail and the use of costumes that can inspire and influence fashion designers today. To be a fashion designer of the future, it is important to understand that fashion learns from the past in order to design for tomorrow. With the knowledge of historical costume details, techniques and skills, together with knowledge developed of the present day, you should be inspired as a designer to create the styles and trends of the future. Throughout history, costume or fashion has always been present in our lives. People have always worn clothes for necessity first and then appearance/social status. Knowledge of the past give us an idea of how our ancestors lived and help us to understand how clothing and fashion has developed in time, and is continuously developing. History of costume shows us the sociology, psychology and philosophy behind the era along with the technological developments made throughout time. The following is a list of some of the main influence on and reasons for clothing: Climate Protection Natural resources Traditional customs and culture Trade Technology Artistic expression Sexual attraction

Listed are some historical costume and designers. By no means complete or comprise. There are many books and internet sources on the History of Costume. Books on designers and others on styles and decades. The list is an inspirational source for designers to investigate further.

Prehistoric Costume

The first actual textile, as opposed to skins sewn together was probably felt. Surviving examples of Nlebinding, another early textile method, date from 6500 BC.

Ancient Egypt Costume Circa 3150 BC

Evidence exists for production of linen cloth in Ancient Egypt in the Neolithic period, c. 5500 BC. Cultivation of domesticated wild flax, probably an import from the Levant, is documented as early as c. 6000 BC Other bast fibers including rush, reed, palm, and papyrus were used alone or with linen to make rope and other textiles. The main features of Egyptian costume were draping, wrapping, pleating, tying and the use of decoration embroidery and dying. The Kalasaris was probably the most distinctive piece of both womens and mens clothing and was the basic garment from about 1000BC. The Egyptians both dyed and embellished their garments but they also placed a lot of emphasis on jewellery, a new type of status symbol. Womens jewellery consisted of collars, necklaces, arm and ankle bracelets, earrings, jeweled girdles and rings.

Mesopotamia Circa 3100BC

The fringe is almost like a trademark of this era as even the Babylonians and Assyrians adapted this decorative detail to all their subsequent clothing. Another popular garment was the Kaunakes, a shaggy wool garment resembling fake fur. They would thread strands of wool through a coarsely woven panel and brush the strands of wool into tufts. The basic garment, called the Candys, was a straight tunic shape edged with fringes which hung either short or long. A fringed shawl, which came in differing sizes, was also common. This national form of dress was cut like the Egyptian kalasaris. The scarf became the item favored by the Babylonians and Assyrians. This scarf was a long fringed stole, which wound round the wearer. Decoration consisted of fringes, embroidery and designs such as rosettes. Color was important. Rich reds, greens, blues and purples were used.

Minoan Costume Circa 1500BC

The Minoan civilization was at its height during 1750 and 1580 BC. Women wore skirts that fell straight from the hips and then filled out to a wide hem, in a sort of bell shape. The skirt had many tiers or volants. Cinch belts, which were worn tight, accentuated their tiny waists and sometimes carried a double apron that fell in front and back over the skirt. Above the skirt, they wore a tight fitting short sleeved bodice. Materials used were linen, wool or blends of the two. They also used embroidery, techniques. Minoan women loved color and display in their fabric. Designs were mainly geometric but natural themes with flowers, fish and birds were used also.

Ancient Greece - Circa 1150 300BC

The period started with a civilization of people dressed in bell-shaped skirts and tightly fitted bodices and ended with a culture dressed in draped clothes, the costumes we now associate with the Greeks and Romans. Greek clothing is generally divided into two periods generally referred to as Archaic and Classical. Within those two periods two different styles existed. These were: DORIC (Doric Peplos or Chiton) clothing worn at the beginning of the archaic period. Worn up until 6th Century BC. It was made from a rectangle of woven wool. The fabric was wrapped round the wearer with the excess fabric folded over the top. IONIC - This followed on from the Doric. The woollen fabric was replaced by thin linen or occasionally silk. The Ionic was made from a single rectangle of material but wider than that the Doric at 2.5 meters. This left an open seam either side of the neck, which ran across the shoulders and down the arms to form elbow-length sleeves. Eventually it became two pieces sewn together and was frequently pleated and left long and trailing.

Ancient Rome Circa 800BC 400AD

Roman women dressed in layers. The first layer was the Tunica intima, which was an undergarment like a slip. It was made of floor length rectangles sewn together. Some versions had sleeves and others were sleeveless. The Stola was worn on top of the tunica intima. Normally made from linen or soft, light wool. The Palla was, an outdoor accessory, originally like the toga, it gained its new name to show it was a female item of clothing. Consisting of a long rectangular scarf or shawl it was draped around the body and sometimes over the head. Tunica - The Tunica was a wide t-shaped shirt-like undergarment, originally sleeveless. It could be made from linen or cotton which when arranged was knee-length. Toga - The toga became the sign and symbol of a Roman citizen. The toga was wool, and normally white for the citizen. The method of draping was complex where the folds each had a specific name. It was worn over a tunica.

1. Decades of Designers

1. Decades of Designers

Medieval Costume - Circa AD 4491500

Around the year 1340 there was a change in womens clothing, to tighter-fitting garments, lower necklines, and more curvaceous silhouettes; tight lacing was used on womens clothes to create a form fitting shape which, girdled at the hips, created a long-waist appearance. Decoration became an important part of Medieval and Gothic clothing. With the great advances in weaving and the production of finer fabrics, new techniques emerged making fabric design more complex. Embroidery was an important art in the middle ages, most embroidery was worked on linen with wool and silk threads.

Byzantium - Circa 657 BC

In the later stages of the Roman Empire, Byzantine is the term used to describe the dress of the eastern empire. Ornate, stiff, elaborate silk damask and brocade fabrics used on garment styles that reflected the oriental influence gradually replaced the drapery of softer fabrics used in traditional Roman costume. Both sexes wore a long straight tunic with long sleeves. It was made of silk or linen and worn with a girdle around the waist. The girdle itself was made out of either leather or small plaques of gold linked together and encrusted with stones. With the Byzantine period we see an explosion of pattern and decoration. Woven, embroidered and beaded surface embellishments were used.

Tudor England 1485 - 1603

With the advent of the Tudor Kings and Queens we begin to see dramatic change in costume. Regional costume was giving way to national costume. Embroidery was used extensively, especially on the garments of royalty. Decoration was a sure sign of a persons wealth and status.

Elizabethan Era - 15581603

Elizabeths reign has been seen as a golden age of England and this is reflected in the costume of the time. Rich fabrics and jewels conveyed wealth, power and prestige. Clothing was used to impress people. Elizabethan fashion still retained a Spanish influence but under Elizabeth fashions became highly extravagant. Clothing of the period was generally very stiff with small waists being fashionable. On the whole fashion became more elaborate and busy. The ruff was a mark of aristocratic privilege. It became fashionable amongst women for the ruff to be open in the front. The ruff became raised at the back. It used starch and lace in its construction.

Renaissance 1400 1600

The early Renaissance sees a cone shape silhouette, which eventually became narrower. Many new types of embroidery developed in this period and it was more than ever an essential form of costume decoration. Buttons and Clasps - made of gold, silver, enamel, amber, crystal and pearls. Lace was invented during this period. Rich fabrics such as brocades, embroidered velvets, satins, damasks and cloth of gold embroidered with pearls were used. Fabrics with large-scale patterns were common. Designs were abstract or stylized motifs such as rose, pomegranate leaf and feather. Ladies Gowns were snug fitting with a short waist bodice. This brought about the wearing of a heavyfitted linen corset. Sleeves were long and tight and later became puffed and slashed to reveal a sheer undergarment. Contrasting sleeves were added to garments to change their appearance.

Baroque Circa 1600

An important decorative feature of the period was the falling collar, worn by men and women. It replaced the, ruff of the previous century. It often had a border of expensive lace. The look was much softer than that of the Renaissance. Womens dress consisted of the bodice, petticoat or skirt and gown. The bodice was often laced with a silk ribbon in the front. The necklines were often cut very low but this was partly covered by the collar of beautiful lace. The three-quarter-length sleeve with lace turn-ups became fashionable. The skirt-could also be made up, of two skirts. The over skirt was gathered up to reveal the skirt underneath. The hoop disappeared and the bodice became less confining. Waistlines rose slightly above the natural waistline.

Rococo and Revolution Circa 1700

The 18th Century was a time of great change socially and politically. Fashion had a great many influences including the Rococo Art movement with its fluidity lightness and neoclassicism. Europe at this time was changing fast. Silk was still the preferred fabric of the 18th C. Floral brocades and damask were the most popular. The Sack Gown - Its main feature was that it had a loose back, which fell straight from the shoulders in two double box pleats. It was worn with a stomacher, which was a v shaped piece of matching or contrasting fabric, which filled the gap in the bodice. The front of the gown skirt was also open and a petticoat showed through. By varying the fabric of the petticoat or stomacher, one dress could be updated and made to look different. The French Revolution of 1789 had a great impact on Fashion. The taste for rich and formal clothes gave way to a liking for simpler, more practical garments with a thin silhouette. Any ostentatious or rich looking detail was dropped, clothing was patriotic and more informal. Neoclassical style, which was reflected in furniture and architecture in the 18th century, influenced womens clothing and continued into the next century.

1795-1820 - Regency Period

In this period, fashionable womens clothing styles were based on the Empire silhouette, dresses were closely fitted to the torso just under the bust, falling loosely below. The high waistline of 17951820 styles took attention away from the natural waist, so that there was then no point to the tight wasp-waist corseting often considered fashionable during other periods. Without the corset, chemise dresses displayed the long line of the body, as well as the curves of the female torso.

The Romantic Period - 1800 to 1840

During the Romantic period a new set of values, lifestyles and methods of artistic expression were developed and these were reflected in clothing styles. Certain design features saw a revival such as neck ruffs, sleeve styles and jewellery from earlier periods. During this time clothing became international with less and less differences between countries. Womens fashions became highly decorative and romantic. The waistline dropped to its natural level, skirts began to widen and sleeves puffed out into the leg-of-mutton shape. Waists began to get smaller with bell shaped skirts.

1. Decades of Designers

1. Decades of Designers

Victorian Era 1837 - 1901

By 1907, clothing was increasingly factory-made and often sold in large, fixed price department stores. Custom sewing and home sewing were still significant, but on the decline. New machinery and materials changed clothing in many ways. The introduction of the lock-stitch sewing machine in mid-century simplified both home and boutique dressmaking, and enabled a fashion for lavish application of trim that would have been prohibitively time-consuming if done by hand. Lace machinery made lace at a fraction of the cost of the old. In the 1840s and 1850s, womens gowns developed wide puffed sleeves. Dresses were simple and pale. Petticoats, corsets, chemises were worn under gowns. By the 1850s the number of petticoats was reduced and the crinoline was worn; as such the size of the skirts expanded. Day dresses had a solid bodice and evening gowns had a very low neckline and were worn off the shoulder with shawls. In the 1860s, the skirts became flatter at the front and projected out more behind the woman. Day dresses had wide pagoda sleeves and high necklines with lace or tatted collars. Evening dresses had low necklines and short sleeves, and were worn with short gloves or fingerless lace or crocheted mitts. In the 1870s, un-corseted tea gowns were introduced for informal entertaining at home and steadily grew in popularity. Bustles were used to replace the crinoline to hold the skirts up behind the woman. In the 1870s, the fad of hoop skirts had faded and women strived for a slimmer style. The dresses were extremely tight around the corseted torso and the waist and upper legs In the 1890s, Womens wear in the last decade of the Victorian Era was characterized by high collars, held in place by collar stays, and stiff steel boning in long line bodices. By this time, there were neither crinolines nor bustles. Women opted for the tiny wasp waist instead. The silhouette changed once again as the Victorian era drew to a close. The shape was essentially an inverted triangle, with a wide-brimmed hat on top, a full upper body with puffed sleeves, no bustle, and a skirt that narrowed at the ankles.

Edwardian Era Circa 1900

This decade marked the full flowering of Parisian haute couture as the arbiter of styles and silhouettes for women of all classes. In 1908, a new silhouette emerged from Callot Soeurs, ionnet at the house of Doucet, and most importantly, Paul Poiret. The new styles featured form-fitting gowns with high or undefined waists, or ankle-length skirts and long tunic-like jackets, and required a different straight line corset. The upper classes embraced leisure sports, which resulted in rapid developments in fashion, as more mobile and flexible clothing styles were needed.

The House of Worth

The House of Worth is a French house of high fashion that specializes in haute couture, ready-towear clothes, and perfumes. The historic house was founded in 1858 by designer Charles Frederick Worth. After opening his own house he was introduced to the Empress Eugenie and appointed court designer. Her patronage increased his reputation and business success. He also dressed leading performers of the day: Sarah Bernhardt, Lillie Langtry, Jenny Lind, and Nellie Melba. Worth also created unique special event pieces for his best clients, such as masquerade ball costumes and wedding dresses.

Paul Poiret

While a teenager, Poiret took his sketches to Madeleine Chruit, a prominent dressmaker, who purchased a dozen from him. Poiret continued to sell his drawings, eventually to major Parisian couture houses, until he was hired by Jacques Doucet in 1896. His first design, a red cloth cape, sold 400 copies. Poiret later moved to the House of Worth, where he was responsible for designing simple, practical dresses. Poiret established his own house in 1903, and made his name with the controversial kimono coat. He designed flamboyant window displays and threw legendary parties to draw attention to his work; his instinct for marketing and branding was unmatched by any previous designer.

1900s

Outfits of the couturiers of the time were incredibly extravagant, elaborate, ornate, and painstakingly made. The curvaceous S-Bend silhouette dominated fashion up until around 1908. Toward the end of the decade the fashionable silhouette gradually became somewhat more straight and slim, partly due to Paul Poirets high-waisted, shorter-skirted Directoire line of clothes. The Maison Redfern was the first fashion house to offer women a tailored suit based directly on its male counterpart and the extremely practical and soberly elegant garment soon became an indispensable part of the wardrobe of any well-dressed woman.

1910s

During the early years of the 1910s the fashionable silhouette became much more lithe, fluid and soft than in the 19th century. When the Ballets Russes performed Scheherazade in Paris in 1910, a craze for Orientalism ensued. The couturier Paul Poiret was one of the first designers to translate this vogue into the fashion world. Poirets clients were at once transformed into harem girls in flowing pantaloons, turbans, and vivid colors and geishas in exotic kimono. The Art Deco movement began to emerge at this time and its influence was evident in the designs of many couturiers of the time. Two of the most influential fashion designers of the time were Jacques Doucet and Mariano Fortuny.

1. Decades of Designers

1. Decades of Designers

1920s

Soon after the First World War, a radical change came about in fashion, dresses with long trains gave way to above-the-knee pinafores. Corsets were abandoned and women borrowed their clothes from the male wardrobe and chose to dress like boys. A bustless, waistless silhouette emerged and aggressive dressing-down was mitigated by feather boas, embroidery, and showy accessories. The flapper style became very popular among young women.

Influential Designers

Jeanne Lanvin Jean Patou Madeleine Vionnet - 1920s - 1930s Elsa Schiaparelli - 1920s - 1930s Gabrielle Channel - 1920s - 1960s

1930s

In the 1930s, as the public began to feel the effects of the Great Depression, fashion became more compromising. Aspiring to preserve feminisms victories while rediscovering a subtle and reassuring elegance and sophistication. Overall, 1930s clothing was somber and modest, reflecting the difficult social and economic situation of the decade. The waistline was restored, hemlines dropped, there was renewed appreciation of the bust, and backless evening gowns and soft, slim-fitting day dresses became popular.

Influential Designers

Elsa Schiaparelli Madeleine Vionnet Madame Gres Mainbocher, the first American designer Herms began to sell handmade printed silk square scarves in the early 1930s

1940s

Many fashion houses closed during the occupation of Paris during World War II, including the Maison Vionnet and the Maison Chanel. Several designers, including Mainbocher, permanently relocated to New York. Hemlines crept upward in both eveningwear and day wear. From 1940 onward, no more than four meters of cloth was permitted to be used for a coat and a little over one meter for a blouse. ELLE magazine which was first published in 1945. American Beatnik.

Influential Designers

Christian Dior - The New Look Chanel Claire McCardell - 1940s - 1950s Norman Norell - 1940s - 1950s Cristobal Balenciaga - 1940s - 1950s Jacques Fath, Maggy Rouff, Marcel Rochas Jeanne Lafaurie, Nina Ricci Madeleine Vramant, Vera Maxwell, Anne Klein, Cashin

1940s Icons

Rita Hayworth, Katharine Hepburn, and Marlene Dietrich

1950s Influential Designers

Hubert De Givenchy 1950s - 1960s Pierre Cardin - 1950s - 1960s Yves Saint Laurent - 1950s - 1980s Pierre Balmain, Norman Hardy Amies Emilio Pucci 1950s - 1960s Roberto Capucci Anne Klein - 1950s - 1970s Claire McCardell, Normal Norell Charles James

1950s Icons

Doris Day, Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, James Dean, Elvis Presley.1950s Idols

Influences

The teenage Market Beatniks Teddy Boys Zoot Suits Bikers Jackson Pollock

1960s Influential Designers

Paco Rabanne Andres Courreges Mary Quant Rudi Gernreich Giorgio de SantAngelo - 1960s - 1970s Bonnie Cashin - 1960s - 1970s Ossie Clark - 1960s - 1970s Valentino - 1960s - 2000s Karl Lagerfeld - 1960s - present Bill Gibb, Marian Foale, Sally Tuffin, Jean Muir, Zandra Rhodes, Emmanuel Ungaro, Marc Bohan, Guy Laroche, Sonia Rykiel.

1. Decades of Designers

1. Decades of Designers

1960s Icons

Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton, Marianne Faithful, Jackie Kennedy, Janis Joplin, Jane Fonda, Jean Seberg, Julie Christie, Faye Dunnaway, Catherine Deneuve.

Influences

Swinging Sixties Space Age Street Style Hippie Inspired by India Biba Boutique The miniskirt Unisex clothing Brightly coloured tights

1970s Influential Designers

Halston Stephen Burrows Bill Blass - 1970s - 1980s Emmanuel Ungaro - 1970s - 1980s Kenzo Takada - 1970s - 1980s Geoffrey Beene 1970s - 1980s Perry Ellis - 1970s - 1980s Missoni - 1970s - 1980s Jean-Charles Castelbajac - 1970s - 1980s James Galanos - 1970s - 1980s Issey Miyake - 1970s - 1990s Calvin Klein - 1970s - 1990s Oscar De La Renta - 1970s - present Giorgio Armani - 1970s - present Vivienne Westwood - 1970s - present

1970s Idols

Bianca Jagger, Farrah Fawcet (Charlies Angels), Jane Fonda, Jane Birkin Beverly Johnson (1st black model to make the Vogue cover), Jerry Hall, Marie Helvin, Lauren Hutton, Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate, Diane Von Furstenberg, Liza Minnelli, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, Sonny and Cher

Influences

Leisure wear Indian inspired Crafts Knitwear Disco and Punk - Mick Jagger, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Gary Glitter Retro Studio 54 Punk

1980s Influential Designers

Thierry Mugler Claude Montana - 1980s - 1990s Azzedine Alaia - 1980s - 1990s Gianni Versace - 1980s - 1990s Romeo Gigli - 1980s - 1990s Ralph Lauren - 1980s - present Jean Paul Gaultier - 1980s - present Rei Kawakubo - 1980s - present Yohji Yamamoto - 1980s - present Donna Karan 1980s - present Martine Sitbon - 1980s - present Christian Lacroix - 1980s - present Marc Jacobs - 1980s - present

1980s Icons

Madonna, Princess Diana, Grace Jones, Margaret Thatcher, Meryl Streep, Cher, Ivana Trump, Paloma Picasso, Ines de la Fressange, Boy George

Influences

American soap operas, Yuppies The New Romantics - Pop groups such as Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, David Bowie and Adam Ant

1990s Influential Designers

Prada - 1990s - present Gucci, Tom Ford - 1990s - present Jil Sander 1990s - 2000s Helmut Lang - 1990s - 2000s Paul Smith - 1990s - present Martin Margiela - 1990s - present Dolce Gabanna - 1990s - present Issac Mizrahi - 1990s - present Mochael Kors - 1990s - present Dries Van Noten - 1990s - present Ann Demeulemeester - 1990s - present John Galliano - 1990s - present Alberta Ferretti - 1990s - present Alexander McQueen - 1990s - present

1. Decades of Designers

1. Decades of Designers

1990s Icons

Jennifer Aniston & Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz, Spice Girls Posh & Becks, Lara Croft, Sharon Stone, Bjork, Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Clinton, Julia Roberts, Isabella Rossellini, Tina Turner Supermodels Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer, Giselle Bundchen, Linda Evangelista

Influences

Minimalism Street Style Grunge New age travelers Rave/dance music Cyber fashions

2000s Influential Designers

Alexander McQueen Vera Wang Christian Louboutin Jean-Paul Gaultier Vivienne Westwood Karl Lagerfeld Francisco Costa Stella McCartney Narciso Rodriguez Proenza Schouler Nicholas Ghesquiere Hussein Chalayan Junya Watanabe Veronique Branquinho Viktor and Rolf The top supermodels of the decade were Kate Moss, Gisele Bndchen, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Heidi Klum, Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Karolna Kurkov, Miranda Kerr, Izabel Goulart, Selita Ebanks, Christie Brinkley, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Marisa Miller, Doutzen Kroes, Agyness Deyn, Hilary Rhoda, Raquel Zimmermann, Coco Rocha, Lily Donaldson, Chanel Iman, Sasha Pivovarova, Caroline Trentini, and Jessica Stam.

The Future of Fashion

There are now thousands of fashion designers across the world. Fashion week which used to be in four capitals of the world: London, Paris, Milan and New York, has now increased to major cities across Asia and Europe. Designers move around fashion houses at ease, fashion labels set up then close down. Fashion magazine editor roles are more complex than ever in the 21st century. What used to be following designers and analyzing collections in 4 countries has now evolved to analyzing thousands of collections across the globe to collate the trends for the next season. These trends then filter down to the high street with the magazines publishing key looks and trends sections in their editions. With new designers appearing each season, and others closing, the process is a complex maze of designs. Along with the fashion shows there are other fundamental factors setting trends and fashion. Two predominant considerations are celebrities and street styles. With magazines (online and hard copies) frequently featuring street snap shots, these can quickly develop into a fashion fad or trend. Celebrities also have the power to make an unknown designer an overnight success by being featured in one of their outfits. The celebrity crowd are not only famous people, actresses and supermodels, it now crosses over to the five minutes of fame people who are seen on reality TV shows. High street garments featured on a celebrity can easily sell out over night, with competitors copying the garment to try and capitalize on the success. Fashion has become increasingly diverse. One can no longer speak of a single trend. The fashion world today is characterized by many different and often contrasting trends. Consumers now decide for themselves what they like, what is in or out. The fine line between the fashionable and unfashionable has become more and more difficult to distinguish. There are no more solid guidelines or dictators. Elegance, harmony and the traditional definitions of beauty seem to have lost their original definitions. The bizarre and the surprising have taken over, symbolizing the essence of fashion: continuous change and the search for something new. The reuse of old ideas can be found everywhere from mass-market fashion to haute couture and ready-to-wear. Designers today recognized that most things have existed before and that a lot of what we think is original is merely a conscious manipulation of past styles. Fashion has become like a giant wheel constantly turning, borrowing from the past. Revivals occur more frequently than ever before. Thanks to new developments in fabric technology a 70s style dress can look contemporary today, and old tomorrow. Consumers combine clothing in increasingly varied ways and experiment with different styles and materials giving them their own individual look. Purchasing from designer to high street, second hand and vintage to budget retailers. The combinations are limitless. Consumers are purchasing new items to suit their lifestyles, from the office to the bar, the function to the weekend atire. The future of fashion is very much geared towards knowing your consumer and providing a lifestyle around your collections.

1. Decades of Designers