2373 Exam 2 Study Guide Autumn 2013 Covers Chapters 5 8 and Fashion in Film DVD Research Collection the apparel presented through runway shows Line one large group or several small groups of apparel items or styles developed around a theme or a purpose Carryovers Styles that repeat from one season line to the next Designer s responsibilities Suggest linings interfacings trims buttons etc Present technical drawings or sketches 1 Release approved styles to patternmaking Coordinate during preproduction and production Consumer research Provides information about consumer characteristics and consumer behavior Demographics Age Gender Location and Psychographics Buying habits values attitude personality Product research Provides information about preferred product design and preferred characteristics Tools include surveying potential customers verbally sending a questionnaire offer a free trial product in exchange for feedback Market analysis Provides information about general market trends Long range forecasting and short range forecasting Target markets Each apparel line produced must have a clearly defined target customer The profile or description includes the demographic and psychographic characteristics for the majority of customers Lifestyle marketing Fashion forecasting Focuses on trends in silhouettes design details colors fabrics and trims Daily activity for designers and merchandisers Color research Certain staple colors appear frequently Eg Black navy white and beige One or more staple colors are included in each line Fashion colors appear less frequently After studying the trends designers pick a color palette or color story for the season Pantone Color Forecasting Design Where does inspiration come from Studying pictures Collecting swatches Innovative design details Researching other cultures Searching the market OR nature textures trim retro cultures zeitgeist Social spirits of the time Cultural intellectual ethical spiritual political climate in a specific group Eg Kids on the streets who set the trends Market niche The blend of product type with target customer Important to maintain a line based on the market niche Variations of style must appeal to the variety of customer needs and tastes within the market niche Planning a line Product developer Researches possible fabrics and trims Works with vendors to secure components for the style Coordinates all aspects of style creation In smaller companies the designer may handle product development Costing the line Two garments in a line should not compete for sales Pricing strategies need to make sense to the customer Target costing Design team sets a target retail price for a garment and work backward to figure what fabrics findings and labor go into making the garment Price Averaging Shirt made from a more expensive fabric will be priced slightly lower and a shirt made from a less expensive fabric will be priced higher so the prices average out Copies vs knockoff croquis quick and sketchy drawing of a live model CAD computer aided design graphic software Strike off sample yardage of a textile print Draping Graceful folds of clothing Process of creating the initial garment by molding cutting and pinning fabric to a mannequin or a model Madeline Vionnet Donna Karen Garment specification sheet Provides all details about the garment so it can be made by the patternmaker Fashion and Film Role of film in fashion of the late 20 s and 30 s and today Growth of sport and leisurewear Product placement in film Bernard Waldman and the Modern Merchandising Bureau 1930 Bureau played fashion middleman between all the studios but Warner Brothers By mid 30 s the Waldman system operated like this Sketches or photos of styles for an actress in a specific film were sent to the Bureau could be a year in advance Staff evaluated styles and calculated trends Contracted with manufacturers timed for the films release Secured advertising photos to send to retail shops mentioning the film star studio and theatres Waldman s cut was 5 Cinema Fashions Established by Waldman Macy s contracted for the first ones in 1930 By 1934 there were 298 shops By 1937 there were 400 Dresses were 30 00 and more All agrees that cheaper lines would cheapen the stars Inevitably the styles went to mass production Fashion inspiring films SLIDES Design Process Fabric development Proprietary fabric When fabric is created by a textile producer for a specific apparel company This fabric is the property of the apparel company This adds exclusivity to the product Eg Dri FIT Nike and Synchilla for Patagonia Color management Designers are responsible for the technical aspect of matching the colors of approved color chips or fabric swatches for fabrics trims findings etc Different fabrics take dye differently Begins during development and continues through production Pattern making Prototype a sample Sloper non stylized basic pattern in the sample size from which the stylized pattern is derived Also called a block or base pattern Traditional patternmaking Process may include working from a sloper or block or from a similar style from a previous season Can be done by drafting totally from measurements The pattern maker needs expertise in Patternmaking Understanding of fit Textiles Production aspects Types of equipment in a production facility CAD Gerber Lectra lead the way in software advantages of CAD Speed No tracing Hems and seam allowances are added on command Seams are matched Adjusts all related pieces Integration with spec sheets Integration with production helps with grading Accuracy Eliminated incremental growth from tracing Disadvantages Cost Time Technical Support Visualization Differences Hard to work small after you have worked at full size Fit models role a person selected to represent the body proportions that the apparel company thinks is ideal for its target customer Corresponds to the base patterns 3 D body scan Can have fit models body duplicated to a form Allows for customized fits Costing factors Cost to manufacture plus overhead and profit wholesale price Keystone is 2x cost Yardage Trims and findings Labor Other Packaging Hangtags Hangers Duty Advantage of private label Reduction of number of intermediaries involved results in increased profit gross margin to retailer and or lower price to customer Retailer can fill in voids in some product categories Eg Value good price and maintain store loyalty Store differentiation Disadvantage The retailer takes all the