Visual Research Methods in Fashion 9781474263818, 9781847883810

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illustrations

1.   Inspirational notice board in the office of Roy Peach  ii 2.    Sketchbook pages by Ruth Davis  3

15.   Jacket by Galliano with vintage jewellery, Spring/Summer 2010  29 16.   Vintage

jewellery

stall

in

Portobello

­Market  30 3.    Sketchbook pages by Ruth Davis  4 4.    Screenshot of Cooliris search  7 5.    Screenshot of Scrapblog  9 6.   Kinder Aggugini: Image from London Fashion Week, Spring/Summer 2010  11 7.    Prada flagship store, New York  12  8.    Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady  14 9.    Mind map of global warming  17 10.   Mind map created using PersonalBrain software  18 11.   Historically inspired outfit by Vivienne Westwood from her 1996 Spring/Summer ready-to-wear collection  23 12.    Example of a farthingale  24 13.   Land workers harvesting the ripened sunflowers, September 1944  26 14.   Vita Sackville-West in breeches (1960)  27

17.    Store windows  31 18.   Punks on the Kings Road (1979)  32 19.    Harajuku girls in Tokyo (2000)  33 20.   Women in miniskirts and the Mini motor car (1966)  34 21.    Frida Kahlo and self-portraits  35 22.   Grandparents’ wedding photo (1927)  36 23.    A scene from Cabaret (1972)  37 24.   Julia Roberts in vintage Valentino at the 2001 Oscars  39 25.   Images from The Cutters’ Practical Guide to Lounges, Reefers, Norfolk, Sporting and Patrol Jackets (c.1890)  40 26.    Steve McQueen’s Belstaff jacket  42 27.   Jack Nicholson in pea coat—scene from The Last Detail (1975)  43

xii

illustrations

28.   Development page for a vintage sailor

44.   Selection of fancy yarns by Flyhoof  87

jacket, by Miriam Sucis  44 45.    A jacquard fabric on the loom  89 29.   Sketches from life by Max Gaimster  45

46.   Shima Seiki whole-garment knitting ma-

30.   Kate Moss in Ugg boots (2003)  47

chine (Mach2X153)  92

31.   Flower people’s love-in (1967)  48

47.    Circular knitting machine  93

32.   New Romantics in Cagney’s club, off Lon-

48.    Lace collar, Irish (c.1880)  94

don Road, Liverpool (1981)  49

49.   Preparatory drawing of a nuthatch by

33.   Madonna on her Blonde Ambition tour (1990) wearing an outfit designed by Jean Paul Gaultier  50 34.   Fabrican

spray-on

dress

by

Manel

­Torres  50 35.   Chiffon snowflakes created by Fong Wong using laser cutting techniques  51 36.   Adidas by Stella McCartney, London Fashion Week, September 2008  52

Philippa Leith  96 50.   Tajima industrial embroidery machine  97 51.   Rebecca Adlington models the newgeneration Speedo LZR Racer Elite FINAapproved 2010 suit  98 52.   Selection of ribbons and trimmings  99 53.   Premiere Vision September 2010 Seduction Forum image  103 54.   Jacket by Anne Marie Beretta (1979) 

37.   MBTs are continuously pushing ahead the

111

development of their physiological footwear range  54

55.   Outfit by Maison Martin Margiela during the Autumn/Winter 2010/11 ready-to-wear col-

38.   Trend team meeting at Nelly Rodi  74 39.    Freshly shorn wool  82

lection show  112 56.   Model ‘New Look’ of Christian Dior (France, 1947)  114

40.   Embroidered silk garments at a Beijing arts and crafts market  83

57.   Denver Art Museum, Frederic C. Hamilton Building  123

41.    Cotton plant  84 58.    Garment trend information  127 42.    Natural polymer fibres  86 59.   Screenshot from Susie Bubble’s Style Bub43.    Synthetic fibres  87

ble fashion blog  130

illustrations

xiii

60.   Pages from Ecostyle, a trend book published by Promostyl in 1992  133

75.   Sketchbook page for jewellery ­designs  158

61.   Page from Promostyl trend book in

76.    Development sheets by Miriam Sucis  161

2010  134 77.    Development sheets by Jeun Ho Tsang  161 62.    Nelly Rodi trend books  136 78.    Specification sheet  162 63.   Beauty page from a trend book  137 79.    Dress by Tonia Bastyan  165

64.   Moodboard by Rene de Lange  140 65.   South Korean models pose during a performance called ‘VB60’, by Italian-born New York–based artist Vanessa Beecroft,

80.    Moodboards  166 81.   TV commercial storyboard for ­shopping mall gala grand opening  167

at a Seoul department store, 26 February 82.   Recliner folded from one uncut sheet of

2007  145

paper.  170 66.   Preparatory

drawings

by

Gavin

Fer-

nandes  148 67.   Empire Line by Gavin Fernandes (London, 2005)  148

83.    Assassin boot  171 84.    Designing on the stand  172 85.    Image from Romans Cad  173

68.   Design by Sophie Mansfield, student at the Fashion Design Studio TAFE NSW Sydney Institute  150 69.   Student work for the khadi project at Amsterdam Fashion Institute  151

86.    Inktense pencils by Derwent  182 87.    Selection of papers  184 88.    Technical drawing sheet  185

70.    Design developments by Nicola Morgan  152

89.   Aquafine brushes by Daler Rowney  186

71.   Design developments By Emma Crowther 

90.   Kacchi’s sketch for the commercial project

153 72.   Design developments By Jessica Mills  154 73.    Design developments By Jessica Mills  155 74.    Illustration by Rob Phillips  157

shown in Plate 24  187 91.   London College of Fashion Library  189 92.   Tetons and the Snake River, by Ansel Adams  195 93.   An image after and before editing  198

xiv

illustrations

94.   Iwan Thomas flies the flag for Wales after victory in the 400m during the Commonwealth Games  204

word fashion.  209

113.   Fashion Research Institute virtual runway

97.   Screenshot of Delicious page  210

in OpenSim  252 114.   Display of work by Claire Baker  255

98.    An RSS icon  211 Wikipedia

zomara  249 112.    Design created in OptiTex  250

96.    Screenshot of Zotero library  210

of

ect  248 111.   Design created in OptiTex by Zorana Ko-

95.   A Google search results page for the key-

99.   Screenshot

110.   Images from Julia Dorff’s ossify proj-

page

on

­fashion  212

115.   Claire Baker’s display at New Designers 2009  256

100.   Screenshot of Un Nouveau Ideal  217

116.   Still from film by Rene De Lange  257

101.   Online Fashion 100 (2009): Cover of the

117.   Another still from film by Rene De

e-book  220 102.   Screenshot from author’s Twitter page  222 103.   Range plan created using Kaledo Style by Lectra  223 104.   Textile designs produced using Speed Step ProPainter®  224 105.   Singer sewing machines advertisement poster  234 106.   Designers of books and magazines use a grid to help order the elements, text and illustrations throughout a publication  240 107.   A selection of layout designs for presentation sheets  241 108.   Technical drawing created using Speed Step Sketch  243 109.   Images from Julia Dorff’s graduate portfolio  248

Lange  258 118.   Dior Spring/Summer 2010 haute couture show  259 119.   Image from McQueen catwalk show Spring/Summer 2010  260 120.   Presentation sheet created in Kaledo Style by Lectra  265 121.   Presentation sheet produced in Speed Step ProPainter  265 122.   Design being created in Romans Cad software by Lectra  266 123.   Research into producing real-time threedimensional visualizations for online fashion retail by Peter Hill for the Fashion Digital Studio at London College of Fashion  267 124.   Planogram created in Mockshop  269 125.   Virtual store created in Mockshop  270

plates

1.   Inspirational notice board in the office of Roy Peach 2.   Traditional Chinese embroidered baby

15.   The NCS colour circle, Natural Color System®© 16.    Munsell colour system

­carrier 17.    CIELAB colour space 3.   ‘Six’ illustration of final collection by Fong Wong

18.   Handwoven fabrics with light-responsive material by Jenny Shellard, photographed

4.   Collage of inspirational images by Basia ­Szkutnicka 5.   How the eye sees colour

under ultraviolet and projected light by Peter Mackertich 19.   The English Bird Garden (textile design by Philippa Leith).

6.   RGB and CMYK colour 20.    Selection of vintage fabrics 7.   Colour wheel 21.    Colour trend information  8.   Primary, secondary and tertiary colours 22.   Journal pages inspired by history of cos9.    Complementary colours 10.   Colour interactions: Receding and advanc-

tume 23.    Artgrip coloured pencils

ing colours 24.   Commercial project by Kacchi for LUMINE 11.   Lottie Smith’s collage of research and

department store and Chocolate

­development for her graduate collection 25.   Charlotte Hodes, ‘Sèvres Silhouette I’ 12.   Summer and winter colour palettes 26.   Charlotte Hodes, ‘Bathers: Pool’ 13.    The four colour groups 27.   Ana Stankovic Fitzgerald’s Picasa Web 14.   Author’s page on myPANTONE

album

xvi

plates

28.   A pattern, grading and marker by Dan-

30.   Sketches by Ayako Machida

iela Orsulova, created in Gerber Accumark CAD programmes for design development

31.   Personal work by Ayako Machida

29.   Tiffany Ong’s Entomological Knits at the

32.   Watercolour floral placement graphics de-

Royal College of Art Summer Show in

signed to be compatible with standard

2009

screen-printing processes

acknowledgements

I would like to thank all of the friends and colleagues in the fashion industry who have given their time and expertise to make this book possible. So many people have contributed either directly or indirectly that I am sure that I will have forgotten someone, so my apologies to them. As well as all of the contributors who feature in the text I would like to thank the following people, who provided invaluable technical and background information, support and encouragement and access to resources: Katherine Baird, Sharon Blackford, Val Buchanan, Mark Clayton, Honora Eskridge and colleagues at the North Carolina State University College of Textiles, David Foley, Prof Hilary Grainger, Julia Hall and the team at Berg, Dr. Ellie Herrington, Carmel McNamara, Roy Peach, Laura Scott, Marilyn Sturgeon, and Felicity Wade. I also thank Terry Weston for sharing her knowledge of textiles and giving permission to use the definitions from the Anstey Weston Guide to Textile Terms and Definitions. My husband, Peter, deserves a special mention for being my test reader; he now knows more about the fashion industry than he ever could have imagined. I thank my children Natalie and Max for their encouragement and patience and all of my colleagues at London College of Fashion and friends at the Textile Institute and the Society of Dyers and Colourists. I have learned a lot in this process, and people have been very generous with their time and advice; any mistakes, however, are my own.

introduction

purpose of the book

death. I have no doubt that his exceptional legacy

The inspiration for this book comes from many

fashion will never be forgotten.

will live on and his contribution to the world of

years of working in fashion education. During

Several strong themes emerged from the inter-

this time I have often encountered students who

views. These are worthy of highlighting here and

struggled with how to conduct visual research

bearing in mind as you work your way through the

and how to analyse, interpret and use their re-

book. The need for research that extends beyond

search to develop their own ideas. As part of my

the boundaries of the catwalk has been high-

doctoral research I observed students using the

lighted by most of the contributors along with the

Internet to research fabrics. I came to understand

necessity of using a wide range of resources and

that whilst they might feel fairly comfortable with

developing your own professional network.

using the Internet, they often lacked basic infor-

The big issues affecting the fashion industry

mation-seeking skills. This book is intended to

are those of ethical and sustainable development.

provide a guide to the research process for nov-

The fashion industry has historically been accused

ice researchers and those who might want to be

of exploitation of both people and the environ-

more strategic in their approach. It is focused on

ment. The consumer is now more aware of these

fashion, but many of the methods and principles

issues, and fashion companies have to respond

apply to many areas of art and design.

to their concerns. Ethical and sustainable trading

In the course of researching this book, the

practices are going to become more important,

message that came through from many of the

so it is vital that all those entering the fashion in-

contributors was that they do not look at fash-

dustry have an understanding of what this means

ion for inspiration, that it often comes from other

to them in their role or context. This might mean

sources. For this reason some of the contribu-

ensuring that the factories you use comply with

tions, references and case studies are from other

the current legislation or deciding that you are not

creative fields that have a connection with fashion,

going to use materials that are particularly harmful

such as graphic design and photography.

to the environment or cannot be recycled.

The interviews took place over a period of two years between 2008 and 2010. The fast-moving nature of the fashion industry means that some of the contributors have moved on from the posts

who is this book for?

that they held at the time they were interviewed.

The premise of this book is that all those who

We have also sadly lost Alexander McQueen, an

work in the fashion industry, regardless of their

outstanding designer who is referred to in some

role, need to engage in visual research throughout

of the interviews that were conducted prior to his

their career. This is not a book just for designers;

xx

visual research methods in fashion

its intention is to inform anyone who is interested in working in fashion, whether they are planning

overview of chapters

to be a buyer, a designer, a journalist or a visual

Chapter 1 ‘Strategies for Information Seeking’

merchandiser. You may already be working in the

Professional researchers use a range of strat-

fashion industry and taking on a new role, or you

egies to find the information they need quickly

might be about to start your first job. This book is

and efficiently. They know how to validate it and

intended to help you develop your research skills

to catalogue it so that it can easily be retrieved

and apply them in a professional context. Con-

when needed. This chapter gives you some key

tributions from professionals working in fashion

strategies and skills to make you a more effec-

ensure that the information provided is relevant to

tive researcher. It also provides you with some

the current fashion industry.

tools to help to develop your creative thinking skills.

how to use this book

Chapter 2 ‘Sources of Inspiration’ In this chapter we explore the range of sources

The first chapter, ‘Strategies for Information Seek-

of inspiration that are available to the fashion cre-

ing’, illustrates techniques and methods that can

ative and discuss why they are useful, how they

make your research more effective. It is strongly

are relevant to a range of roles within the industry

recommended that you read this chapter first to

and how the type of visual resources you use may

provide a strong foundation of skills that can be ap-

differ according to the market you are working in.

plied throughout the rest of the book. Each chapter

It also suggests ideas for exercises and activities

includes an overview of the topic; there are case

to do when inspiration fails to come.

studies and interviews with professionals as well as exercises and projects to develop your skills.

Chapter 3 ‘Colour Theory and Practice’

The language of fashion is visual, but it also

Colour is at the very heart of the fashion industry;

requires an oral and written vocabulary to help us

it drives trends and is the starting point for the de-

to communicate with each other. My experience

velopment of new products. An understanding of

as a tutor and researcher has clarified the need for

colour—how it works in different media and how

students to understand the distinctive vocabulary

we react to it—is vital for anyone working in the

that is integral to the fashion industry. Throughout

fashion industry. This chapter covers the theory

the book key terms appear in bold font. These

of how we see colour, the reproduction of colour

are explained in the glossary, and sources of writ-

and the challenges of specifying and matching

ten and numerical data to support your visual re-

colours across product ranges and the supply

search are provided. Each section has references

chain.

and suggestions for further research and reading. There are also links to Web sites that provide more

Chapter 4 ‘Textiles and Trimmings’

detailed information. All links were functioning on

An understanding of textiles is fundamental to

the date accessed. Updated links and further in-

operating within the fashion industry; they are the

formation are available on the companion Web

raw materials of the trade. This chapter introduces

site for this book (http://www.juliagaimster.co.uk).

you to basic textile terminology, the ways textiles

introduction

xxi

are sourced and used, and the ways trade shows

nondigital tools and techniques in the research

operate.

process. It includes a discussion of different art materials as well as tips on how to use libraries

Chapter 5 ‘Trends and Forecasting’

and archives. It gives an overview of basic photo-

Without trends there would not be fashion, but

graphic techniques and explains the role of image

trend forecasting and interpretation are areas that

agencies.

often mystify students and professionals alike. Where do trends come from? How do they de-

Chapter 8 ‘Web- and Technology-based

velop? Who decides what they are going to be?

Research Tools’

This chapter explores fashion trends from a range

This chapter explores the potential of Web-based

of perspectives using interviews with people who

and technological tools for assisting you in the re-

are actively involved in this area of the industry.

search process. It covers the use of image data-

The chapter describes different approaches to

bases, bibliographic tools, visual search tools and

trend forecasting and also explains how the in-

computer-aided design and presentation. It also

formation is used by companies to inform their

covers the important issue of copyright: how to

decision-making processes.

protect your rights and avoid violating the rights of others.

Chapter 6 ‘Concept Development, Drawing and Creativity’

Chapter 9 ‘Visual Research for Presentation’

This chapter illustrates how you can use the inspi-

An important part of the fashion industry is the

rational images that you have sourced to further

presentation of your ideas, so the final chapter

develop an idea or concept. It explains how to

discusses and demonstrates effective ways of

analyse and edit the images you have collected

presenting your ideas using both traditional tech-

to build a coherent story that you can present to

niques and new technologies. It covers the basics

a client. It introduces some creative projects and

of typography and layout design as well as sources

talks about the role of drawing in concept devel-

of inspiration for presentation of your work.

opment, including the use of sketchbooks and visual journals.

Glossary All the key terms used in the book are in the

Chapter 7 ‘Traditional Research Tools

glossary.

and Techniques’ Not everyone has on-demand access to the In-

Contributors and Useful Contacts

ternet, and not every resource is available online.

This section gives contact information for useful

This chapter outlines the importance of traditional

sources of further information.

chapter 1 strategies for information seeking Chapter Overview Finding the right information quickly and efficiently is a skill, and it requires some forethought and planning. This is especially important in an age where we are bombarded with information and visual imagery. In this chapter you will learn some tips and tricks for efficient information seeking, organization, evaluation and retrieval. These methods will help you to be more efficient and productive when you are researching a project or just generally gathering information that may be useful to you in the future. This chapter includes: • Primary and secondary research • Purposes of research • Case study: Ruth Davis • Planning your research strategy • Being prepared • Interview with Tony Glenville • Interview with Eric Musgrave • Creative thinking tools.

primary and secondary research

resources already created by other people:

There are fundamentally two types of visual re-

pers or other media. When you use secondary

search, primary and secondary, or desk-based

research, it is important to acknowledge the

research. Primary research involves going out

source of your information by referencing it. This

and engaging with people, places and objects;

enables other people to refer to your research,

taking your own photographs or videos; and

and it also prevents you from being accused of

making your own sketches, drawings and three-

plagiarism. For more on this topic see Chapter

dimensional pieces. Primary research engages all

8. Secondary research especially via the Internet

of the senses: it enables you to touch things, smell

enables you to access a lot of information very

them, see them in situ and appreciate their scale

quickly and to cross-check facts and figures. The

and the intricacy of detail, finish and structure.

disadvantage of secondary research is that you

Secondary, or desk-based, research uses books, films, the Internet, magazines, newspa-

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visual research methods in fashion

cannot feel the texture or appreciate the scale of

your own understanding of the world and your

the object you are researching. One disadvan-

subject. This is a process of collecting, sifting

tage of using the Internet for visual research is

and storing information that may be relevant to

that many of the images are low resolution so

you in the future. It provides a context for current

that they will download quickly. Some Web sites

trends or issues that may affect you or your con-

offer the opportunity to zoom in on an image or

sumer. This kind of research is about being up

see a copy at a higher resolution. Some allow

to date on current affairs and issues that might

you to download images for your own research;

influence fashion, and about gathering incidental

others do not. Always check the terms and con-

images that inspire you and may be useful for a

ditions. Images in books tend to be higher resolu-

current or future project. This research process

tion but may not be representative of their true

is continuous and not necessarily related to a

scale. Something that is 6 × 4 centimetres in a

particular project; it gives you an understanding

book may be 6 × 4 metres in reality, or it could

of what is going on in the world and the gen-

be 6 × 4 millimetres. Good art books will always

eral zeitgeist. This kind of research involves the

give you the original dimensions, but it can still be

following:

difficult to imagine what the real thing looks like. This is why primary research is also necessary. You cannot truly know a painting from a postcard reproduction. For most projects or assignments you will need to conduct both primary and secondary research. Primary research brings a unique quality

• Reading: newspapers, magazines, books (fiction and nonfiction) • Checking: the business pages and trade magazines • Watching or listening: to the news, current affairs and cultural programmes

to your product or design; secondary research

• Visiting: the theatre, the cinema, interesting

helps you to understand the context of a prod-

new stores, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs,

uct, society, artistic movement or musical genre and extends the boundaries of your primary research.

music festivals/gigs • Subscribing: to blogs and online newsletters, magazines and trade journals relevant to your subject/role • Collecting: images, articles, photographs,

purposes of research

objects.

There are also different reasons for carrying out

A lot of people will carry a sketchbook or vi-

visual research, and the methodologies that you

sual journal entirely for this purpose. They note

employ will depend upon the purpose.

down titles of books to read, places to visit and Web sites to look up, and they include articles torn

Background Research

out of newspapers or magazines, quick notes to

The first kind of visual research is general back-

themselves or sketches of things they have no-

ground research, gathering information to build

ticed around them.

strategies for information seeking

Case Study: Ruth Davis Ruth is a textile designer, and for her graduate collection, which was shown at Texprint 2009 (http://www.texprint.org.uk), she created a range called ‘Tin Can Alley’. The collection celebrates the quintessentially British charm of Scarborough and its market vaults, which are full of obscure, beautiful treasures. Ruth is passionate about screen-printing, and her designs are developed from her original paintings. She says, ‘Everything must have a story behind it, even if it only makes sense to me, making my printed fabrics into a scrapbook of memories. “Tin Can Alley” is a reflection of times gone by, just some carefree fun fashions and fond memories.’ Her sketchbooks are rich and colourful and packed with imagery that she finds inspiring.

Sketchbook pages.  Courtesy of Ruth Davis. Reproduced with permission.

3

4

visual research methods in fashion

Sketchbook pages.  Courtesy of Ruth Davis. Reproduced with permission.

Project-specific Research This is the kind of research you need to do to answer an assignment brief or to produce a piece of

planning your research strategy

work for a client. This kind of research is focused

Many people undertake research without any

and specific to the problem you are trying to solve

planning and without a strategy. You may go

or the brief you have been given. You will probably

straight to Google, Yahoo or another search

be working to a deadline and will therefore have

engine, type in the first word that seems ap-

limited time to carry out your research, develop

propriate and follow a series of links until you

your ideas and present your concept or solution.

happen upon the information that you needed;

This kind of research involves all of the activities

or you may give up in exasperation. Relying on

required for background research, but you will

the Internet is not always the easiest or quick-

have definite boundaries to the type of images

est way to find the information you are looking

and information you are seeking. Project research

for: you could spend several hours looking for an

requires a strategy and some planning if you are

image that is easily accessible in the library. You

going to be effective.

may also be unaware of specialist databases

strategies for information seeking

5

and search engines that would make your mis-

can then plot this information onto a timeline and

sion easier. If you do not know which keywords

keep track of your progress. The timeline will also

to use and instead enter generic terms, this will

indicate how much time you can afford to spend

throw up a lot of results that are not sufficiently

on your initial research.

specific. If you have not previously defined the

The research process can continue right

parameters of your research, you will not know

through the project; you may need to research

when to stop or which information is really rel-

a technique in order to realize your idea, or you

evant. The following steps will help you to avoid

may find that a particular process does not give

many of these pitfalls and to develop an effective

you the effect you desired so that you have to go

search strategy.

back and experiment with a new technique. The technique itself may inform the direction of the de-

Step 1: Identify Your Search Parameters

sign; sometimes accidents can lead to new ideas.

Whether you are using a search engine, a library

However, at some point you have to make a deci-

catalogue or even microfiche, you need to de-

sion and stick to it; otherwise, you will have fabu-

fine the terms and the boundaries of your search.

lous research and experimentation but no finished

This helps you to ensure that you are covering all

product to deliver to your client.

of the areas that you need but will not be over-

It is easy to get sidetracked and gather lots of

whelmed with so much information that you don’t

information that is interesting or around the edges

know where to start.

of your topic but not essential to what you need.

If, for example, you are researching the 1960s,

You need to make quick decisions about whether

which aspects of the period are important to you:

or not a line of investigation is worth following. Is

designers, photographers, interiors, economics?

it going to add real value to your project? If not,

Are you interested in the early, mid or late 1960s?

discard it, or put it to one side if you think it may

Being able to accurately refine the dates of a

be useful later.

search will help you to find relevant information more easily.

Step 3: Identify Your Keywords If you are searching the Internet, a database or

Step 2: Set a Time Limit

a catalogue, the information that you get back

Often the problem is to know when to stop re-

will be only as good as the keywords that you

searching and start developing your ideas. To

enter or the questions that you ask. If you don’t

help you plan, you need to work out how long

know a lot about the topic, you may not enter the

you have to complete your project and create a

right keywords and therefore may not get all the

project timeline. It can be useful to work back-

information.

wards from the deadline. You need to list all el-

Write a list of the keywords you are going to

ements of the activity—research, development,

use, then consult a thesaurus to see if there

sourcing of materials, experimenting with finishes,

are any synonyms or related terms you could

presenting initial concepts and so on—and work

use. Use a professional glossary, dictionary or

out how much time to allow for each. Always try

encyclopaedia to see if there are any technical

to build in some time for things to go wrong. You

terms you are unaware of that may be useful.

6

visual research methods in fashion

For example, if you are looking for information

Step 5: Make a Checklist

about birds, you could also look under ornithol-

To ensure that you have covered all the topics,

ogy, wildlife, natural sciences and so on, then

keywords and resources, make a checklist and

drill down into specific species. It is always worth

tick off each search as you complete it. Many on-

checking to see if different terminologies are

line tools enable you to store search information

used in different countries. In fashion there are

or the images that you have retrieved automati-

quite a few differences in American and ­English

cally, but it can still be useful to have your own

sloper/block

physical list. You can create this by hand or using

terminology:

apparel/clothing,

and so on. When you use a search engine to search for documents using a keyword, it will look for in-

a word processing or spreadsheet programme. It is very easy to forget what you have and haven’t done; a list speeds things up.

stances of that keyword in the document or title of the document. When you search for images,

Step 6: Use Advanced Options

it will look for the keywords that the person who

Most online resources offer options and tools

produced an image has assigned to it. Unfortu-

to refine your search by including or exclud-

nately there is no agreed set of keywords for the

ing words, formats or dates. This helps you by

classification of images. Image databases usually

returning a more focused list of resources that

have some sort of taxonomy that they use, but

should be more relevant. You can often use +

if you are using Google images, there is no such

or – to include or exclude words from your

thing. So a search for cats should bring back pic-

search, and quotation marks to indicate that

tures of cats but may also include images from

you are looking for a phrase, ‘British designer’

the musical Cats or a band called Cats or some-

for example, not two individual words. Without

one who has the nickname Cats. Generic image

the quotation marks the search engine might

search engines may also produce images that

bring back results about anything British or any

are out of context: there is often no information

designer.

about the source of the image, about who cre-

Information on the Internet also comes in lots

ated it where or when or about who owns the

of formats: audio, video, documents, charts and

copyright.

maps. If you are looking only for images, then most search engines will allow you to select this

Step 4: Identify Your Resources

option. There are some excellent image search

Identify and list the physical and virtual resources

tools that can speed up this process, such as

you are going to use. These could include library

Cooliris (http://www.cooliris.com).

catalogues, online databases and professional organizations, museums and art galleries. If you

Step 7: Evaluate Your Information

don’t know where to start or whether there are

Not all information is good or accurate. It always

any specialist resources relating to your topic, it

pays to know something about the source of

may be worth talking to a librarian or someone

your information so that you can verify it. This is

from a professional organization who may be able

particularly relevant with information that you find

to point you in the right direction.

online. Books and journals have usually been

strategies for information seeking

7

Screenshot of Cooliris search.  Courtesy of the author. Reproduced with permission of Cooliris.

through a rigorous process in which the publisher

means it is an organization, URLs containing .ac.

will have checked out the author’s credentials. An

or .edu point to academic sites, and .com indi-

article in an academic journal will have been peer-

cates a business. Also, look at the ‘About us’ sec-

reviewed. You can’t always assume that what you

tion of the site. It should tell you a bit about who is

read in newspapers is completely neutral. News-

behind it. The currency of the information is also

papers are in the business of selling; they may also

important. When was the piece written, and has

have a particular political affiliation that may affect

anyone written on the topic since? When was the

the emphasis they give to a story. The same ap-

site last updated?

plies with the Internet: sites may be sponsored by political or religious organizations, by companies

Step 8: Record and Categorize Your

trying to sell or promote a product, by individuals

References

with a particular motivation or even by people who

Once you have found your information and

just like to mislead others. So how do you know

have decided that it is useful, you need a way

what information to trust?

to quickly access or acknowledge the source.

You should always try to check your informa-

There is nothing more frustrating than having to

tion with more than one source, a process called

repeat a search because you have forgotten to

triangulation. On the Internet there will be clues

record where you found something. There are a

to the site’s sponsor in the address of the site

lot of tools that will help you with this process;

(otherwise known as the URL). The ending .org

they are detailed in Chapter 8. The key is to have

8

visual research methods in fashion

a system and stick to it, whether it is a card index,

• Scrapbooks can work in two ways: you can

a computer programme or a set of box files. You

stick things in them as you collect them, or

need to decide how to categorize the informa-

you can use them to collate imagery into

tion you find—whether to sort your information

themes once you have edited it. Creating

by theme, date, title, project, client, artist or de-

scrapbooks has become somewhat of an

signer and so on.

art form, and you can even upload your im-

If you are using a database-type system, you may be able to store and retrieve your in-

ages and do it online at Scrapblog (http:// www.scrapblog.com).

formation in several ways depending upon the

• Shoeboxes are sturdy and very useful for

fields or tags that you use. At the very least

storing three-dimensional objects. You can

you should record the name of the book or the

paint or cover them and add labels.

Web site where you found the image, the name

• Expanding wallets are good for collecting

of the artist and the date the image was pro-

the research for a specific project. They

duced, if this is available. You may need this

usually have tabs and labels, and some

information for lots of reasons: to acknowledge

have handles making them easy to carry.

the copyright holder, to retrieve the image again

• Photo albums come in a range of sizes and

or to purchase an image to use in a project. If

styles from traditional paper to self-adhesive.

the image is in a book, note which library you borrowed it from.

Other useful storage containers include plastic

It is just as important to have a systematic

crates, baskets and shoe tidies. You will possibly

way of storing physical items and imagery: you

need a combination of some or all of the above.

may be collecting newspaper and magazine cut-

Whatever you choose, make sure you label every-

tings, postcards, sweet wrappers, swing tags and

thing and are systematic in your storage.

point-of-sale materials. Your collection can grow quickly and be difficult to organize. Here are some ideas for organizing your paraphernalia.

being prepared

• Plastic wallets are more durable than card-

Whether you are conducting primary or second-

board and can easily be labelled with stick-

ary research, you should always do some prelimi-

ers. If they are transparent, you will easily be

nary preparation. Complete your research plans

able to see what is in them.

as already described before setting out on a

• Box files are extremely versatile for storing fabric swatches, yarn samples, photos and cuttings.

project-specific mission, and make sure you have everything you need with you. You never know when you are going to come

• A filing cabinet is often the best option

across something or someone that you want

for a large number of printed documents.

to record. Good researchers will always have a

New ones can be expensive so look for a

sketchbook or notebook to hand and carry a small

­second-hand office supply store. You will

digital camera (or camera phone) so that they can

need hanging files to fit the drawers.

capture the unexpected. Your phone may also

strategies for information seeking

9

Screenshot of Scrapblog.  Courtesy of the author.

have a voice-recording facility; this can be useful

Health and Safety

for making quick reminders when you don’t have

Before undertaking any primary research project you

a pen to hand or for carrying out vox pop inter-

should always carry out a risk assessment. If you are

views to support your visual research.

interviewing people, make sure that you do it in a

When carrying out primary research always

safe place and that someone knows where you are.

check that it is OK to sketch or photograph.

If you are carrying expensive equipment, it may be

Some museums allow you to take pictures;

a good idea to take someone with you. Do not put

some don’t. Those that do often insist that you

yourself in situations where you might be in danger.

do not use flash, so make sure you know how to turn yours off. Most stores will not allow you

Ethical Considerations

to take photographs or make sketches of their

Depending upon the type of research you are un-

stock; you need to develop a good visual mem-

dertaking, you may need to get permission from

ory so you can note things down when you leave

the ethics committee of your university or to con-

the store.

sider if there are any ethical issues relating to your

10

visual research methods in fashion

research. This is particularly important if you are

approach to research. In the following interviews

planning to photograph or draw children or other

two practitioners explain how they engage in the

vulnerable groups of people.

research process and what skills are required to

Fashion journalism is an area of the indus-

work in this sector of the industry.

try that demands a fast, efficient and accurate

Interview with Tony Glenville Tony is a trend forecaster and fashion journalist. He trained as a designer but then moved into forecasting and journalism. He has worked with many forecasting companies such as IM International, Nigel French and Design Direction and retailers such as Storehouse and the Conran group. He has worked as a freelance designer and in fashion education. What kind of work do you do? I kind of re-invented myself as a journalist because I felt I’d done enough of full-time forecasting and consultancy but it’s one of those bizarre things that never quite leave you. A lot of my journalistic work was doing things like the roundup of the trends for the season or helping to plan twelve month’s issues of a glossy publication with the advertisers, so once a forecaster always a forecaster. I’m forecasting the whole time, I never stop, and I still work with some freelance clients and that can be anything. I’ve worked at all sorts of levels. I worked with Woolworths in Germany and I’ve worked with designer labels in New York. Who have you worked for as a journalist? The Independent, The Evening Standard and The Express on Sunday. I ultimately went down to Australia and became fashion director for Asia Pacific so I’ve worked on Vogue Korea, Vogue Taiwan, Vogue Japan and Vogue Australia. What skills have you needed to do your job? One of the things that students need to learn is to be curious. When they Google a name and it comes up with 154,000 entries and it’s sixty pages they often don’t go far enough in and they don’t become curious enough to dig. If you Google Dior and you get 285,000 Google entries you can’t just pick up the first three entries, so curiosity is important. Sometimes I go to page sixteen, I don’t always go much further than that but I certainly say that I often cursorily go through the extra pages because that’s where sometimes the more interesting things are. You need the ability to use more than one research method. If I’m looking for things I will use the Internet, online trend pages, reports, people’s blogs, YouTube and Google, all those things. I still think books are vital and I still buy a lot of books and particularly monographs on less famous people. It really is the only fast quick way to get some information on them. I’m always telling students to talk to shop staff at designer shops. Interviewing people is great but so is talking to your friends and asking somebody else’s opinion. The people whose opinions I really value are people like Sarah Mower (editor, Style.com) or Suzy Menkes (fashion editor, International Herald Tribune). If I get a chance and I’m really

strategies for information seeking

slightly unsure about something I’ll ask those kinds of people. Ask people and use people that know more than you, or know different things. Nobody knows it all so ask people. It’s back to being curious but asking people and not being afraid to say, ‘Never heard of them’ or ‘I know the name but I don’t really know anything about them’. I think the family tree of an artist is always interesting. Where did they train? Where was their first job? Everyone’s been talking about Kinder Aggugini at London Fashion Week because of the fact that he’s waited a long time to launch his own label and he has this amazing pedigree about him. He’d been at Paul Smith, Calvin Klein and Versace amongst other places; but what’s interesting is he waited until that right moment. So, it’s not just ‘Oh here’s a new designer’, it’s here’s a new designer but where do they come from? How did they get there? What culture of education did they come from? Did they come from the Fashion Institute of Technology culture or did they come from the Central St Martins culture because they’re very different kinds of fashion education.

Kinder Aggugini:  Image from ­London Fashion Week, Spring/­ Summer 2010. Getty Images. ­Reproduced with permission.

11

12

visual research methods in fashion

Prada flagship store, New York. Architect: Rem Koolhaas.  Courtesy of the Office of ­Metropolitan ­Architecture. ­Reproduced with permission.

Research, research, research and research; I think at whichever end of the business you are, knowing your business, is important for everyone. When you look at the big labels, the difference between the purpose of the catwalk show and the purpose of the product that’s put into stores is very different. When students look at catwalk shows they think that’s the company statement. There are a lot of other elements for the season. There are the beauty products, there are the new fragrances, there’s the handbag, which is probably done by the accessories division in conjunction with John [Galliano] and whatever he might be doing. There’s the Web site, you know Dior now work on how many hits they get all the time. You’ve got to go beyond one element of a company’s profile. I think also you need to look at big brands, what they’re doing, who their associates are; Prada and Rem Koolhaas that is a wonderful partnership. The idea of one of the world’s leading avant-garde architects and one of the world’s leading avant-garde labels getting together. How do you decide which information is important? It’s all important and if it isn’t important today it might be important next week; that’s unfortunately what makes people like myself into terrible hoarders. We’re also the mad people that sit on trains tearing bits out of newspapers. There was the most fabulous interview in the Times financial section a little while ago with François-Henri Pinault from PPR about the future of Gucci and all the companies under their umbrella, he was talking about green and you suddenly go ‘If this guy with Gucci and all those subsidiary companies, if he’s looking at green then that’s really interesting’. It wasn’t anywhere other than the financial page of one paper, in fact one interview, so you tear it out and put in your file under ‘green’, you may not use it the day you pull the piece out of the paper, you hoard and you put stuff under different categories and you keep things.

strategies for information seeking

13

How do you organize your information? Mine is always lined up in a set of things, I have a section, which is obituaries, I keep up-to-date obituaries of anyone that’s even remotely interesting. I’ve got an alphabetical filing system A–Z and that includes everyone from Yves Saint Laurent through to anyone that I can think of that might be stylish. Then I also have things to do with global, so interesting things to do with India, instant things about something that literally will be as dead as a dodo by the end of the week. Also things like accessories, hair and make-up because make-up and hair now is so big. Luxury and then in luxury the things that students very rarely look at which are branded goods, watches, sunglasses, belts all those kinds of things. If you run a glossy magazine, at least once a year you have to do a very big watch shoot because they’re major advertisers in the glossy. You certainly have to do sunglasses at least once a year. Dolce & Gabbana may not sell very many of the mainline ball gowns but my God they sell a lot of sunglasses. Students don’t get interested and inspired enough by the financial side. They don’t understand that it’s really good detective work; it’s great fun. People don’t just want to read flaky articles in the papers or the magazines. Readers want evidence and they also want to know why they should spend their money on something. If you’re telling me to buy this £600 skirt not from a designer label but from a very top-end high street label, why should I buy it? Also check your facts. It’s the big thing checking your facts. Suzy Menkes is the archetypal example of someone who understands what gathering information is about. When you read one of Suzy’s reviews she’s found out what the reference points were for the designer, a special song that was used while the girls were walking up and down that relates to the collection, somebody who made a fabric; there’ll always be that extra detail in what she writes, like there is with Sarah Mower. Those are really outstanding people who have always got that thing that sets them apart from people that write ‘. . .and there was a lot of red in the collection and I didn’t like it, a lot of longer skirts. . .’ they’ll have gone way beyond a lot of red and the longer skirt, they’ll have found out why there was a longer skirt or what particular red it was or discovered what the fabric was that all the red was in. They’d have found out why it was there.

Project: Six Degrees of Separation An exercise that I’ve done with students is the clues trail. The one that we had the most fun with is we traced George Bernard Shaw to Alexander McQueen and the pointers on the way are Pygmalion, My Fair Lady and Givenchy. You have to get from George Bernard Shaw to Alexander McQueen. So if you do George Bernard Shaw and you do ­Pygmalion, the answer is of course he wrote Pygmalion, Pygmalion was a play which was adapted into My Fair Lady, My Fair Lady was the musical which was filmed with Audrey Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn was dressed by Givenchy and Givenchy once had Alexander McQueen as his in-house designer. —Tony Glenville For this project you have to find the connections between the Marchesa Casati and John Galliano. Create a visual board to illustrate your research.

14

visual research methods in fashion

Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady.  Popperfoto/Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

Interview with Eric Musgrave Eric Musgrave was a fashion industry journalist for thirty years. He worked as the deputy editor or editor for International Textiles, Fashion Weekly, Sportswear International, FHM Magazine and Drapers. What skills does a journalist need? The number-one skill a journalist needs is the ability to get on with all sorts of people because people give you the information you need. If you can speak to everyone from the shop floor worker to the chairman of a big PLC [public limited company], that is a real skill.

strategies for information seeking

The ability to interpret a lot of information and present it in a digestible form for the audience is the key for any type of journalist, whether it is somebody writing news stories, producing a feature or working on a fashion desk. News journalists need an ability to write concisely and quickly and get a lot of facts into a relatively small number of words in a short time. It is essential that news people have lots of contacts, get on with people, win the trust of people and are respected and liked. Then people will tell them things that maybe they should not tell them or would not tell them; that is very important. It can be a difficult job, it is not nice to write critical stories, you need a hard skin and not everyone has that. It is just a question of personality. Some people have a romantic idea of being a reporter, but it is a demanding job. I found plenty who wanted to write about fashion, but it was quite difficult to find people who had any real knowledge of textiles, fibres, manufacturing clothes and retailing them. What is the role of the editor? The editor is the hub around which the title, and everything to do with the title, revolves. The editor must look out at the industry and look in at his or her own team or company. I made it my business to be very commercially minded and to have an influence over the advertising department as well as the editorial. I soon learned that unless your publication is the Exchange & Mart, Auto Trader or a jobslisting magazine, people will be buying it primarily for the editorial, so the editorial ought to set the tone, which then the advertising should complement. There are a number of facets to the editor’s job. It is difficult to say which are more important because they are all cogs in the same apparatus. You personally can be a great ambassador, have loads of contacts in the business, and be very well respected, but if your team is rubbish, the chances are you will produce a rubbish magazine. Conversely, you can have a fantastically motivated magazine of happy journalists, but if you are not leading them and taking the bird’s-eye view of the industry, informing them and mentoring them on what they should be writing about, you are not going to be effective as you could be. For me the most important part of a weekly magazine like Drapers is the news; that is why it is weekly. Without strong news pages, you might as well be a monthly or quarterly. The news team was always the most important element because they had most paper to fill; the news was why most people bought the magazine week after week to see what was going on. What role did images play in the magazines you worked on? Because we didn’t do any shoots of our own on Drapers you were dependent on getting visual information from other people, free pictures. That is another reason for having lots of contacts, so people do you a favour and get pictures to you early. I would say generally people who are OK at words usually are not good at visuals. You are very lucky if you find somebody who is good at both. You are lucky if you can find a journalist who works visually and can see the whole page or two pages that they are doing rather than just thinking about the words and leaving someone else to think about the illustrations. There was a period around 2000 when lots of brands and retailers stopped providing press shots. If you wanted to illustrate something, what could you do? We would go to one of the big shows in Europe, take twelve or thirteen rolls of film, bring them back, get them processed at a local Snappy Snaps, get 200 pictures, and half of them weren’t usable! It was a hugely time-consuming, expensive and complicated business. Having our own digital cameras was a compromise as some people

15

16

visual research methods in fashion

were better with the camera than others. But having a digital camera meant you could take a lot of photographs of the people you had spoken to. Part of the trade magazine’s role is to act like a local newspaper for the industry. People like to see themselves, or people they know, and one of Drapers’ best-read pages was the gossip page. When I started my career in 1980 it was only once in a blue moon that we would have any colour pictures. We just did not have that facility but now the whole magazine is in colour. I believe rather than trying to explain what is being worn, or what that stripe looks like, or what shade of brown that colour is, show them a picture. It is much easier; we are in a visual industry. The now-defunct International Textiles was different. It was more of a feature-driven, visual magazine with the difficulty of how to represent lots and lots of fabrics. We did it in a very formulaic way. There was some creativity but it was more like ‘how many bits of fabric can we get on one page so you can still see them?’ It was a different discipline; there was a template that we worked to. My other European experience was with Sportswear International, a German-owned magazine based in Italy, covering the jeans and casual wear market; it was very visual. We did a lot of pictures of shops. If you are in the retail business you just love looking at shops. Additionally Sportswear International used very good photographers and models to create very lavish and creative fashion shoots. People loved it; it was vital reading. What advice would you give to students who want to work in journalism? Young people often come in with a very idealistic view of what journalism is about. They forget it is a business and they usually have no knowledge or interest in the commercial side of magazine publishing. I was always very happy to speak to my advertisers but I would not compromise my editorial or write anything I did not believe in. Young people are very creative, artistic and idealistic but they very rarely give any thought to where the money comes from in magazine publishing.

Project: Analysing a Magazine Take a magazine that you like, go through it and count how many pages are not editorial and analyse the flat plan (the running of a magazine). Why do you get thirty pages of advertising at the beginning of a glossy magazine before you get to any sort of editorial? If you were editing a magazine and had advertisers, how much editorial support would you give them?

creative thinking tools

It may be helpful to engage in them before you

It is easy to fall into a pattern of working that pro-

are thinking laterally and not going for the obvious

duces similar or unsurprising results. Creative

solution.

start a project as a means of ensuring that you

people need to continually expand their minds and challenge their own thinking and processes.

Brainstorming

The following exercises are useful ways of opening

Brainstorming is often done in groups, but you

your mind to new ways of considering a problem.

can also do it yourself. Write down everything you

strategies for information seeking

17

can think of that is even remotely related to the

Mind Mapping

subject you are researching. Think about con-

Mind mapping is about creating links between

trasting ideas and themes. At this stage it doesn’t

one idea and a related idea. (Mind Map is a trade-

matter how silly you think the idea is. Once you

mark of the Buzan Organization.) For example, if

can’t think of any more connections or solutions

your theme is workwear, you write the word or

go back to the ideas you have written down.

draw something that represents this in the mid-

When you have eliminated any ideas that are il-

dle of the page, and then around this you add

legal, immoral or impossible, everything else that

a node for each connected idea. So you may

is left may have potential and can be developed

think about workwear in different professions like

further. The key to the success of this technique

building, policing, medicine and business. Build-

is not to judge any of your initial ideas; however

ing might lead you to think about tools or safety

silly or outlandish they may seem, just write them

helmets or hobnail boots; medical clothing might

down. For more information on the technique, go

make you think about white, blue, masks, latex

to http://www.brainstorming.co.uk.

gloves. The aim is to follow every idea, creating

Mind map of global warming. Tony Buzan is the inventor of Mind Maps®.  Permission to reproduce granted by The Buzan Organization, www.buzanworld.com.

18

visual research methods in fashion

Mind map created using PersonalBrain software.  Courtesy of the author.

branches until there is nowhere else to go. You

software available. Some suggestions are the

can then see if there are any links between the

following:

branches and decide which areas to investigate in more detail. You can create mind maps on paper with coloured pens or markers, or there are now software packages and Web-based tools that can help you to create them. The leading advocate of

iMindMap http://www.thinkbuzan.com/uk/prod ucts/imindmap FreeMind http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/ index.php/Main_Page PersonalBrain http://www.thebrain.com/

mind mapping is Tony Buzan, and you can find out more about the process and see some incred-

Scamper

ibly inventive maps here: http://www.thinkbuzan.

This is a process that was invented by Robert

com/uk/home.

Eberle based on the ideas of Alex Osborn, who is

There are many proprietary and free ver-

also credited with inventing brainstorming. Scam-

sions of mind mapping and concept mapping

per is a process by which you consider modifying

strategies for information seeking

your product using a series of different perspectives (Creating Minds 2010, Mindtools nd):

19

*M—Modify—increase or reduce in scale, change shape, modify attributes (e.g. colour)

*S—Substitute—components, materials, people

*P—Put to another use

*C—Combine—mix, combine with other as-

*E—Eliminate—remove elements, simplify, re-

semblies or services, integrate *A—Adapt—alter, change function, use part of another element

duce to core functionality *R—Reverse—turn inside out or upside down, also use of reversal.

Summary In this chapter you have learned that there are different approaches to research based on whether you are just trying to expand your general knowledge or are working on a specific project. You have discovered that effective researchers engage in planning and preparation before they start. This saves time and ensures that the information they retrieve is relevant and accurate. Once you have retrieved the information, you need a method for cataloguing and storing it so you can retrieve it easily. There are many tools that can assist you in finding and cataloguing information; these are covered in detail in Chapter 8.

references and further reading

Seivewright, S. (2007), Research and Design, Lausanne: AVA. Wigan, M. (2006), Thinking Visually, Lausanne: AVA.

Creating Minds (2010), ‘SCAMPER’ [Web page]. Available at: http://creatingminds.org/tools/scamper. htm (accessed 19 November 2010).

websites

Hamilton, P. (2006), Visual Research Methods, London: SAGE. MindTools (nd), ‘Scamper Creativity, Scamper Checklist’ [Web page]. Available at: http://www.mindtools.

CoutureLab http://couturelab.com/ International Herald Tribune (global edition of the New York Times) http://global.nytimes.com/?iht

com/pages/article/newCT_02.htm (accessed 31

Kinder Aggugini http://www.aggugini.com/

July 2009).

Office of Metropolitan Architecture (Rem Koolhaas)

Mitchell, C. (2009), Doing Visual Research, London: SAGE.

http://www.oma.eu PPR http://www.ppr.com

Noble, I., and Bestley, R. (2005), Visual Research: An In-

Prada http://www.prada.com

troduction to Research Methodologies in Graphic

Reiss http://www.reiss.co.uk/

Design, Lausanne: AVA.

Showstudio http://www.showstudio.com

Sanoff, H. (1991), Visual Research Methods in Design, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

ThinkBuzan—Official Mind Mapping Software by Tony Buzan http://www.imindmap.com/

chapter 2 sources of inspiration Chapter Overview This chapter concentrates on visual research as a means of gaining creative inspiration. However, this often needs to be followed by further research to inform yourself about the images or objects that have inspired you. There is often a crossover between inspirational and informational research, as one will usually inform the other. By undertaking a wide range of visual research, you will be creating a rich seam of information from which you can develop new ideas and concepts. This chapter includes: • Why do we need sources of inspiration? • Sources of inspiration • Interview with Amy de la Haye • Interview with James Wright, vintage clothing retailer • Case study: Miriam Sucis • Case study: Fong Wong • Interview with Basia Szkutnicka • Things to do when you lack inspiration.

why do we need sources of inspiration?

ways of looking at existing ideas and products.

Fashion is a creative industry that thrives on a

In the research for this book, many of the profes-

constant flow of new ideas. The people working

sionals believed that nothing is ever completely

in fashion also need to be creative and to inno-

new but that you can bring your own perspective,

vate. To do this you need to have a source from

personality or technique to deliver a fresh take on

which to feed your creativity. This source comes

an existing idea. To do this requires research. To

in the form of visual research. To sit in front of a

start with, you at least need to know what has

blank sheet of paper and be creative is virtually

been done before and how it was achieved.

You also need to find ways in which you can bring your personal signature to a project or concept.

impossible. If we do so we soon start to repeat

Using visual references to generate ideas is not

our ideas or to dry up completely. The creative

the same as copying. It is important to take the

mind needs a constant stream of information that

information and to develop and transform it so that

can spark new ideas and help to develop new

it becomes your own. It is necessary to draw your

22

visual research methods in fashion

research from a range of resources and to be able to talk about them; this is why it is important to also

sources of inspiration

research the context and background of the prod-

The following section lists possible sources of

ucts, artefacts or images you are ­working with.

inspiration; they are not intended to be exhaus-

It is useful to look at clothes and to know what

tive but to act as starting points and catalysts for

is happening on the catwalk and in the stores, but if

your imagination. Some may not be accessible to

fashion and clothing are your only or ­primary ­visual

you because of your location, but the truly cre-

resource, you may find yourself merely copying

ative person learns to be observant and to find

rather than creating and will soon run out of ideas.

inspiration in everything around him or her. Visual

Many creative fashion ideas do not start with cloth-

research is about learning to look at the things

ing but instead emerge from social or economic

around you, to analyse them and to constantly

trends, from musical movements, from art and

ask ‘Why? How? Who? When? Where?’

interior design or architectural design or from technical advances in materials or processes. Fashion

Museums and Art Galleries

creatives need to be aware of what is happening

There are more museums and art galleries around

in a wide range of fields ­including the arts, theatre,

the world than can possibly be catalogued in

music, cinema, politics, technology, economics,

this chapter. You can find a museum for almost

architecture and environmental and social trends.

anything from toilet seats to typewriters; a quick

You need to be well read and well connected and

search on the Internet will bring up an amazing

also able to appreciate aesthetics and good

array of the weird and wonderful as well as the

design.

more established museums and galleries. Most

Creative people need to develop a visual

major galleries and museums have a Web site,

­vocabulary. This means absorbing and processing

and these can be very useful in helping you to

a wide range of cultural and practical information.

­decide whether they are worth a visit. Chapter 7

You need to be able to engage in conversations

has more information about getting the most out

with other professionals in your field, and that

of your visit.

means knowing about different periods in ­fashion

Many museums have specialist collections

history and the influences that created them. It

of historical costume and textiles, and these are

also requires an understanding of the basic mate-

often used as inspiration for contemporary design

rials of the trade—being able to talk about fabrics,

and styling. Designers like Vivienne Westwood are

influential people, current trends and hot issues.

extremely talented at taking historical research

If you are a fashion photographer, you need to

and reinventing it. The mini crinoline and the ­pirate

know who the creative stylists are, who is doing

shirt came directly from historical research. It is

interesting make-up and which magazines are

important to note that Westwood does not just

emerging and influential. In marketing you need

copy the designs: she reworks them to give them

to be aware of viral trends on the Internet, con-

a modern feeling.

sumer demographics and lifestyle trends. Every

The biggest challenge when using costume as

role in the fashion industry relies to some extent

inspiration is that if you do not develop your ideas

on ­finding and using inspirational materials.

sufficiently, you end up with a pastiche of the

sources of inspiration

23

Historically inspired outfit by ­Vivienne Westwood from her 1996 Spring/Summer ready-to-wear ­collection.  © Vauthey Pierre/Corbis Sygma. Reproduced with permission.

original design that looks clichéd and too theatri-

to get on a bus. You may, however, want to trans-

cal. Knowing how to combine history with mod-

late this shape into something more practicable.

ern trends is a skill that depends upon achieving

The knowledgeable consumer will recognize the

the right balance between the two. Learning

influence, but the end product will still be fashion-

about the garment and the context in which it was

able and practicable.

­created can help you to avoid this and to extract

If you are working in a field such as fashion

the essential elements from the garment that you

­curation, knowledge of the product and the

want to use. An outfit inspired by the farthingale

­period is essential. This will enable you to build

might make an exciting catwalk piece but would

a narrative around the object and create a more

not be very relevant to a modern woman who has

engaging display.

24

visual research methods in fashion

Example of a farthingale. Print of Henry III and Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont.  Image from Wikimedia; out of copyright.

Project: History of Costume Research Visit a museum or the Web site of a museum with a costume collection (see the list of references) and select a historical garment that you like. Find out as much as you can about the garment. Who did it belong to, when was it worn and for what purpose was it worn? Make your own drawings of the garment; if you are researching online, see if the site allows you to zoom in on the garment and make sketches of the details. Analyse which elements of

sources of inspiration

the garment attract you: is it the colour, the silhouette, a detail like a collar or pocket, the print? Take one aspect of the garment and consider how you could use it in a project. For example if you are a designer or pattern cutter, how could you develop a modern style based on this garment? If you are an illustrator, are there elements that you could include in a contemporary illustration? If you are a photographer, what kind of styling or setting does it suggest? If you are training to be a journalist, write a short article about this piece.

Interview with Amy de la Haye Amy is reader in material culture and fashion curation at the London College of Fashion. She is an established author and curator. What inspires you? Things inspire me, a love of things and the materiality of things. That does something to me on some level, it makes me want to explore and I delve into history and theory because it helps me understand the thing rather than perhaps starting with an idea and trying to fit things into that idea. Often it involves a commission for example I have just written a chapter for the V&A’s couture exhibition Material Evidence. I suppose I have a broad knowledge of the period so I am not looking at objects in isolation I am looking at them with a body of knowledge behind me. The first thing I do is go and look at the objects then I look at the story of those objects and think what do they tell me? What don’t they tell me? If we only have one suit is it typical? Because that is what is representing the designer we need to know did it come from a client in which case there is a sizing issue? If it came from him presumably he felt it was typical of his work. It affects how you look at history because if there is only one suit in the V&A the designer becomes inextricably entwined with that suit but that suit might not be representative of his work. What are you working on at the moment? In the past I did a lot of work on the working class looking at ready-to-wear. I did a lot of work on subculture and then I guess I wanted to redress the balance because a lot of fashion history was looking at people who are at the edge of subculture or engages with gay history or black history and the traditional haute couture had become terribly old fashioned. I started looking at that again especially in London because a lot of people would say that London doesn’t have a couture industry but it does. I did an exhibition about Catherine Walker’s work at the V&A. It meant I could spend two years having complete access to her house and understanding how she worked and how her house worked looking at the spectrum of her outfits and talking to her constantly. Having done all that I am now working on the women’s land army which is something that I have been fascinated with for about twenty years and I knew I would do something at some point. I am looking at how you can access the women’s history through their clothes. They were mass-produced

25

26

visual research methods in fashion

Land workers harvesting the ripened sunflowers, September 1944.  Getty Images Hulton Archive. ­Reproduced with permission.

so I am looking at all the special issues that come with that, especially in the context of a museum, it is OK to display a single couture garment but is it OK to display a single mass-produced garment? When there is only one it gives you an impression that it is rare and precious whereas I think there should maybe be a stack of them to somehow represent that there were 80,000 women involved. I am doing an exhibition at Brighton Museum and I am thinking of having either 80,000 land army badges or little figures on the wall. A number doesn’t mean a lot but visually if you see 80,000 of something you get an idea of what is involved distribution and all sorts of things. Where do you start? I look at the things then look firstly at contemporary material. What the women wrote about themselves and official publications like the Women’s Land Army Journal. There are lots of biographies. I look at what was written at the time and then what was written forty years later. There are lots of elderly land girls who have been engaging with their history but forty years on it is interesting to see what they choose to write about. Then I bring it all together, about the production and distribution of the clothes

sources of inspiration

and how we interpret them in a museum and whether they are worn and also the modern history of the clothes. I buy them on eBay and see who else is buying them and why they are desirable now. A lot of it is for re-enactment so they have kind of got multiple histories. What advice would you give to a student who wanted to engage with ­material culture? A practice-based student would necessarily have access to things because they are makers and perhaps they relate to things more than to words. They have got the language to discuss the things in their own work so I would think they would have the language to discuss an object perhaps more

Vita Sackville-West in breeches (1960).  Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

27

28

visual research methods in fashion

than a history student would. They might have more confidence to describe it they might have a better knowledge of materials or how to describe the scale. They need to have a love of materiality, a love of things. A project I do with postgraduate students is I get them to bring in three shoes each and then split them into little groups and I say I want you to make an exhibition of these shoes from the perspective of a shoe museum, from the perspective of working in a local history museum and from the perspective of working in a design museum. I want you to tell a story so that each of these shoes says something different, which adds to your story. They come up with some wonderful things. Because it was for children one student related each shoe to a child-like character like Judy Garland. I know I have had them thinking about where the shoes were made for instance then we can get into issues about globalization and how none of these shoes were made in Britain. You can pick one object, like a pair of the breeches. I am looking at culture and history through this pair of breeches. You could look at the history of the fabric, you could look at trouser dress for women in the context a lesbian iconic style of dress (Vita Sackville-West wore them) in terms of women’s history, wartime history, agricultural history and just look at how one garment can be the central point form which you can construct all sorts of histories. It is about reflective practice.

Project: History of an Object Select one thing that feels precious to you and make a history of it. It could be something like a family photograph of your grandmother or a shoe you bought in the high street. It doesn’t need to be valuable. You can construct a history around it, and then the next step is to get a group of objects and try to make a story with them. You can make anything into a story; you can focus for example on the colour red. It is about how we can make magical stories. You don’t have to be working at the V and A with Balenciaga. You can construct histories around anything and see the magic in it. (Amy de la Haye)

Objects and Ephemera

from. You can of course invent your own history

Not all objects of interest are precious enough to

for an object and provide it with a story that can

be found in a museum. Flea markets, second-

become your inspiration. Postcards with long-

hand stores and car boot sales can also be a

forgotten messages and photographs that have

source of interesting items and ephemera. From

found their way from an unwanted family album

bags of old buttons to war relics and ceramics,

can be a rich source for an invented narrative.

the range of items you can discover in this manner

Who wrote the postcard? Who received it? Where

is endless. Interesting items can also be found in

was it sent? What can you find out about the pe-

online auctions and on sites such as eBay.

riod and the place?

Things you find in this way may also have an

You can also find interesting items such as

interesting history. If you are buying an object from

old pottery, ribbons, table linens, embroidered

a local store, the owner may know where it came

handkerchiefs, beads and bracelets, pictures and

sources of inspiration

29

Jacket by Galliano with ­vintage jewellery, Spring/Summer 2010.  AFP/Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

stuffed animals, medicine bottles, kitchen utensils,

and to find interesting fabrics and trimmings that

medals and badges. An item does not have to be

will inspire you. You can find scraps of fabric,

beautiful to be interesting; it could be very gaudy

old buttons, lace and table linens in second-

or kitsch or extremely battered or worn.

hand stores or search for inspiring ­contemporary ­fabrics and trimmings. Antique textiles from many

Fabric and Trimmings

­different cultures can be found in museums,

Many students start by designing and then look for

gallery collections and online collections. They

fabrics and trimmings that suit their design. It can

can also be a valuable source of inspiration, as

be more successful to work the other way around

they often have interesting meanings or histories

30

visual research methods in fashion

Vintage jewellery stall in Portobello Market.  Courtesy of the author.

as well as employing techniques that may no lon-

know what direction fashion is moving in. Ob-

ger be in general use.

serving shoppers can help you to understand

There are a lot of creative young textile design-

what is selling and why. You may come across a

ers whom you could approach to work with you.

new fabric, an interesting construction detail or a

Try Web sites like Etsy (http://www.etsy.com) or

unique way of visual merchandising. It is also

Eye Candey (http://www.candeystore.com). It

important to know what your competitors are

is useful to know something about fabrics as it

doing: they may have picked up on a trend you

makes it easier for you to source them. Technical

have missed, and you can also see how they are

information about fabrics and sourcing is covered

developing their collections across seasons. You

in Chapter 4.

can see what is on the sale rail (markdowns) and analyse why it hasn’t sold. Visual merchandisers

Store Research

need to see how other stores are displaying their

Store visits and inspirational shopping are a vital

products and how the shop floor is laid out to

part of the working life of the fashion creative.

encourage the shopper to purchase. ­Designers

Seeing what is in the stores can help you to

and buyers working in the mass market will

sources of inspiration

31

Store windows.  Courtesy of Sarah Manning. Reproduced with permission.

often visit designer boutiques and buy samples

and they all have a visual element. Companies will

that they then use for inspiration. Direct copying

spend a huge amount on architects and design-

of course is illegal and not something you should

ers to create aspirational venues and an exciting

engage in.

shopping experience. The cutting-edge stores are

Many companies will send their designers on inspirational shopping trips around the country or

often the flagships of the brand, and where they lead, other stores will follow.

internationally so that they can get a wider view

Store windows are an essential element in

of retail trends. This is not just about the stock

­attracting the consumer and can be an art form

but also about the shopping experience. What

in their own right. You can see interesting store

additional services are your competitors offer-

windows from around the world at FashionWin-

ing? What is the customer service like? What is

dows (http://www.fashionwindows.com). Or find

the changing room experience? What are the

a list of interesting stores to visit at slowretail

point-of-sale materials? All of these elements

(http://­s lowretailen.wordpress.com/concept-

contribute to attracting and retaining a customer,

stores/).

Project: Store Analysis Visit a local fashion store and consider the visual impact of the environment. Does the window display look inviting and inspiring? Is the store layout easy to navigate? How is the stock displayed? How are the products merchandised: in colour blocks, in outfits? How attractive are the changing rooms? What is the service like? How are the shop assistants dressed? Who do you think their target customer is? Is this reflected in the people visiting the store? What is on the markdown rail? Why do you think those items did not sell at full price: poor hanger appeal, wrong colour and bad fit, not on trend? Write a short report of your findings.

32

visual research methods in fashion

Street Fashion

trends can move around the globe at great

Some fashion trends start on the catwalk and

speed. You need to know what is emerging on

work their way down to the street, but just as often

the street around you and also in influential cit-

it can work the other way around. Designers will

ies like New York, London and Tokyo. There are

visit trendy areas, nightclubs, festivals and youth

a lot of Web sites like Street Fashion Worldwide

events to see what styles are emerging. They then

(http://street-fashion.net/)

take these influences and develop them to fit their

(http://streetpeeper.com) which are dedicated

own style and consumer. Punk is an excellent ex-

to street fashion. These can help you keep up

ample of a street style that then moved to the cat-

to date, but nothing beats getting out there and

walk; it has been a recurring influence ever since it

seeing things for yourself. If you live in or close

emerged in the mid 1970s.

to a major city, you should find out where the

and

Streetpeeper

Sometimes a trend will emerge in one city

trendsetters are going and do some people

and then migrate to others, and sometimes

watching, take some pictures and do some

it will be very localized. In a connected world

interviews.

Punks on the Kings Road (1979).  Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

sources of inspiration

33

Harajuku girls in Tokyo (2000).  AFP/Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

Project: Street-style Report Take a camera into your nearest high street or shopping mall and look for people who you feel have an interesting dress style. Ask them politely if they would mind having a picture taken and talking to you about their personal style. Compile a report or create a blog based on your findings. Are you able to identify any links or emerging trends or influences?

34

visual research methods in fashion

Society, Economics and Politics

and the contraceptive pill changed attitudes to

The more informed you are about what is going on

sexuality, which were reflected in the fashions of

in the world, the more likely it is that you will sense

the period. The big hit of the mid 1960s was the

a trend before it happens or be able to create one

miniskirt made popular by Mary Quant and fea-

based on your knowledge of what people are in-

tured in many designer collections of the period

terested in or care about. Fashion professionals

(Cawthorne 2001).

often talk about the zeitgeist. In fashion terms

The world economy also plays a role in fash-

this means knowing exactly what is right for the

ion: when there is a recession people think more

mood and feeling of the moment; fashion does

carefully about what they buy, and this can create

not happen in isolation from the society that pro-

an incredibly competitive retail environment. Con-

duces it. Fashion can be influenced by changes

sumers look for fashion brands that have a unique

in the attitudes of society or the political or eco-

or extremely good-value product. When times are

nomic climate at that time. In the 1960s, for ex-

good, people spend more freely and take more

ample, women in the West gained more freedom,

risks.

Women in miniskirts and the Mini motor car (1966).  Hulton Getty Picture Collection. Reproduced with permission.

sources of inspiration

35

People and Networking

interface; whether this is your business card or

In fashion you will always be working with other

your blog, it needs to reflect your style and pro-

people and will need other people to help you real-

fessional persona.

ize your ideas. If you are a photographer you need

In the digital age networking is much easier

to know good stylists, hair and make-up people

than it used to be. There are sites for social and

and models. A buyer needs to maintain good re-

professional networking: Facebook (http://www.

lationships with suppliers and trend-­information

facebook.com),

companies. Designers need a really wide net-

com), IQONS (http://www.iqons.com), Twitter

work of people who can help them to realize their

(http://www.twitter.com) and more. These sites

ideas, from pattern cutters and fabric suppliers to

make it easy to find and connect with people who

trendsetters and journalists. Everyone in fashion

are working in your field. However, maintaining

should have a good address book. In order to

professional contacts still requires some work,

network you also need to consider your personal

and the best networks are those where the mem-

brand. Fashion is about appearances and selling

bers give as much as they take, so if you ask a

your ideas so you need to have a good public

professional favour be prepared to reciprocate.

Frida Kahlo and self-portraits.  Betteman Corbis. Reproduced with permission.

LinkedIn

(http://www.linkedin.

36

visual research methods in fashion

Grandparents’ wedding photo (1927), from the author’s family album.  Courtesy of June Morgan.

Project: Networking Find out if there is a fashion- or textile-related organization or network in your area and see if it is running any events that you can attend. If there is nothing near you, think about starting your own network through Facebook or joining an existing online network like IQONS or LinkedIn. Start an address book of key contacts and people you meet. Get some business cards printed and always carry them with you; ask people you meet at events for their card. Always make a note on the back about where you met them, in what context and what kind of follow-up might be appropriate.

Style Icons

who your personal style icons are and analyse what

Many people throughout history have become

it is about their style that appeals to you.

style icons and have inspired designers, photographers and writers: Frida Kahlo, Jackie Onassis

Your Personal History

and Princess Diana; fictional characters such as

Your own life experiences and those of your family

Dracula, Robinson Crusoe and Scarlet O’Hara;

and friends can also be a source of inspiration.

and of course contemporary celebrities like

Old family photo albums and memories from your

Madonna, Kate Moss and David Beckham. Consider

childhood can be a good starting point, as can

sources of inspiration

37

research into your family tree. Who were your an-

Liza Minnelli in Cabaret (1972) and Meryl Streep

cestors, and what did they do? Where did they

in Out of Africa (1985) have all created looks and

live? You may find some surprising and interest-

iconic styles that continue to be used as inspi-

ing characters you were unaware of. Old albums

ration for the catwalk. Jean Paul Gaultier is one

often illustrate how ordinary people interpreted

designer who has been widely used in the theatre

fashions, and they also show everyday items,

and film industry, with designs featured in Peter

cars, interiors and other details that may not be

Greenaway’s The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, & Her

evident in formal fashion photographs.

Lover (1989) and The Fifth Element (1997), for which he was nominated for an Oscar. It is not

Film and Theatre

just the costumes that can be inspiring but also

There is an exceptionally strong link between fash-

the set designs, the landscape and the cinema-

ion and film; characters such as Audrey Hepburn

tography. Room with a View (1985), Casanova di

as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961),

Frederico Fellini (1976), Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo

A scene from Cabaret (1972).  ABC via Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

38

visual research methods in fashion

Project: Movie Inspiration Board Watch one of the preceding films (they should all be available on DVD) or choose one of your favourite films that you find inspiring. Create an A1 board that visually captures the key elements of the film. Your board should clearly indicate the genre of the film (thriller, romance, science fiction) as well as the period, colours and location.

and Juliet (1996) and Moulin Rouge (2001), Blade

fits and drapes. It is possible to find interesting vin-

Runner (1982) and many other movies have

tage pieces that are not expensive; if you are able

strong visual references that translate into fashion

to afford to buy a piece, then you can spend more

through clothes, styling and photographic styles.

time inspecting and reinterpreting it. If it is not a

Also look out for contemporary movies that might

precious piece, you can even take it apart to study

be influential like Alice in Wonderland (2010) by

the construction or to develop a pattern from it.

Tim Burton (http://www.imdb.com/).

Universities, libraries and museums are also an excellent source of information about vintage cloth-

Vintage Clothing and Textiles

ing. Some have specialist archives that have origi-

Vintage clothes deserve a close examination as

nal patterns and reconstructions of vintage clothing;

a source of inspiration. In recent years there has

for example North Carolina State University has a

been a lot of interest in vintage garments, in partic-

collection of patterns from the US Civil War period,

ular vintage designer garments, which celebrities

and the London College of Fashion has a tailor-

have taken to wearing to red carpet events such

ing archive. There is an archive of vintage patterns

as film premieres and awards ceremonies (Julia

along with scans of the pattern pieces at the Uni-

Roberts wore vintage Valentino to the Oscars in

versity of Rhode Island (http://www.uri.edu/library/

2001, and Penelope Cruz wore vintage Balmain

special_collections/COPA/index.php). Find out

at the 2009 Oscars). Vintage garments and ac-

what your local university or library has to offer; you

cessories can be an extremely useful source of

may be surprised. If there are no archives acces-

inspiration for stylists, photographers, designers

sible to you, see if they have some images online.

and visual merchandisers.

Vintage accessories also have something to

Vintage pieces often have interesting construc-

offer. Look at hats, gloves, handbags and jewel-

tion techniques, drape effects, fabrics, prints, em-

lery, and remember that you don’t have to take all

broideries or decorative details. Look for unusual

the elements as inspiration: it could be something

fastenings, collars, cuff details or sleeve construc-

as simple as a strap detail or a clasp that fires your

tions. You can find vintage garments in specialist

imagination.

stores, flea markets and sometimes charity shops.

If there are no vintage stores or flea markets near

Look inside the garment at the finishing details,

you, try your local museum. Museums often have

and try to work out how it was constructed. Take

education departments, and they may offer ses-

a sketchbook with you so you can make quick

sions where you can get close to vintage garments

notes of details that interest you. There is nothing

even if you cannot handle them. There are also auc-

quite like trying a garment on to understand how it

tion houses that specialize in vintage clothing and

sources of inspiration

39

Julia Roberts in vintage Valentino at the 2001 Oscars.  Getty ­Images. Reproduced with permission.

textiles and hold regular sales. Some items will go

print, then you may want to incorporate this into a

for very high prices, while others will be more mod-

contemporary silhouette; likewise, if it is the silhou-

estly priced, but you don’t have to intend to buy in

ette that you are using as inspiration, you may want

order to attend a preview or even the auction itself.

to use a contemporary fabric. It is all about balance

When you are using vintage clothes and acces-

and reinterpretation, not wholesale copying. There

sories for inspiration, it is important that you don’t

are many classic vintage designs that reappear

produce something so derivative that the end result

and are reinvented regularly including military dress

looks like a period piece. If you are using a vintage

jackets and items of workwear and sportswear.

40

visual research methods in fashion

Images from The Cutters’ Practical Guide to Lounges, Reefers, Norfolk, Sporting and Patrol Jackets (c.1890), from the London College of Fashion tailoring archive.  Out of copyright.

Interview with James Wright, Vintage Clothing Retailer James is the owner of the Mint Vintage store in Earlham St Covent Garden. Mint specializes in formulating collections of vintage clothing based on trends. What is different about Mint? From the shop in Covent Garden we no longer do anything by weight, we only pick by the piece so we are able to formulate collections and create a look that has raised the bar on the edited vintage clothes

sources of inspiration

shop. It is easier for people to shop because it is all hand picked. We grade six months in advance so if we want something we have it put to one side by the waste management places we go to. For example we have just got harem pants in and they have been saved over a six-month period for us so we can build up stock. We don’t see ourselves as a vintage shop we see ourselves as a fashion boutique it is almost a matter of fact that it is vintage. There are also staples. A good 1980s geometric poly-cotton dress or polyester dress will always sell because it sits well, it drapes well and they have got a little bit of give in them so they fit. They are as modern as the little black dress, as old as the little black dress; it’s the same thing, it’s a standard. Do you sell the pieces as you find them or do you have to alter them? We make them more commercially viable, hemlines have come up in the last twenty to thirty years, 1970s and 1980s dresses were usually on or slightly below the knee, we bring them above the knee. That is generally all we do. In the past we have made different varieties of customized clothing. We would keep a vintage dress as a vintage dress but we tweaked it a little bit, often the collars are wrong so we would make a strapless dress out of it. We don’t do so much of that anymore, generally because we don’t buy anything by weight so if something isn’t the right style it doesn’t hit the shop floor or we don’t buy it. They may need the zip mending and they generally need shortening to make them more commercial; but that is changing, the discerning customer wants the piece as it was at the time. What are the iconic pieces that everyone wants? Everyone has done the pea coat from Gap to G-Star but once you have worn the original; once you know that is the one that Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson wore, that is the one you want. This is a real pea coat, everything that you have had on over the last two years is not a pea coat, this is. You have to pay for that; boys are getting a bit more discerning about those pieces. There is the Belstaff jacket, it was an English jacket made for riding motorbikes at 100 miles an hour, the original is synonymous with the biker industry, it is kit, and it is a hardy, fantastically engineered garment. Boys recognize that that is the case and they want the old one they don’t want the new one. Boys having the job done, the belt with all the tools you need, your stuff around you. Are there iconic pieces for women? There is quite a following of women who like the land army girl look. A lot of women dress like that, in that late forties, fifties style now. There is a following of that and equally Betty Boop is the same period; they are not iconic pieces, but they are an iconic look. Also swimsuits are quite iconic and there are iconic images of women in certain swimsuits through the times, the Bond Girl, Debbie Harry and Madonna. What is the difference between a vintage piece and an antique? Antiques used to have be a hundred years old, that was the antique world’s mark of an antique. There is a lot of talk about it but for me I would say about fifty years. Vintage is less than fifty years old and antique is more than fifty years old; people would beg to differ on that it is just my opinion. About mid 90s is the most recent thing in the store; if it’s current in a way that fits, it’s sellable.

41

42

visual research methods in fashion

Steve McQueen’s Belstaff jacket.  Courtesy of Bonhams & Butterfields Auctioneers. Reproduced with permission.

How do you research for the store? We watch the catwalks; we know that is our easiest and sure-fire way to see what is coming through, what direction the fashion industry is going in. Not all the ideas will come to fruition but you can pretty much guess the trends that will come through. The other side is that the street often pulls out a fashion that you have got to be on the street to find. The east end of London is great for that. For example the Barbour jacket came out of nowhere and everyone wants one now. A year ago I had a row of them in

sources of inspiration

43

Jack Nicholson in a pea coat—scene from The Last Detail (1975).  Cinemaphoto Corbis. Reproduced with permission.

the shop and nobody wanted them; they grew to be a fashion and now I can’t get them they have all been bought up. That fashion came from the street. Most of the stuff you are selling is Western vintage. Is there a market for ethnic vintage? Well there are collectors of it now, things from the Ottoman Empire are very collectable, blankets from Navajo Indians they were called Hudson Bay blankets. They were white with different primary-coloured bands running down them red and green. They were traded for pelts and they measured the pelts on the blanket and they would have been awarded blankets for the pelts. There are collectables with the ethnic world it just takes someone to push it forward. I think it has its place, it is just you have to have people with an interest in it, an interest in that history. What advice would you give to students who are interested in finding out more about vintage clothing? You need to do background research, it builds the bigger picture. Everything gets revamped and reworked over the years whether it be tailoring or how things are fashioned, a zip, a button or a drawstring comes from somewhere. The more you know about something the more you can have a relationship with it.

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visual research methods in fashion

Case Study: Miriam Sucis Miriam is a designer who has used vintage pieces as inspiration for her work. She collected antique and vintage pieces whilst backpacking around Europe. One of the pieces she found was a vintage U.S. sailor’s jacket. Miriam says: It has such an immense history and character behind it. There is a real sense of who it belonged to and where it came from especially once it is turned inside out. At the back there is a beautifully, considered decorative embroidered panel by possibly the owner or one of his loved ones and interesting labels. Instead of just reproducing this I used the construction methods for example use of reinforced panels on the inside or bound seams to guide my design and manufacture process. This can be seen through my development to my final garments where I have reinforced stress points and then topstitched to draw attention and give more catwalk appeal, as there are also tiny details that can only be noticed upon close inspection.

Development page for a ­vintage sailor jacket,  by ­Miriam Sucis. ­Reproduced with permission.

sources of inspiration

45

Architecture and the Built Environment

and architects who work closely with fashion

Architecture and the built environment provide a

brands. There is, for example, an established re-

rich source of inspiration, from ancient buildings

lationship between Rem Koolhaas and Prada. It is

like the pyramids and the Taj Mahal to iconic con-

not just the buildings that can be inspirational but

temporary buildings. Contemporary architects

also the urban environment: street furniture, graffiti,

are highly innovative in their use of materials and

signage and all of the elements that go to create a

methods of construction as well as considering

city can also provide creative starting points.

how their buildings fit into the environment. There has long been an association between

Drawing from Life and Still Life

fashion and architecture. There are fashion design-

Whilst many of the inspirational sources in this

ers who trained as architects (Gianfranco Ferre)

book will require you to draw to record them,

Sketches from life  by Max Gaimster.

46

visual research methods in fashion

drawing can in itself be a source of inspiration.

a collection of books that are perhaps unrelated

Many formal art and design programmes include

to fashion but inspire you. Look out for bargains

life, figure and still life drawing as part of the cur-

in second-hand shops and in the second-hand

riculum. Drawing not only provides you with a tool

section on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com).

to express your ideas but also helps to develop

Often, libraries will have a clearance where they

your ability to observe and to express yourself

offer books that are damaged or no longer in use

through mark making. You do not have to be an

for free; these books can be the source of some

artist to gain something through the process of

interesting images.

drawing, and not all drawings have to be excep-

Although this book is about visual research, it

tional to serve a purpose. Neither do you need

is almost impossible to separate the visual from

to have a studio space. Many of the contributors

the written or oral. We use words to explain im-

to this book have talked about keeping a visual

ages and make sense of them. We can also use

journal or notebook to record their ideas and

words as a source of visual inspiration. Novels,

things that they see. If your course does not offer

biographies and all kinds of literature including po-

classes in observational drawing, there are many

etry require us to engage in some form of visual-

evening classes and private courses available that

ization in order to make sense of the text. We can

you could turn to.

use our visual responses to text to generate ideas

But you don’t need to go to a class in order to

and concepts or to create a visual narrative. How

draw; just pick up a pen, pencil, piece of charcoal

often when reading a book do you picture what

or other medium and a piece of paper. You don’t

the characters look like or the locations? When

even have to set up a still life; just draw what you

you read a poem does it suggest a colour, atmo-

see around you. If you want to practice figure draw-

sphere and location?

ing, ask a friend or member of your family to pose

Newspapers are good for current affairs and

for you. You can draw on the bus or the tube, in

often have fashion news and style pages as well

your garden or the park, in galleries or museums,

as financial information about fashion compa-

on the street—in fact anywhere and anytime that

nies. There are also specialist trade publications

you see something that inspires, try to draw it. The

such as Womenswear Daily (http://www.wwd.

more you draw, the better you will get.

com) in the US and Drapers (http://www.drapersonline.com) in the UK that have industry gossip

Print Resources

and retail information. You can subscribe to these

Libraries are also excellent sources of visual infor-

online.

mation, especially art books, and you will find de-

Alongside the mainstream fashion titles such

tailed information about using them in Chapter 7.

as Vogue, Marie Claire and Elle, there has been

Images in printed material are often of higher qual-

an explosion of style-focused magazines over the

ity than images that you might find on the Web.

last few years. Titles like Wallpaper, Tank, POP

Libraries will also stock newspapers and some

and Purple feature the work of new and influential

periodicals, and college and university libraries will

designers, stylists, photographers and journalists.

have lots of specialist material. Consider starting

They are often provocative and edgy in a way that

your own library; over time it is possible to build

mainstream titles aren’t.

sources of inspiration

47

Project: Text as Visual Inspiration You can use a book or poem as the starting point for a moodboard. Collect images that relate to the narrative, and ask yourself how these could be translated into a theme or concept. If the story is a dark thriller, this may suggest a slightly gothic theme with lots of black and heavy textured fabrics or a dark set for a photo shoot or a shop interior. On the other hand a romantic novel may suggest something much lighter with flowing fabrics, chiffons and pastel colours.

Kate Moss in Ugg boots (2003).  Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

48

visual research methods in fashion

Flower people’s love-in (1967).  Hulton Getty Picture Collection. Reproduced with permission.

Magazines such as Hello, OK and Grazia

Each new genre of music that emerges has its

are good for celebrity tracking. In our celebrity-

own set of followers with their own particular style,

obsessed culture, what the latest starlet in Hol-

which can filter down to mainstream fashion or

lywood or supermodel in London is wearing can

up to the catwalks. Trendspotters will often go to

have a huge impact on the mass market. Ugg

music festivals and gigs to see what new styles are

boots became extremely popular after celebrities

emerging. Pop stars and bands also employ styl-

like Jennifer Aniston and Kate Moss were photo-

ists and designers to help them to create a unique

graphed wearing them.

look. A good example of this was the collaboration between Madonna and Jean Paul Gaultier

Music and Fashion

that produced one of her most iconic looks.

There has always been a synergy between fash-

There are cities around the world that have a

ion and popular music. In the 1950s rock and roll

history of producing influential popular music—

music was synonymous with teddy boys, brothel

Memphis, Nashville, Seattle, New York and Detroit

creepers and quiffs; the late 1960s brought us

in the US; Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow in

Woodstock, hippies and flower power; in the

the UK—and many of these cities have museums

1970s there were glam rock and punk; and the

or venues with archives and Web sites charting

1980s brought the New Romantics.

their musical heritage, which are excellent sources

sources of inspiration

49

New Romantics in Cagney’s club, off London Road, Liverpool (1981).  Courtesy of Francesco Mellina. Reproduced with permission.

of inspiration. Music magazines such as the NME,

way of thinking about the nature of clothing and

Rolling Stone, The Wire, MOJO and Kerrang are

its longevity.

also excellent sources of information about upand-coming bands and festivals.

Humans have always used the natural world as inspiration; from the earliest cave paintings right through history, fauna and flora have fea-

Science, Nature and Technology

tured heavily in every form of art and craft. It is

An increasing number of designers and creatives

also possible to use technology to investigate the

are collaborating with scientists to find new ways

structures that create the living things around us

of thinking about clothing and fashion. Scientists

including our own bodies. Nature is full of pat-

and designers are working together to develop

terns, from snowflakes to microbes, from sea life

exciting new textiles and garments that have the

to animal skins: it is a store cupboard of ingenuity

ability to deliver medication and have antibacte-

and inspiration.

rial properties. They may incorporate electronics

A lot of fashion trends start in unusual areas

and be smart enough to react to changes in the

such as space technology and nano science, so it

environment (O’Mahony and Braddock 2002).

is worth looking at publications and Web sites that

Manel Torres, for example, has worked to develop

deal with these areas. The magazines New Sci-

a fabric that you can spray on from a can (http://

entist (http://www.newscientist.com) and Nature

www.fabricanltd.com); this enables a whole new

(http://www.nature.com) are useful starting points.

Madonna on her Blonde Ambition tour (1990) wearing an outfit designed  by Jean Paul Gaultier. Neal Preston ­Corbis. Reproduced with permission.

Fabrican spray-on dress by Manel Torres.  Photo: Gene Kiegel (http://www.genekiegel.com). ­Courtesy of Gene Kiegel. Reproduced with permission.

sources of inspiration

Case Study: Fong Wong Fong Wong is a designer who has successfully brought together influences from nature whilst taking a technological approach to realizing her designs. She completed her MA in Digital Fashion at London College of Fashion in 2007. For her MA project she looked at using three-dimensional pattern geometry for garment creation. This involved the development of new ways of creating patterns using geometric forms. Using snowflakes as inspiration Fong experimented with traditional techniques and a range of technologies including laser cutting, sublimation printing and digital printing. She has also used a mixture of software to illustrate her designs; in her image ‘Six’ which illustrates her collection, she used Daz Studio (http://www.daz3d.com) to create the figure and Photoshop to edit photographs of the garments, creating a multimedia collage.

Chiffon snowflakes created  by Fong Wong using laser cutting techniques.

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visual research methods in fashion

Fashion and Sport Innovations in active sportswear have often crossed over into fashion, and fashions in health and fitness have led to fashion looks: the leg warmers worn by dancers in the studio found their way onto the streets in the 1980s, and trainers designed to enhance the performance of sportsmen and women have become high-fashion items. Fashionable brands have been built around sports personalities such as the tennis players Fred Perry and Rene Lacoste, and sports brands use fashion designers to bring cachet to their collections: Stella McCartney and Yohji Yamamoto for Adidas, and Y-3 and Alexander McQueen for Puma (Salazar 2008). A lot of the textiles that we find in fashionable clothing have crossed over from the active sportswear market where they were designed to improve performance or increase comfort (Lycra, Gore-Tex). By keeping an eye on developments in sportswear, you can often find inspiration in the form of new textiles, styles and details.

Adidas by Stella McCartney, London Fashion Week, September 2008.  Getty Wireimage. Reproduced with permission.

sources of inspiration

Interview with Basia Szkutnicka Basia Szkutnicka lectures in womenswear and footwear design in the UK and abroad. She also runs workshops and lectures on ‘the creative design process’ worldwide (US, Brazil, Japan, Russia, India). She is also the director of the study abroad programme at London College of Fashion. What do you teach? My area is forecasting and looking to the future, it is future design that I am interested in. When I lecture on inspiration I am interested in subliminal inspiration as well as the obvious iconic and important fashion/ design/art exhibitions that take place in major cities like Paris, New York and London, they remind of things forgotten and inspire to create new directions and influences. Recently we had the Vionnet exhibition in Paris, there was an immediate response to this in the spring collections and the spirit of one of the world’s greatest cutters will continue to flow through for a good few seasons. The Super Heroes exhibition in New York (2008), prior to that, threw colour and ‘power’ back into the mix, then there is an Yves Saint Laurent retrospective this summer in Paris (2010) that will revive an interest in glamour and ‘power’ dressing and Margiela this summer in London will excite us to look at design through this unique genius’s eyes . . . ­Exhibitions are a very important source of inspiration and it is because most people in fashion will go to New York, Paris and London and will view them. In a way it is forecasting that is creating trends. In terms of inspiration you can be inspired or ‘depressed’ creatively by world events, political events, the economy. They can’t be ignored because they are emotional influences, which make creative souls design in a particular way because it influences your mood and your output. I think creative people are more sensitive than non-creative people and we don’t even realize sometimes how our output is influenced by what’s going on around us. A creative environment is key to a creative output. A global event like the Olympics makes everyone think about fitness—therefore sportswear and casual wear. We all travel more and we want and need to be comfortable. Footwear as a product area is currently huge, along with accessories in general and is really going to be led by the whole issue of ‘comfort and ergonomics’. MBT were amongst the first to redesign and reinvent an orthopaedic shoe last. They created a sports shoe that ‘trains’ calves and legs, as well as improves posture (inspired by looking at the incredible posture of the African Masai and how it is achieved), they are a high price product, but holistic as well. They investigated the Masai people in Africa, how they walk in bare feet on sand and the fact that they have very good posture. They produced a shoe that mimics all these factors. The sole is shaped like a cradle and the shoe trains your calf muscles and aligns the body into a particular position. I have two pairs— and it works! Initially they were not very well publicized so few people knew about them, apart from professional sports people and fashion ‘insiders’ like myself. It didn’t take long for this ‘orthopaedic’ craze to take off . . . and now many large sports shoe and casual footwear brands have produced their own versions of this concept. There are many ‘pretenders’ who have been ‘inspired’ by MBT’s innovation . . . however they were one of the first to pioneer a new way of thinking about footwear. Going back to inspiration—this is an example of a product inspired by a need—comfort. Secondary was the research carried out to identify how this may be achieved—this is where the Masai come in. Inspiration is not always visual—it may result from a requirement of the mind, soul and body, which is emotional and holistic.

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visual research methods in fashion

MBTs are continuously pushing ahead the development of their physiological footwear range.  The progressive Spring/Summer 2011 collection features fresh colour schemes and breathable materials across the athletic range as well as an extended sandal option in the casual range. Courtesy of MBT.

MBTs are interesting as they have encountered criticism that the shoes are not as visually pleasing as their competitors in this field, but the company are working hard to make them more contemporary (boots and sandals have been added to the range), to fit within a highly competitive sports shoe market. I believe that their holistic function is a primary aspect, the challenge is to integrate aesthetics and fashion into what is essentially a serious ‘beneficial’ product, and to gently educate the consumer. Form often follows function, the ergonomic and aesthetic need to work in synthesis because today’s consumer is fickle—they seek ‘the ultimate’ in every product field . . . It’s not only about how things look, it’s how they perform. How do you help your students to find inspiration? What I do to inspire them is I limit them. I feel that creativity can evolve from limitation. For example I show them a slide of clouds and ask them to design a bag ‘inspired’ by the slide, using extreme limitation to produce initial design ideas. The resulting work may be simple or indeed complex . . . depending on how the designer is interpreting the image in front of them. When I say complex it does not mean

sources of inspiration

a lot of detail but translating a non-object-related visual into an object, which, I feel, creates space for extreme creativity. I use this exercise a lot in Japan when I lecture there; I show a paper clip and get them to develop ten versions of a dress based on a paperclip. It is not just the visual idea of a paper clip being one finite piece of wire bent in a specific way; it is the idea of ‘form following function’, simplicity, never ending, how things clip into it. You can have a seminar about a paper clip and its functions; it is developing the ability to extend your thinking and let your imagination take you forward. I am adamant about pushing people into extending their minds and making them more imaginative. The students I now have are kids of the Internet age. They have played computer games since the age of four whereas I read books and created images in my mind. I had black-and-white TV as a child. I know people of a certain age say this but I really used my imagination because I had to and I liked doing that and I still do it. I am trying to get students to unlearn, not just going to the Internet and getting stuff brought to them. I want to send them out to look for things instead of just being able to Google. Everyone is born being able to Google now and it is really dull, we all Google the same thing. It devalues images, students do not look at the space around them they look to the Internet and they don’t look around them. Seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary, that is my paper clip. At the end of my three-hour lecture on the creative design process after presenting them with images to work with, minimalist images, complex images, colour images, ethnic images, all those obvious things, the final slide is a grey box, a slide of grey. I say ‘now design what you want’ and it is the hardest thing for them to do because it is just a grey slide; it is saying now look inside yourself to create. Do you think it is possible to be totally original? Everything has been done, my first slide always says that there is nothing new but it is the personal interpretation that makes things new. How can students start to understand the visual aspects of the fashion industry? They need to not just look at visual, they have to develop an awareness that whatever their crazy idea it needs to end up as a product that will sell. I believe in extreme creativity but I also believe in the commercial because there is no point designing things that won’t sell unless you want to put it in a gallery and then that is fine art. They need to look around, visit the stores, do their shop research, look at what people wear, or carry, and how they look day-to-day. They have to understand their consumer because that is the person who is going to receive their idea. As well as the creative side there is a business element. They have to look at the beginning and the end and work towards the middle that is how I like to explain it. There is no use designing madly if they don’t know whom they are designing for. Then they can go to the right places to be inspired for the customer. The way we think about customers, you have to become a customer yourself, take an interest in shopping yourself. If you look at demographics they do influence things and you have to travel. If you

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visual research methods in fashion

come to the UK, the UK customer is not the one you find in London, people change when you go out of the city, suburban southern England, northern England, Scotland, it is all completely different. You have to understand the broader spectrum it is not just capital-based, it is not just London, Milan, Tokyo. If you are working fashion it is just going to get harder and harder, you have got to have global awareness. Fashion students should get a job in retail and work at different market levels. In Primark people don’t bother trying things on, they shove them in their basket and buy them and they don’t bring them back if they don’t fit. At the designer level people try things on and walk around and move and sometimes you will see that some of the designers even don’t cut things to fit properly. Working in retail will teach you about colour and cloth and the sort of colours women go for and men go for. How do you know what is going to be in fashion? We are bombarded with information to the point of overload. I disregard things very quickly but that is based on my own historical knowledge, being forty-three years old I have forty-three years of references behind me. I can disregard things I have seen because by this time I have seen a lot of things before. The repetition in fashion is quite apparent to me. When I did my first internship with older people they would say this has been around and is coming back. I would not understand the cycle of fashion because I had not seen it, whereas now I have library in my head. It is easy to say I have seen that, not interested. I will still stop and look to see how it differs to the reference I have in my mind but it will happen very quickly. I change my mind everyday and that is one of the hardest things. When I tell people what I do they always say what’s in fashion? I hate that question because I know that tomorrow I will answer it completely differently; it changes day by day. You watch the news and you feel something different and it changes. Today I can tell you it is lilac and tomorrow it might be orange. It is very hard to define. I really don’t like to answer that in a specific way. You have to know who you want to be. You have got to know where you fit but that is not copying. All these people trying to be like a particular designer; I can spot them a mile off, they are really boring. What is the point in being inspired by Chalayan or Margiela or Demeulemeester or Dries Van Noten? It is pointless because what they have in the store now they thought of a year ago anyway, and it is really old, they are already well ahead. Definitely research into it when it is on the catwalk but don’t ever use those influences directly to inspire because that was designed six months ago, it is old. You need to be aware of what is out there so you are not repeating it but not being influenced by it. Each season leads to the next so it is interesting to track a designer’s progress so you can see how a design evolves. I know certain designers’ collections so well I can see where they have used a jacket that was a bestseller and the evolution of a concept taken on to the next season. That is true design, you can see movement and change. It is also because as a designer you want to push it forward, you are a draughtsperson and an engineer not just a person who draws pictures on a page, you are involved in your work and true designers love their own work. I have to say that everything I have been talking about is very much in the realm of conceptual design. This does not necessarily apply if you end up working for Primark. That is a different ballpark altogether. I am talking about being free to work in conceptual field in an ideal world, utopia. It can be paired down to mainstream.

sources of inspiration

57

things to do when you lack inspiration

connected to each other. Do they have common

Everybody has a time when they worry that they

patterns form out of seemingly disconnected infor-

have run out of ideas or don’t know how to de-

mation, and these patterns can set off new ideas.

features: how many of them wear glasses, have short hair, like to wear pink? It is amazing to see

velop the research they have conducted. At these times there are some simple techniques you can

Observe

use to get ‘unstuck’. The one thing you should not

Sit in your local park, bus station and shopping

do when you lack inspiration is to sit and stare at

mall, and watch the people. What are they wear-

a blank sheet of paper.

ing, carrying? Are they trying for a particular style? Who looks stylish? Who doesn’t, and what is the

Phone a Friend

difference? How many people are wearing blue

Show your research to a friend and ask his or her

shirts, carrying yellow bags? You will be surprised

opinion about it, what thoughts or ideas does it

what you can learn. Make some notes, do some

conjure up for him or her. Your friend may have

sketches and take some pictures.

a totally different perspective. If you ask several friends, you may come up with a whole set of

Listen to Some Music

ideas that you can use.

We have a strong emotional connection to music, and we can use this to help us to create images.

Change Your Environment

Try drawing what a piece of music looks like to

Many creative people travel extensively because

you—what colours and shapes does it suggest?

a change in environment can help them to see

What textures does it suggest: hard and brassy

things differently. You don’t need to go to far-flung

or soft and gentle? Does it have strong changes

exotic locations. Often we take the place where

in tempo or flow methodically? The drawings

we live for granted and don’t bother to explore it.

you produce can become the starting point for a

Select an area of your town or city that you have

theme or a collection. Try listening to a genre of

never visited, go to a different city, get out in the

music you would not normally engage with. If you

countryside or visit the coast, climb a hill or visit a

like classical music, try listening to some heavy

stately home.

metal; if you like drums and bass, try some jazz.

Create a Map

Read a Book

Decide on something that interests you and map

Find out which books are on the nonfiction best-

its occurrence in your environment. It might be

sellers list. These usually give you an idea about

graffiti, litter, road signs, wildflowers or weeds, su-

the issues that are becoming important to people.

permarket trolleys. Photograph and record your

Choose a book off the list and read it.

subject and think about what the similarities and differences are. Get a local map and mark its lo-

Stop and Think

cations. Does this form a pattern in itself? Create

Sometimes we are working so fast and trying to

a map of the people you know and how they are

do so many things that we fail to take time to think.

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visual research methods in fashion

Set aside an hour or a day and do something re-

Write a List

laxing; use the time to think about the things that

Write a list of the things that you have always

are important to you. What are your goals, and

wanted to do but have never found the time for.

how can you achieve them?

Choose something off the list and do it.

Summary In this chapter we have explored a wide range of sources of inspiration, from the historical to the contemporary. We have learned that inspiration for fashion comes from disparate fields including culture, science, politics and economics. As a fashion creative you need to have your finger on the pulse of popular culture and to use a wide range of resources and techniques. Keeping abreast of all the new developments in these areas is challenging and requires a strategic approach, a strong professional network and the ability to filter out what is not relevant to you. You will find further advice on organizing and managing your information and tools that can help you to do this in Chapter 8. The next chapter concentrates on the role of colour in fashion. 

references and further reading

Cumming, V. (2004), Understanding Fashion History, London: Batsford. Dubin, T., and Berman, A. E. (2001), Vintage Style, New

Baxter-Wright, E., Clarkson, K., Kennedy, S., and Mulvey, K. (2009), Vintage Fashion: Collecting and Wearing Designer Classics, London: Carlton. Breward, C. (1995), The Culture of Fashion: A New History of Fashionable Dress, Manchester: Manchester University Press. Buchli, V., ed. (2002), The Material Culture Reader, Oxford: Berg. Cawthorne, N., Evans, E., Kitchen-Smith, M., Mulvey, K., and Richards, M. (2001), Key Moments in

York: HarperCollins World. Engelmeier, R., and Engelmeier, P. W., eds (1997), Fashion in Film, translated by E. Martin, edited by B. Einzig, New York: Prestel. English, B. (2007), A Cultural History of Fashion in the 20th Century: From the Catwalk to the Sidewalk, Oxford: Berg. Fox, P. (2000), Star Style : Hollywood Legends as Fashion Icons, new ed., Santa Monica, CA: Angel City Press.

Fashion: From Haute Couture to Street wear; Key

Gregory, D. (2006), The Creative License: Giving Your-

Collections, Major Figures and Crucial Moments

self Permission to Be the Artist You Truly Are, New

That Changed the Course of Fashion History from

York: Hyperion.

1890 to the 1990’s, London: Hamlyn. Clarke, S.E.B., and O’Mahony, M. (2007), Techno Textiles 2, rev ed., London: Thames & Hudson. Cogan, B. (2008), The Encyclopaedia of Punk, New York: Sterling. Crane, D. (2000), Fashion and Its Social Agendas: Class, Gender, and Identity in Clothing, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Hagen, K., and Giuntini, P., eds (2008), Garb: A Fashion and Culture Reader, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Harris, K. (1999), Collector’s Guide to Vintage Fashions: Identification and Values, Paducah, KY: Collector Books. Kavanagh, G. (1999), Dream Spaces: Memory and the Museum, London: Leicester University Press.

sources of inspiration

Kulcher, S., and Miller, D., eds (2005), Clothing as Material Culture, Oxford: Berg. Martin, R., Mackrell, A., Rickey, M., Buttolph, A., and

59

Marie Claire http://www.marieclaire.co.uk MOJO http://www.mojo4music.com NME http://www.nme.com

Menkes, S. (2001), The Fashion Book, new ed.,

OK http://ok.co.uk/home/

London: Phaidon Press.

POP http://thepop.com/

Morris, T. (2009), All a Twitter: A Personal and Professional Guide to Social Networking with Twitter, Indianapolis, IN, and London: Que. O’Mahony, M., and Braddock, S.E.B. (2002), Sports-

Purple http://www.purple.fr R. D. Franks (fashion books and magazines) http:// www.rdfranks.co.uk/ Rolling Stone http://www.rollingstone.com

Tech: Revolutionary Fabrics, Fashion and Design,

Tank http://www.tankmagazine.com/

London: Thames & Hudson.

Vogue http://www.vogue.com

Polhemus, T. (1994), Streetstyle: From Sidewalk to Catwalk, London: Thames & Hudson.

Wallpaper http://www.wallpaper-magazine.co.uk The Wire http://www.thewire.co.uk

Rutledge, P. (2008), Profiting from Social Networking, Upper Saddle River, NJ: FT Press. Salazar, L. (2008), Fashion V Sport, London: V&A. Schweitzer, M. (2009), When Broadway Was the Run-

Museums, Libraries and Archives American National WWII Museum http://www.national ww2museum.org/

way: Theater, Fashion, and American Culture, Phil-

ARTstor http://www.artstor.org

adelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Bath Costume Museum http://www.fashionmuseum.co.uk

Seivewright, S. (2007), Research and Design, Lausanne: AVA Academia. Shuker, R. (2008), Understanding Popular Music Culture, 3rd ed., London: Routledge. Smith, P. (2009), Paul Smith: You Can Find Inspiration in

British Library http://www.bl.uk/ Commercial Pattern Archive http://www.uri.edu/library/ special_collections/COPA/index.php Country Music Hall of Fame http://www.countrymusi challoffame.com

Everything*: *And If You Can’t, Look Again! edited

Danny Gregory http://www.dannygregory.com/

by Robert Violette, London: Violette Editions.

Fashion-Era http://www.fashion-era.com

Suoh, T., Iwagami, M., Koga, R., and Fukai, A. (2005), Fashion History, Cologne: Taschen. Udale, J. (2008), Basics Fashion Design: Textiles and Fashion, Lausanne: AVA.

Fashion Film Festival http://www.fashioninfilm.com/ index-2.htm Frida Kahlo.com http://www.fridakahlofans.com/ Imperial War Museum http://www.iwm.org.uk The Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/

websites

Library of Congress http://catalog.loc.gov/ Liverpool Museums http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ Metropolitan Museum, ‘Timeline of Art History’ http://www.

Magazines British Council, ‘Recommended Music Magazines’ http://www.britishcouncil.org/arts-music-publica tions-music-magazines.htm

metmuseum.org/toah/?HomePageLink=toah_l Museum of English Rural Life http://www.reading.ac. uk/merl/ Museum of Modern Art http://www.moma.org

Drapers http://www.drapersonline.com/

National Gallery London http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk

Grazia http://www.graziadaily.co.uk

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame http://www.rockhall.com/

Hello http://www.hellomagazine.com

Smithsonian Museum Costume Collection http://ameri

Kerrang http://www.kerrang.com

canhistory.si.edu/collections/costume

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visual research methods in fashion

Tate Galleries http://www.tate.org.uk

Vintage

VADS http://www.vads.ac.uk

LAVintage http://www.lavintage.com

V&A Fashion V Sport http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/

Vintage Textile http://www.vintagetextile.com/

fashion-v-sport/ Victoria and Albert Museum http://www.vam.ac.uk

Wicked Lady Collectables (vintage patterns) http://www. wickedlady.com/collectables/clothes/patterns.php

chapter 3 colour theory and practice Chapter Overview Colour is the first thing that attracts people and is one of if not the most important design feature of any product. The new iPod is a technological communication tool but its leading promotional feature is the extensive range of colours! Colour is the biggest, fastest, easiest way to influence the product and it’s not just textiles it’s everything. —Janet Best, colour management consultant Colour is important in driving fashion trends and sales; it is the starting point of every fashion product and is constantly referenced throughout the product development process. From basic colour theory to developing colour palettes, this chapter will help you to think creatively about colour. It discusses how we perceive colour and the meanings that different colours can convey. You will explore the various systems that are available for defining, communicating and matching colour to ensure consistency from the initial concept to the end product. This chapter includes: • Colour theory • Case study: Lottie Smith • Colour psychology, symbolism and meaning • Interview with Angela Wright, colour psychologist • Colour systems and colour matching • Colour management • Colour forecasting • Interview with Jane Kellock.

colour theory

fashion, such as marketing, visual merchandis-

Anyone considering a career in fashion needs to

portant. If the colour is wrong, your product will not

understand the basics of colour theory. Fashion

sell. If you do not understand colour, you will find it

colours change each season, and you need to get

difficult to work with printed media and fabrics. This

the right colours into the store at the right time. If you

section gives you an overview of colour theory: how

are not a designer but are working in other areas of

we understand colour and how we perceive it.

ing, buying or photography, colour is equally im-

62

visual research methods in fashion

What Is Colour?

mixing all the colours produces white light. This is

In 1665 Sir Isaac Newton discovered that white

called additive colour because the more colours

light is composed of a spectrum of colours. The

you add, the lighter the effect.

spectrum has seven colours: red, orange, yellow,

Subtractive colour—If you are working with

green, blue, indigo and violet. Directing a ray of

print on paper, the more colours you mix, the

light at a solid glass prism can illustrate this. The

darker the colours appear. This is called subtrac-

prism splits the light beam into the colours of the

tive colour because the more colours you mix, the

spectrum, a process known as refraction. Light

more light is absorbed.

entering the eye comes into contact with the ret-

When you are working on a computer screen,

ina. The retina is formed of rods and cones. The

the primary colours are red, green and blue, or

rods distinguish between black and white, whereas

RGB; however, a printer uses a different sys-

the cones are able to recognize three colours: red,

tem because it is using subtractive colour. The

blue-violet and green. This information is then

colours used in colour printing are three prima-

transmitted to the brain, which translates it into the

ries, cyan, magenta and yellow, and a fourth

colours that we see (Feisner 2001).

colour, black. This four-colour process is known

Objects appear to be different colours because

as CMYK. You will often come across these

they absorb different combinations of wave-

terms when using computer programmes for

lengths. The colours we see are the wavelengths

image editing.

reflected by the object, while the other wavelengths are absorbed. So a strawberry will reflect

Colour Terminology

red wavelengths and absorb the others.

There are some terms that you need to become

People who suffer from colour deficiency lack

familiar with in order to understand colour theory

one of the receptors. For example a lack of red

and how colours are created. The main terms are

receptors results in red-green colour deficiency. In

listed in the following.

extreme cases a lack of all receptors will result in

Primary colours—These are the colours that

black-and-white vision. If you are going to be work-

cannot be created by mixing other colours. They

ing with colour as an important part of your role,

are red, blue and yellow. When all three primaries

you should have a colour vision test as it is possible

are mixed in subtractive colour, the result is black,

to have a colour deficiency and not know it.

while in additive colour, it is white.

Colours behave differently depending upon a

Secondary colours—These are colours created

range of factors including media, light sources

by mixing two of the primary colours together.

and other conditions, for example their juxtapo-

Mixing blue and yellow creates green, mixing red

sition with other colours and the proportions in

and yellow creates orange, and mixing red and

which they are used. There are different ways of

blue creates violet.

creating colour depending upon the media that you are working with. Additive colour—When we are working on a computer screen, we are working with light, so

Tertiary colours—These colours lie between the primary and secondary colours and are ­yellow-orange, orange-red, red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green and yellow-green.

colour theory and practice

The colour wheel—The colour wheel illustrates the relationships between primary, secondary,

63

Value—This indicates how light or dark the colour is.

complementary and tertiary colours. There are

Gamut—This refers to the area of a colour

many different variations on the wheel; for ex-

space that a device can accurately reproduce.

ample the colour wheel used for pigments has

The range of colours that we can see is far larger

twelve segments, created by mixing two primaries

than the range that most devices can reproduce,

to create a secondary colour and a primary with a

and the range changes depending upon the de-

secondary colour to create a tertiary. The process

vice. For example some colours in RGB cannot

wheel, which is used in printing and photography,

be accurately represented in CMYK, and they are

has different primaries (cyan, yellow and magenta)

therefore said to be out of gamut. This is why the

and tertiary colours to the pigment wheel. The

colours on the screen can differ from the colours

Munsell colour wheel uses five principal colours

printed out on paper.

(red, yellow, green, blue and purple), producing a wheel with twenty segments. Complementary colours—These are opposite each other on the colour wheel, for example orange and blue, yellow and violet, or red and green. Placing complementary colours next to each other creates a dynamic effect. Analogous colours—These are colours that are

Tint—A tint is achieved by mixing a colour with white. Shade—A shade is achieved by mixing a colour with black. Achromatic greys—These greys are achieved by mixing black and white. Chromatic greys—These greys have a very low saturation of a hue.

adjacent to each other on the colour wheel. Using

Grayscale/greyscale—This is a gradation of

analogous colours together creates a harmonious

achromatic greys. In computer terminology an

colour palette.

image composed only of shades of grey is said

Harmonious colours—These are colours that are close to each other on the colour wheel, for example orange and yellow. Pigment—This term has different meanings depending upon the context in which it is used. In biology it refers to the colouring of skin, plants and so on. In colour theory it relates to a powder used to create a colour in paints, inks and so on. Hue—This is the name of the colour, e.g. red, green and blue. Intensity, saturation or chroma—This relates to

to be greyscale. Monochromatic—This is a colour scheme based upon the colours from one hue, for example a range of blues. Tone—A tone is achieved by mixing grey with a colour. Colour palette—This is a selection of colours, for example within a painting or image; or in fashion terms, colours within a collection or range that have been selected to represent a particular mood or story.

the purity of the hue present in a colour. The more saturated a colour is, the purer and more brilliant

Colour Interactions

it will appear. Neutral colours are less saturated

Colours behave in different ways depending upon

than vibrant colours.

how you combine them. Albers (1975) produced

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visual research methods in fashion

the seminal work on colour interaction, and it is

creates a more harmonious palette. Some combi-

still a useful reference today. As we have already

nations can make one colour appear to recede or

said, putting complementary colours like red and

advance. A bright green on a dark background will

green together creates a vibrant effect, whilst using

seem to be brighter and closer than the same green

colours that are near each other on the colour wheel

on a light background, as illustrated in Plate 10.

Project: Colour Palettes Create two colour palettes that represent one of the pairs of keywords below. You should create one board for each keyword.

• • • • •

Mystery, clarity Silence, excitement Fresh, decaying Arid, moist Luxurious, simple

Find an image to represent the keyword, and select a minimum of six colours for your palette. Remember that if you want a dynamic look, you may want to use contrasting colours, whereas if you want a harmonious look, you may want to use monochromatic or analogous colours.

Case Study: Lottie Smith Lottie Smith is a knitwear designer who uses colour to great effect in her work. She received an award from Selvedge magazine for Excellence in Textile Design. Lottie’s inspiration for her collection came from a small paper-based exhibition at the V&A called Certain Trees: The Constructed Book, Poem and Object, 1964–2008. She liked the colours and textures of the paper and the idea of using text. Here, she explains her process. I came up with the idea of using collage with textured papers, thick paints, stitch, old poem books, all based on trees; also appliqué visual pieces from initial knits and found pieces of fabrics. The next step I took was to scan my original work in and start to design in Photoshop, making them into repetitions, multiples and patterns to get a feel for their translation into knitted and woven fabrics. Alongside doing this I started to accumulate images for market and visual research in my sketchbook in the form of moodboards, also starting to consider colour. A trip to Premiere Vision in February this year played a strong part in helping me to develop my colour although

colour theory and practice

65

I think mostly I developed it from my own thoughts and choices. I really enjoy putting together colour and feel it’s something I can do well. For some inspiration and guidance into the fashion side of things I looked mostly at Orla Kiely’s Knits (http://www.orlakiely.com), Boden (http://www.boden.co.uk) and Oilily (http://www. oilily-world.com). Within some of my samples there are areas of detail, some are so small that only the person wearing the garment would know they were there, this makes it that little bit more special. Adding details is in the form of buttons or tags made from snippets of French ribbons something that I strongly enjoy. I tend to use mostly second-hand and old buttons as I feel they give my work that little extra uniqueness they are not mass-produced (see Plate 11).

colour psychology, symbolism and meaning

meanings of colours can be very useful for anyone

The emotional factor is the most important

are working on a project where the meaning at-

point in your colour research; it is a language

tached to a colour is important, it would be worth

with which you can talk to the consumer. You

doing some more extensive research. For ex-

can move people with the usage of colour, and

ample you would probably not want to produce a

get your message across. Red for example is

white wedding dress in a culture where the colour

always synonymous with romance and femi-

is associated with death and mourning.

ninity but can also mean danger. You need to understand the power of colour. —Richard Sardouk, trend forecaster The meanings we attach to different colours are socially constructed; this means that across

working in the design-related industries. The list given here is by no means exhaustive, and if you

Colour Symbolism Red stands for danger, heat, passion, romance, importance (red carpet, red letter day) and anger (seeing red). In China it is considered to bring good luck and fortune, and in the Hindu religion it symbolizes joy and creativity.

different cultures and societies the same colour

White is associated with simplicity, purity and

can have a variety of meanings and symbolic rep-

innocence. In the West it is almost universally the

resentations. Some meanings are shared; others

colour of wedding dresses, symbolizing purity and

differ according to the culture and beliefs of dif-

chastity; however, in some other cultures it is the

ferent countries. We will look at some of the most

colour of mourning (China, parts of Africa). It is

common symbolic meanings that we attach to

also the universal symbol for surrender (white flag).

colours and discuss whether or not colour can

Black is the colour of sophistication, mystery

also affect our behaviour or our physiology. We all

and power. It is the colour of mourning in the

see colour used symbolically in our everyday lives

West. Generally considered to be slimming, black

and barely stop to think about it: red for ‘stop’,

is never out of fashion. Historically black was often

green for ‘go’, white for weddings and so on.

associated with negativity, tragedy and bad luck

However, understanding the symbolic and cultural

(black cats, black Friday).

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visual research methods in fashion

Blue is considered to have a calming effect. In

Warm and Cool Colours

Mexico it is the colour of mourning, and in Greece

Colours are also often described as being ei-

it is used to ward off the evil eye. Blue is also re-

ther warm or cool. It is possible that these as-

lated to depression (feeling blue) and to sexual in-

sociations are closely connected to nature and

nuendo (blue jokes). Pale blues are associated in

our environment. For example colours such as

the West with baby boys.

red, orange and yellow that are closely related

Green is associated with nature, trees and

with sunshine and fire are considered to be warm

grass. It is also the universal symbol for safety

colours. Greys, whites and violets are indicative

(green traffic lights). It represents the colour of

of the winter landscape and are considered to be

resurrection and is considered to be relaxing

cool colours. These associations appear to be

(green rooms in theatres). It recently has been

universal across most cultures (http://www.sen

associated with issues relating to ecology and

sationalcolor.com).

the environment (the Green Party, the recycling symbol).

Colour Psychology

Purple is the colour of royalty in the West. It

Many people argue that colours can affect the

also has strong associations with creativity, and in

way we feel, making us calmer or more excited,

Japan purple indicates power and wealth.

affecting our appetites and our mood. As we have

Orange is another happy colour. It is also an

already stated, the meanings of colours vary ac-

autumnal colour and in the West is often associ-

cording to our culture, and therefore it is possible

ated with Halloween. It is believed to stimulate the

that our psychological responses to colours

appetite and to be a social colour.

are also culturally situated. If we expect a certain

Yellow is considered to be a cheerful colour,

colour to calm us down, perhaps that is the effect

signifying happiness, hope (yellow ribbons) and

that it will have. It is generally accepted that people

well-being, but it also has negative connota-

feel happier when the sun shines and less happy

tions of cowardice (yellow belly). In nature when

when the skies are grey and foreboding, but is this

combined with black, yellow is a warning colour

the impact of the colours around us or a physi-

(wasps).

ological response to the temperature? Clearly

Pink is associated with little girls (specifically

nature uses colour to send out signals: bright

pale pastel pinks); it is also associated with ro-

flowers attract insects, whilst yellow and black are

mance and femininity. Bright pinks are said to

signs of danger and food is rarely blue. People

be stimulating, whilst pale pinks are considered

have different responses to colours; not everyone

to have a calming effect. In some cultures pink is

likes the same colours or even the same colour

also associated with the gay or homosexual com-

combinations.

munity (pink pound).

Some studies have shown that exposure to a

Grey/gray is associated with intellect, conser-

particular colour can create a physical response; for

vatism and authority. As a neutral colour it is also

example there is evidence that a certain shade of

a fashion staple, particularly in men’s business

pink can have the effect of suppressing the desire

suits. It can also be associated with pessimism

for food (Schauss 1981) and have a calming effect.

(grey day, grey skies).

It was also found that being exposed to the colour

colour theory and practice

67

red before taking a test can have a negative effect

red and mistakes and failure, perhaps because red

on your performance. This is thought to result from

is traditionally used for marking errors on essays

the strong association we have between the colour

and schoolwork (University of Rochester 2007).

Interview with Angela Wright, Colour Psychologist Angela Wright is a colour psychologist and the author of The Beginner’s Guide to Colour Psychology. She studied Freudian psychotherapy before moving into the world of colour that had always fascinated her. You identify four personality types that relate to four different colour palettes; what are the personality types? Basically the personality types are internally or externally motivated. Jung calls them introverts and extroverts. The type ones are fairly light visually and quite delicate; they cover a lot of ground but they don’t dig. They can be very clever but they really hate getting bogged down in academic debate. They’re very practical, they like to get things done, they communicate magically, and they’re just brilliant. They lift spirits, they’re fun. The type two personality has that same delicacy but it’s all very contained, they’re cool, calm, collected. They prefer to stay behind the scenes. They’re wonderfully supportive and nurturing and they have this ability to very gently cut through all the hot air and emotion and sum up a situation in one line so they get things moving as well. The second extrovert is the type three, again externally motivated but their energy is much more intense. They want to save the world. They’re very caring but they’re action-orientated so they’ll do something about it. They’ll go in to fight for the underdog, they’ll protest. The type four is again internally motivated but their energy is very intense and they’re charismatic. Everybody aspires to be that person but they’re not. They’re very few and far between and they’re usually to be found at the top because they have a great gift for delegation, for seeing the bigger picture and they don’t go off down sentimental diversionary paths, they keep their eye on their objectives. Examples of that type would be somebody like Margaret Thatcher and, of course, each of these four types has a potential for negative perceptions as well. The type one can often be perceived as air-headed and frivolous; the type two can be seen as aloof, rather unfriendly. The type three can be seen as tedious and bossy and a pain in the bottom, and the type four can be seen as very cold and uncaring. They’re not uncaring they’re just not sentimental. Those are the four types. Is there such a thing as an attractive colour? There is no such thing as a universally attractive colour, there’s no such thing as a good colour anymore than there’s any such thing as a universally attractive person. There are universally attractive colour combinations. If you are on any kind of a design project you decide at the outset, which is the

68

visual research methods in fashion

most appropriate colour group to capture and express characteristics of the project. That can apply to anything everything has a personality. So which colours will best capture the personality that you’re trying to communicate? For example, if you were trying to communicate a message of exuberance and being outgoing and fun then you would go for bright, lively colours—hot pinks, yellows. How would you describe your colour groups? The group one colours are mainly chintz. They’re very clear, quite bright. The hue is yellow-based so the hues have got yellow, the value is relatively high, in other words there’s not much black in them, the chroma is not that high, it’s kind of mid. With the group two colours the hue contains blue so it’s cool, the value is mid (not very light, not very dark) and the chroma is relatively low. These colours are very understated, subtle. The group three colours again have yellow contained in the basic hue so they’re warm, the value can be high or low, you can get light colours and dark colours but they’re not clear, they’ve always got a bit of black in them even if they’re quite light so it sort of takes the edge off them. Then the four colours are either very light, very dark or very intense. The hues are blue, the value is one extreme or the other (very high or very low) and the chroma is high (see Plate 13). Tell me about your company Colour Affects, what do you do? I opened Colour Affects purely with the objective of testing my theories empirically. It’s not my job to tell people what colours to use, it’s my job to give them the information, to tell them what will happen if they use these colours and what will happen if they use those colours. It’s all written. I give them a written rationale and I will give recommendations along the lines of if this is what you want to communicate then these are the colours that will communicate that. You carried out some research into your theories: what did you discover? We discovered that there were mathematical correlations within the groups that don’t exist between colours in different groups, which suggests that objective colour harmony is scientific reality. If you want to harmonize properly, the wheel isn’t going to do it unless you’ve harmonized the wheel in the first place. You need four wheels. The other great thing I discovered was that each individual has a kind of affinity with one of the colour groups and you can sort of see that, in their physical colouring as well. We are part of the grand design as well. If you’re looking at a colour scheme that is in ‘your’ colour group/family you are likely to say, ‘Oh wow, those are my kind of colours’. If you see a colour scheme that’s been harmonized in line with the Colour Affects system you’re likely to say, ‘Oh wow, look at those colours, they’re great’. It’s a different reaction but they’re both positive. So there are universally attractive colour combinations but one colour by itself, just the same as one musical note, isn’t really going to do much. Each colour does have its universal properties and in that sense colour psychology is universal. How would you go about creating a colour palette? To me a palette is a group of colours within which every colour has a role to play and they all work together, synergistically, to underpin the message of the season for instance. So if someone says to me

colour theory and practice

69

‘This season, OK we need bright, lively colours’. I would go to the Morninglight palette and recommend a group of colours from that. We’ve renamed the colour groups in terms of light so they’re Morninglight, Dreamlight, Firelight and Starlight. I would have a headline palette of the one that society is expressing and needs right now, then I would have three sub-palettes and I would never in a million years take a colour from one of the subpalettes and put it with a colour from the head palette. You’ve got to keep them separate then everybody understands them, gets it. What defines whether a colour is stimulating or calming is not the wavelength. People think red, yellow and orange are stimulating and blue, green and purple are calming. Not so. It’s the intensity. So a very intense blue will stimulate the mind where a lovely, warm, soft, light blue will calm the mind. Equally, going over to the red, a very strong red will stimulate physically, but a tint of red, which is pink, soothes physically. But the red wavelength is all about the physical and the blue wavelength is all about the mental. The yellow wavelength is all about the emotions and the ego and self-confidence and the green provides the essential balance, it’s in the centre of the spectrum so it requires no great effort to look at it but green is very reassuring and it provides the balance between the mind, the body and the emotions. Of course, when the world around us is green we instinctively know we’re not going to starve; we’re very reassured by it. For instance, I always recommend it round the cash desk in retailing because it reduces buyer’s remorse while you’re queuing to pay. I suppose if you were to ask me what’s the basis of my colour theories I would have to say nature, that’s where I went first to look. Colour is nature’s signalling system so we know when the world is grey and white and a bit colourless generally we do instinctively hibernate. The colours in our environment have a very profound physical and psychological and emotional effect on us and colour is energy. It’s electromagnetic energy. It’s the same as microwaves and X-rays and we don’t mess with them.

colour systems and colour matching

colour information. A range of systems are avail-

There are thousands of different names for colours

outlined here.

able for use across different media and product groups. Some of the most popular systems are

and no exact science for this naming; paint companies, cosmetic companies or even car manu-

PANTONE®

facturers have developed many names that we

One of the best-known colour classification sys-

use to describe colours. Using a name to describe

tems in fashion and graphics, the PANTONE color

a colour is not accurate, and this causes issues

system was developed by Lawrence Herbert in

when communicating. In fashion you may be

1963 (see Plate 14). The PANTONE MATCHING

producing a collection with a number of different

SYSTEM® is a book of standardized colour in a

manufacturers and you need the items to match.

fan format. The colours are specified by a num-

Asking them to produce the garment in navy blue

ber; for example PANTONE 100 is a yellow, and

will result in a mess of mismatched colour. The

PANTONE 253 is a purple. Pantone has different

same principles apply to printed media. To ensure

systems for digital technology, fashion and tex-

that we achieve the colours we want, classifica-

tiles, paint and so on. The system for fashion and

tion systems are used to accurately convey the

textiles includes 1,925 colours that are available

70

visual research methods in fashion

in paper or cotton format. Pantone also produces

colours have no hue and are given nuance nota-

a biannual trend forecasting tool called the Pan-

tions followed by -N, meaning neutral. The pure

tone View Color Planner. Some specialist textile

grey scale is a scale from white, which is 0300-N,

design programmes contain a PANTONE colour

to black, which is 9000-N.

atlas within the system, allowing easy specifica-

The NCS notation system describes both the

tion of colours. The Pantone Web site has a lot

amount of whiteness or nuance that a colour has

of information about colour theory and trends.

and the degree of resemblance a colour has to

You can join myPANTONE and download a very

two of the elementary chromatic colours. There-

useful tool for creating and saving your own Pan-

fore the notation 1050-Y90R indicates a colour

tone palettes that you can then use in your design

that has 10 per cent blackness and the maximum

software. There is also a Pantone application for

chromatic value of 50 per cent—the remaining 40

the iPhone and many other useful resources. By

per cent indicates the whiteness but is not shown

using PANTONE colour codes you can ensure

in the notation. Y90R indicates a yellow with 90

that your products will be the colour that you

per cent redness. The benefits of the system are

specified. For more information visit http://www.

that sequences of colours can be made that bal-

pantone.com.

ance exactly within a hue or between a number of hues, making this system unique and providing

The Natural Colour System

the designer with complete control of the specifi-

NCS—Natural Colour System®© is a logi-

cation process.

cal colour notation system which builds on how the human being sees colour. A notation

Munsell

represents a specific colour percept and de-

The Munsell system is a perceptual system (based

scribes the colour visually, it is not depending

on how we see light), and it defines colour in terms

on limitations caused by pigments, light rays

of hue, value and chroma (intensity of the colour).

or nerve signals that have given rise to this

The system is modelled on a globe around which

perception. (http://www.ncscolour.com)

a band of hues runs at the equator. Plate 16 illustrates how the system works. The ten hues

In the NCS system there are six elementary

(red, yellow-red, yellow, green-yellow, green, blue-

colours that are perceived by humans as being

green, blue, purple-blue, purple and red-purple)

‘pure’; for example the elementary red is a pure

are arranged at equal distances around the cen-

red with no yellow or blue. The four chromatic el­

tral axis, and the points on the axis are numbered.

ementary colours are yellow (Y), red (R), blue (B) and

Primary yellow is represented as 5Y, while a yellow

green (G), and the two nonchromatic elementary

that was closer to green would be represented as

colours are white (W) and black (S) (see Plate 15).

2.5GY, and a yellow that was closer to red would

NCS colour notations are based on how much

be represented as 7.5YR. The axis of the orb,

a given colour seems to resemble two or more

represented by a pole, represents a range of grey

of these six elementary colours. Colours are de-

values from black (south) to white (north) and is

scribed using a notation system that indicates

divided into a gradient numbered 1–9 (1 being the

their hue, chromatic value and nuance. Pure grey

darkest and 9 the lightest). N is used as a notation

colour theory and practice

71

for the grey value; for example 1N is white and 9N

blue-yellow. Each axis has a positive and nega-

is black (the system was later expanded to run

tive value. On the a-axis, positive values indicate

from 0 for white to 10 for black).

the amount of red, whilst negative values indicate

The chroma is shown running from the centre of

the amount of green. On the b-axis positive values

each hue outward, from neutral colours at the cen-

indicate the amount of yellow, and negative values

tre to stronger colours at the outer edge. For each

indicate the amount of blue. The zero point on both

hue, however, the chroma is not uniform. Hues

axes indicates a neutral grey. This system is used

reach full chroma at different points on the axis.

extensively in desktop colour as, unlike RGB and

For example reds, blues and purples have higher

CMYK, it is device independent (see Plate 17).

average chroma values at full saturation. The system uses the following notation: the hue is repre-

Hexadecimal

sented by a word or initial (e.g. Green or G), the

This is a system developed specifically for use

values by the number on the value scale (e.g. 6/),

with computers and Web design in particular. In

and the chroma by the numbers 1–10 (the higher

RGB, colours are expressed numerically from 0

the number, the more intense the colour). So a

to 255, with a set of three numbers indicating

bright red could be represented as 5R 6/10. In

the values of each colour. Thus, in RGB white is

this, 5R indicates that the hue is red, 6 indicates a

255,255,255, and cyan is 0,255,255 (indicating a

mid-light value, and 10 indicates a high chroma, or

zero value for red). The hexadecimal system uses

intense colour. For further information visit X-Rite’s

00–FF instead of 0–255. In hexadecimal black is

site (http://www.xrite.com/top_munsell.aspx).

00,00,00 and white is FF,FF,FF. These codes are recognized by all browsers. When creating a Web

Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage

page you will sometimes need to type in the hex

The Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage

code for the colour you want to use. There are

(CIE, or International Commission on Illumination),

plenty of resources on the Web where you can

founded in 1913, is an international organiza-

see the colours and their associated codes and

tion that sets the standards for lighting and has

convert colours from RGB to hexadecimal.

a technical committee that deals with colour. Like

There are many other colour systems that can-

the Munsell system the CIE system relates to our

not be discussed in depth in this publication. You

perception of colour and is device independent,

will find links to more information about colour

based on standard sources of light. CIELAB is

systems along with interactive models on the

a colour system used by the CIE and is an op-

companion Web site.

ponent colour system based on the fact that a colour cannot, for example, be both red and green as these are opposites. It has similarities to

colour management

the Munsell system in that there is a central vertical axis that represents the value, numbered from

As we have discussed in the section on colour

0 (white) to 100 (black).

systems, there are differences between the

There are two colour axes: the a-axis rep-

colours produced on the screen and the colours

resents red-green, and the b-axis represents

produced by a printer. Managing the process of

72

visual research methods in fashion

matching colours has become an issue for manu-

a consistent output. The downside to this is that

facturers of all types of products. Accurate colour

if you send the file to another printer, the colours

representation is a particular challenge when cus-

may not be consistent. This is not very useful if

tomers may be buying a product from a computer

you are working remotely or collaboratively, as

screen or a catalogue.

is often the case in fashion. Device-­independent calibration uses a colour system that is indepen-

The biggest reason for customer returns from

dent of the device (e.g. the CIELAB system). In

the Internet and catalogue selling is because

this process the software builds profiles that can

the colour is not the colour they thought it

be used to remotely communicate colour accu-

was; because the print colour in the catalogue

rately. This is extremely useful when you are work-

or represented on the screen is not a good

ing in a global environment (Kodak n.d.).

representation of the colour of the garment. —Janet Best, colour consultant

The whole of the colour management process in textile manufacturing is becoming more automated, with textile-design software that enables

It is not only matching the colours between dif-

you to simulate a screen print and create the

ferent media that can be an issue. Getting con-

colour recipes; these can then be sent to the dye

sistent colour results from digital printing can be a

house. Most dye houses today have computer-

problem even when you are using the same printer,

operated dye kitchens that accurately measure

inks and cloth, as can predicting the outcome of

the dyeing ingredients and produce consistent re-

a screen print when you are working with a digital

sults. The outputs can then be measured using a

programme. This is as much an issue for photog-

spectrophotometer (a device for measuring the

raphers as it is for textile designers. As more com-

wavelengths of light) to check that samples meet

panies depend upon digital prints for sampling, it

the suppliers’ specifications.

has become more important to be able to accurately represent colour throughout the design and

There are many systems on the market for colour management including the following.

production process. Technological advances have made accurate colour management easier, and

AVA http://www.avacadcam.com/en/index.php

many products are now available to enable this.

Colour Matters http://www.colourmatters.com/

There are two types of colour management:

Datacolor http://www.datacolor.com/

device-dependent calibration, where you are

Lectra www.Lectra.com

aiming to get a consistent result between say

X-Rite http://www.xrite.com/home.aspx

a computer monitor and a printer, and deviceindependent calibration, where you are trying to get consistent results regardless of the device

Dye Labs and Standards

being used. In device-dependent calibration the

In the garment-manufacturing side of the indus-

usual method is to calibrate the display with

try, colour matching is extremely important. The

the printer. Colorimeters are devices that can

colour technologist will work with a dye house

be used to calibrate computer monitors; the

to get the best possible match to the colour

­monitor can be calibrated with the printer to ensure

required and to come up with a recipe that

colour theory and practice

73

ensures that the colour is consistent across the

Colour samples are usually assessed in a

range. Color Solutions International in Charlotte,

light box using a controlled light source, and the

North Carolina (http://www.colorsolutionsinter

type of source can be changed to emulate day-

national.com), is one such company. They pro-

light, fluorescent light or incandescent light.

vide a service for developing colour standards.

It is important to view colours in different lighting

A standard is a physical piece of the colour, on

conditions because a colour can change quite

a standard cotton inside a card, and in the card

significantly under different light sources. If you

are all the parameters including light sources,

look at a colour for too long, you can strain your

the formula it took to make the sample and the

eyes so it is a good idea to take a break some-

electronic information, the spectral data. These

times and rest your eyes, or go out and look into

standards are sent to the factories by retailers

the distance. It is best to start by looking at the

to ensure that the end product that arrives in

lightest colours first and to work up to the darker

the store is the correct colour. This is espe-

colours. Everyone sees colour slightly differently,

cially important when various elements of the

which is why it is good to be tested to see if you

range are being developed in different factories

have any deficiencies.

or even different countries. Issues that need to be taken into consideration when developing a dye recipe are whether it is from a sustainable source, whether the dyes are available globally,

colour forecasting

whether it is colour fast and whether there is

Fashion trends start with colour, and each season

any metamerism (where two colour swatches

the colours that are considered to be in fashion

match when viewed under one light source but

change. Getting the right colours into your col-

not another).

lection or store is central to ensuring the success

The advantage of spectral data is that colour

of your business. Colour trends are evident right

can be accurately communicated online, and

across all the fashion-related industries, from

manufacturers can start to develop the dyes

bathing suits and beauty products to wearable

whilst they are waiting for the physical standard

electronics, jewellery, accessories and interiors.

to arrive. The standards are very accurate. One

Even car manufacturers and paint companies

system that is used to read colour and produce

use trend information to decide upon their colour

accurate data is Delta Ecmc. Color Solutions

palettes or options for a particular season. Yarn

International produces standards that have a

manufacturers have to make colour decisions well

variable of less than point five (0.5) Delta Ecmc.

ahead of the retail season for which the products

This level of accuracy ensures that variables in

are intended, and this makes it crucial that they

production are minimized. Dyeing and matching

make the right colour choices.

colour is a very skilled job, and some companies

As well as being subject to changing trends,

employ specialists to work on this area. They

colour is also subject to seasonal differences. For

work with the designers to ensure that the de-

example pastel and bright colours appear more

signer’s vision is the colour that actually makes it

often in the spring and summer, and rich, earthy

into the store.

colours appear more often in the autumn and

74

visual research methods in fashion

winter. Some colours are considered to be basics

There are many different companies that create

or classics because they are easy to wear, prac-

colour forecasts. These can be generic or specific

tical and never really go out of fashion; colours

to particular products or markets. Fashion trade

such as black, grey, brown, navy and beige

shows will also produce colour palettes. Premiere

are often described as basic, classic or staple

Vision (PV) in Paris is one of the best-known trade

colours.

fairs for fashion fabrics. In September 2009 PV

Other colours are considered to be fashion

was showing fabric collections for Autumn/Win-

colours because they are representative of a par-

ter 2010/11. Each season it selects a palette of

ticular season or are more likely to be short-lived

colours, and the exhibitors at PV present collec-

in terms of fashion trends. They may be in the

tions in line with this guide. As most of the major

store for a few weeks or a season. They may be

fashion retailers will visit this show for inspira-

used for whole outfits or just as highlights for a

tion and to buy fabrics, it may well be that fash-

basic palette. They may also change dramatically

ion colours are to a certain extent a self-fulfilling

or subtly from one season to the next. Sometimes

prophecy. However, the reality is more complex.

they will appear at the top end of the market and

The colour palettes that these companies present

then filter down to the high street.

are based on the research of professionals who

Trend team meeting at Nelly Rodi.  Courtesy of Nelly Rodi. Reproduced with permission.

colour theory and practice

75

are working in the global market and are aware of

for the specific market or product group, and this

trends as they emerge. The palettes shown at PV

is where designers, buyers or marketers have

are the result of collaborations between fashion

to understand their particular brand, client and

designers, weavers and spinners. They participate

product. They will also use sales information from

in colour conferences and meetings to decide on

previous seasons and local information to adjust

the palettes for a season and will cross-reference

a palette to meet their needs. This may include

their information with each other. This cross-

ensuring that the bestselling colours from the pre-

referencing is important in confirming a colour

vious season follow on, adding in a staple colour

trend (http://www.premierevision.fr).

that is one of their continuing bestsellers or drop-

Companies using these trend predictions will

ping a colour that has not traditionally performed

also cross-reference the information from several

well for their product. Depending upon their loca-

sources to ensure that there is a consensus of opin-

tion they may need to adjust the palette to take

ion. The information also needs to be interpreted

account of local weather or lighting conditions.

Project: Analysing a Colour Palette Using an online or printed trend publication, select a colour trend palette and analyse it. How many colours does it contain? Which season is it intended for? Which market or markets is it being promoted for? How is the palette composed? Break it down into staple or basic colours and fashion colours. How would you describe the palette: is it harmonious? Does it consist mostly of pastels, brights or dark colours? How intense are the colours? How pure are they? Compare the palette with predictions for the previous and following seasons if these are available. Are any of the colours constant, or have some evolved and have others disappeared? Has the intensity of the colours changed? Are they predicting a completely different palette? If the palette is for the current season, are the predictions reflected in the stores?

Interview with Jane Kellock At the time of this interview Jane worked at the trend company WGSN (http://www.wgsn.com) as senior trend consultant. She is now a freelance consultant. Here, she talks about how WGSN develops its colour palettes. How far ahead do you work? We publish two years ahead and then it kind of evolves, we’re quite lucky because of the medium that we use because we’re on the Internet. We publish these trends and then we can publish updates. They evolve and change according to the teams and the direction they want to take them in. For instance one of the trends we had for 2010 was called ‘outrageous’; we published that a year ago and then womenswear have just published their version of it. They all take it and they’ll mould it into what they think is relevant for their particular market.

76

visual research methods in fashion

How do you go about developing a colour palette? If you start at the beginning, we work with colour consultants who work with the different colour and textile groups around the world. There are colour and textile groups around the world who are made up of experts in their particular industry who come together and share their ideas about where they think colour’s going. That happens in America, Europe and Asia so we get information from those people and we use that as a starting point for our colour information. Obviously, we look at what’s sold in the past, what colours we’ve predicted in the past, what’s happened on the catwalk, just everything that’s happening with colour and product. Then we’ll get together as a team and talk about what colours are inspiring us, what colours we love personally and things that we’ve seen that are inspiring us. It may be books, films, exhibitions, a piece of colour from a photograph we’ve taken while we’ve been travelling, a piece of fabric that we’ve found. We get all of this information together and then we say OK, what do we feel is the important colour for the forthcoming season? People put palettes together in different ways. Some people put them together in groups of colours that work well together, some put them in colour levels, some put them in tones. Colour levels would generally be things like brights, pales, neutral. Who uses your colour predictions? We are talking to quite a large group of people from a variety of different industries, people that maybe want to know what car colours are important to people, that want to know what fashion colours are important. The very first thing that we publish is a big generic palette and then that filters through. It’s used as a starting point for the different directories in the same way that the trends are. The womenswear team will then take that colour palette and they’ll probably change it slightly because they’ll add in maybe purple or they’ll brighten the pink up or kidswear might take the black out so it’s used as a starting point and it’s deliberately generic. And how many colours would normally be in that palette? Anything from forty to fifty and we try to make it as easy to understand as possible. We publish it in two ways, in groups so there are tones and then the different levels as well. It’s like a matrix. We also publish what we call colour usage, it is not particularly designed for any market it’s just groups of colour, things that we think look nice together and which colours we feel really strongly for. The majority of the people that read our Web site are designers and they don’t want to read masses of text. You have to be able to explain it quite simply and succinctly whilst inspiring with the words but not giving them masses of text because they’re visual people. With the colour research if you just said elemental, faded, earthy, dense, tinted, colour-washed and electric you could actually more or less get an idea of what the colour palette is just from those words without having to read all the text underneath. And are there colours that are there every single season, like black and white? Black and white and possibly navy but we don’t have those rules. Some retailers have specific rules, I don’t know why but they always sell a particular colour. We know that people will put their bestselling

colour theory and practice

77

colour in and they’ll add in whatever they want. A lot of the information that we get is out there but people don’t have time to gather it together or to understand what it means. We take all of that stuff and put it together in understandable chunks of information, with an opinion about why you should do this and what it means to your particular business. The opinion’s definitely important; people have trusted our opinion over time. We don’t say ‘You must do it like this!’ but we say ‘What about this?’ or ‘Try this’ or ‘Put this with this’ or ‘See what you think’.

Project: Colour Photo File Take your camera and start to create a photo file that represents a particular colour or palette of colours. For example if you choose the colour red, you might photograph sale signs, red dresses, traffic lights and warning signs, gemstones, London buses, street furniture. If you decide on a colour palette, it might be based on pastels, brights or complementary or analogous colours. Use these images to start to create a colour database that you can use for reference for future projects.

Summary In this chapter you have discovered how we see and interpret colour and that not everyone sees colours in the same way. Colours can have meanings that vary according to different societies and cultures, and they can also affect us physiologically. To communicate colour we require a system for accurately defining and specifying colour so that we can manage how it is reproduced. Colour that is created using light is different to colour that is printed, and this difference creates challenges for managing colour across the design and product development process. Colour forecasting and colour management are key roles within the fashion industry because colour is the most important factor in driving fashion and creating sales. Everyone working in the fashion industry regardless of their role needs to have a basic understanding of colour theory.

references and further reading

com/hub/The-Psychology-of-Color (accessed 16 July 2008). Butts, K. (nd), ‘Color Measurement Methods for Textile

Adobe (2000), ‘Color Models: CIELAB’ [Web page],

Fabrics’ [Web page], Techexchange.com. Avail-

Adobe Technical Guides. Available at: http://dba.

able at: http://www.techexchange.com/thelibrary/

med.sc.edu/price/irf/Adobe_tg/models/cielab.

color_measurement_methods.html (accessed 15

html (accessed 27 November 2009).

July 2008).

Albers, J. (1975), Interaction of Colour, rev. ed., New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. boycottchapter27 (nd), ‘The Psychology of Color’ [Web page], HubPages. Available at: http://hubpages.

Douma, M., curator (nd), ‘Simultaneous Contrast’ [Web page], Colour, Vision and Art. Available at: http:// www.webexhibits.org/colorart/contrast.html cessed 14 April 2009).

(ac-

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visual research methods in fashion

Douma, M., curator (nd), ‘What Is Color?’ [Web page], Colour, Vision and Art. Available at: http://www. webexhibits.org/colorart/color.html (accessed 14 April 2009). Eiseman, L. (2006), Color—Messages and Meanings: A PANTONE Color Resource, Gloucester, MA: Hand Books Press Feisner, E. A. (2001), Colour: How to Use Colour in Art and Design, London: Laurence King.

www.ncscolour.com/en/lm/colour-knowledge/ ncs-colour-academy/open-courses/. Ormiston, R., and Robinson, M. (2007), Colour Source Book, London: Flame Tree. Parramon, J. (1989), Colour Theory (Artists Library), New York: Watson-Guptill. Psychologist World.com (nd), ‘Color Perception’ [Web page]. Available at: http://www.psychologistworld. com/perception/color.php (accessed 7 April 2009).

Gage, J. (2000), Colour and Meaning: Art, Science

RSC-NE Scotland (2005), ‘Colour: An Introduction’

and Symbolism, new ed., London: Thames &

[Web page]. Available at: http://www.rsc-ne-scot

Hudson.

land.ac.uk/eolympics/telford/egypt/Colour%20

Goethe, J. W. von (1840/1970), Theory of Colours,

Theory/index.html (accessed 15 July 2008).

trans. C. L. Eastlake, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Saw, J. (2003), ‘Design Notes: Color’ [Web page],

Gordon, Susu (2001), ‘Color Management and RIP

2D Design Notes, Palomar College. Available at:

­Software for Digital Textile Printing’ [Web page], Tech

http://daphne.palomar.edu/design/color.html (ac-

exchange.com. Available at: http://www.techex

cessed 19 July 2010).

change.com/thelibrary/DTPColorMgmt_RIPS.html (accessed 15 July 2008). Hornung, D. (2004), Colour: A Workshop for Artists and Designers, London: Laurence King. Interaction Design, Inc. (nd), ‘Josef Albers and “Interaction of Color”’ [Web page]. Available at: http:// www.user.com/albers2.htm (accessed 27 November 2009). Itten, J., Birren, F., and Hagen, E. V. (1970), The Ele-

Schauss, A. (1981), ‘The Physiological Effect of Color on the Suppression of Human Aggression; Research on Baker-Miller Pink’, International Journal of Biosocial Research, 2. Available at: http://bacweb. the-bac.edu/~michael.b.williams/baker-miller.html (accessed 3 July 2009). Seosmarty (2009), ‘How Color Choices in Stores Can Influence Your Shopping Decisions’, Directory Journal Shopping Journal (February 16). Available

ments of Colour: A Treatise on the Colour Sys-

at:

tem of Joseph Ittens, New York: Van Nostran

how-color-choices-in-stores-can-influence-your-

Reinhold.

http://www.dirjournal.com/shopping-journal/

shopping-decisions/ (accessed 7 April 2009).

Kodak (nd), ‘Pro Lab—Basics of Color Management’

Smith, K. (nd) ‘Color Messages and Meanings’ [Web

[Web page], Kodak Prolab. Available at: http://

page], Sensational Color. Available at: http://www.

www.prolabresourcecenter.kodak.com/us/en/

sensationalcolor.com/meanings (accessed 12 Jan­

sections/Workflow_and_Technical_Support/Ba

uary 2011).

sics_of_Color_Management (accessed 19 November 2010). Mather, G. (2006), Foundations of Perception, Hove, UK: Psychology Press.

SpecialChem (2011), ‘CIELAB Method’ [Web page]. Available at: http://www.specialchem4coatings. com/tc/color/index.aspx?id=cielab (accessed 12 Jan­ uary 2011

Natural Colour System (2010), NCS Colour Centre [Web

University of Rochester (2007), ‘Research on the Color

site]. Available at: http://www.ncscolour.co.uk/ (ac-

Red Shows Definite Impact on Achievement’, Sci-

cessed 12 January 2011

enceDaily. Available at: http://www.sciencedaily.

Natural Colour System (nd), ‘Open Courses’ [Web page], NCS Colour Centre. Available at: http://

com/releases/2007/02/070228170240.htm cessed 29 March 2010).

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colour theory and practice

Wright, A. (1998), The Beginner’s Guide to Colour Psychology, new ed., London: Colour Affects. Wright, A. (2008–2011), ‘Personality Types’ [Web page], Colour Affects. Available at: http://www. colour-affects.co.uk/pertype.html (accessed 16 July 2008). X-Rite (nd), ‘Munsell Color’ [Web page]. Available at: http://www.xrite.com/top_munsell.aspx (accessed 15 July 2008).

79

COLOURlovers :: Color Trends + Palettes http://www. colourlovers.com/ Colour Matters http://www.colormatters.com/ DeGraeve.com, ‘Color Palette Generator’ http://www. degraeve.com/color-palette/ Pantone http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/index. aspx Procato, ‘Colour Wheel’ http://www.procato.com/color+ wheel/ Selvedge magazine http://www.selvedge.org/default. aspx

websites

Webmonkey, ‘Color Charts’ http://www.webmonkey.

Colorwiki http://www.colorwiki.com

Wheel-Color.com, ‘Animated Color Wheel Color Picker’

com/reference/Color_Charts Colour Experience http://colour-experience.org/

http://www.wheel-color.com/

chapter 4 textiles and trimmings Chapter Overview Textiles are fundamental to the fashion industry. Regardless of your role in fashion, you will need to understand some of the basic properties of textiles and be able to talk about them. As a journalist you may need to describe an outfit and the fabric from which it is made. As a designer you need to understand which fabrics are suitable for the garment you are making. Textiles are very complex, and this chapter is intended as an introduction to the subject. The best way to learn about textiles is to handle them and to observe how they are used in practice. The study of fabrics can be broken down into key areas: the fibres and yarns from which they are made, their structures, their properties and the finishing that has been applied to them. This combination of fibre, yarn, structure and finishing gives a fabric its unique qualities. The type of fabric you choose needs to match the intended end use. If you want to make a warm winter coat, you might decide to use a heavy wool, whereas for a cool summer dress, you may choose a lightweight cotton or silk. This chapter includes: • Natural fibres • Manufactured (man-made) fibres • Fabric structures • Interview with Jenny Shellard • Finishing, dyeing and printing • Case study: Philippa Leith • Embroidery • Smart and techno textiles • Trimmings • Sourcing textiles and trimmings • Interview with Kim Kight • Interview with Philippa Watkins. It also provides an overview of the basic properties of textiles and directs you to resources for further study. How much you need to know about textiles and their production will depend upon your role in the industry.

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visual research methods in fashion

natural fibres

Wool

There are two main types of fibres, natural and

qualities are used for items such as carpets,

manufactured (man-made). Natural fibres can be

whilst the finer qualities such as merino are

subdivided into animal, plant and mineral.

used for clothing. Wool is extremely versatile and

Wool comes in different qualities. The coarser

has many useful properties. It is water repellent Animal Fibres

and flame resistant; it is relatively durable and

Fibres that come from animals include wool from

can easily be mixed with other fibres; and it has

sheep, silk from silkworms and hair fibres such

a natural crimp, which makes it easier to spin

as mohair, cashmere, camel, alpaca and llama.

and creates bulky yarns that are good insulators,

They are also called protein fibres. Wool and hair

making it a natural choice for winter garments.

fibres contain the protein keratin, which is also

It is easy to dye and can absorb moisture with-

found in human hair. These fibres have good

out feeling wet. Lanolin (the oil removed from the

­absorbency and are flame resistant, ­burning

wool) is used in the manufacture of soaps and

very slowly.

cosmetics.

Freshly shorn wool.  Courtesy of Toronto Rob on Flickr. Reproduced with permission.

textiles and trimmings

83

Negative aspects are that because of the na-

which produces smoother, lighter fabrics. Woollen

ture of the fibre (the fibres are covered in overlap-

fabrics are generally used for items such as blan-

ping scales which snag on each other), wool has

kets and coats. Worsted fabrics are used for cloth-

a tendency to shrink. This property of wool is used

ing such as suits; fine versions can be cool and are

to positive effect in the creation of felt. Wool is not

used for active sportswear because they breathe.

as strong as cotton or linen. There are two ways of processing wool into yarns

Hair Fibres

and fabrics: the woollen system, which produces

Hair fibres are expensive luxury fibres be-

heavier, hairier fabrics, and the worsted system,

cause they are in short supply and are difficult

Embroidered silk garments at a Beijing arts and crafts market.  Courtesy of the author.

84

visual research methods in fashion

to produce. The most common hair fibres

• Cashmere comes from the Kashmir goat. It is quite difficult to produce and therefore

include:

fairly expensive. It is often mixed with wool • Alpaca, which is from the alpaca, a mem-

and other fibres to make it more affordable.

ber of the camel family from South America.

• Vicuna is the finest and most expensive tex-

This is a fine, soft, durable fibre that has a

tile fibre. It comes from the vicuna, which is a

good lustre.

member of the camel family found in the Andes. (Elsasser 2010, http://www.fabrics.net)

• Mohair is from the angora goat. It has a good lustre. • Angora comes from the angora rabbit and

Silk

is often used in knitwear. It is very soft but

Silk comes from the cocoon of the silkworm,

has a tendency to shed hairs.

which is unravelled to create one long filament.

• Camel comes from the camel and is often

Cultivated silk has longer fibres than natural silk;

combined with wool. Because it is extremely

natural silk has shorter fibres because the moths

warm it is often used for winter coats.

break the cocoons as they hatch. Silk is extremely

Cotton plant.  Photo by USDA photographer. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

textiles and trimmings

85

strong, lightweight, versatile and absorbent.

Flax

Heavy silks are warm, and lightweight silks are

Flax is used to make linen. It is very strong and

cool, making this fibre very versatile. It is easy to

durable, making it an ideal choice for household

dye and has a lustrous, luxurious feel. It is used

textiles such as sheets and tablecloths. Linen

to make a wide range of products including lin-

is renowned for its tendency to crease. It has

gerie, dresses, scarves and household textiles.

a natural lustrous finish and is stronger than

Silk is the only natural continuous-filament fibre.

cotton. Linen is comfortable to wear in humid

Production is labour-intensive, and therefore it is

conditions because it has excellent wicking

expensive.

properties.

Plant Fibres

Hemp

Fibres that come from plants include cotton, linen, jute and hemp. Fibres from plants or vegetables are also referred to as cellulosic fibres. Cellu-

Hemp comes from the stem of the cannabis plant; the best-quality hemp fabrics have similar properties to linen. It also creases easily.

losic fibres can come from different parts of the plant including the seed, e.g. cotton; the stem

Jute

(also known as bast fibres), e.g. flax (linen), jute,

Jute is a fairly coarse fibre and is usually used for

hemp and ramie; the fruit of the plant, e.g. coir; or

products such as sacks and most recently reus-

the leaf, e.g. sisal (Textile Resource Guide, http://

able shopping bags.

cltad-web.arts.ac.uk/trog). Ramie Cotton Cotton is a versatile fibre; it is strong and very cool and absorbs moisture. It is used to make a large range of clothing including jeans, shirts and

Ramie is also similar to linen in look and feel; it is extremely strong and resistant to bacteria and mould but more difficult to spin. It is often mixed with other fibres.

T-shirts. It is also used for bedding, table linens and other household uses. The finest qualities are Sea Island and Egyptian cotton. Cotton is often mercerized to make it stronger and more lustrous. It is often mixed with polyester to improve

Coir and Sisal These are strong, coarse fibres that are most often used for ropes and mats.

its resistance to creasing. Cotton is also flammable. Cotton is the world’s most popular fibre,

Mineral Fibres

but there are many environmental issues associ-

Asbestos is an example of a mineral fibre. It is

ated with growing it. This has led to an increase in

nonflammable and was often used for its heat-

the popularity of organic cotton, the production of

resistant properties; however, it has been found

which does not use toxic pesticides and synthetic

to be carcinogenic so it is no longer in gen-

fertilizers or genetically engineered seed.

eral use.

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visual research methods in fashion

manufactured (man-made) fibres

The ‘Natural Polymer Fibres’ figure shows the main

Manufactured fibres do not occur naturally but

clothing and textile industry.

natural polymer fibres that are currently used in the

are created from animal, plant and mineral materials, which undergo physical and/or chemical

Synthetic Sources

change through a production process in which

Synthetic polymer fibres are derived from by-

liquids are extruded to form fibres. Manufactured

products of petroleum and coal. Common syn-

(man-made) fibres are produced as continuous

thetic fibres include the following.

filaments, which are sometimes cut into short lengths (staple fibres) for processing, depending on the type of yarn being made. There are three main groups of man-made fibres: natural polymers, synthetic polymers and other nonfibrous sources such as metal and glass.

Nylon Also known as polyamide, nylon was the first synthetic fibre and is used extensively in hosiery and lingerie. Nylon is strong and lightweight. Care needs to be taken when ironing as it melts at high temperatures. It is nonabsorbent and dries quickly.

Natural Sources Manufactured fibres from natural sources use substances that occur in nature but are altered during the manufacturing process. These are known as natural polymer fibres which should not be confused with natural fibres, because they are man-made. Some natural polymer fibres are often referred to as regenerated fibres. Viscose

Polyester This fibre is often used in blends with other fibres such as wool and cotton. Polyester is very strong and is often used for sewing thread and also for filling pillows and duvets. It is used in a very wide range of clothing.

is a good example: it is created from wood pulp. Other fibres created from cellulose include cupro,

Acrylic

modal, lyocell and triacetate. It is also possible

Acrylic fibres handle like wool and are often used

to use proteins like soy and milk to create fibres.

in knitwear, either alone or blended with wool.

Natural Polymer Fibres

Regenerated Cellulose

Viscose

Lyocell

Cupro

Cellulose Ester

Alginate

Bamboo

Modal

Triacetate

Regenerated Protein

Acetate

Milk

Natural Rubber

Soy

LATEX

Natural polymer fibres.  From Textile Resource Guide (http://cltad-web.arts.ac.uk/trog). Courtesy of Terry Weston. Reproduced with permission.

Synthetic Polymer Fibres

Polyamide

Nylon

CORDURA ANTRON

Aramid

Meta-aramid

NOMEX

Polyester

Para-aramid

KEVLAR

TREVIRA DACRON TERGAL

Polyvinyl Derivatives

Olefin

Polyethylene

Polypropylene

Acrylic

COURTELLE DRALON DOLAN

Modacrylic

Chlorofibres

P.V.C.

Polyurethane

Fluorofibres

TEFLON

Elastane

Synthetic Polyisoprene

Elastodiene

LYCRA DORLASTAN

Synthetic fibres.  From Textile Resource Guide (http://cltad-web.arts.ac.uk/trog). Courtesy of Terry Weston. Reproduced with permission.

Selection of fancy yarns  by Flyhoof (http://flyhoof.blogspot.com/). Courtesy of Flyhoof. Reproduced with permission.

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visual research methods in fashion

Acrylic is quick drying, has good colour fastness

yarn. A two- or three-ply yarn is stronger than a

and retains its shape. The downside is that it can

single-ply yarn. There are also fancy yarns, which

pill easily.

are called effect yarns in Europe and novelty yarns in the US. Examples include boucle, loop,

Polyurethane Group These fibres include elastane, a generic name for

slub and chenille yarns (Elsasser 2010, Udale 2008).

a fibre that has excellent elastic properties. Lycra is the trademark for the elastane fibre originally created by Dupont. Fibre Blends By blending different fibres together, it is possible to create fabrics that take advantage of the different properties of the fibres in the blend. It is also a way of reducing costs when using a very expensive fibre. For example, a blend of cashmere and wool will be cheaper than pure cashmere. Adding elastane to cotton adds stretch, a technique that is often used in the production of jeans to make them fit better and feel more comfortable.

fabric structures There are several different ways of creating a fabric: weaving, knitting, felting, lace making and so on. The way in which a fabric is constructed affects the way it behaves. Knitted and woven fabrics have very different characteristics. Weaving Weaving is done on a loom; yarns are passed over and under each other to create different patterns. The yarns that run across the fabric are called the weft, and the yarns that run along the length of the fabric are called the warp. By passing the weft

Yarns

yarns under and over the warp yarns in different

To create a fabric you need a yarn. Natural

combinations, various effects and textures can be

fibres other than silk are called staple fibres;

created.

they come in short lengths that need to be

Some common weaving techniques include

spun together to create a yarn. Synthetic fibres

plain weave, where the warp and weft are

are produced as a continuous filament; silk is

woven in an over-and-under pattern, creating

also a continuous filament. Filament yarns can

a fabric where the warp and weft are equally

be monofilament or multifilament. Multifila-

­visible on the surface. Satin weave is created

ment yarns may contain many filaments, which

by ­arranging the threads so that as much warp

are then twisted to create the yarn. Spinning

lies on the surface as possible, giving a very

twists the fibres together, adding strength to

smooth, ­lustrous finish, and a jacquard weave

the yarn.

is achieved by raising and lowering individual

For weaving, yarns need to be tightly spun,

warp yarns rather than groups of yarns, which

whereas for knitting, yarns are looser. Several

allows for the production of larger-scale geomet-

yarns can be twisted together to create a ply

rics and floral patterns.

textiles and trimmings

A jacquard fabric on the loom.  Courtesy of the author.

Interview with Jenny Shellard Jenny originally trained as a jeweller but now teaches and practices as a weaver using experimental approaches to working with light. How do you go about doing research for your work? If I think about visual research, there are for me various aspects relevant to my practice. There is the direct approach, applicable to many weavers, which might centre on numerous technical and practical aspects such as factors relating to construction. Then there are features of visual research that are very closely connected to those technical processes such as colour, tone, texture, pattern, proportion etc. Looking at the way I research colour for example; I might find a combination taken from nature or the

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visual research methods in fashion

environment or it might be a development of these. I often translate ideas into collage initially. I have a drawer full of coloured paper—I have collected masses and masses over the years—and what I do is to sort it into little packets or groups of related hues, shades and tints. I use them as colour reference for yarn wraps—a standard ‘weavers thing’. Wraps are just coloured threads wound in groups around a piece of card, indicating colour combination and proportion, a process which is fairly conventional, specific and process-linked. In addition, there is a more open-ended visual research process where I might be drawn to a particular aesthetic. I have for some time been interested in qualities of light and shadow. My work has centred on illusionary effects, using weave structures to create a sense of illumination, depth and three dimensions on the woven surface. My research broadened at one stage into experiments in mark making on paper to simulate the actual sensation of light, subsequently leading to simple animations and large-scale collages. I might well engage in a range of experiments that may or may not feed into my textile pieces. I suppose what I am saying is that an open-ended investigation is as important to me as immediate applicable research. How would you describe your style? I suppose I think of a person’s ‘style’ as their aesthetic DNA, or maybe a personal signature that takes a while to evolve. I don’t think it is something that students necessarily arrive with or even if they do, it will not be fully developed. It may be gestating—influenced by many things around them—a transient stimulus that is maybe in fashion. Style is something like your handwriting or the way that you dress; in some way conscious and in some way beyond your direct control like your physical gestures and mannerisms. For me, I think my own style has pared down somehow over time into something quite minimal—it has deliberately moved away from decorative. I think that few students when they enrol on an art and design course have that sense of who they are, that visual identity. Developing their own aesthetic involves getting them to engage in drawing and all the associated processes. That engagement is actually a pathway to finding their aesthetic identity. If you access it from deep within you it reflects all of you; your cultural background, your childhood experience, the things you have been exposed to, it’s deeply personal. Whereas if you just visit the high street or your favourite designer your influence is less likely to come from that well of personal experience. Going back to one of my own early experiences, I did a lot of travelling in South America and was hugely influenced by things I saw, which had a feeling of belonging to a period, a certain culture and for me is still a very poignant memory. I think I have long since moved away from that direct influence yet I feel it is still there because that experience was very powerful and I would not be working in textiles had it not been for that range of encounters. How much technical knowledge do you need? I originally trained as a jeweller so I had to pick up the technical side of weaving on the run as it were because I was doing an MA in constructed textiles and all the students on the MA already knew how to prepare a warp and thread a loom and all that. I just had to do it; I learned in an unorthodox way I suppose. Most skilled weavers would look at me in horror. I do not get too hung up about technique but obviously you have to be in control of your equipment and your tools in order to realize your ideas.

textiles and trimmings

With weaving you do certainly need to have technical understanding because otherwise you will try to do things that are just impossible and that can be very frustrating and can put you off in the early stages. For example, if you put yarns on a warp that just don’t work as a warp it will fail. Nevertheless, stumbling upon a technical accident in weaving can also lead to new and exciting ideas. How important is drawing? I interpret drawing in its widest sense. I love drawing; for me it is not about producing a drawing in the academic sense. I was in art college when drawing was seen as essential and was actually taught as a discipline but I think now I see it is something much broader. It might involve electronic means or a wide range of media and approaches. A lot of students are put off by the fact that they can’t draw in a specific way, which I suppose is most commonly a photographic or realistic representation. I very much encourage them to think away from that, to think more broadly about mark making and drawing expressively, about drawing to create a feeling of something rather than trying to replicate it—which may sometimes seem a bit pointless when you can do it perfectly with a camera. So then it becomes a process of abstraction, which in a way is what textile design amounts to, that combined with great ideas, good design decisions and effective realization. Has technology had an impact on your practice? Generally technology has had some good and some not-so-good repercussions. Of course a digital camera is such a fantastic tool but the downside is that it can be a too-easy shortcut. You can take a photo with a digital camera and in a few stages convert it to a really beautiful textile. I believe that while students are learning it is really important to extend that process of manipulation and exploration of possibilities rather than just concentration on end product. It’s the process that becomes really important particularly while you are learning to evaluate and push ideas. I still feel the process is important for me since in my research I am not always thinking in terms of an end product as the ‘be all and end all’. Sometimes the process is interesting and unpredictable in itself—and can take you to unknown places. How do you encourage students to experiment? A colleague I am working with has just done an introductory session with students where she worked with them in large groups, thirty students, with continuous rolls of lining paper stretched around the tables. She had the students working literally elbow-to-elbow observing and drawing natural forms. They had plants, dried flowers, branches, twigs in the middle of the table and they worked on a communal drawing. It was certainly great for breaking down all those preconceptions about whether they could draw. The end result was dynamic, making use of strong and very direct media such as charcoal and Conte. The image they created as a group was just so full of energy. I have done other things such as building up a drawing by making a single repetitive mark—I suppose the obvious one is pointillism using dots—but I get them to develop their own particular mark like a signature and to use that mark repeatedly to build up outlines, shapes and tones. That is a slow organic way of arriving at an image. It gets them away from the fear of ‘this is not the right line’ or ‘the shapes look funny’ or ‘the proportions are wrong’. It is much more organic. Collage too is a great one for boosting confidence and it applies quite perfectly when developing an idea for print.

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visual research methods in fashion

How do you use colour in your work? I confess to having spent the last six or seven years working almost monochromatically; colour often coming in, but in small amounts. I would not say that colour has formerly been a strong part of what I’ve done but having said that; it is certainly now changing. In fact my current project is very much about colour and light, projecting colour onto elements of handwoven fabric. It is quite a systematic piece of research. I have a knowledge of colour theory but more recently I’ve become interested in more subjective aspects of colour. You see a colour in its particular surrounding yet when the projected light gradually changes the colour of a small fragment, the adjacent colour appears to completely alter (see Plate 18). What advice would you give to students? Just do it, put yourself into your work. There are an awful lot of things that come up in your head as barriers like ‘I am not very good at drawing’ or ‘I don’t do faces well’—or whatever the thing is that comes up as a negative. You have just got to do it because drawing is one thing that you can really learn and improve by doing. Students often believe that you either are or are not good at drawing but the fact is, it is one aspect of art and design that can be dramatically improved with practice—and this is well evidenced.

Shima Seiki whole-garment knitting machine (Mach2X153).  Courtesy of Shima Seiki. Reproduced with permission.

textiles and trimmings

93

Circular knitting machine.  Courtesy of the author.

Knitting

to create a single jersey or on double-bed ma-

Knitting is a process by which a yarn is formed

chines that produce double jersey including

into loops that are linked together using needles.

ribs. Knitwear can be fully fashioned, where

This can be done by hand or on an industrial scale

some of the shaping is done in the knitting pro-

by knitting machines. There are two types of knit-

cess, or straight pieces of fabric can be cut and

ting, warp and weft. In warp knitting the loops

sewn. Circular knitting machines create tubes

run vertically, and in weft knitting they run hori-

of fabric that can then be cut and made into

zontally. Weft-knitted fabric is used for T-shirts and

garments. There are also specialist machines

jumpers. Warp-knitted fabric is used for swimwear

for hosiery and full-garment machines such as

and underwear.

the Shima Seiki, which produces a seamless

There are different kinds of knitting machines.

garment.

Flat beds produce flat pieces of knitted fabric.

Knitted fabrics are more elastic than woven

These can be knitted on a single-bed machine

fabrics; they are generally used for sweaters,

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visual research methods in fashion

Lace collar, Irish (c.1880).  Given by Mrs. Leonora F. M. Preston. Britain Loves Wikipedia Project (http://www.britainloves wikipedia.org/) at the Victoria and Albert Museum (http://www.vam.ac.uk/). Photograph: Valerie McGlinchey. This file is ­licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales.

sportswear and hosiery. They can be produced

fabrics are used to create rugs and carpets, and

in a wide range of designs using colours to cre-

there are also laces and nets in which the yarns

ate patterns (Fair Isle, intarsia) or using stitch

are twisted or knitted to achieve an open effect in

variations to create textures (cable stitch, tuck

all or some areas.

stitch, lace etc.). Crochet is similar to knitting in that it creates loops, but it uses only one needle or cro-

finishing, dyeing and printing

chet hook. By pulling loops through each other in various combinations, it is possible to cre-

Once a fabric is created, it can be further en-

ate extremely complex designs that look like

hanced and finished in a number of ways. It can

lace or thicker textures that resemble knitted

be dyed or printed to add colour, or it can be

fabrics.

embellished with embroidery or cut with a laser. The performance and feel of the fabric can be

Nonwovens

changed by washing, adding a coating, brush-

There are several types of fabric structure that

ing it and so on. The type of finish will depend

are neither knitted nor woven; these are usually

upon how the fabric is to be used, and the ap-

called nonwovens. They include felt, which is cre-

pearance, handle and performance can all be

ated by applying heat, water and pressure to wool

improved.

fibres (needle felting achieves a similar effect, but the fibres are meshed together using fine-barbed

Dyeing

needles). Bonded-fibre fabrics and bonded fab-

Dyeing is a process used to add colour to a fabric

rics are created using heat or adhesives. Tufted

by soaking it in a dye solution. It can be used to

textiles and trimmings

95

dye the fabric a solid colour or to add a pattern

block or by transfer printing. It can also be done

using specialist techniques such as tie-dyeing

digitally using inkjet printing. In screen printing the

and batik. Dyes can be natural or synthetic. The

designer is limited to a certain number of colours

latter were invented in 1857 when William Henry

based upon the number of screens to be used. In

Perkin discovered a purple dye called Perkin’s

digital printing you can use thousands of colours,

mauve. Most industrial processes use synthetic

but the process is still fairly expensive. The fab-

dyes, but traditional dyeing techniques are still

rics need to be prepared to accept the dyes; once

in use, especially in small craft-based busi-

printed, the fabric then needs to be steamed to

nesses and eco-based companies, and in de-

fix the colour or to be cured with heat if pigments

veloping countries where they still use traditional

have been used. Digital printing gives the designer

techniques.

a lot of flexibility.

The type of fabric to be dyed dictates the

There are now online services that will print

type of dye that is used; cellulosic fibres work

small lengths of fabric for you using digital print-

with direct, reactive, vat and sulphur dyes.

ing, including Spoonflower (http://www.spoon

Wool and polyamides work with acid, premet-

flower.com) and Fabric on Demand (http://www.

allized or some reactive dyes. Acrylic works with

fabricondemand.com). If you are planning to use

basic and some disperse dyes, and polyester

one of these services, it may be helpful to read

works with disperse dyes. The dye needs to be

the blog article ‘My Big Digital Fabric Printing Ex-

colour fast, so that it will not fade in light, wash

periment’ (http://www.trueup.net/?p=5364), which

out or rub off (http://www.sdc.org.uk/museum/

gives comparative results from four of the most

mus.htm).

popular online services and gives advice on the different types of dyes and on preparing your

Printing

digital files. There is also an excellent beginners’

Printing is a process where colour is applied onto

guide to digital printing at http://vector.tutsplus.

a fabric to create a pattern. This can be done in

com/tutorials/tools-tips/a-beginners-guide-to-

a variety of ways including using a screen or a

digital-textile-printing/#more-3189.

Case Study: Philippa Leith Philippa designs exquisite textiles inspired by nature, colour and texture. Her graduate collection was based upon British birdlife and won a Selvedge Award at New Designers in 2009. Philippa conducted extensive research into birdlife, fauna and flora using books, magazines and the Internet as well as visiting nature reserves and bird gardens and drawing a wide variety of birds, flowers and insects. Alongside the drawing she also started to collect vintage items and ephemera such as cigarette cards of flowers and birds, stamps and postcards, and these were introduced into her work. In addition to the visual research, Philippa also conducted extensive market research into trends; she found the blogs of other designers, design journals and craft magazines particularly helpful. Philippa uses screen-printing and laser cutting in the realization of her work.

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visual research methods in fashion

Preparatory drawing of a nuthatch  by Philippa Leith. Courtesy of Philippa Leith. Reproduced with permission.

embroidery

effects can also be achieved by embroidering

Embroidery can be done by hand or machine.

ing an intricate weblike fabric. Complex designs

There is a huge variety of stitches and ef-

can now be reproduced using specialist software

fects that can be created. In addition to adding

and computerized machines. These are available

stitches onto the surface of the fabric, threads

in domestic and industrial versions. Other ways

can be removed to create drawn-thread work,

of embroidering and manipulating fabric include

and areas of the fabric can be cut away to create

smocking, quilting, pleating, patchwork and

effects such as broderie Anglais. Interesting

appliqué.

onto a base material that then dissolves, leav-

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97

Tajima industrial embroidery machine.  Courtesy of AJS Embroidery. Reproduced with permission.

smart and techno textiles

environmental changes, such as thermochromic fabrics that change colour in response to

Some of the most exciting recent innovations

a change in temperature. Thermoplastics are

in fashion have come about through develop-

textiles that can change through the applica-

ments in textile technology: breathable fabrics

tion of heat to create pleats, crinkles or three-

like Gore-Tex have revolutionized sportswear,

dimensional forms. There are textiles that use

and the LZR ­swimsuit recently developed by

microencapsulation to release products such

Speedo uses technology developed by NASA to

as medicines, moisturizers or insect repellents

create a high-performance professional swimsuit

(Clarke 2006).

(http://www.speedousa.com/shop/index.jsp? categoryId=3691708).

Technological innovations in textiles do not just add functionality but can also have interesting

Smart textiles can have specific func-

aesthetic functions. Designers like Hussein Cha-

tions built into them so that they respond to

layan have gone further and have incorporated

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visual research methods in fashion

Rebecca Adlington models the new-generation Speedo LZR Racer Elite FINA-approved 2010 suit.  Courtesy of Speedo. Reproduced with permission.

Project: Textile Dictionary This exercise will help you to recognize and understand fabrics. As you find interesting fabrics collate them in a book by cutting a small swatch and then adding as much information about the fabric as possible. What fibre is it? How was it constructed? Which end products is it suitable for? Where did you find it? Was it from a retailer or wholesaler? How much does it cost per metre? Your fabric dictionary can grow into a source of inspiration as well as information.

­technology into garments to create silhouettes that

wrong trimmings can ruin an otherwise wonder-

change shape (see his Spring 2007 collection).

ful garment. An expensive wool jacket can be let down by cheap plastic buttons. Trimmings can be

trimmings

used to change the look and feel of a garment and

Trimmings are often forgotten until you come to

ment. They can also be a source of inspiration,

put the buttonholes on the jacket and then dis-

­suggesting a particular look or mood. Chunky

cover you don’t have any suitable buttons. The

metal zips, for example, suggest functional

are an easy way to add value through embellish-

textiles and trimmings

99

Selection of ribbons and trimmings.  Courtesy of VV Rouleaux.com. ­Reproduced with permission.

Project: Trimmings Collection Find out where your local haberdashery store is and visit it. If there isn’t a local store, search online under haberdashery, trimmings or notions. Start a collection of trimmings and fabric swatches: gather as much information as you can about their source and composition and label them accordingly. If you add a few samples every month, you will soon have a good inspirational collection. Vintage trimmings can also be inspirational, and you can find many suppliers of these online on sites like Etsy (http://www.etsy.com).

workwear, whereas pretty floral ribbon will create a

clothing can be an excellent source of inspiration

softer, more romantic mood.

for trimmings. It is often attention to the detail, even

Keep an eye out for interesting ribbons and

down to the swing tag and the care label, that will

braids, buttons, zip pulls and so on. Vintage

set a garment apart and make it more appealing

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visual research methods in fashion

to the consumer. You can start a trimmings collec-

source them. These include the Textile Institute

tion by gathering anything that takes your fancy

(http://www.texi.org) and the Society of Dyers and

and filing it in a box file or clear plastic stacking

Colourists (http://www.sdc.org.uk).

storage boxes. It is a good idea to attach a label or tag with the supplier information and price. If you are dealing in large quantities, it is possible to get trimmings made to your own design. You can also approach craftspeople to make small runs of unique designs like ceramic buttons or interesting zip pulls.

Specialist Services There may be times when you want to use a special technique and do not have the right equipment to do it. There are many suppliers of specialist services to the fashion industry including pleaters, embroiderers, quilters, laundry services and so on. The trade press and Inter-

sourcing textiles and trimmings Finding interesting textiles can be challenging, ­especially if you are not part of a major company. If you are just looking for fabrics for inspiration, you can visit your local stores, vintage stores and markets. If you want fabrics for production, this can be more complicated. Most major textile mills ­require a minimum order of a design, and this can be quite substantial. You may be able to buy sample lengths, depending upon how much fabric you need and how flexible the supplier is. Trimmings can also be difficult to find in the quantities you require. You may find what you want in a haberdashery store, but you will be paying retail prices. Trimmings in retail stores may not be what you need as they are not necessarily in line with the

net directories are the best places to find these services. Fabric Libraries and Collections Your university or one near to you may have a textile collection or library that you can use for information about suppliers and for inspiration. Some companies and museums also have collections. It is worth doing a Web search to see what is available in your area. There are of course collections available via the Web, but the downside of these is that you cannot handle the fabrics. There is an extensive list of textile collections on the Web at http://isthmia.osu.edu/teg/hist787/textiles.htm. Often at trade shows you will find companies that specialize in selling old swatch books from textile mills. These are very popular as sources of inspiration.

latest trends. It is worth using the Internet to find cheaper options. If you go to a wholesaler there is

Business-to-Business Web Sites

likely to be a minimum order, but the price per piece

There are many business directories on the In-

will be cheaper. There are many specialist suppliers

ternet where you can also find fabric suppliers,

to the trade. You can find these in business direc-

although these will mostly be supplying large

tories on the Web or in trade publications.

quantities, and they may require you to register or pay a subscription. Useful resources include Ap-

Societies and Trade Associations

parel Search (http://www.apparelsearch.com/),

There are many professional associations that can

Fibre2fashion (http://www.fibre2fashion.com) and

help you find out more about fabrics and how to

Global Textiles (http://www.globaltex tiles.com).

textiles and trimmings

101

Blogs and Hobby Sites

(http://www.true-up.com); it is dedicated to fab-

There are many blogs and Web sites that are dedi-

rics, particularly mid-century vintage fabrics, but

cated to fabrics, and a lot of companies supply the

also contains lots of useful information about fab-

craft market. You may find something here that is

ric properties and discussions around copyright.

useful to you and be able to buy in small quanti-

You can also find designs by small producers and

ties. One such blog is True Up run by Kim Kight

vintage supplies on sites like eBay and Etsy.

Interview with Kim Kight Kim Kight runs the textile blog True Up, and she has a particular interest in vintage textiles. How did you get interested in fabrics? I started sewing about ten years ago and quickly found myself more interested in accumulating beautiful prints than actually making things out of them. I still sew as much as I can though! Why did you start your blog? Several reasons, first because I had the idea for a blog devoted solely to fabric with an emphasis on keeping track of new releases. I realized no one was doing anything like it and that it had some commercial potential. I also wanted to force myself to learn more about different fabric types and about pattern design. What is the aim of the blog? In addition to the reasons for starting the blog, I’ve also come to realize there are so many parallels between fabric and music; today’s fabric designers are my rock stars yet there are not many centralized outlets for their work to be discussed and celebrated. You say that you collect mid-century fabrics, why these in particular? I am a big fan of quirky 1940s–1960s novelty cottons. The florals and geometrics are so inventive and charming too, both in motif and colour. Here’s one of my favourites: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ kmel/2853637511/in/set-72157600001071245/. And the names print in this one just kills me: http:// www.flickr.com/photos/kmel/25810780/in/set-587667/. How do you go about doing the research for your blog? It’s a combination of Web surfing, reader tips, press releases, and consulting my ridiculously large collection of textile and pattern books. Are there any good Web sites that you would recommend to students who wanted to find out more about fabrics? There are some general reference sites, like http://www.Fabrics.net that I consult on a regular basis. Here are a few of my favourite blogs that discuss different fabrics on a regular basis:

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The Textile Blog by John Hopper http://thetextileblog.blogspot.com/ oliver + s blog http://oliverands.com/blog/ Sawyer-Brook Distinctive Fabrics http://sewingblog.sawyerbrook.com/ What advice would you give to students who want to start designing their own fabrics—how do you go about it? I love the book Digital Textile Design by Melanie Bowles and Ceri Isaac; its lessons are applicable to printing methods other than digital. My friend Lizzy House is about to release an e-book on approaching quilting cotton manufacturers. I noted a long debate about copyright and use of vintage and licensed designs on your site, is it possible to simplify this? Since writing those posts I have never heard anything to contradict the first-sale doctrine (http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine) in regard to items made from fabric, even fabrics with trademarked logos and characters. According to that Wikipedia page even such designer–customer ‘contracts’ might not hold up. When you are using a vintage design as inspiration how do you ensure that you are not breaching copyright law? I don’t know about Britain, but for the US, I trust this chart: http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/resources/ publicdomain.cfm. Basically anything published before 1977 without a copyright notice is in the public domain, which I assume would include all fabrics with no identifying information on the selvedge. But you don’t always have enough of the fabric to know whether it had identifying information. In general, to be in the clear, one must create original work. Of course you can always sample colours, or re-interpret the motifs or ideas in your own style (see Plate 20).

Trade Shows

Trade shows can be daunting for the inex-

If you are in business and looking to buy large

perienced buyer, so it is a good idea to find out

quantities of fabrics or trimmings, then trade

as much information as possible before you go.

shows are usually a good option. At these shows

Try to talk to someone in the industry who has

you will be able to see the latest designs and to

­visited the show, and get the catalogue or visit

compare products from a large number of com-

the Web site in advance to plan which suppliers

panies. In fashion and textiles the shows work

you want to visit and find out if you need to make

ahead of the selling season. Textile shows like

an ­appointment. If you are visiting as a student,

Premiere Vision will be one year ahead, and gar-

then you need to find out if the trade show you

ment shows work six months ahead. So in au-

want to visit admits students and check how to

tumn 2009 Premiere Vision was showing designs

book. You may have to do this through a tutor

for Autumn/Winter 2010 whilst the London, Paris

at your college. You will find an extensive list of

and New York fashion weeks were showing de-

textile-related trade shows at http://tradefairs.

signs for Spring/Summer 2010.

fibre2­fashion.com.

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Premiere Vision September 2010 Seduction Forum image.  Courtesy of Premiere Vision. Reproduced with permission.

Interview with Philippa Watkins Philippa Watkins is a textile journalist and tutor at the Royal College of Art; in the following interview she gives advice on what students need to know about textiles and how to source them. Philippa started as a textile designer. She studied weaving at Winchester College and then went to the Royal College of Art. Philippa has had a long career in textiles and forecasting. She has worked for Deryck Healey International (a fashion and textile forecasting consultancy), Laura Ashley, Principles and WGSN. She currently teaches at the Royal College of Art and is a freelance journalist writing about textiles. What do you think students need to know about textiles? You have really got to have knowledge of fibres and understand what fibres do and fabric composition; how a fabric is composed in terms of fibre and structure is important. It is quite a task and the only way that fashion students can do it is to look in the shops and see what fabrics go into garments and how they drape. Of course there are libraries and they can look things up online. There are various Web sites that will give you definitions, but there is no substitute to feeling fabric. They have got to have a clear idea about what impression a fabric makes. Colour is the first thing you notice when you go into a store, then print or pattern and how it is coordinated. The finish on the fabric is also a vital part of the process, you can have the same fabric finished in several ways and it will look and feel different.

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The Italians do a lot of innovative finishes and a lot of experiments to see how a fabric will look, drape and feel to the skin. They should at least begin to understand fabric definitions and extend their vocabulary. What, for instance, is a drill or a poplin. These can be found on Web sites and directories. Then there are all the brand names of the different fibres. How many people know that Lycra is actually a brand name—not the generic? Students should understand that there are other stretch elastane (the generic) fibres other than Lycra—Lycra is just the brand name. There is quite a lot to take in but they do need to learn that. For garment makers and retailers testing fabric is an important process. M&S (Marks and Spencer) are very strong on testing, while some companies are not. I personally feel that fabric has declined in quality since sourcing offshore; buyers and young designers really do not understand about quality of materials and it shows. The problem is that the lowest common denominator is what everyone is going for, usually it is the fabric people and the garment maker that get squeezed and that is why the fabric is not such good quality. Do you think the Internet has made a difference to how students learn about fabrics? The problem with the Web is you can’t touch anything and it is vital to touch. I give lectures to fashion students on sourcing and I would like to do more workshops emphasizing the importance of quality, what the fibre is and what the fibre does. It is more difficult to give detail online than in actual fabric—people have been working on how to get fabrics shown adequately online for years. You can see how fabrics are constructed if they are properly photographed, you can guess at how it is going to feel, but I don’t think there is any substitute for actually feeling it. The other problem online is colour matching. WGSN do matching with Pantone colours, so you really need to have your own set of Pantone colours because your screen colours may be very different. No two screens seem to be the same. How can students find interesting fabrics? Sourcing is something that they will also have to learn, find shops where you can buy offcuts and ­remaindered fabrics while you are a student. But if going into business, going to trade shows and getting to know the mills and converters. A mill manufactures the fabric either weaving, knitting, printing or finishing, which mostly you find through trade fairs and agents. A converter is somebody who sources and commissions fabrics from different mills, which are then presented as their own range. Someone like silk company Henry Bertrand for example. For a small designer who cannot give a large order, sourcing fabric in small quantities is always a problem. From most manufacturers you can get swatch samples and sample lengths, but only if you are a regular customer, or you pay for the length up front. The cost of fabric changes according to the amount you order, so for small quantities you have to pay a higher price. But there are people who will deal in smaller quantities, such as converters and companies who acquire offcuts and ends of lines. These are not so much converters as fabric stockists.

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If you want your own designs produced, it will cost a lot, but having a greater volume of the fabric will swallow the costs. At Laura Ashley when I was buying fabric, the agents always remembered me because I was buying sometimes 200,000 metres per design, which is a huge amount. In those days we were doing 150,000–200,000 metres of one design over four or five colourways. Nowadays a big order is between 10,000 and 20,000 metres. Agents work on a commission basis on what they sell—and they never forget a big order. Agents might represent ten mills. Sometimes agents will have remaindered stock that they will sell to students. How do trade fairs work? They will only have sampling at the fairs. Visitors have to be accredited before they can order from them. As a student you can’t just walk onto a stand and order fabric. As a journalist, at the trade fairs, I visit companies in different sectors I know that readers will want to know about, because they are forward-looking trendsetters, innovative, or particularly good at fabric in a certain sector. However I have learnt that through experience. As a newcomer it is hard. Before going to any trade show a student designer really needs to do their homework. They can become familiar with names through magazines. Premiere Vision does put companies in their different categories in the catalogue, which helps. The trendboards is another way of getting to understand the trends and who does what. But as a designer you will have no idea of whether the companies are innovative or not unless you go to the fairs. Some companies won’t see you without an appointment. One way of doing it is to go through agents. Agents are not usually very happy to see students, but on the other hand the more forward-looking agents will understand that students are likely to be their future customers. The list of agents in the PV catalogue is extremely useful, and a good reference point to start with. But you still have to sort them out; you can only do that through trial and error unless you get information from someone who knows. If a graduate is going to work in a company, the company itself will have their own database of fabric sources they use, all the major companies have sourcing departments for fabric sourcing. There is a lot of interest in the environmental impact of the fashion ­industry. Is this something students need to think about when sourcing fabrics? People are slowly becoming aware of environmental needs in the production of fabrics. And it is becoming increasingly vital that people investigate how fabrics are made. There is a lot of work going on, for instance in the chemistry of production, with dyers looking at low-impact dyes. Every single fibre is being looked at for its sustainability and, as you know, cotton growing is high on the nonsustainable side. The growing of cotton is one of the thorniest problems. There are changes being made in systems of growing cotton, but it still has a long way to go. Organically grown cotton is increasing, but it generally has a lower yield, but demand for organic cotton has grown. Linen and ramie are being promoted a lot more, because they are more environmentally sustainable. Bamboo is also being promoted. But it is important to note that the bamboo fibre mostly in the market now is actually a viscose. Bamboo fibre can be done in two ways: as a soft viscose fibre, derived from cellulose in exactly the same way as ordinary viscose, which means it is reconstituted though a

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very intense chemical process. But bamboo can also be processed like linen, which means it is a bast fibre taken from the stalk. Austrian fibre company Lenzing processes and produces cellulosic fibres, viscose and lyocell (Tencel), which it promotes as being processed in an environmentally sustainable way. Where do you start with fabric forecasting? We would start two years ahead of the retail season thinking about the colours. Seasonal colours are based on what went before and sometimes it is just feeling around something that may be happening— such as a particular film or exhibition (such as the Rothko exhibition, or Anish Kapoor and now the Van Gogh), which may be influential. Forecasters generally get together; we have something here called the British Textile Colour Group (BTCG), and form their ideas. That gets put forward to something called ­InterColour, formed from consultants all over the world, which give people in the business the opportunity to discuss ideas with each other. It starts with the fibre with the colour card and it goes to the spinners first, then on to the weavers and printers etc. Then the trade fairs put forward their colour trends for the season, usually put together by a consultation group. Does everyone show around that colour card? More or less, though some companies will have their own ideas. But it should to be in line with the thinking to some extent. It is to the company’s advantage to have ideas similar to what is going on in the rest of the industry. The knitwear yarns show Pitti Filati in Florence, for instance, is a good place to start with colour. This is an important event, though because we are losing spinners in Europe, the fair is becoming smaller. There are the fabric trade shows in Milan in Italy, in Munich in Germany and Lille and Paris in France. Then there are those in the Far East—Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Project: Fabric Trend Report Visit the Premiere Vision Web site, and watch the video for the current season and read the press releases. See what other Web sites have to say about the fabrics on show at Premiere Vision. How are they described? What are the fabric trends in terms of colour, texture and finishes? Write up your own fabric trend report for the season.

Summary In this chapter we have covered some of the basic textile terminology that you may come across when you are working in the fashion industry. We have discussed why it is important to understand the basics of textile technology regardless of the role that you are going to have in fashion. The chapter also discussed the different ways of sourcing fabrics and trimmings as a student and when you move into working in the industry. Textiles are fascinating and complex, and if you want to find out more about them and have a deeper understanding of textile technology, the books and Web sites referenced in this section will help you to achieve this.

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references and further reading Anstey, H., and Weston, T. (1997), The Anstey Weston Guide to Textile Terms, London: Weston. Bowles, M. (2009), Digital Textile Design, London: ­Laurence King. Clarke, S.E.B. (2006), Techno Textiles 2, rev. ed., London: Thames & Hudson. Cole, D. (2008), Textiles Now, London: Laurence King. Collier, B. J. (2001), Understanding Textiles, 6th ed., Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Elsasser, V. H. (2010), Textiles: Concepts and Principles, 3rd ed., New York: Fairchild. Fabrics.net (nd), ‘Manufactured or Man Made Fibers’

org/teknicolour/teknol_textile_dyeing/teknol_­ textile_dyeing_1.htm (accessed 10 November 2009). Udale, J. (2008), Basics Fashion Design: Textiles and Fashion, Lausanne: AVA. University of Alberta California (2003), ‘Smart Textiles: Smart Technology’ [Web page]. Available at: http:// www.ualberta.ca/~jag3/smart_textiles/Page_5. html (accessed 11 November 2009). Vectortuts+ (2009), ‘A Beginners Guide to Digital Textile Printing’ [Web page]. Available at: http:// vector.tutsplus.com/tutorials/tools-tips/a-begin ners-guide-to-digital-textile-printing/#more-3189 (accessed 3 January 2010).

[Web page]. Available at: http://www.fabrics.net/ manufact.asp (accessed 10 November 2009). Hibbert, R. (2001), Textile Innovation: Traditional, Mod-

websites

ern and Smart Textiles, London: Line. Kight, K. (2009), ‘My Big Digital Fabric Printing Experi-

AJS Embroidery http://www.ajs-embroidery.co.uk/

ment’, True Up [blog]. Available at: http://www.

The Colour Experience http://www.colour-experience.org

trueup.net/?p=5364 (accessed 2 January 2010).

eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk

Ohio State University (nd), ‘Textile and Costume Collections on the Internet’ [Web page]. Available at: http://isthmia.osu.edu/teg/hist787/textiles.htm

Fabrics.net http://www.fabrics.net FiberSource: The Manufactured Fiber Industry http:// www.fibersource.com/ Henry Bertrand Silks http://www.henrybertrand.co.uk

(accessed 2 January 2010). Organic Trade Association (2009), ‘Organic Cotton

Intercolour http://www.intercolor.nu/welcome.html

Facts’ [Web page]. Available at: http://www.ota.

Pitti Filati http://www.pittimmagine.com/en/fiere/filati/

com/organic/mt/organic_cotton.html

Premiere Vision Paris Le Salon http://www.premierevi

(accessed

sion.fr/?page=01&lang=en

23 January 2010). Society of Dyers and Colourists (nd), ‘Textile Dyeing,

Shima Seiki http://www.shimaseiki.com

Introduction’ [Web page], The Colour Experience.

Textile Resource Guide http://cltad-web.arts.ac.uk/trog

Available

VV Rouleaux Ribbons http://www.vvrouleaux.com

at:

http://www.colour-experience.

chapter 5 trends and forecasting Chapter Overview The fashion industry is driven by trends in colour, textiles, silhouette and styling. Being able to identify and forecast these trends is a skill that anyone working within the fashion industry has to acquire. In this chapter we discuss the source of trends, the work of trend-prediction companies and the role of trade shows in shaping the trends that reach the high street. The chapter contains interviews and case studies with people whose job is to identify and predict trends and suggests strategies to help you to identify emerging trends. The impact of globalization in the fashion industry and the increased fragmentation of the market are also explored. This chapter includes: • What are fashion trends? • Where do trends come from? • Interview with David Wolfe • Is fashion forecasting an art or a science? • Interview with Martin Raymond of the Future Laboratory • Trend forecasting companies and services • Interview with Fiona Jenvey • Other sources of trend information • Interview with Kim Mannino of Promostyl • Case study: Nelly Rodi • Strategies for analysing trend information • Communicating trends.

what are fashion trends?

consumer. Trend forecasters gather information

Trends develop from wider issues in society. These

blogs, social networking sites, newspapers and

are often called macro trends and relate to how

television, film, the theatre and cultural events.

people are thinking about issues, changing or

They look at which books are selling and becom-

adapting their lifestyles and engaging with wider

ing influential, patterns of consumer behaviour

social, political or economic concerns. At this level

and celebrity lifestyles. Amongst all of this informa-

trends are not specific to a particular product or

tion they look for commonalities that may be the

from a myriad of sources including the Internet,

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underpinnings of a new trend. They then look for

information need to be very clear about who their

evidence to support their feelings about the trend

consumer is and which trends their consumer is

and think about how it translates into fashion.

likely to adopt. This information is particularly important in the fast-moving youth market where trends move

where do trends come from?

so quickly that it is easy to miss them. To keep

It used to be widely accepted that fashions

cies send out scouts to festivals, nightclubs and

started on the catwalks and amongst consumers

music events in order to report back on what the

who had a high social and economic status and

most influential trendsetters are wearing, doing

that these trends then found their way down to

and talking about.

abreast of youth trends, a lot of prediction agen-

the high street and the mass market. When the

Some trends develop over a period of time

trend became widely accepted, the trend innova-

and last for a long time. Others develop, take

tors moved on to another trend; this is known as

hold and disappear very quickly; these are some-

trickle-down theory (Simmel 1957). Trends can

times referred to as fads. Some trends are global,

also start on the street and among lower social

whereas others are localized.

economic groups and subcultures. These trends

Celebrities are also influential trendsetters. The

are spotted and used by designers for inspiration

fashion press watch what the celebrities are wear-

and so find their way onto the catwalks and then

ing and report on it extensively in magazines such

into the upper classes of society (trickle-up the-

as OK, Hello and Grazia. These trends are quickly

ory). Some styles develop in one or more sections

picked up by the manufacturers and translated

of society and then cross over into others (trickle-

into styles for the mass market. Influential figures

across theory) (King 1963). There may be many

include Sienna Miller, Kate Moss and Madonna.

fashion trends at any one time, and they may vary

Kate and Madonna have both ventured into pro-

according to social group or geographic location.

ducing their own ranges: Kate for Topshop and

The advent of the Internet has meant that fash-

Madonna for H&M. The online retailer ASOS

ion trends can spread more quickly as people can

(http://www.asos.com) has built a very success-

access trend information more rapidly and eas-

ful business around interpreting celebrity trends

ily, seeing what is happening on the catwalks and

and making them quickly available at affordable

what celebrities and trendsetters are wearing.

prices through the Internet.

There is an argument that the market is now so

It is possible to identify trends from previous de-

fragmented that the old model where what hap-

cades that have re-emerged; for example at the

pened on the catwalk influenced the high street

time of writing this book there is a lot of talk about

and what happened on the street inspired design-

structured and padded shoulders making a resur-

ers has been replaced by ‘niche markets, where

gence. This look was last popular in the 1980s.

the consumer’s aspiration is brand led and lifestyle

However, previous trends never emerge as an exact

driven’ (McKelvey and Munslow 2008: 1). This

copy; there must always be some accommodation

makes the job of forecasting trends more complex

for the contemporary consumer since otherwise it

and means that companies that are using trend

looks too retro and will not be accepted.

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111

Jacket  by Anne Marie Beretta (1979). Courtesy of the Woolmark Company. ­Reproduced with permission.

You will sometimes come across books and

Technological advances and easy access to

magazines talking about a swing in fashion. This

trend information have disrupted the traditional

refers to an extreme change, for example from the

flow of trend information to the point that a trend

miniskirt to a maxi dress, from a tailored look to un-

will sometimes die before it has had time to de-

structured styles or from a very sophisticated look to

velop. People also travel more, so trends have

a peasant style. These shifts are driven by a desire

become more global; this is particularly notice-

for novelty and change. Sometimes the changes

able in the luxury market, where brands have

happen very quickly, but other times the change will

become popular and recognized throughout the

happen over an extended period (Brannon 2005).

world.

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Outfit  by Maison Martin Margiela during the Autumn/Winter 2010/11 ­ready-to-wear collection show on March 5, 2010, in Paris. AFP Getty. ­Reproduced with permission.

One of the current issues that trend forecasters

affect not only fashion companies but also indus-

need to be aware of is consumer demographics.

try and society as a whole. One thing is certain:

The age of the world’s population is increasing,

you need to understand your consumers in order

and the number of younger consumers is de-

to understand which trends they might be willing

creasing. There is a growing awareness that older

to adopt. A good design team will be able to in-

people are becoming more fashion conscious

troduce their customers to new trends and ideas

and may provide new markets. Changes in de-

whilst still enabling them to recognize and relate

mographics are the sort of large-scale trends that

to their product.

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113

Project: Trend Tracking Identify a key trend from the catwalk collections and trade show reports for the current season. Research previous seasons to see whether the trend is new or has developed. How long do you think this trend will last, and which product groups do you think it is relevant to? Who do you think are the consumers who will buy into this trend? Follow the trend to see if it transfers from the catwalk into mainstream fashion: how has it evolved to meet the needs of the consumer?

Interview with David Wolfe David Wolfe has worked in trend forecasting from the earliest days of forecasting agencies, and he has identified a major shift in the way that trends now work. What is your current role? My role at Doneger Group is senior trend forecaster; I joined the group twenty years ago to develop an in-house trend forecasting business. Up to that point the company had always bought in the trend information. Mr Abbey Doneger the owner of the group decided that the smart thing to do was to stop paying for the information and bring it in house, to own a trend business within the company that could service our clients and also offer a service that could be sold to the market. I had the advantage of inventing and defining a trend business for the third time in my career. My first trend job was as creative director at a company called IM International in London. That company started in 1967 and we started forecasting trends in 1969. I was there for ten years and then I started my own company in London called TFS (The Fashion Service) I had that company for ten years before returning to the States and coming here to Doneger. When did trend forecasting start as a business? Literally November 1969, I created the very first trend forecast. It was a logical development because of the timing, before that time trends did not need to be forecast because of the way trends were created before trending, as we know it in the 1970s. Before that, it was really just about the changing influences of colour, fabric and silhouette and designers gave very esoteric names to their collections. (Like Dior’s famous ‘Corelle’ collection, French for ‘flower-shaped’ which become known globally as ‘The New Look’). As fashion speeded up in the 1960s and 1970s, designers like Kenzo began to create trends that were head-to-toe ‘stories’ (pirate or Indian or retro periods). These fashion dramas then became known as trends and they are what most of the industry is still trying to work with now; that definition of trends has outlived its usefulness. Fashion is always a reflection of the society that we are living in and society now is so fragmented and fractured and tribalized that it is impossible to either forecast or manipulate the fashion mainstream; which is what you have to do really to make those types of trends still work. Trends still work but in very small market sectors and there isn’t as much cross-pollination any longer. However designers and manufacturers haven’t awakened to that fact. A terrific designer like Alexander McQueen may

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Model ‘New Look’ of Christian Dior (France, 1947).  Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

create a look in his collection, dramatize it and send it down the runway, thus inspiring other designers all over the world to adopt that look/trend and put their own interpretation on it for subsequent seasons. That does not happen anymore or so rarely that there is not a true trickle-down system in place anymore. What Alexander McQueen does is right for the person who is interested in him and nobody else. Is that the influence of media and the Internet? Absolutely, I think that we are living in the democratization-of-fashion era. It is destroying the old systems. The new system is challenging and interesting and certainly vital but it is breaking down all the methods that had propped up the entire global fashion industry, all those companies and processes.

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How does the industry need to change? The new system is much more like social networking; it is more personalized and it takes more detailed psychological study of your potential customers. There is still a role for the trend forecasters but they have had to learn to speak a new language. Trend forecasters are talking a dead language, as dead as Latin. When you create colour palettes that are essentially the same year after year and give them tricky new names every year that nobody pays attention to, there is something wrong. I think the perpetuation of so-called trendy fashion is a big fat lie, which is killing the industry. What advice would you give to a student who wants to enter the world of fashion forecasting? Pay more attention to what is going on in the world and less attention to what is going on, on the runway. Students have to study history, not just fashion history and become aware of how progress happens: social, economic and artistic. Studying the past is the only way they can do that. They should read the great literary classics; one of the most illuminating authors who shows how society and fashion go hand in hand is Jane Austen. They should read anything by Jane Austen. The main challenge is to figure out where fashion fits into life. The problem is that the system used to work and was responsible for creating this monster. One of the major problems is that people who look at fashion seem to be blind to reality. There is this buzzword: ‘fast’ fashion, it isn’t the fact that it is fast, the fact is that those are the only stores that have any merchandise that is different than every store. It is differentiation that is more important than speedily knocking off Stella McCartney. The presentation I am working on at the moment is about recognizing the fact that there is so much money to be made by understanding the variety of consumers who respond to fashion, to their own definition of fashion. Today in America, women over fifty control nineteen trillion dollars of the economy and they are virtually ignored as fashion consumers. The fashion world is the real world. It is the same problem the entertainment industry has; even though it is booming, it is too narrow. There is a film out now called It’s Complicated and the movie marketers are very concerned as to whether or not it is possible to make a movie with older movie stars. It is a huge success here. The audience I saw it with was essentially old and loving it. I hope it teaches Hollywood a lesson that there are different audiences. Fashion needs to learn that same lesson. We are all living longer. I am about to be sixty-nine and a working forecaster at an age when I would have been put out to pasture twenty years ago. I don’t think we have leadership in the industry but also our society needs lots of different kinds of fashion and we are still trying to act as if there is one important fashion message for everyone; it is not true. What do you think about the influence of bloggers? I think it is insanity because fashion bloggers often seem to know nothing about fashion as an industry, a craft or even an art form. One of the problems is that everyone wears clothes and if you wear clothes you think you are an expert. The fall and decline of the fashion education system in the

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world has a lot to do with accepting people who have no training, no taste or judgement as arbiters of fashion. Did the industry need a shake-up? I think the fashion industry was dying on the vine. It is vital, it is interesting and it is changing because the world is changing so dramatically. Unfortunately fashion this century has got so much attention and it has changed so dramatically over the last fifty years that design change has burned out. Everything it is possible to change has been changed, again and again. The only real changes going forward are technological changes in techno textiles, new technical ways of communicating about fashion, distributing and manufacturing it and inventorying it. What is causing consternation in the fashion industry is how to maximize profit in a set-up where individuals are creating their own personal trends. How can the industry change? The industry has to come to grips with the fact that everybody can’t be an empire. We need small businesses to fulfil small changeable needs. Every young person I talk to expects to become the next Ralph Lauren or a Louis Vuitton. That is wrong. Fashion is a craft for one thing and there are a lot of people interested in fashion who are not interested in the craft or construction or the artistry of creating fashion; they are in it for the money. They all have the expectation that they must manufacture thousands and that also is wrong for everybody. There is room in fashion for small businesses to thrive and not grow and become publictraded empires. The same thing happened in the movie industry when the first generation of creative studio owners like Sam Goldwyn and Louis B. Mayer got booted out by the accountants that homogenized the product and made it bland. People in America are waking up; the buzzword at the moment is differentiate. They are all looking for ways to differentiate from their competitors but because it is all so huge they can’t find a way. What is your vision for the next five years? I think five years is too short to see a big change; we will see the continuing death rattle of the current system malfunctioning all over the place. In maybe ten years from now the dust will have settled and we will have a two-tier fashion industry. A small sector of creative artistic fashion with a capital F that will not be run by giant fashion conglomerates in the same way that in music we have opera and opera lovers who support it and it doesn’t influence the rest of the music world. Then we have pop music. What I think fashion will turn out to be is a lot of big manufacturers with very specific identities creating apparel and accessories for very segmented social and economic demographic groups. Is this going to be a global phenomenon? Yes globalization of fashion is a given; the Internet is truly turning us into a global community. It is good and bad but it is not as interesting and truly diverse as it used to be.

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is fashion forecasting an art or a science?

to interiors. Everything we consume can be af-

The majority of experts interviewed for this chap-

on trends and then engage in research to con-

ter believe that fashion forecasting is a mixture

firm that those instincts are right. The contribu-

of art and science, that you have to be able to

tors to this book often described the ability to

analyse the information available but also develop

spot trends as based on experience and the abil-

your own instincts. Fashion forecasting used to

ity to draw upon a wide range of references and

be a very specific job, and indeed many people

contacts.

are still paid specifically to perform this function. However, trendspotting and interpretation have now become a ubiquitous part of being in the fashion industry. The key to using trend information is to be able to analyse it and decide how it relates to your market and consumer. Trends are not just used by fashion designers; they are used by

fected by broader trends in the market. Good fashion forecasters use their instincts to pick up

Forecasting is watching, observing, using the Internet, being in places, from fashion shows to cocktail bars, art galleries to music concerts. I even spend some of my time in Paris just sitting in cafes people watching, observing how they are dressed. Then these observations start to generate ideas.

anyone involved in the development of products, from cars to chocolates, from white goods

—Richard Sardouk, trend forecaster

Interview with Martin Raymond of the Future Laboratory The Future Laboratory was established in November 2001. It is recognized for its innovative approach to forecasting, using ethnographic research tools and a creative, qualitative outlook to help brands, retailers, designers and marketing and consumer research departments gain better insights into market directions and the future products or brands consumers may need. It also offers lifestyle analysis, brand development and consumer network building. The Future Laboratory (http://www.thefuturelaboratory.com) aims to provide inspirational, thought-provoking presentations which will ignite, invigorate and provoke debate. Dr Martin Raymond is the cofounder and futures director at the Future Laboratory. He is the editor and chief of LS:N Global, the Future Laboratory’s online consumer insight and innovation network, and is author of two books, The Tomorrow People: Future Consumers and How to Read Them Today (Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2003), and The Trend Forecaster’s Handbook (Laurence King, 2010). A fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, he is also a regular contributor on trends and business to the BBC. How does the Future Laboratory work? The Future Laboratory is a company broken into three divisions, Future Poll, LS:N Global, and The Future Laboratory proper. Future Poll is an information-based research arm that provides clients

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­ p-to-the-minute insights on consumer change via online, face-to-face and field-based surveys and u interviews. LS:N Global, our online global lifestyle network takes this quant-based data, and digs deep into it to offer members and clients a richer, more insightful snapshot of how consumer behaviour globally has an impact on key shifts in the culture in ways that affect the kind of brands, products and services they use, or how designers create these product for them. The Future Laboratory uses these insights, and the knowledge accrued from doing so to work with clients to make their brands more strategic, future-faced and consumer friendly. The reason we have the three divisions is that the process of trend forecasting and consumer insight very much imitates this process. We call this process ‘cultural triangulation’. It is a threepronged approach that underpins much of our work. Simply put it, good forecasting is all about interrogation (Future Poll), observation (LS:N Global) and strategic intuition (the Future Laboratory). By interrogation we mean using a range of techniques and methodologies—from online polling, to interviews, to desk research, to expert panel discussions and interviews to reveal as much as there can be revealed about a new or emerging change in the culture. But because people sometimes don’t know what they are doing, or indeed the new context in which they are doing it, we use ethnographic, videographic and field research techniques to watch them doing what they are doing so that we can match their answers with their activities and see if the two add up—which in most cases they don’t. People have official ways of describing what they do—activities that conform to what people expect them to do, but when they do something, how they do it can be radically different: and it is in this difference that the good forecaster can see the new and emerging gap or change taking place that will suggest bigger trends. Finally, comes intuition, or rather strategic intuition where the forecaster, based on all research, insights and previous knowledge gained, uses their powers of reasoning, deduction and inference to make strategic conclusions about what they are seeing, and what they know, and what they have been taught to make, what is described as a cognitive leap to draw a bigger conclusion from what it is they are seeing. This is what good prediction is really about: more a science than art, but using the art of science to more readily and intelligently inform you how the future will change if certain factors, or key changes are already taking place. Simply put, if it rains upstream, all things being equal, and all possibilities taken into account, there will be a flood downstream. . . To ensure that we are taking on board all opinions, expert and average ones, we use household panels across the UK and Europe (interrogated via Future Poll), expert panels called Futures 100 panels who are made up of experts, academics, authors, scientists, technologists, architects, designers, lifestyle creatives (all interviewed by LS:N Global’s insight team), and the collective but strategic intuitions of the Future Laboratory’s core team of analysts to pull the whole process together in a way that makes it credible, intelligible and risk friendly to clients. At all levels, and across fourteen industries or sectors—from beauty, to fashion, to automotive, to technology and alcohol—we are working with people who are looking all the time at tasting, reading, and engaging with culture, especially culture that is at the edge of things as opposed to mainstream: in short we are trying to determine what is new and next rather than what is normal and mainstream.

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So how do you map and define trends and how they affect people? We create a thing called a trend cartogram. Cartograms are diagrammatic techniques used by cartographers or mapmakers to capture complex geographic data in a very simplified, illustrative but strategically revealing way. A trend cartogram is a more abstract, less formal and prescribed version of the geographer’s cartogram and it calls on the forecaster to create a map that visually and texturally represents the trend in a way that: • • • • •

Identifies the innovators of the trend (the who) Name of the trend (the what) Assesses the current impact of the trend with society (the where) Reveals the drivers or influences underpinning it (the why) The consequences of this impact in the short and medium term based on our experts’ comments and findings (the when).

For students, this is a very good way to map trends, because it allows them to ‘see’ a trend developing visually and factually, and this is a very good way indeed to notice that most consumer shifts actually come with very clear, specific and visually powerful signature, or aesthetic. Finally you will need to identify and articulate what these changes will mean to the society and culture we live in over the long term. You can, if you wish, further simply these headings into five titles or phrases as follows: • • • •

Trend innovators Trend drivers Trend impact Trend consequences

• Trend futures. Once you have these headings in place, you now need to rearrange all evidence on your board or wall to sit beneath them, and to do so as comprehensively as you can. But again, be aware of where and how you place things! If for instance, you are assembling material on that section marked innovators, and notice that some of your innovators look alike in terms of how they dress, or the technology they carry about with them (which can happen when you are categorizing a fashion or lifestyle trend) looks similar, then cluster these together. Make sure too, as you work across the board from left to right, that you form these clusters under all categories, and that you make sure you distinguish clusters beneath each heading in a way that allows any onlooker to see that a shape, or visual cluster that is present under drivers say, or trend impact, has a matching or look-alike cluster under another heading. To further validate your trend, and to improve its overall visual and textural lustre, you should break each heading up into three or more sectors or disciplines (e.g. fashion, furniture, retail

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i­nteriors, materials and finishes) to show that this is a trend that can be found in more than one industry. This editing, selection and categorization process is also referred to as trend framing. Framing a trend is about imposing a more logical, visual and texturally coherent framework around all the data you have so far collected. At this point, you should now be able to define the key characteristics of the trend—it’s about ‘austerity,’ a ‘new sense of sobriety,’ of ‘demanding less but better products’ etc—and to give it a name. The New Sobriety, or the New Seriousness, or the New Austerity. Within the section where you name the innovators of the trend, you should also include a brief synopsis of what the trend is in terms of its essential characteristics—i.e. that is a trend about a new sense of sobriety, of consumers becoming more considered and measured in their purchasing habits etc. . . . This process is a more rational and explicable version of the process that intuitive forecasters use without even knowing they are using it. Intuitive forecasting—a lot of people scoff at a forecaster like Lee Edeelkort for example because she is intuitive but in fact when you look at the scientific methods and motivations behind each intuitive forecasting strategy it is quite a powerful process; essentially it is about using the sum total of a forecaster’s abilities—their tacit knowledge streams (which is difficult to explain, because it is something you ‘know’), their explicit knowledge streams (provable and transferable knowledge) and what the French refer to as their coup d’oeil (the ability to sum something up at a glance on your experience over time of a particular subject or area) and the author Malcolm Gladwell calls thin slicing to reach what seems to be a lightning decision that seems not to have any logical justification or explanation attached. Collaborative networks—Another kind of forecasting to consider is network forecasting, or collaborative network forecasting. Collaborative networks are increasingly the networks of choice of a new generation of forecaster who sees the Internet and the potentials and opportunities it offers in terms of connectivity, as the sensible way to tap into new and emerging trends on a global basis. In a collaborative network, information, knowledge and insight flows across the network as well as up, down and along it. It is therefore a network built on relationships, collaborations and more intimate and personal interactions between all network members—managers and members alike. This collaborative way of tapping into the culture is a much better way of understanding consumers than carrying out focus groups, as many forecasting organizations increasingly do. Focus groups presuppose that there is something that you want to focus on. But what if the issue you are focusing on, isn’t the issue that that you should be focusing on? Good collaborative networks should also contain people from different backgrounds, disciplines, races and social outlooks (a strong heterophilous network in other words) so that the material they are delivering will reflect this and make your network richer and deeper and more reflective of culture as a consequence. Vanilla networks, as in ones that contain the same kind of people usually deliver vanilla—as in bland—findings and insights. To ensure that your network functions as a collaborative network (as opposed to a hierarchical one), it is important to recruit members who in turn have a large following within their own network. This is known as testing the ‘fitness’ of a network. You can judge their suitability or fitness by examining the

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content of their Web site, blog, and home page etc., and by doing the same with a cross-section of their ‘friends’. You can have as many hubs (people whom you trust and can work with reliably) as you like on your network, and those hubs in turn can have as many members as they in turn wish, but it is important that you share all views and insights gathered with your hubs on a regular basis. These hubs in turn will make sure that all relevant information passed on, is in turn sent on to members within their own network or cluster. While hierarchical network members are usually paid in credits, or money, collaborative networkers are usually paid in knowledge and insight—in other words they will help you, if you continue to help them. This is known as ‘network reciprocity’. And the best networks thrive and flourish when the majority of its members—especially those who are deemed to be the hubs within the network— exchange ideas and correspondences on a regular basis. As the instigator, you will be expected to be the most active and live member or hub on your collaborative network. Indeed, in many ways you will be expected to steer it, and to make sure that it is fulfilling its original purpose and role. Scenario planning is another technique used by forecasters. To do it, you need to follow nine steps or stages. In turn, these stages can be broken down into two distinct categories; steps or stages that roughly involve a process of ‘breathing in,’ where information is gathered, and the primary thesis or question under scrutiny determined and articulated, and ‘breathing out,’ exercises or processes where the inputs are synthesized, and transformed into a number of scenarios that are then tested against the original question or thesis. Once this is done, you will find yourself with a set of key scenarios that are most likely to contain all of the elements that will impact on the overall success of your product launch, or if you are attempting to test the impact of a trend, all issues that will affect how people accept, or reject it. To reach this point, it is important to keep an open mind at all nine stages of the planning process: as with strategic intuition, scenario planning requires you to be imaginative, creative and collaborative in your approach to asking questions and to seeking out answers. As the French scenario planner, Professor Michel Godet puts it, scenario planning, ‘is an art, an intellectual art that requires a poet’s imagination, knowledge, common sense and a healthy dose of nonconformity . . .’ At each stage then, you must be curious, challenging, comprehensive, but also lateral, and determined to ‘think the unthinkable’. But before you do this, it is important to consider upfront, what it is you are trying to answer in the first place! These techniques used individually, or combined offer businesses more credible ways to carry out consumer forecasting. But I think brands, business and services are generally suspicious because they see it as mysterious—other. Forecasters are not transparent with the techniques they use (or in some cases can’t actually explain them) so more traditional businesses tend to shy away from them, using more provable marketing measures and metrics to do their work. Which is wrong—market research can tell you what consumers know, not what they don’t know: so as Henry Ford once famously put it, if I asked consumers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse. In other words they couldn’t have said a car because they had no idea what a car was, or indeed what could make it travel so fast—the internal combustion engine. So we need to be aware of this when we are forecasting: and this is why we insist that brands use our three-pronged approach, so that all possibilities, even the improbable ones, are taken into account.

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Retail is now driven by the bottom as opposed to the top of the market and for trend forecasting the great problem we now have is that the official six trends a year issued by PV or by the International Colour Association or by Peclers or Trend Union no longer apply to a store that is temporary, mobile, about the bespoke one-off. Fashion, like many industries, is just failing to keep up with the changes bubbling up around them. The Internet is allowing the customer to sidestep the catwalk, and access trends, or those who are influencing them, in more transparent and intimate ways. Consider how long it took designers to recognize that bloggers were becoming more important than magazine editors? In essence fashion is a reactive medium, and because of this, as a forecasting company, we tend to place it low on our priority; in terms of an industry we look to for ideas. Fashion for us, is where we look to when trends have trickled down from the world of design, interiors, product making, packaging, social and cultural shifts—then we look at how fashion is responding. As an industry, or a sector where change is noted first—furniture design, product design, textile design, interiors, etc. have become the ones to look to. What advice would you give to students who want to get into forecasting? Three things, observation, intuition and interrogation, they have to have those three strengths to succeed. They have to be able to observe and train themselves to observe the world around them, and to interrogate it in a credible, curious, comprehensive and in-depth way. Each student has to build up a backlog of knowledge, and lifestyle connections in a way that helps them become more intuitive and lateral about the world. This isn’t about being an effective Googler—this is information after all, not insight—but about experiencing the world, via all five of your senses. It is important to work with your five senses not one sense. And the Internet? A good tool for secondary research, but remember this, once it is online and catalogued, it is pretty much dead data. As a forecaster you need to be live, always on, and always experience new people, ideas and cultural shifts. This can’t be done by remote. So look around you and see what is happening, so you can see and understand things differently. And when you interrogate things, ask yourself the following questions: what’s new, what’s next, who is instigating these changes, why, with whom, and how will it affect the rest of us. Forecasters need to be open: if you are prejudiced, or believed that forecasting is about making pronouncements then you will soon fail to see what is new and next, because it is usually in the areas we have no interest in—science, technology, biotech, stem cell, informatics where the truly life-changing trends are bubbling up. There are also a lot forecasting companies like the Future Laboratory, PSFK, Trendwatch.com, the Futures Company, Peclers etc., with free online networks or sites you can monitor or indeed join to improve your skills and knowledge of the world. But your own trend notebooks are of vital importance, having them, updating them, using them whenever, and wherever you notice something, new, next, anomalous. The more you catalogue things, the more you get a feeling for what a trend is, and the more you get these feelings, the more you understand forecasting itself—and once you lay these things— these ideas, images, words, fragments—out and examine them, the more you will make strategic and intuitive connections between them. And this is where the journey of a good forecaster begins. Spotting patterns, cultural shifts, spotting them, but then naming, framing and interpreting them.

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Denver Art Museum, Frederic C. Hamilton Building.  Architect: Studio Daniel Libeskind; lead ­architect: Daniel Libeskind. Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

Project: Starting a Trend File Start to collect articles from newspapers, magazines and blogs that interest you. They could be about world events, finance, new designers and so on. After two to three months of collecting information, start to edit and categorize it. Do you see any patterns emerging? Are there any issues that are being widely talked about? Do you think any of these issues might affect the consumer or the fashion industry?

trend forecasting companies and services

one trend service to help them to make sense

So much information is available today and

information. Having a global network means

key trends can develop from so many different

they are able to cross-reference information and

sources that most companies will employ at least

to cover a far greater range of information than

of the information available. These services employ networks of people whose job is to gather

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an individual could. It can be more economic for

and if society is not ready for a trend, consumers

a company to use these services than to send

will reject it.

their own team out to do the research.

Trend predictions are not there to be copied

Fashion companies use trend forecasters be-

wholesale. Companies that do so often find that

cause it saves them time and money and helps

they have made a mistake because the trend has

them to avoid making costly mistakes by pro-

not been adapted to suit their consumer. It is the

ducing the wrong products at the wrong time. If

job of the designers and buyers within a com-

the manufacturer creates the wrong product, the

pany to analyse the trends and assess their suit-

company will not make a profit and may go out of

ability for their market. A very young trend with

business. The lead time for creating products can

lots of bright colours and graphics may well suit a

be up to two years, and this is the normal time

company producing club wear or casual sports-

frame within which forecasters work; however,

wear for the youth market, and it may be able to

the advent of fast fashion has meant a reduc-

use the trend whilst making minor adaptations. A

tion in the time frame for manufacturing. Some

company that makes tailored clothing for the older

companies such as Zara and Mango are able to

market may decide that this trend is not relevant

respond to demand and bring in new lines very

to its consumer, or it may adapt small elements

quickly; they can get a product from sketch to the

from the trend, a highlight colour for accessories,

shop floor in as little as ten days. This has ac-

for example.

celerated the rate at which trends develop and

As well as producing generic trend reports,

become tired (Brannon 2005). These companies

most trend companies also engage in customized

use the latest technology to monitor what is sell-

work for individual clients, in the form of consumer

ing in their stores and adjust their manufacturing

research or marketing and communications,

accordingly.

product development and brand strategy. Some

There are arguments about whether fashion

of the key trend forecast companies include Carlin

trends are self-fulfilling. Some think that because

International, Design Intelligence, Future Labora-

everyone buys into the trend services and uses

tory, Infomat, Mudpie, Nelly Rodi, Peclers, Pro-

the trends they predict, the trends then become

mostyl, Stylesight, Trendstop, Trend Union and

a reality. The major trade shows are attended

WGSN. The Web addresses for these companies

by the main players in the fashion industry, and

are listed at the end of this chapter.

here they are exposed to the colour boards and

Mudpie is a UK-based trend company that

trendboards that have been previously agreed

produces trend books and online information for

on by other influencers in the industry, which has

womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, prints

the effect of emphasizing the predicted trend

and patterns (http://www.mpdclick.com, http://

(Diane 2004). There is probably a certain ele-

www.mudpie.co.uk). Fiona Jenvey, the CEO, set

ment of truth to this, but the trend influencers are

up the company and explains how they identify

themselves gathering information from society,

and interpret trends.

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125

Interview with Fiona Jenvey What was the inspiration for starting Mudpie? Did you identify a particular gap in the market? I never intended to start a business, and would describe myself as an accidental entrepreneur. You could say that my inspiration was finding myself a job. I was made redundant in 1992 at the age of twenty-two when the private label supplier I worked for went into administration. My motivation was paying my mortgage and I started off freelancing for all the high street retailers I had worked with previously as a designer for a supplier. Mudpie started as a design consultancy, the way I worked in the early days was to put my client in direct contact with the manufacturer on the understanding that I would continue to work on trends, colours, concepts and final artwork for the retailer. How would you describe the methodology that you use to identify which trends are going to be important? Every trend forecaster has their own way of working. My own interests extend far beyond fashion and these are what I use for the basis of trend research. I am a firm believer in the predictive benefits of politics and economics and other drivers of social change as an accurate forecaster of future trends. At Mudpie we have a trends team; each person has an area, which reflects their personal interests. These include art, architecture, politics, economics, media, entertainment, technology and social sciences. Our trends team look at these areas and we aggregate both the popular and emerging themes. We know our trends are very accurate; my role is to ensure that our predicted trends meet market maturation at the same time as the selling season we have forecast it for. Often it is not a case of an inaccurately predicted trend; it is that the timing is inaccurate. These methods prove themselves time and time again in our published trends which look just as good in the current selling season as they did twenty-eight months beforehand when we created them. Why does the fashion industry need trend forecasters? The fashion industry needs forecasters more than it thinks it does; other product-related industries look much longer range. Automotive design, interiors and architecture as well as consumer hardlines design for a decade rather than a season, or in the case of architecture the design often represents the attitudes of an entire generation. One of the problems with the retail environment today is the fixation with the runway rather than own design. Runway and celebrity inspiration is fine for a fun fast-fashion line, however it should not replace consumer insight or become a way of shortcutting creativity. Looking at the consumer allows the brand, retailer and designer to understand the bigger picture. Currently the profits of almost every high street retailer depend on a rework of the same runway collections, creating a dangerous precedent where ubiquitous poor-quality product can only be differentiated by price. I firmly believe in the words of Alan Kay, the pioneering computer scientist ‘The best way to predict the future is to invent it’. Brands, retailers and designers should use trend information as a tool for creating an original desirable product, which represents the values of the brand—this is something that Topshop Unique does very well, and could be done by other creative retailers in a very commercial way.

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Who uses your information and how do they use it? For example are they all fashion clients? We created our information with the fashion industry in mind, which has made it popular with a broad range of industries; our trend services sell to car manufacturers, financial institutions, mobile phone brands and pharmaceutical companies as well as a broad range of fashion brands and retailers. Today every product is a fashion product and therefore influenced by fashion trends. Currently there is a trend for longevity and classic as a reaction to both considered consumption and sustainability (buy better less often)—this translates in fashion to vintage, design re-issues or ‘vintage-inspired,’ and the same is true for cars, architecture, and interiors—look at the re-design of the Fiat 500 for example. The Fiat 500 will not last forever, nevertheless it represents classic and is an accessible statement of vintage brand values. Has the fashion forecasting process changed in recent years? The process itself has not really changed, but the way that we locate the information comes much more via online than from print, although most of the real inspiration comes from online versions of printed publications. Online has also created infinite sources of information which has made the job both easier because of the ease of locating information and harder since a greater mass of intelligence needs to be developed into meaningful trend information. How do you think trend forecasting will evolve in the future? I think the big changes will occur in the delivery of the information. There is something interesting developing between the virtual worlds of Second Life, Science Sim and augmented reality. Augmented reality will give us a means of creating a ‘trend environment,’ this opens up new possibilities for presenting information, which is neither purely, online or in print. AR could be used for something as simple as understanding the application of the trend, for example a merchandiser could test how a range could look in an augmented reality store environment. We could see how the consumer reacts to a trend—how would our trend for AW 11/12 ‘the New Equilibrium’ feel to the consumer. I can certainly see an augmented reality trend presentation happening in the future. How do you analyse the accuracy of your predictions? We publish ‘forecast right on track,’ a report within our site Mpdclick which looks at how accurate our forecasts are in the current selling season. Any trend company can point to random areas of accuracy. If we predict three trends all three need to be right. In summer 2009 we presented our ‘forecast right on track’ to a well-known London financial institution and they were shocked at the accuracy of the information which we had worked on three years earlier, especially as it accurately predicted the recession, which even the Economist admitted in print that it failed to foresee. How does Mudpie differ from other trend agencies? What is your unique selling point? Because of the way we do our research we are very forward thinking. This not only applies to our trends but also to the DNA of our business. We are a very collaborative in a traditional industry, which is often shrouded in secrecy. Innovation for us is not about the latest technology, but about how that

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127

Garment trend information.  ­ Courtesy of Mudpie. Reproduced with permission.

technology delivers our information. For example we pioneered a live trend seminar with our participation in the world’s first ‘virtual’ trend conference in Science Sim in December 2009. Mudpie has a very successful design consultancy which works with brands, retailers and suppliers, delivering trends, colours and day-to-day design requirements this might include the creative repositioning of the entire brand or something as simple as a range of graphic T-shirts. The trend is important and so is the final application. This is not easily understood by other online services but because of our background I believe that Mudpie is the only trend company who understands how designers, brands and retailers need to work with trends. What advice would you give to a student who wants to learn how to identify and interpret trends? I would suggest developing a wide range of interests. The world of trends is an ever-expanding universe of ideas, which are shared in an ever-expanding way. It is easy to think that every answer is available

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via online blogs but often the most directional information comes from a printed newspaper in a very random way or an unexpected encounter with the creative arts. Everything available to us is just information, we can all read it and see it however it must be interpreted in a meaningful way and this involves a detailed process of gathering and distilling the information into a single common denominator, which defines the season. For A/W 11/12 we have called this ‘the New Equilibrium’ which marks the end of consumer decadence and the start of stable growth where the whole cycle of production and consumption becomes the responsibility of every consumer retailer and brand. This breaks down into three trends, Synergy, Primal and Innovate (see Plate 21).

Project: Trend Analysis Select a brand and track the styles across two to three seasons. You can do this by using their advertising, by looking at features in magazines and Web sites and by visiting the stores. Can you recognize any trends or pieces that have followed through more than one season? How have the colours and fabrics changed? Have they changed drastically or gradually? Look at the trend information for each season: how does it relate to the company’s product for that period?

other sources of trend information

are caught out by the unexpected; a particularly

Fashion companies buy information from more

thing it is particularly difficult to predict with any

than one source so they can cross-reference and

certainty.

warm winter or hot summer can drastically affect the sales of seasonal items. The weather is one

make sure they are picking the right trends to

The ideal situation for any retailer is not to have

adapt. They also carry out their own in-house re-

any stock left at the end of the season. Any sum-

search looking at trends on the catwalk and what

mer stock that is left when the autumn collections

celebrities are wearing; they look at fashion maga-

start to come in has to be marked down (sold at

zines, Web sites and blogs.

a reduced profit or in extreme cases at a loss). The more accurately retailers can predict what the

Sales Data and Market Research

consumer is going to want, the more money they

Many companies also use their sales information

will make. This is why they pay so much attention

from previous seasons. If a style has been par-

to trends.

ticularly successful, they will repeat it, perhaps in

Companies also conduct or commission mar-

a different fabric or colour or with another minor

ket research into their consumers in order to

modification. Sales information also enables them

understand what is driving their purchasing deci-

to predict how many coats or skirts they normally

sions and how they shop. This kind of qualitative

sell in a particular season, and this helps with plan-

research is as important as the quantitative re-

ning their ranges. Of course sometimes retailers

search that tells the retailers how much they are

trends and forecasting

129

selling. Understanding the consumer can help re-

trends can be based on colour, silhouette, fab-

tailers to provide the range of products and shop-

rics, styling details or accessories; even hair and

ping experience that their target customers want.

make-up are influential. Retailers know that their

Technology has also had an impact here: innova-

customers now have easy access to catwalk in-

tions such as loyalty cards have helped retailers

formation in real time via the Internet and increas-

to target specific consumer groups with special

ingly via their mobile phones.

offers and promotions that relate to products

The catwalk collections are also featured in

they know they are interested in. In an environ-

the style sheets of newspapers and magazines.

ment where the average consumer is bombarded

Many Web sites and printed publications such as

with advertising and choice, targeted and relevant

Collezioni feature and analyse the catwalk collec-

marketing is very important.

tions. Collections from the catwalk often need to be adapted or watered down to be acceptable

New Media, Blogging and the Internet

to the consumer. Designers often use the catwalk

The impact of the Internet has meant that there

as the showcase for their more extreme ideas in

are new ways of communicating trends and new

order to get press coverage, knowing that the less

ways for people to influence and communicate

extreme pieces are the ones that will actually sell

what is happening in fashion. The rise of the

when the buyers visit the showroom.

fashion blogger is one trend that has had a huge

Catwalk trends are less useful if you are aim-

impact on the industry. Fashion bloggers provide

ing to be a trend leader rather than a trend fol-

a new route for up-and-coming designers and

lower. Knowing what other designers are doing is,

brands to communicate with potential consum-

of course, useful, but you should not be copying

ers. These bloggers can have many thousands of

them. By the time their ideas hit the catwalk, de-

readers who log in for daily updates and interact

signers are usually already researching and think-

with the blog by leaving comments and giving

ing about their next collection.

feedback on the products and features. The flow of information on the Internet is much

Newspapers

faster than through traditional methods such as

Newspaper style pages are also very use-

print magazines. The latter are still influential, and

ful sources of information; the writers for these

there has in fact been a surge in new niche and

pages are very influential and well connected and

avant-garde fashion titles in recent years. However,

will often spot an emerging new talent. News-

most of the major print magazines now have an

papers such as the International Herald Tribune,

online presence that enables them to engage with

the Guardian, the Times and the New York Times

their readers and react quickly to emerging trends.

all have influential style pages and an online version (their Web addresses are at the end of this

Catwalks

chapter).

Trends from the catwalk are an important source of information for fashion retailers. Their design

Trend and Specialist Magazines

teams look for trends emerging from the catwalk

You will also find specialist trend publications

that may be relevant to their customers. These

such as Viewpoint (Netherlands) and Collezioni

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visual research methods in fashion

Screenshot from Susie Bubble’s Style Bubble fashion blog.  Courtesy of Susie Bubble. Reproduced with permission.

(Italy) very useful. The former covers macro trends

is available is R. D. Franks (http://www.rdfranks.

and gives a lot of background information about

co.uk) or mode ... information (http://www.mode

why the trend is relevant and where it is emerging.

info.com).

Other useful magazines include Textile View (Netherlands), Zoom on Fashion Trends (Italy), Best100

Trend Books

(South Korea), L Officiel 1000 Models—Menswear

Whilst there are a lot of online trend services avail-

(France) and Collezioni Uomo (Italy). You will also

able, physical trend books are still needed, as

find specialist magazines for areas such as denim,

these enable designers and buyers to feel fabric

footwear, accessories, knitwear, sportswear and

swatches. Some designers prefer to have some-

childrenswear. A good starting point to see what

thing physical in front of them, and these books

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131

often contain colour swatches, trimmings and so

or can be more general, covering inspiration,

on. Trend companies such as Nelly Rodi, Peclers

shapes and details. They often have illustrations

and Trend Union produce trend books. Trend

of key pieces as well as moodboards and colour

books can be specific to colour, yarn or fabrics

palettes.

Interview with Kim Mannino of Promostyl Kim is the director of Promostyl UK, a subsidiary of Promostyl based in Paris. Kim studied clothing at the London College of Fashion; she then worked with designers like Katherine Hamnett, Richard James and Margaret Howell. Here, she describes how Promostyl develops its colour trends. What does Promostyl do? Promostyl UK opened in 1984 but the Paris Company started in 1966. It has a very long pedigree and is probably one of the leading trend agencies in terms of longevity. Promostyl invented the trend book as it is today. We have some fabulous people that work for us and have been with us since the beginning. There are at least forty employees plus many freelancers. We have offices in Tokyo, New York and the UK and agents all over the world in pretty much every country. We are a global company and the trend books that I sell in London are the same trend books we sell in Rio, Sydney, New York and Montreal. We produce forty colours per season within four stories or themes. We start by looking at the big picture. What is influencing fashion and design? We don’t just work with the fashion industry; we work with product developers, car companies, mobile phone manufacturers etc. When I started the bulk of what we did was clothing about 90 per cent but now is probably now more like 60 per cent and for the other 40 per cent we are working very much outside of clothing. Every season we do the influence conference at Premiere Vision. It is an absolutely beautiful presentation; it is car design, art galleries, new hotel openings, and new bands. There is very little clothing. We will organize the presentation in the same four themes and forty colours that are in our books. If you look at things like interiors once upon a time fashion led the way and trends in fashion would trickle through to interiors a couple of years later. Now they are almost neck and neck, or are interiors leading the way? We look at architecture, car design, theatre, film, music, youth, culture and sport. Obviously we do look at design and some catwalk but it’s not the main place where we start. Trends are also about evolution. When a colour appears on the high street it has actually been around amongst the trendsetters and cutting-edge people for quite a while. Then it starts hitting the high street. We look at trends as waves, sometimes you get a big one and other times it is just a ripple. When we sell the colour book, which is purely colour, it is for everyone, menswear, womenswear, junior, interiors, and beauty and product developers. The companies that buy those books might run with two themes for their market and another company might take the other two themes. The clients have to interpret the information for their own market and customer. I feel very strongly that we are a tool for inspiration. Some people will choose not to look at trends at all and go by their own gut feelings and intuition, which is another way of design evolving. However, people that work in the commercial world and certainly those who produce for mass-market retail are moving so fast they need extra help in gleaning the inspiration.

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It is very healthy that people look at trend information from everywhere not just one company and it would be very normal that somebody would buy trend information from us and also from three or four other companies for the same season. This way they are getting an overview of how the trend companies see the next season and what are the big trends. When we do a series of forty colours we would say that these are the top colours for womenswear and they may be the same top colours as Peclers. It is about looking at each market and then at the different levels within each market the high and the low end. When you move on to product development, mobile phones or car design again you are looking at all different levels of the market. For the teen market you are looking at what phones are they carrying and what colours are they going to be wanting. We try to map out where we feel the influences come from, and then translate those influences into colour and shape. How does the forecasting process work? We work in two ways, trend books which are the off-the-shelf information and we also do special contracts which would be bespoke information. The creative teams for the trend books also work on the bespoke contracts so they would travel to the client in Tokyo for example. They are travelling a great deal and they are also hearing about what that company feels is strong and important. We are out in the marketplace working and can feed back that information. We also have agents who are all involved in the fashion business in other ways as well as selling trend information. We all feed back what we have seen, what is happening in London. The people who work in trends use a lot of their own intuition. They are creative people who can see things and know what is going to be important. There are also practical people who are good at putting things together but are not the ones who are going to spot the trend. The creative teams that put the information together are incredibly observant and very intuitive. The people that we hire are illustrators and colour specialists and designers at all levels. We do menswear, womenswear, junior, sportswear, lingerie, childrenswear and baby. We don’t quite go into specifications but we do a lot of working drawings, clean drawings. At the front of the women’s trend book you would see the colour harmonies and themes coming through, a lot of prints and fabrics as well as illustrated silhouettes. The back of the book has more detailed drawings. The colour pages are very much the inspiration but if you want to take it through in more detail the information is there. I would say there has been an evolution in colour. Twenty years ago colour would come in and colour would go out. You would have a spring season and red would be in and the very next season it would be out. Now colours evolve and we have a team of people just looking at colour. Is forecasting an art or a science? I think forecasting is a bit of art and science, maybe more art than science. One of our strengths is that we look at the consumer. When we decide on the four themes we will do some mapping as to which consumer is likely to go towards which trend. It is not just about colour it is also about design and lifestyle. We never did the ABC thing but we have moved away from labelling the consumer and have a map of the trends. How we create the map depends on the trend. For example the eco trend is very interesting. There is a lot of eco and green stuff going on at the moment but we first talked about eco in 1992, we had a book called Ecostyle. We have had our finger on the pulse of eco for a very long time.

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Pages from Ecostyle, a trend book published by Promostyl in 1992.  Source: London College of Fashion ­Archive. Reproduced with permission.

Then you do wonder is the current trend all about the planet? Or is it just retailers looking to make more money? If the consumers are not ready for it they won’t buy it. Sometimes when I have seen customers they might be working on colour info for Summer 2009 and they have heard that I have got the summer 2010 colours. They might say, ‘Oh no let us see the summer 2010 colours and use those.’ But they are so far ahead that they might buy those colours, reproduce them and hang them on the rails and they won’t sell because the consumer is not ready for them. It looks too odd, too off the wall, it will be just that wrong green and it just won’t sell. You have to be very clever to try and get ahead of everybody and use very forward information. I am still quite proud to work for Promostyl after all these years because I do think they produce some absolutely beautiful and very commercial inspiration information. What advice would you give to students? It is one thing having your finger on the pulse and knowing what is the newest and latest but you also have to ask yourself is my consumer, the people you are aiming at, ready for it?

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Page from Promostyl trend book in 2010.  ­Reproduced with permission.

Don’t just look at one trend book look at ten and as you look across you will start seeing a similarity. This means that all those intuitive people in all those companies are tuning in on a colour or texture. If you have a good idea seven other people around the world will have the same idea. People working in trend offices go on intuition and they follow colour and they watch colour. Trade shows are important; our creative teams go not just to fashion trade fairs but also to furniture, leather, shoes and sports fairs. It is about the bigger picture; if you go to buy an item of clothing it is not just about what it is going to look like on you. It is about who you are your interests, lifestyle and surroundings. That is going to have an effect on what you choose to buy and how you choose to wear it. I tend to go to exhibitions that are not about clothing, somewhere like 100% Design or Top Drawer because you can walk through and see what is going on, what is new and fresh.

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Of course at the top end there are very creative people who are creating things that are new and fresh and different. These people won’t bother looking at trend information and worrying about colour forecasting because they just create. You are always going to have trendsetters; people who follow fashion and the antifashion lot who don’t want anything to do with it.

Case Study: Nelly Rodi The following case study is based on an interview with Catherine Tetu, consulting director at Nelly Rodi. Nelly Rodi founded her agency in 1985; she wanted to create a link between Paris and Tokyo, and in order to create a dialogue between Asia and Europe she founded a subsidiary in Japan in 1986. Nelly Rodi is now in twenty-three countries including the US and Asia. Nelly Rodi has two main fields of work: the company publishes twelve trend books per year (six per season) and does a lot of consulting around specific projects for groups of brands in fashion, beauty and lifestyle. There are thirty-five employees within Nelly Rodi, and they also work with fifty loyal freelancers depending on the project issues. That means that around eighty people are working on Nelly Rodi projects, and the number of consulting missions can be up to 120 per year. The split is about 80 per cent creatives and 20 per cent marketing. This balance is important because the creative and marketing experts work interactively on projects to provide clients with the rationale and references behind the creative stories. Marketing Style is the trademarked name for the work method that is unique to Nelly Rodi. It reflects their systematic approach to working with both marketers and stylists. The marketing element covers quantitative information and qualitative information coming directly from the consumer. Nelly Rodi normally works two years ahead and has clients from every level of the market, from discount to luxury for men and women. For specialist clients in the textile market, they work three years ahead. The consulting is around three main areas: • T  he first is how the consumer is going to be thinking in the future and what the main trend influences are. They undertake qualitative studies using expert sociologists, and twice a year they hold a major brainstorming session to analyse the market information. A lot of clients are currently interested in the mature woman because they are developing cosmetic brands for that market. Nelly Rodi can also provide broader long-term information about how the world is changing and what issues are going to be important beyond the medium and short term. • The second area is studies on specific subjects such as sustainability and the relationship between luxury and fashion. • The third area is bespoke consulting for brands. They produce what they call a brand book, and they analyse the brand DNA, brand values and positioning. They advise brands on how to be unique, more creative and right for their target market. This can be for a completely new brand

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Nelly Rodi trend books.  ­Courtesy of Nelly Rodi. ­Reproduced with permission.

or an existing one that wants to launch a new product or needs advice on price positioning or on rationalizing their assortment or perhaps on how to diversify and move from fashion into lifestyle. For all of Nelly Rodi’s consulting projects, creative experts and marketing experts work together. On the beauty side of the business, they work on product innovation in the ingredients and formulas, packing and communication. On the fashion side, they can also provide a complete package that includes the colour range, fabric selection and precise sketches and patterns. They will also accompany buyers on sourcing tours and work with them on prototypes for their collection. They can also advise on merchandising; for example they can provide a calendar of which key pieces need to be in store at which point in the season. The balance of the business has changed, and in the current climate more clients are requiring a bespoke service because they want to be unique. Nelly Rodi has a Web site and provides its clients with newsletters and reports, but their main product is not Internet-based. They focus on producing books using their own photo shoots rather

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Beauty page from a trend book.  Courtesy of Nelly Rodi. ­Reproduced with permission.

than stock images because their clients require something unique and very creative. They produce two kinds of books. One is a conceptual book that is very visual, intended to open the mind and be inspirational; it is not focused on product. The other books are aimed at ready-to-wear products for specific markets. Clients use the books to develop colour ranges and for fabric sourcing and use the sketches as a starting point for a look. Clients from all levels of the market will use the books in different ways for a long-term view or just to be reassured that they are going in the right direction. Catherine says that Nelly Rodi is looking for people who: See things fresh, travel a lot, see everything, read the newspapers and are curious. You have to develop your own universe and have a very strong influence so when you come to us and say ‘here’s my book, this is what I can do’ we can say ‘OK we did not see that anywhere else.’

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Trade Shows Trade shows are an extremely good early indicator of trends. In the fashion industry there is a

visual research methods in fashion

strategies for analysing trend information

chain of supply that starts with fibres and yarns

As we have illustrated in this chapter, a great

and ends with garments, and at each level there

number of sources of information about trends

are trade shows where buyers can see emerging

are available to you, so how do you start to make

trends and order product. Producers of fibres and

sense of them? First of all, you need to identify who

yarns have to work very far ahead of the selling

the key companies are that deal with your area.

season as the textile and knitwear manufactur-

Some trend companies have reputations for being

ers need time to produce the fabrics that they will

strong in particular areas such as childrenswear

sell to the garment designers, and the garment

or graphics. Talk to other people in your market to

designers then have to produce the clothes for a

find out which are the key trade shows; if you are

given season.

working in the youth market, Bread and Butter is

Many of these trade shows in turn employ forecasters to help their exhibitors to produce

highly influential but less relevant if you are at the more formal tailored end of the business.

products that are on trend for the season. One

Ensure that you read as well as look; you can

of the biggest and most influential fairs is Pre-

find good information about the fashion industry

miere Vision—usually shortened to PV. This

in the financial and business pages of the press.

show for fashion textiles happens twice a year

If there are key sites that you visit regularly, see

in Paris, and a large number of designers and

if they have an RSS feed or a newsletter and

brands visit the show to see the trend infor-

sign up. This way you will be alerted to new in-

mation and view and order the fabrics for their

formation. Join relevant social networking groups

collections. The PV show in September 2009

on sites such as LinkedIn or IQONS. These are

showed trends for the following Autumn/Winter

­professionally focused sites where people network

2010, while the show in spring 2010 showed

and discuss what is happening in the industry.

trends for Spring/Summer 2011. The textile

See if any of the influential people in your mar-

producers work a year ahead of the selling sea-

ket are on Twitter and sign up to follow their up-

son because the garment designers have to

dates. Find out who is blogging on your subject

work six months ahead. This gives them time to

and add them to your blogroll. Use Web tools

produce the sample garments and show them

such as Evernote, Zotero or Delicious to clip and

to the retail buyers during the relevant fashion

save things of interest. Create a filing system and

weeks and at trade shows such as Prêt-a-

a set of categories, keywords or tags to help you

Porter and Pure.

retrieve information quickly. Online image storage

Other key trade shows include MAGIC in Las

sites such as Picasa and Flickr can help you to

Vegas, Interstoff in Frankfurt, Pitti Filati in Flor-

organize your own images. You can find more in-

ence and Bread and Butter in Berlin. You can find

formation about these technologies in Chapter 8.

a ­database of key fashion trade shows at http://

Once you have collected a body of information

www.apparelsearch.com/trade_show.htm.

for the season or project you are working on, lay it

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139

all out or pull it together on screen and do a quick

trend ideas to either other members of your team,

scan to see if you can spot any common themes.

your boss, your sales team or your customer. It

Pull this information to one side, and then see if

is important to have strong, clear visual informa-

there are any isolated images or topics that are not

tion that conveys your trend; this is often done

repeated but grab your interest for some reason.

in the form of moodboards, conceptboards or

Take these themes and do a quick assessment of

trendboards. These are a collection of images,

how relevant they are to your product or market.

fabrics, trimmings and other visual elements that

If you cannot see a link or relevance, put them on

highlight the key aspects of the trend. They may

one side. Take the remaining themes and do some

be specific to the colours, textures, silhouettes or

more background research. Where have they

details within a trend, or they may give a broader

come from? What are the drivers for the theme?

picture of the key elements that have created the

How can you adapt the theme to your product,

trend.

market and consumer? If the theme is relevant,

These boards need to be backed up with

this should be fairly easy. If you have problems

good succinct written information to help the

visualizing how it might work, think again about

audience to make sense of them. This may

whether it is something you should run with or talk

take the form of keywords or brief descrip-

to some colleagues and get their opinions.

tions that explain the visuals. You can find ex-

Remove any images or references that detract

amples of these boards on fashion forecasting

from the theme, and isolate the core elements:

Web sites, at trade shows and within compa-

colours, shapes, textures and details. You can then

nies; they are often used at trend meetings and

start to create some moodboards. You may need to

presentations.

do further research to fill in some gaps in your infor-

The key to creating a good board is to ensure

mation. Once you have gathered all of your visual in-

that everything you include is adding to the mes-

formation, think about the keywords and stories that

sage. If your season is Spring/Summer, do not

explain your trend. You should be able to clearly ar-

include a wintery-looking image even if the dress

ticulate why the trend is important to your product.

in it has the right shape and colour. Think carefully

All of the professional forecasters interviewed

about what the story is that you want to sell, and

for this book stressed that forecasting is a mix-

be ready to back it up with solid information about

ture of art and science, information and instinct.

why the trend is important to your company/

Sometimes you may feel very strongly about a

client.

trend and not know why; over time you learn to take risks and to trust your instincts.

Selling your ideas to your client or your boss means that you need to have confidence in the idea. The more background research you have

communicating trends

done to support your instincts, the easier it will

Whatever your role in the industry it is possible

further information about presentation techniques

that you will at some point have to communicate

see Chapter 9.

be to convince people to buy into your ideas. For

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Moodboard by Rene De Lange.  Courtesy of Rene De Lange. Reproduced with permission.

Summary In this chapter we have discovered that the nature of trend forecasting in the fashion industry is changing. This is due to the impact of technology and the increasing fragmentation of the consumer base. We have learned that there are big trends in society that are reflected in fashion, that the needs of the consumer are changing and becoming more diverse and that in order to meet these needs the forecaster needs to help businesses to interpret trend information for their market. Trend forecasting is a mixture of scientific research and intuition; a good forecaster is plugged into a strong network of innovators and trendsetters and uses all the research tools available.

trends and forecasting

references and further reading Brannon, E. L. (2005), Fashion Forecasting, 2nd ed., New York: Fairchild. Diane, T., and Cassidy, T. (2004), Colour Forecasting,

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Newspapers Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk International Herald Tribune http://global.nytimes.com/?iht New York Times http://www.nytimes.com The Times http://www.timesonline.co.uk

Oxford: Blackwell. Gerval, O. (2008), Fashion: Concept to Catwalk, London: A. & C. Black. King, C. W. (1963), ‘Fashion Adoption: A Rebuttal to the

Forecasting Companies Carlin http://www.carlin-groupe.com/en/index.html Coolhunter http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/

Trickle Down Theory,’ in Stephen A. Greyser (ed.),

Design Intelligence http://www.designintelligence.com.au/

Toward Scientific Marketing, Chicago: American

Doneger Group http://www.doneger.com/web

Marketing Association.

Future Laboratory http://www.thefuturelaboratory.com

McKelvey, K., and Munslow, J. (2008), Fashion Forecasting, Oxford: Wiley Blackwell. Mower, S. (2007), Stylist: The Interpreters of Fashion, New York: Style.com in association with Rizzoli. Nara, Y. (1999), View on Colour: The Colour Forecasting Book, Paris: Mode Information.

Infomat http://www.infomat.com/ mode...information http://www.modeinfo.com Mudpie http://www.mudpie.co.uk Nelly Rodi http://www.nellyrodi.com Peclers http://www.peclersparis.com/ Promostyl http://www.promostyl.com

Raymond, M. (2003), The Tomorrow People: Future

Stylesight http://www.stylesight.com/

Consumers and How to Read Them, London:

Trendstop http://www.trendstop.com

Prentice Hall/Financial Times.

Trend Union http://www.trendunion.com

Simmel, G. (1957), ‘Fashion,’ Journal of Sociology, 62,

WGSN http://www.wgsn.com

reprinted from International Quarterly, 10 (1904): 130–155. Tungate, M. (2008), Fashion Brands: Branding Style from Armani to Zara, 2nd ed., London: Kogan Page.

websites

Exhibitions 100% Design http://www.100percentdesign.co.uk/ Top Drawer http://www.topdrawer.co.uk/

Stores H&M http://www.hm.com

Studio Daniel Libeskind http://www.daniel-libeskind.com

Topshop http://www.topshop.com

chapter 6 concept development, drawing and creativity Chapter Overview In this chapter you will be introduced to techniques for analysing and understanding the world around you and the imagery you encounter in your everyday life. Designers and practitioners will explain the concepts behind their work, and you will learn about different approaches to developing those concepts through two- and three-dimensional experimentation. This chapter includes: • Seeing and analysing • Case study: Dr Shlomo Lee Abrahmov • Concept development • Case study: Gavin Fernandes, Empire Line project • Creative projects • Case study: Nicola Morgan • Case study: Emma Crowther • Case study: Jessica Mills • Drawing • Interview with Lynne Perrella • Development sheets • Case study: Tonia Bastyan, designer • Moodboards and conceptboards • Three-dimensional development • Interview with Paul Jackson • Case study: rapid prototyping • Applying your concepts and understanding your consumer • Interview with Kirsten Ludwig • Ethical and environmental issues • Case study: Kathleen Fasanella.

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seeing and analysing

Analysis starts with really seeing an image, not just accepting it but also trying to understand it

Once you have gathered your visual inspiration,

and uncover the deeper messages and meanings

you need to work with it to develop your ideas and

within it. This is called visual literacy: the abil-

to transform your raw research into a defined con-

ity to read and understand imagery in whatever

cept. Analysing your imagery and defining your

media we encounter, whether photographs, ad-

concept is the first stage in this process. Your

vertisements, movies, theatre or performance. By

concept will be developed through a process of

understanding and interpreting the images and

mapping connections, analysing similarities and

objects that surround you, you can start to under-

contradictions in the material you have gathered

stand where your own work fits, in which part of

and reflecting upon how the material needs to be

the cultural landscape it sits and how your poten-

adapted to meet the needs of the project or cli-

tial audience/consumer will view your work.

ent. Then you may start to engage in a process of

To fully utilize your research, you need to un-

experimentation and manipulation in either two or

derstand the context of the imagery you are

three dimensions.

using. Learning to read imagery as well as create

This process of conceptual development is not

it is a skill that can be developed. In the follow-

easy to map. All practitioners have their own per-

ing interview Dr Shlomo Lee Abrahmov describes

sonal way of engaging with and understanding the

a framework that he has developed to help his

material they are working with. It often means edit-

photography and design students to read images.

ing and rejecting information, realizing that further

This framework is also relevant to fashion stu-

information is required and sometimes rejecting the

dents and designers working in other disciplines

initial approach to the problem and starting again.

(see Abrahmov 2008).

Case Study: Dr Shlomo Lee Abrahmov Dr Abrahmov is a lecturer in design and instructional systems technologies at Holon Institute of Technology in Israel. Shlomo feels that visual literacy is important because ‘the competencies of visual literacy are the ones that enable us to see the messages, the stances and personal expression that are in visual culture.’ He teaches his students how to read and interpret images using three levels. He describes them as follows: The first level is the factual level. The main attribute of this level is that is objective; it is the factual aspects of what you see. The second level is the interpretive level this level is subjective; we can make our own assumptions, they are personal and we have different interpretations depending on the culture we come from. The third level is the conceptual level, this has two attributes, abstraction and universal meaning or we could also call it ‘deep meaning.’ Once I get to the conceptual level I can apply it to a situation that is removed from the particular situation that I am working in. The conceptual level is the motivation of the creator, his intention.

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South Korean models pose during a performance called ‘VB60’,  by Italian-born New York–based artist Vanessa Beecroft, at a Seoul department store, 26 February 2007. Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

We have a different way of looking at the image if as the viewer we go from the factual and interpretive to the conceptual. The informed practitioner goes from the conceptual to the interpretive to the factual; all contemporary photography is created in this way. The idea is that when you start creating something you have to have a meta-issue, perhaps alienation in contemporary society in the UK or the gender gap. Then I have to think about it in another way; I go to the interpretive level. I call this visual strategy. Then the factual level is the realization of formal considerations. This framework can be applied to all areas of design practice. Shlomo argues that design is about more than finding practical solutions, that it has to be connected to the wider culture. He says that: High-calibre practitioners always start talking about conceptual levels before they talk about practice. They always talk about the ideas, big ideas that influence them and what is the scope of their thinking and then they will go down and talk about practice.

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He gives his students images from contemporary photographers to analyse and also allows them to choose at least one of their own. As a good starting point he suggests looking at the work of Vanessa Beecroft (http://www.vanessabeecroft.com). Her images are interesting because she deals with issues of gender and fashion. You can find out more about his approach and see some examples on his Web site (http://www.hit. ac.il/visualliteracy/engdefault.html). The following form is intended as a guide to help you think about the three levels and apply them to different categories such as colour.

Project: Three Levels of Meaning—Analysing a Photograph Select one of the photographers in the image analysis form and choose an image that engages you. Complete the analysis form. Think about the factual level of the image. What is your interpretation of the image? What is the concept that underpins the image? What is the intention of its creator? What is your personal response to the image?

Table 1  Image Categories Analysis Form Portrait and Beyond 1. Select a portrait (or a figure) from the artists below or from any contemporary portrait. Vanessa Beecroft

Adi Nes

Katy Grannan

Philip-Lorca diCorcia

Meirav Heiman

Nan Goldin

Rineke Dijkstra 2. Analyse the portrait according to the following template. Title Photographer Date Framing and perspective Quality of light Composition, depth of field, focal points Colour Figure–background relationship Relationships between figure and object Representation of the referent Title Context: what is known about the photograph Personal impressions from the photograph (what feelings or associations do you get from it?) Why did you choose this photograph? Courtesy of Dr Abrahmov. Reproduced with permission.

Paste image here

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The tensions created by bringing together two apparently unrelated ideas can produce exciting

Using image analysis is one way of understand-

results, as can the use of opposing or contrasting

ing the intention of the artist, photographer or de-

elements: extremely large with extremely small,

signer. The analysis enables us to understand the

something hard juxtaposed with something soft

concepts that underpin the image and the mes-

or fragile, vintage mixed with contemporary. This

sage that the artist is trying to convey. To produce

approach works across many fields of design, in-

a strong, innovative piece of work, it is important

cluding graphics, fashion, photography and archi-

to have something to say, to have a concept. It

tecture. A good illustration of this approach is the

is possible to gather hundreds of images in the

work of Gavin Fernandes. Although he describes

course of your research, but if they do not tell a

himself as a fashion photographer, his work also

story or convey a message, they will not be very

addresses serious social issues and draws upon

useful to you. You may have a strong idea or

social history and culture. Gavin uses authentic

concept at the beginning of your research pro-

objects and carries out in-depth research that in-

cess, but often it will first begin to form as you

forms his work and makes the end product very

uncover new ideas, facts and connections. Using

powerful. He will consult specialists in the subject

the brainstorming and mind mapping techniques

area to make sure he gets the details right; this

outlined in Chapter 1 can help you to think later-

gives his work an authenticity that makes it believ-

ally about your subject and to make connections

able as well as fantasy. Here, he describes how he

between topics that are not immediately obvious.

developed a project that he calls Empire Line.

Case Study: Gavin Fernandes, Empire Line Project This story sat in my mind for a long time, for a period of years before I outputted the story. When the project title ( Triumph of the Middle Classes) came around as part of the MA programme I was studying I adapted the idea I had in my subconscious and developed the narrative Empire Line. It was seeing images of women in the nineteenth century and their hairstyles with the centre parting, to me it could either be Victorian or Indian. The idea stemmed from that. I started researching into the dress codes and how these women came to India in that period. What they wore was so specific and they took it with them. They did not adapt to the climate, they had to stick to the dress code and they came across the indigenous women in India. I wondered how these class structures could work with each other? Something that would never really happen I can make happen, by using these two identities together and making a comment about the Empire and India how the two overlapped. The Empire lasted for quite a long period and some women were born into the culture. They were British but then maybe one or two wanted to break the restrictions of British Victorian identity? At that time, looking at the way the Indian women wore jewellery and had tattoos, wore toe rings and bare midriffs and bare backs must have been shocking to them, it would have been like punk. What I do with my work is I fashion direct. I have objects that I had to go out and buy, I was quite specific about certain nose rings and styling that would make that image, the lace and silk neck pieces

Preparatory drawings  by Gavin Fernandes.  Courtesy of Gavin Fernandes. Reproduced with permission.

Empire Line (London, 2005).  Photography:  Gavin Fernandes; ­styling: Victoria Cumming and Gavin Fernandes. Courtesy of Gavin ­Fernandes. Reproduced with permission.

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are originals. I work with a stylist an ex-student; she brought in key specific garments and items. I worked with another student who was from India and she told me about the dress codes of the Brahmani women and the untouchable women and the classes and we worked with her specific guidance. Then I had this idea in my head that I had these textural ideas on how to overlay these things. These are two disparate elements that work well together. It perplexes the viewer because it looks real and there is a symbiosis of vision, but then there is something not right about it. That is the whole thing about my work it subverts different cultures and class. Since 1997 when I started looking at images of Skin Girls my work has been a journey of looking at culture and gender and historical, political and religious themes.

Akira Isogawa, Lisa Ho and Nikki Zimmerman.

creative projects

Nicholas describes the course as:

This section is based upon interviews with tutors and students at leading design colleges.

Very direct, it’s very straight to the point. After

The tutors were interviewed about the projects

a student does three years they literally can

and techniques they used to help their students

go out and do everything from the beginning

develop their creative skills, and the projects

to the end to create a label, which includes

are examples of the kind of activity they set for

design it, packing it, selling it, branding it,

their students. The students talk about projects

marketing it, doing their own print designs,

they have completed and the concepts behind

printing their fabric, doing CAD design, pre-

them.

sentations, artwork and the business side, it’s got everything and it’s very tight. It’s very tight.

Nicholas Huxley Nicholas is the head of the Fashion Design Studio TAFE NSW Sydney Institute. The studio’s focus is

All of Nicholas’s students undertake work

on design innovation, and it has produced some

experience as part of the course, and they

of the best-known designers in Australia including

also have to learn about using professional

Project: Contradictory Elements Choose an active sport like rock climbing, abseiling or parachuting, an activity that uses clothing that has lots of detail like harnessing and clips and is very functional. Adapt your research to produce a modern garment; your garment must also incorporate a beautiful, old fabric, something highly beaded or embellished. The idea is that the two elements are contradictory, and the challenge is to make them work together.

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visual research methods in fashion

Design  by Sophie Mansfield, student at the Fashion Design Studio TAFE NSW Sydney Institute. Courtesy of the Fashion Design Studio. Reproduced with permission.

services such as dye houses to complete their

Leslie states that the philosophy of the school

projects.

is to:

Leslie Holden

Integrate the learning as much as we can

Leslie is head of Fashion and Design at the Am-

across three departments so that they learn

sterdam Fashion Institute; the institute has three

more from each other. The management un-

departments that cover the whole fashion cycle

derstand the creativity so they understand the

including management, branding and design.

discourse between management and design

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151

Project: Creating an Heirloom Khadi means a cloth that is handspun and handwoven. Gandhi used the fabric for the uniforms of the non-cooperation movement, and because of this the fabric has a very strong political and cultural significance in India. From its humble beginnings as a rural workers’ cloth, khadi has now become a fashion fabric in high demand (http://www.indiaprofile.com). Investigate the background and philosophy of khadi fabric, Gandhi and the non-cooperation movement. Consider other cultures in which textiles and dress have been used symbolically or where they are utilized to capture and recreate a narrative or history. Use your research as inspiration to develop a product that is so precious you will never want to throw it away, something that could be kept and passed down to later generations of your family. This is a project that requires time for reflection as well as production of your final piece.

Student work for the khadi project at Amsterdam Fashion Institute.  Photography: Ineke Vijn. ­Reproduced with permission.

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and the designers understand more of the

down, to spend an afternoon just looking round

management as well so they come out being

the shops or looking in antique shops or muse-

more rounded.

ums or whatever.’ This emphasis on speed has, he feels, led to a lack of understanding of the pro-

Leslie feels that the impact of technology has

cess that goes into creating something beautiful.

created an environment where everything is fast

The following project is based on one that was set

and easy and that sometimes it is necessary to

for his students after a visit to Mumbai where he

‘take time to really look at the detail, to really slow

was introduced to khadi fabric.

Case Study: Nicola Morgan Nicola won the fashion innovation award at Graduate Fashion Week in London and the Best Collection award at the Mittelmoda Fashion Awards in July 2009. In her project Nicola wanted to comment on the wastefulness of society by designing products evolved from objects such as flat pack furniture that are frequently discarded and replaced. Her designs are intended to have a sustainable life cycle because the pieces can be rearranged, enabling the end user to update the garment. She created a method of joining two pieces of fabric without creating a permanent seam and then developed a series of shapes for garments by repositioning interlocking shapes.

Design developments.  Courtesy of Nicola Morgan.

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Case Study: Emma Crowther Emma’s inspiration comes from equestrian sports. Emma noted that unlike in other sports, advances had not been made in equestrian clothing that might enhance the performance of the rider. This was probably due to traditions associated with riding. Emma took aspects of sports clothing such as motorcycling and cycle wear. She combined this inspiration with elements of traditional country clothing, developing a range she calls Equesport. Her designs bring added elements of safety, style and performance to clothing for the equestrian rider.

Design developments.  Courtesy of Emma Crowther.

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visual research methods in fashion

Case Study: Jessica Mills A process of drawing drives Jessica’s designs; she draws elements that help her discover the silhouettes, clothing details and mood that she wants. Her silhouettes are born of a desire to capture clothing in movement. She set out to capture, and solidify, the silhouettes she has observed from functional human activity. Her mood comes from observation of people; she used a number of muses from the street, films and stories. She looks at real clothing, usually created for function, examining details such as pockets and collars. Through extensive drawing she creates her own adaptation of the elements. Her project brings together influences from fishermen and fishing, the images of August Sanders and Vanessa Beecroft, mythology, Insomnia (a Norwegian film), and lead female characters from films such as Lars von Trier’s Breaking the Waves and Bruno Dumont’s Flanders. Through extensive drawing she managed to weave all these influences together. She describes research as ‘intensively feeding myself with things that inspire me through drawing.’

Design developments.  Courtesy of Jessica Mills.

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155

Design developments.  Courtesy of Jessica Mills.

drawing

you to develop the narrative for your work. Every-

Drawing is an important part of the conceptual

to drawing, materials they like to work with and

development process. Drawing enables you to

methods they feel comfortable with. Drawing is

visually test out ideas, explore alternatives and

a very personal activity, and there is no right or

imagine possible solutions. Drawings can be

wrong way to do it, but it should fulfil the pur-

purely creative, exploring the aesthetic aspects

pose for which you are drawing. In terms of con-

of a problem or design, or they can engage with

ceptual development the purpose of drawing is

technical elements and construction details.

to solve a problem. The nature of that problem

one has their own techniques and approaches

Your developmental drawings help you to vi-

may vary. It could be to create a layout for a Web

sualize your ideas and to test out which ideas

page, to develop components for an accessory

are worth pursuing in more depth. They can help

or to design a garment. Developmental drawings

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visual research methods in fashion

can be sketchy or incredibly detailed depending

It represents a person’s identity and even-

upon their purpose and who has to understand

tually develops a confident style that can be

them. They can be purely personal or intended

called ‘your own.’

for a third party who needs them in order to re-

On a personal level, when you draw and

alize another stage in the project. For example

when confidence is developed in drawing it

a technical drawing that a designer gives to a

can become a very emotional and passion-

pattern cutter for the production of a prototype

ate practice. You feel the page, the line, the

garment needs to be more detailed than an ini-

curve or ridge, you draw from your heart, you

tial sketch in which the designer is testing out

love what you do, and at the same time start to

an idea.

criticize, dissect and develop what you put on the page, understanding what you see in the

An Essay on Drawing: Rob Phillips

lines you have drawn.

Rob Phillips is the creative director for the School

It’s a great catalyst for creation . . . When

of Fashion Design and Technology at the London

something becomes emotional and passion-

College of Fashion. In the following essay he ex-

ate it keeps you engaged and keeps you fresh,

plains why he is passionate about drawing.

something you can feed directly into your career as a designer and something that makes

My main interest in fashion, and my life, is drawing and illustration or you could say fashion image making.

you very different, special and stronger. Drawing and illustration also says a lot about the moment, documenting the real but

Going to the core of what begins a process

can equally, if not more so, engage fantasy.

that generates ideas develops skills and acts

Drawing and illustration depicts time, culture,

as a communication tool is fundamentally

life, politics, and feelings and is a visual record

drawing and subsequently forms of illustration

of a personal outlook on the past, the present

and beyond. Drawing within fashion design

and the future.

is one of the most visceral abilities. It’s the

Though I’m all for technology on a cre-

most instant way of communicating an idea,

ative level, hand-rendered skills still hold a

no matter how crude a sketch is. Drawing is

lot of personality that technology just cannot

a beginning to virtually all creative communi-

imitate.

cation. But drawing and illustration are skills

Drawing means you don’t fully rely on tech-

I see being used less and less within the stu-

nology, though technology can support and

dent body and being less important than the

enhance what you draw or illustrate. There is

use of technology. But a hand-rendered two-

nothing better than when you learn about all

dimensional output can affect the creative

the different ways in which to draw or create

mind in so many ways.

an image on a page. The process you use can

Practice makes perfect—but practice also

inspire a lot of what you do beyond it. The way

makes personal. Developing a two-dimen-

you collage, decoupage, use texture, colour,

sional narrative for design inspires a world of

view proportions, interpret finishing, all can

opportunities in one’s imagination and encour-

have been born from drawing and illustrating.

ages personality within it.

And when you don’t have a computer to hand,

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157

that instantaneous thought can be recorded in

They are more valuable than the fast-paced

a simple sketch. It’s an ideas generator and

fashion world seems to think.

skill instigator. When I draw clothes, when I illustrate, I am thinking of proportion and fit and how I can cut

Drawing and illustration is inclusive, it’s not elitist in any way and you don’t need much money to do it.

this into a three-dimensional shape. My draw-

When you look at how much you can do,

ing skills have directly influenced my cutting

what you can develop through picking up a

abilities and my take on fashion as a whole.

pencil and putting it to paper, it’s without ques-

When learning about drawing and illustra-

tion that a simple skill can go such a long way.

tion, when you research artists, you see not only beauty, or style, you see history, you see composition, aesthetic, techniques and multimedia, you see them and you learn from them. They can directly or indirectly teach you much more than you initially realize. One of the most important factors for me is drawing and illustration goes beyond language. It’s a universal yet very individual communication tool in the fashion industry and more. It is a basic common language we all understand. When language has been a barrier, a simple drawing can outline so much. A drawing, or illustration tells me more about my students’ vision than words can, the style, the person they envisage wearing the clothes and so on . . . My main point is, Start sustaining creative crafts such as drawing, and more. Start perpetuating historically valuable skills, handrendered skills and techniques and you will sustain a more bespoke, more personal, and more paced, less wasteful industry. You will reform an industry to be more considered on a multifaceted plane. When skills are leant and developed they are rewarded with interest, request and respect. They command reaction. It’s that what we need right now in fashion. A more traditional though modernized approach to what could be deemed, the usage of the dying arts.

Illustration  by Rob Phillips. Reproduced with permission.

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visual research methods in fashion

Using a Sketchbook

is a place where you record things you see, imag-

The sketchbook is an essential tool for many

ine things that do not yet exist and explore alter-

creative people. It is used to record ideas and

native ideas. A quick glance through some of the

develop connections between pieces of informa-

sketchbook pages in this book will clearly show

tion. There is no right or wrong way to develop

that creating a sketchbook is a highly personal

a sketchbook and no rules as to what should or

process. Some artists use their sketchbooks to

should not be in it. It is a tool to help your think-

create extremely detailed drawings, whilst others

ing; a colleague once described drawing to me

produce little more than a few lines of notation.

as ‘thinking with her pencil’ (the pencil could be a

What is important is that the sketchbook is

pen, a paintbrush or a collage). The sketchbook

meaningful to you. You will find that many people

Sketchbook pages for jewellery designs.  Courtesy of the author.

concept development, drawing and creativity

159

annotate their sketchbooks, some to the point

worked up in more detail on a development sheet

where they are more like reflective journals or dia-

or a technical drawing.

ries; all of these approaches are legitimate. You should never throw a sketchbook away as you

Visual Journals

never know when the information in it will become

These are very similar to sketchbooks, but they

useful. The type and size of sketchbook that you

are more like a visual diary. They often contain col-

use is again a personal decision.

lage and text as well as sketches and can reflect

By trying out and evaluating ideas in the

the artist’s mood or experiences. A good start-

sketchbook, you can begin to make decisions

ing point is to look at visual journals created by

about which solutions are likely to work and which

other artists. There are some excellent examples

will not. These can then be expanded upon and

at http://www.1001journals.com/.

Interview with Lynne Perrella Lynne Perrella is a mixed-media artist, author and workshop instructor. She has written five books on mixed media, collage, art journals and artist studios, and she contributes frequent articles to paper arts magazines and publications. Her art interests include collage, assemblage, art journals and one-of-akind books. She gives creativity workshops throughout the US and abroad. For more information and inspiration, please visit http://www.LKPerrella.com. What role do visual journals play in your practice? I was a self-employed illustrator and graphic designer, creating corporate communications, advertising and promotion, and identity programs for over thirty years. I was searching for ‘the next thing’ in my own artwork, and wanted to free myself from doing art ‘to assignment.’ One day, I picked up a blank bound book and started working in a random, open-ended way, and found the work quite addictive. I realized that working without thinking about ‘outcome’ or having anyone else’s approval was vital to discovering the next phase of my creativity. The work in the book just flowed, and the process was restorative and revealing. All these years later, I can see clearly that working in visual journals gave me the permission to move away from doing art that was ‘product-driven’ to work that is more personal and challenging. I recommend visual journaling to anyone who is ready to make discoveries, and find out ‘what is next.’ Is their function different to that of a sketchbook and if so how? As a Capricorn, I tend to be literal. With that in mind, when I think of a ‘sketchbook’ I think of a book full of drawings. My art journal has lots of visual ‘compost’; without any of the visual purity of my sketchbooks. In my art journal, I can include anything that comes to hand . . . collage, fabric swatches, bits of raffia, chunks of cardboard, cuttings of felt, a length of ribbon, buttons, paint chips, coins, newspaper clippings, etc. I like books that telescope out, and don’t close neatly. My art journals have a ‘no rules’ feeling about them—while my sketchbooks look rather becalmed by comparison. I tend to work in my sketchbooks when I am away from home (in airports, coffee shops, waiting rooms) while I always work in my journals in my studio.

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How do you think visual journals could be useful to fashion students? When I started art school to study fashion illustration we were encouraged to keep a ‘swipe file’ of clippings. The purpose of the file was to collect a visual archive of poses, when a live model was not available. I guess I took the mission to ‘collect’ visual material to the MAX, since I began collecting any image that I found fascinating, interesting, compelling, or curious. Soon, I had a landfill of clippings! All these years later, I still maintain a clip file of images that inspire me and it is as vital to my creativity as my huge visual library of books. In the current-day fashion world, there are iconic examples of designers and fashion visionaries who keep visual journals . . . Two of my favourites are Anna Piaggi (creative consultant for Italian Vogue) and Christian Lacroix (noted fashion designer and couturier). I also think the infamous visual journals of Peter Beard (nature and fashion photographer) are pertinent to any fashion student who is interested in seeing how visual journals prompt the freewheeling expression of ideas; and encourage the act of notating, brainstorming, and dredging fresh concepts. Where do you find the inspiration for your journals, do you have particular topics that you revisit? I find inspiration all around me, and I also like to attend exhibits, galleries, museums and performances. I love doing research on a new topic and learning how cultural influences overlap. For instance, I became very interested in the Ballets Russes, and as I studied it further, I became immersed in costume and set designs, as well as graphics created for the Ballets, as well as the well-known artists of the era (Matisse, Picasso, Jean Cocteau, etc.) plus the traditional folk arts that inspired them. Topics that continually fascinate me . . . Commedia del Arte, paper theatres, Russian folk arts and theatrical costumes, icons and ceremonial figures from all cultures, and unusual puppets/marionettes and articulated figures. What advice would you give to a student who wanted to get involved in journaling? I think ‘permission’ and ‘willingness’ are the most important components when starting a visual journal. I think anyone who keeps a visual journal just for their own enjoyment and exploration will have a wonderfully rich and revealing journey. Apart from the work that students do ‘for assignment’ or for their portfolios, a visual journal can be a ‘free space’ to work through ideas, brainstorm new approaches, express doubts and hesitations, and (best of all) spend time with themselves in an unguarded and expressive way. Just buy a blank spiral-bound inexpensive sketchbook, and get started (see Plate 22)!

development sheets

finishing details or embroidery details—whatever

Development sheets are usually more detailed

in this way, you can further refine your design or

versions of ideas that may have been created

concept before deciding upon the final solution.

is relevant to the project. By working up your ideas

in your sketchbook; they can include technical

A mistake students often make is to go into

details, samples of fabric, photographs of three-

creating their final piece, whether this is a gar-

dimensional experimentations, stitch samples,

ment, a Web site or an illustration, without

concept development, drawing and creativity

Development sheets.  Courtesy of Miriam Sucis.

Development sheets.  Courtesy of Jeun Ho Tsang.

161

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visual research methods in fashion

planning out and testing the details. Using the ex-

Getting the idea from the initial sketch into a

ample of a garment, you could not send a speci-

format that can be produced for the consumer is

fication sheet to a factory without telling them

called product development. This process can in-

what size the buttons are, what colour thread to

volve a whole new set of constraints: price, func-

use for a topstitch detail, where a pocket should

tionality and even consumer legislation can have

be positioned or what lining fabric to use. All of

an impact on the final product. At this level the

these details need to be considered. If something

designer has to consider more than the aesthetic

is essential to the overall aesthetic of the design,

and conceptual aspects of the design. Applied

it needs to be tested in a sample. This part of

design means that whether the product is a pho-

the development process may require further re-

tograph, a Web site, an accessory or a garment, it

search into what finishes or technical processes

has to have a function and there has to be an end

are available. It is often tempting to think that the

consumer for whom the product is appropriate.

research is complete when you have decided

All these aspects of the process require research:

upon a solution, design or approach. In reality the

research into the consumers and their lifestyles,

research continues all the way through the devel-

the materials used and their qualities, and the pro-

opment process.

cesses needed to manufacture the product.

Specification sheet.  Courtesy of Lectra. Reproduced with permission.

concept development, drawing and creativity

163

Case Study: Tonia Bastyan, Designer Tonia Bastyan is a fashion designer who uses vintage clothing, textiles and accessories as inspiration for her work. This case study illustrates her working process. Background After a period working as a manager for Karen Millen, Tonia did her degree in fashion and textiles at Ravensbourne College of Art and Communication where she specialized in knitwear. Tonia soon became known as one half of the successful 1990s duo Press and Bastyan. After Press and Bastyan, Tonia worked as the senior designer at Whistles before deciding she wanted to be independent again. When starting her company in 2006, Tonia was able to draw on the wealth of experience and contacts that she had gained over the past fifteen years, as well as go back to her roots and work in a far more creatively challenging and artistically rewarding way. Inspiration Tonia describes her range as very vintage-inspired, feminine, classic pieces, which she hopes will become collectors’ pieces. She designs not so much as a collection but more as individual pieces that you would want to treasure, that could be family heirlooms. Many of the pieces that have inspired her were passed down from her grandmother, pieces from the 1920s and 1930s, lots of textiles, pieces of organdie and printed georgette. Tonia collects vintage textiles and clothing going back as far as the Edwardian and Victorian eras. She will buy a 1920s print for example and convert this into an embroidery design, perhaps mixed in with some beading and appliqué. She scours second-hand shops and uses archives and specialist sales to buy her inspirational pieces. A key source is a vintage design library in America that buys up archives from factories that have gone out of business. She will buy a license to use a design as inspiration. This can cost between £150 and £400 per design. She sometimes uses the Internet to look at vintage clothing sites but prefers to use books and visual things that she can use as a reference. She likes to have books and things in front of her that she can pick up and feel. She does not directly copy a design but updates it and makes it more modern; it takes on her own handwriting. A lot of the pieces she creates have a vintage shape as well as the decoration. However, she considers herself to be more of a textile designer than a fashion designer. She is not driven by trends but designs clothes that people think are beautiful and not dated. She does, however, adapt her styles to fit contemporary women; people’s body shapes have changed, she notes, and a lot of vintage clothing would not fit many modern women. Tonia’s inspiration comes entirely from vintage pieces. She says that she is ‘obsessed with it. I have always loved vintage clothing and bought vintage clothing and that really for me is my starting point.’ Design Process When she starts to design for a new season, Tonia looks at the things she has collected over the previous few months and starts to work a collection around it—for example some old pieces of lace and trimmings

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and some prints she has bought and a couple of vintage pieces that she might have. She will work her collection from this grouping of inspirational materials. Her pieces are mostly daywear or eveningwear, and she never designs trousers or tailored pieces. She uses cottons and silks mostly, as these are the fabrics that are available in India where she produces most of her collection. Even though vintage is her main source of inspiration, Tonia says that she never runs out of ideas. She will develop some designs from one season to the next, and there are some signature pieces like her tulle dresses that her customers always seem to want. Once Tonia has the inspiration for her collection, she will create moodboards and then start working out the placements for her embroideries. She will send out packages to India to have samples of the embroideries created, and once the swatches come back and she can see that the embroidery works, she will work up a series of designs for that embroidery. Sometimes she will know where she wants to place the embroidery, and sometimes she has a shape for the garment in mind first. When the collection is ready, she will either send a design package to India or preferably will travel to the factory to work on the range with the pattern cutters and embroidery designer. This close relationship with the factory is vital. She says that she could work electronically, but they don’t always grasp the detail, and in the end it can save a lot of time and money to go there. Samples are expensive to produce, and you want to get them right the first time. The design packages that Tonia produces include a sketch with measurements, information about the cloth to be used, the number of samples that are to be produced and the colours to be used. The factory that Tonia works with also produces the lab dips for the colours that she wants, and often the garments are piece-dyed to give them an authentic vintage effect. In working out her collection and how many pieces to produce, Tonia works closely with her selling agent. The agent has a close relationship with the buyers and knows what pieces they are looking for. Tonia says that it is important that each piece in the range has an individual value and that pieces do not compete with each other and don’t sell against each other. When you first start you do not always get the balance of the collection right; this is something you learn through experience. The final pieces are photographed, and a selling book is produced. Tonia works closely with a photographer who understands her style and is able to interpret this into the promotional images. Advice for Students Tonia’s advice for students is: Be sure about what you do well and stick to it; find your strength within design whether it is shape, pattern cutting or beautiful textile design. Focus on an area and make it yours. Get as much experience outside of college as you can. I was lucky not to get into college the first time around because I worked for a designer for a year and that gave me insight into the retail side. I saw things from a different commercial perspective and it gave me confidence.

concept development, drawing and creativity

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Dress  by Tonia Bastyan. Photography:  Walter White (http://www.walterwhite.co.uk). Reproduced with permission.

Project: Re-working a Vintage Piece Not all vintage pieces are valuable, and it is possible to find reasonably priced pieces that you can take apart and reconstruct. Take your piece apart and, working on a dress stand, model it into something else. For example a dress can become a blouse. You can take a surface detail and play with the placement on a modern shape. For one of her designs Tonia bought a lot of cream lace and used it in a dress. Each dress was individual because the pieces of lace were unique.

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moodboards and conceptboards

intended to convey a sense of mystery and a win-

Moodboards or conceptboards are visual tools for

the mood you are trying to convey is fun and light-

communicating a concept. They can contain im-

hearted, you would not expect the images to be

ages, fabric swatches, colour swatches and other

dark and the colours sombre. It can be tempt-

objects that help to visually encapsulate the atmo-

ing to fill a moodboard with too much informa-

sphere and mood you are trying to convey in your

tion. Usually one or two really relevant images are

project. They are a kind of visual summary of the

better than half a dozen that are not quite right.

key points of your design or solution. The boards

You should try to generate your own images for

are used to illustrate inspiration, colour palettes,

your moodboards so that they are unique; how-

fabric directions, silhouettes and textures.

ever, this is not always possible. If you are using

tery feeling, you would not expect the moodboard to contain bright, summery images. Likewise, if

The key to a successful moodboard is that all

found images, select them with care and ensure

the elements should be carefully selected to rein-

that you have the appropriate permissions to use

force the message you are trying to convey. If you

them.

Moodboards.  Courtesy of Lectra. Reproduced with permission.

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TV commercial storyboard for shopping mall gala grand opening.  Courtesy of Greg High (http://greghigh.com/). Reproduced with permission.

storyboards

a computer application to produce a final version.

Storyboards are used most often in advertising,

ideas for layouts and presentations.

Thumbnails are also a good way of working out

animation and film. They are a way of quickly mapping out the scenes to be created and their sequencing. They often include details about the lighting, the set or the action. They are usually a set of thumbnails or small rectangular boxes con-

three-dimensional development

taining a sketch of the visual for that part of the

Some problems require three-dimensional ex-

film or animation. They are a way of planning the

ploration in order to find a solution. If you are

project and organizing the idea into a narrative

experimenting with silhouette, it is very difficult

that can be followed to realize the actual produc-

to represent and test your ideas purely through

tion. Storyboards are usually produced manually

drawing. The same is true of textural effects: you

in the first instance because by nature they are

will probably need to get a piece of the fabric and

quick and sketchy. They might then be taken into

manipulate it or cut a shape and test it out. Some

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designers do not draw at all, preferring to work

flexible and can be manipulated in lots of ways.

directly with fabric or paper.

Paul Jackson is a paper artist who has worked

Paper is an excellent medium for testing out

with fashion students for many years, helping

ideas for silhouette and texture. It is cheap and

them to explore and develop their ideas in paper.

Interview with Paul Jackson Where do you get your inspiration? It depends on the project. If it’s personal work, I’m drawing on a long history, on experience accumulated over thirty years. If it’s a commercial project, it’s what the client needs. Because I’ve been folding since I was a boy, I know pretty much what I’m doing. Working out how to join pieces together can be trial and error and sometimes just good luck. A lot of the models are not made from one piece, though I hope they look like they were made that way. Do you draw? Keep a sketchbook? A model often starts as sketch and I draw when making models. I do a lot of drawing when I am working on a new subject. It is often helpful to have an image in front of me throughout the making process. Drawing helps me to understand something better, so I can make a better model of it. How do you think working in paper can benefit fashion students? It’s 100 per cent hands-on. By putting a fold here and moving it over there, you can quickly generate ideas for surfaces and forms. It’s a way to draw without a pencil. It frees the mind to just try things. Paper is usually very inexpensive, so you can be less tentative, more wild and loose with your ideas. If you start with paper, it often doesn’t fold the same way as fabric. You have to interpret folded paper into your chosen fabric—you can’t just copy it. Often, a student will develop an idea in a workshop in paper, but interpreting it in fabric will change it and move it in another direction. This inability to copy from paper into fabric means that a student will inevitably create original work. Can you suggest an exercise that they can do to get them started on working with paper? Look at origami books and Web sites. Look at the drawings and step-by-step instructions. You don’t need to fold a model to the end. Folding up to—say—Step 3 may give you a simple folded shape that can be fantastic to develop as a bag, or whatever. You can change a folding sequence to create your own shapes. Don’t just copy the instructions. You don’t need to be an expert folder to design well with folds; a simple folded shape with a cut to put your head through and then the addition of stitching here and there will quickly create a form very different from the origami step from which it was derived.

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You can use upturned origami boxes to make hats. There are many interesting boxy shapes to fold and you can stitch them and cut away layers to make them wearable. You can do a lot with accordion pleats, knife pleats and box pleats. You can turn an abstract step shape upside down or sideways, then copy it or make a mirror image and stitch it to the original to begin a repeat surface. You can lay vertical pleats across horizontal pleats, playing acrobatic games where even a simple knife pleat can be twisted, mirrored, flipped or inverted. From a simple technical idea, you can develop huge numbers of surfaces and forms. When I teach, I don’t just teach folding. I also teach about incising into the body of the fabric or cutting in from the edge. When you fold, you make something smaller, but if you cut into a surface you open it. So, folding and cutting can be regarded as opposites, which reduce and expand a surface. I teach the students to use cutting and folding together. Have you ever experimented with different media or combining paper with different media? For myself, I am happy to work only with paper, in its many varieties. But when I teach, I’m not a purist. I largely let students do what they want, so they can develop their own voice and style, even if it conflicts with my own. For example, students can add buttons and fabric to a piece of folding if that is what it needs. I am all for that if it helps to create a good piece of work. Sometimes, a student thinks that by going to an art shop and buying an expensive sheet of handmade paper from Tibet, they will make a beautiful piece of work . . . but often it doesn’t happen like that. Why is your approach successful? Students respond because with folding, the result is immediate. You don’t need to spend a lot of time to get a reward. You’re not battling to learn to use technology, or a machine, in order to produce something worthwhile. You can work magic with your fingers and you have direct contact with the material. Using only your hands—your body—to make something with the minimum intervention of tools is kind of therapy. I call it ‘low tech, no tech.’ You can generate lots of ideas very quickly. It’s a good idea to use a digital camera to record what you make, because you won’t have time to realize all the ideas as final pieces. The unmade pieces can be used as references for later pieces. Folding gives you control of the material because when you manipulate the fabric, it is very obvious what is happening. You can understand it. It is not mysterious. Folding with your hands is an antidote to technology. What is the best paper to use? Pattern-cutting paper is good if you are creating something large. Alternatively, if you don’t have the space, just use basic A4 copier paper. Tyvek is a good, inexpensive alternative to paper. It’s plastic, but it folds like paper and is very difficult to tear. It can also be stitched and dyed.

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Recliner folded from one uncut sheet of paper. Height:  25 cm. Courtesy of Paul Jackson. Reproduced with permission.

Project: Origami Find a book on origami in your local bookstore or library, or visit one of the Internet sites listed in the references. Try a few basic folds and create some simple shapes. Take the shape that you have created and think about how it might be used within a garment as a silhouette, a pocket, a pleat or a shoulder or hem detail.

There are other ways of exploring ideas

a three-dimensional printer. These enable de-

in three dimensions, both manual and com­

signers to quickly construct a three-dimensional

puter aided. One of the latest developments

model of an extremely complex shape. This

is rapid prototyping using three-dimensional

could be buckle, a jewellery component or even

computer-aided design (CAD) packages and

the sole of a shoe.

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Case Study: Rapid Prototyping Prior2Lever and the London College of Fashion collaborated on the development of the Assassin football boot. The motivation for this project was the potential offered by new and emerging direct manufacturing techniques arising from rapid prototyping technologies. These technologies enable functional parts to be produced directly from a three-dimensional CAD model without the need for tools or moulds, utilizing an additive layer-by-layer build process, in this case laser sintering of Polyamide 12. The sole unit of the football boot is created in three-dimensional CAD, using a foot scan as the starting point; the podiatrist directs the designer in the development of the CAD model. The sole unit is then manufactured digitally and assembled into a boot using traditional techniques to close the leather upper onto the sintered sole.

Assassin boot.  Courtesy of Prior2Lever. Reproduced with permission.

It is also possible to develop your ideas di-

Draping or modelling can be a quick way of

rectly in the materials that you intend to use or a

developing new shapes and silhouettes or intri-

cheaper alternative. In terms of garment design,

cate details such as pleats, folds and drapes.

this is often done on a dress or form and is called

You can photograph your experiments to capture

modelling or draping. It is possible to achieve

ideas that can then be developed further into pat-

shapes and effects using this process that would

terns. After a garment is created on the stand, it

be extremely difficult or impossible to realize

is usually transferred to a two-dimensional pattern

through drawing or traditional two-dimensional

so that it can be checked for accuracy, seam al-

pattern-cutting techniques.

lowances can be added and it can be cut in the

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visual research methods in fashion

actual fabric. Most creative designers use some

dimensional computer design package such as

form of draping or modelling in their work.

Romans

Handbag designers also work three-dimen-

Cad

(http://www.lectra.com/en/foot

wear/solutions/3d_design.html).

Other

useful

sionally. For solid shapes they often use card-

three-dimensional software includes Rhino (http://

board to create forms called maquettes. Shoes

www.rhino3d.com/), Autodesk 3ds Max (http://

can also be designed using three-dimensional

usa.autodesk.com) or Blender, which is free open-

processes, using either real lasts (shoe forms)

source software (http://www.blender.org/), and

made of wood or plastic or virtual lasts on a three-

Google SketchUp (http://sketchup.google.com).

Designing on the stand.  Courtesy of Rene De Lange.

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173

Image from Romans Cad.  Courtesy of Lectra. Reproduced with permission

applying your concepts and understanding your consumer

your wonderful research will have been in vain. So

You may have developed an extremely exciting

panies will produce visual profiles or pen portraits

and innovative concept, but it needs to fit both the

of their consumer in order to help all of the parties

product you are creating and the consumer for

in the design development process to understand

whom it is intended. You may have an extremely

whom they are trying to communicate with.

a big part of developing your concept is to understand your consumer. You will often find that com-

clever idea, but if your intended consumer does

A visual consumer profile should tell a story

not understand it, it will not work. This is equally

about the lifestyle of your target customers: how

true for the designer end of the market and for

old they are, where they shop, what kinds of expe-

discount brands, for highly creative publications

riences and brands are important to them, where

and for mass-market media. Successful brands

they are in their life cycle (single, married, retired,

and designers enjoy a strong relationship with

with or without children), what kind of profession

their consumers and engage in conversations

they might work in (corporate, creative, charitable

with them. They are selling an aspiration or a life-

work), where they live, how they spend their leisure

style as well as their product. If you do not get the

time, what they eat and so on. The more you know

conversation with your consumer right, if you do

about your consumers, the more confident you

not tell them a story that they want to hear, then all

can be that your product is appropriate to them.

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Interview with Kirsten Ludwig Kirsten works as a creative director at Martin and Osa, a division of American Eagle Outfitters. Her background is in visual communications, and she has worked in the industry for companies such Louis in Boston, Ron Herman and Fred Segel, style365.com and Polo Ralph Lauren. Who are Martin and Osa’s target customer? Martin and Osa Johnson were travellers in the 1920s and 1930s and had an amazing love of life and each other. The inspiration was really the travels of Martin and Osa Johnson. I think what they thought of with this brand was their joie de vive their love of life and it is inspiring to this demographic. You are at an age where you are very comfortable with yourself and not necessarily chasing after a lifestyle so it is a refreshing and inspiring brand. How do you define creative direction and brand positioning? Brand positioning is creating what the vision, personality and feeling of that brand is; creative direction is creating that vision and executing all of those creative elements within that brand filter. Carrying through that vision, making sure all is relevant, with the right look and feel and personality of the brand. It could be events or online. Relevance is the key point the key to all of it. There is a lot of information that gets thrown at you and it’s really understanding what information is relevant for that particular brand and what isn’t. There are a lot of aspects in the industry that are instinct. You either get it or you don’t, it is also a lot of learning and being a sponge and what to filter out and what to keep. To understand a brand you must learn how to really immerse yourself in that brand and understand the customer, what they hear, watch, think and see. You must continue to move forward and evolve the brand, as someone will always be on your toes and if you are a stagnant brand you will be left behind. You should continue to interpret new things, new ideas, new mediums that come along. What skills do you need for your role? The thing about fashion retail is that it is very quick you have to be very nimble. There are constant changes that are exciting and also chaotic and stressful, but that is part of the fun. That’s why we love it. There are new ideas and we brainstorm for everything about a season. We will say what is summer about? We will look at the line and get inspiration from that. We will try to think about where our customers’ mindset will be and develop a very aspirational conceptual story around that. Where are we going to do our photo shoot? What is the in-store experience going to feel like? What does your advertising at that time feel like? And we do a series of brainstorms leading up to that. Additionally you have immediate changes, business changes, that you have to react to, have ideas, and be quick. What research do you carry out for your job? Paul Smith said ‘you can find inspiration is in everything’ and I absolutely believe that. I think it is about being aware on an ongoing basis. It is about travelling. It is about seeing and watching everything and

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everywhere you go that could be walking down your neighbourhood street or travelling to Europe or Tokyo. It is about technology, new media, and the Web. I could give you a list of 100 sites right now I have bookmarked and refer to but when you publish the book they will be obsolete and there will be 100 new sites to reference. The great thing about technology is that we can be doing, watching, reading and seeing what exactly what our customer is doing. There is no longer that divide. It is no longer about an age demographic or geographic divide, because of technology we can see and watch and be everywhere. The Internet is an amazing source even just for imagery to use for concepts and that type of thing but also for information for what is next. Sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, Coolhunter there are a lot of trend sites that are great, check in and see what is going on. What do you think the role of technology will be in the future? I think it is going to grow in ways that we cannot even imagine. If you think about how much more content and new technology there is now and it has only been ten years how it is going to go forward will be amazing. Do you have to know about technology? You have to if you want to be in the game. You have to be aware of TV and magazines you don’t necessarily have to know the back end of things and how to do all the different technical elements but you do have to know about it to be a part of it you can’t deny it as a medium, it is so influential—that it would almost be like walking down the street covering your eyes. By authentic I mean doing it because you believe in it and it is a real way to express the brand as opposed to do it because it is a cool medium and we are going to have to use it. It has to make sense a brand that has an older customer base and isn’t necessarily online or using mobile phones, it would not make any sense for them to do a text message campaign; likewise it does not make much sense to have a thirty-second commercial spot anymore for the young customer, unless there is true entertainment in the content, as there is Tivo and the customer is in control. You have to be smart and create a thirty-second spot your audience is going to love and watch it or be smart and move beyond it. As more mediums come along you have to look at it as an opportunity and constantly be innovative and constantly thinking about what is next or you are going to be passed up. What was your best idea? At American Eagle we said we are going to think beyond the thirty-second spot and we created an original content series called ‘it’s a mall world.’ It was a series of twelve five-minute episodes set in a mall; one of the stores was an American Eagle Outfitters. Instead of buying a thirty-second advertisement we took that money and created this content with some up-and-coming Hollywood stars and then ran it on MTV. We created MySpace and Facebook pages for all the characters to make it really authentic and our customers loved it.

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Project: Brand Identity and Trend Presentation What so many people do in presentations is throw every trend up on the wall. In order to stand out and differentiate a brand and develop a personality you have got to pick and choose what is right for that brand. You can’t be everything to everybody it is about editing and understanding your brand. —Kirsten Ludwig Take a brand and look at how they present themselves, online and offline. Collate images and words that represent the brand and trends that you think are relevant to the brand. Stick everything up on a wall. Now edit your collection. If the image or word doesn’t fit with the brand identity, remove it. Create a presentation showing the key trends that you think are relevant to your chosen brand; write a short rationale for your decisions.

ethical and environmental issues

the product. The fashion industry has often been

When developing a product you should always

working conditions and low wages of workers

be aware of the impact that your ideas will have

or the environmental impact of the production of

upon the environment and the people producing

clothing and accessories.

subject to severe criticism because of the poor

Case Study: Kathleen Fasanella Kathleen Fasanella runs a blog called Fashion-Incubator: lessons from the sustainable factory floor (http://www.fashion-incubator.com/). She says that one of the problems is that designers do not follow the correct and sustainable way of building their businesses. They overproduce and then try to sell the product rather than creating one sample and selling from this. She says, ‘It is extremely wasteful. We used to do things differently, . . . we weren’t concerned about sustainability [but] we were a lot less wasteful.’ The consequence of this overproduction is that a lot of product ends up in the off-price market. An oversupply in this market then means that products that would traditionally sell in those markets are shipped to developing countries such as Africa and India. As a consequence small producers in these countries go out of business because they cannot compete with the imported goods. Kathleen promotes small, holistic and organic growth in the companies she works with. This approach means that there is no need to take on board-external investors, to spend money on marketing to create a demand for your product or to go offshore so you can keep your profit margins. Being sustainable actually means that you can spend less, and therefore waste less, and grow your business without exploiting people or the environment. To find out more you can join the forum on Kathleen’s blog or read her book (Fasanella 1998). Kathleen also recommends reading the books by Agins (2000) and Thomas (2007) to get a broader understanding of sustainability issues in the fashion industry. The Centre for Sustainable Fashion at London College of Fashion is also a useful resource (http://www. fashion.arts.ac.uk/csf.htm).

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Summary In this chapter we have explored how to move from gathering information to creating a concept and developing ideas into a product. This is achieved through a continual process of analysis, investigation and experimentation. We have discovered the best ideas are based upon strong concepts that communicate directly with the intended consumer. We have explored the need to engage in image analysis and to understand what other artists and designers are trying to communicate. By connecting our work to broader cultural and social issues, we can create stronger narratives and be more creative. By engaging in extensive experimentation through drawing or three-dimensional exploration of our ideas, we can validate our ideas, select those that are most likely to be successful and reject those that do not meet our criteria. Whilst developing our concepts we also need to consider the ethical and environmental impact of the products we will ultimately be producing. To be successful the fashion industry also needs to be sustainable.

references and further reading

Lawson, B. (2006), How Designers Think: The De-

Abling, B. (2007), Fashion Sketchbook, 5th ed., New

McKelvey, K., and Munslow, J. (2008), Fashion Design:

sign Process Demystified, 4th ed., Amsterdam: Architectural.

York: Fairchild Books. Abrahamov, S. L. (2008), ‘Media Literacy: Reading and Writing Images in a Digital Age,’ in M. Abrahmov (ed.), Educating Artists for the Future: Learning at the Intersections of Art, Science, Technology and Culture, Bristol: Intellect. Agins, T. (2000), The End of Fashion: How Marketing Changed the Clothing Business Forever, New York: Quill. Aspelund, K. (2010), The Design Process, 2nd ed., New York: Fairchild Books. Everett, F. (1987), Fashion Design, London: Usborne.

Process, Innovation and Practice, Oxford: Blackwell Science. Mitchell, C. (2009), Doing Visual Research, London: SAGE. Noble, I., and Bestley, R. (2005), Visual Research: An Introduction to Research Methodologies in Graphic Design, Lausanne: AVA. Paxson, P. (2004), Media Literacy: Thinking Critically about Visual Culture, Portland, ME: J. Weston Walch. Renfrew, E., and Renfrew, C. (2009), Developing a Collection, Lausanne: AVA Academia.

Fasanella, K. (1998), The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Sewn

Robinson, N. (1999), Absolute Beginner’s Origami: The

Product Manufacturing, Capitan, NM: Apparel

Simple Three-Stage Guide to Creating Expert Ori-

Technical Services.

gami, London: Apple.

Greenlees, K. (2005), Creating Sketchbooks for Embroi-

Rose, G. (2007), Visual Methodologies: An Introduction

derers and Textile Artists: Exploring the Embroider-

to the Interpretation of Visual Materials, 2nd ed.,

ers’ Sketchbook, London: Batsford. Jones, S. J. (2005), Fashion Design: Portfolio Series, 2nd ed., London: Laurence King. Kasahara, K. (2004), The Art and Wonder of Origami, Hove, UK: Apple Press.

London: SAGE. Seivewright, S. (2007), Research and Design, Lausanne: AVA Academia. Szkutnicka, B. (2010), Technical Drawing for Fashion, London: Laurence King.

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Thomas, D. (2007), Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster, New York: Penguin Press.

and-communication/amfi-international-courses/ index.htm

Wigan, M. (2006), Thinking Visually, Lausanne: AVA.

Coolhunter http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/

Wilde, J. (2000), Visual Literacy: A Conceptual Ap-

Drawing Research Network http://www.drawing.org.uk/

proach to Graphic Problem Solving. New York:

The Figure-Drawing Lab http://drawinglab.evansville.

Watson-Guptill. Woods, B. (2003), Life Drawing: A Journey to Self­expression, Ramsbury, UK: Crowood.

edu/ Folioplanet http://folioplanet.com/Illustration/Fashion/ Imaginationcubed (online collaborative drawing tool) http://www.imaginationcubed.com/

websites

Origami http://www.origami.com/ TAFE NSW Sydney Institute http://www.sit.nsw.edu.au Ten-minute Drawing Techniques http://tenminutedraw

Amsterdam Fashion Institute http://www.international. hva.nl/degree-programmes/school-of-design-

ing.blogspot.com/

chapter 7 traditional research tools and techniques Chapter Overview In the digital age it is easy to overlook traditional tools, techniques and sources of information. This chapter explores a variety of traditional materials and techniques that can be used for visual research. It also considers traditional ways of recording information such as sketching and painting and explores a range of artist’s materials, explaining their qualities and applications for research. You will also discover how to get the most out of a research visit to a library, art gallery or museum. Photography is an essential aid to the visual researcher, and in this chapter you will also find advice on how to take and produce a good photograph and how to source images using image agencies. This chapter includes: • Art materials and suppliers • Case study: Kacchi • Using libraries and archives • Case study: North Carolina State University College of Textiles • Museums and art galleries • Case study: Charlotte Hodes • Photography • Interview with David Moy • Using image agencies • Case study: Getty Images.

art materials and suppliers

extensive information about their products along

This section suggests art materials that are useful

sites are a good starting point if you want to find

for visual research. It is not an exhaustive list of all

out more about a particular medium.

with tips and techniques for using them. These

the materials that are available but concentrates on those that are easily portable and therefore

Buying Art Supplies

useful for non–desk-based research. The Web

The price of art supplies can vary enormously and

sites of suppliers of artist’s materials often contain

for a student can be a big investment, so it is wise

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to do some research. A general rule when pur-

have to remember that to get white, you need

chasing art materials is that the quality is usually

to leave these areas without paint or add an

reflected in the price, so try to buy the best quality

opaque medium like gouache later. You can get

that you can afford. Look out for special offers and

many effects with watercolours by using them

ends of lines, and shop around for the best deals;

with pastels, by adding salt or by wetting the

you can easily compare prices on the Internet, but

paper first and letting the colours bleed into

don’t forget to factor in the delivery costs.

each other. There are plenty of books on water-

Your university may have a shop selling sup-

colour techniques that will give you more ideas.

plies, or you may have a good local art shop. At

An important thing to remember is that water-

the end of this section we give a list of a few of the

colour requires a heavy paper; otherwise your

suppliers that you can access online; there are,

work will wrinkle up.

however, many others, and you should check to

It is possible to get sketchpads of watercolour

see if there are others not listed here that deliver

paper for when you are on the move or to make

to your area.

your own by cutting up some sheets and binding them. If you are working indoors or planning to

Paints

create a finished piece, it is preferable to stretch

Watercolour, gouache and acrylic paints are

the paper on a board to keep it flat whilst you are

useful for research, as they dry quickly, making

working. If you are not very good at stretching

them easy to use outdoors. A small palette of

paper using the traditional method of gummed

watercolours in a box or tin is useful for sketch-

tape, you can buy a board created specially

ing when you are on the move. You can usually

for the purpose (http://www.art­supplies.co.uk /

use the lid to mix your colours. Some sets come

item-perfect-paper-stretcher.htm).

with a water bottle, but it is easier to use a water

Acrylic paints are very versatile and can be

brush. A water brush has a plastic barrel for the

mixed with water to make them work like wa-

handle that you can fill with water. To clean the

tercolours, or they can be used straight from

brush between colours, you just squeeze some

the tube. Mixed with other media they can cre-

water through and brush on a scrap piece of

ate transparent or pearly effects. They dry very

paper until it runs clean. You don’t need to

quickly, but adding other media can extend the

keep changing the water, so the colours stay

drying time, which is sometimes useful.

cleaner. The brushes come in a range of sizes,

Gouache is an opaque form of watercolour

although they are not really suitable for doing

and is useful when you want flat areas of colour; it

large areas. If you are using watercolours, you

is fast drying and has a matt finish.

Project: Stretching Paper To stretch paper the traditional way, you need a wooden board slightly larger than the paper you want to stretch, preferably something water resistant like plywood. It needs to be approximately 1/2" (1.3 cm) thick. Your local wood store may have

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some offcuts, or if you want to spend a bit more money, you can buy the Grafix Incredible Art Board (http://www.grafixarts. com/incredible_art.htm). You also need gummed brown paper tape which should be available from stationers; you need one about 3" wide. 1. Cut four strips of gummed paper about 6" longer than the dimensions of your paper. 2. Soak your paper. Put it in a large bowl or bathtub, and fill it with about 4" of water. It is important that the paper is thoroughly wet but not soggy. Winsor and Newton recommend soaking the paper for the following times depending on the weight of the paper: 90 lb for 3 minutes, 140 lb for 8 minutes, 300 lb for 20 minutes. 3. Lay your paper flat on the board, leaving a margin, and use a wet sponge to remove any air pockets. 4. Wet your tape and apply it so it overlaps the edge of the paper; smooth it down with your sponge. Tape down around all four sides. 5. Lay your board flat and let the paper dry. 6. You create your painting whilst the paper is still attached to the board and cut it off with a scalpel or craft knife when you have finished. 7. Remove the tape and reuse the board. (http://www.watercolourpainting.com)

Pencils and Coloured Pencils

like a 4H will create a fine line that may be useful for

The great thing about pencils for research work

technical drawing. A pencil sharpener with a built-in

is that they are easy to carry around and you can

container for the shavings is a useful tool.

get an interesting range of effects and colours by using cross-hatching and shading. There are

Pens and Inks

many different types of coloured pencils on the

Brush pens, fountain pens, art pens, gel pens

market; you may need to experiment with differ-

and roller balls are all very useful for sketching

ent types to find your own personal preference.

or working in a visual journal. Pen is a very im-

Coloured pencils are good for representing tex-

mediate medium: you usually can’t erase it, but

ture and of course require no water unless you opt

you may find you work more freely with a pen pre-

for a water-soluble variety. The latter can give you

cisely because it can’t be rubbed out. You can

richer colours and can be used effectively with ink

draw with all sorts of pens, from technical pens

or pencil. Inktense by Derwent are coloured pen-

to old-fashioned dip pens and a bottle of ink. If

cils that give an intense colour. Coloured pencils

you want to use inks with watercolour and other

can be used with ordinary pencils to create details

media, you may want to ensure that they are wa-

and outlines.

terproof; otherwise, they may run when you apply

Mechanical pencils can be useful if you don’t want to carry a sharpener around with you. Lead

the other media. Inks come in many colours and give intense colour.

pencils are graded according to their hardness: a 9H pencil is very hard and a 9B is very soft. HB pen-

Markers

cils are in the middle of the range. A soft pencil like

Markers are available in a range of different tips

a 3B will create a darker line, and a very hard pencil

designed either for filling large areas, for general

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visual research methods in fashion

Inktense pencils.  Courtesy of Derwent. Reproduced with permission.

work or for fine lines. They are best used with

need a fixative or to be covered with tissue paper

marker paper but work well on any paper with a

to protect your work. They blend easily and can

smooth, glossy finish. Well-known brands include

be combined with other media such as pen and

Pantone and Magic Markers, but there are many

watercolour to create different effects. Oil pastels

others available. The downside of markers is that

give more intense colour than chalks.

you don’t always know when they are going to run out part way through a drawing. They are good for

Charcoal

getting a strong, vibrant colour, are quick and easy

Charcoal is often used for quick sketching. It comes

to use and don’t make a mess, but they can’t be

in sticks and pencils in varying sizes and degrees

erased if you make a mistake.

of softness. Charcoal lends itself to larger-scale expressive drawing rather than small, intricate de-

Pastels and Chalks

tailing. It is easily erased but also easy to smudge

You can use chalk or oil pastels to quickly achieve

and so requires fixing. You can buy aerosol fixative

colour. Chalk pastels smudge easily and may

designed for use with charcoal and pastels.

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Rubbers and Erasers

with pen, pencil and ink; textured paper works

A selection of different erasers can be useful for

well with pastels (Harrison 2005).

correcting mistakes and lifting out colour. A plastic

There is an infinite variety of coloured, novelty

rubber and a putty rubber are useful additions to

and handmade papers available from art shops

your art box.

and specialist suppliers. If you are feeling really adventurous, you can even buy kits to make your

Paper

own. As with all other elements of visual research,

Many people develop a preference for the kind of

experimentation is the key to innovation and

paper they like to use for their research. Here, we

success.

list a few useful kinds of paper and some of the

If you want your work to last and not fade, it is

key terms that you may come across when select-

best to use acid-free paper. Most good-quality

ing paper. The main characteristics of paper that

papers will be acid free, and this is usually in-

you need to consider are how heavy it is, whether

dicated on the cover if you are buying a pad of

it is rough or smooth, how absorbent it is, how

paper. Otherwise, check with the supplier.

opaque or translucent it is and which medium you intend to use it with. You do not need to spend a fortune to get a good result, and often working with expensive paper can be inhibiting, as you may be more concerned about wasting it or making a mistake. Generally, for research purposes you do not need very expensive paper unless you are working with watercolour, in which case a heavier-weight paper around 140 lb (300 gsm) is preferable. You can buy paper by the sheet, by the ream (500 sheets), by the quire (25 sheets) or in books and pads. Paper comes in different weights and surfaces. There are two systems for defining the weight, pounds per ream or grams per square meter (gsm). Weights vary from 74 lb/150 gsm to

Layout Paper Layout paper is good for quick pen and pencil work and is partially transparent, which is useful when you are using a template or want to draw over something. Tracing Paper Tracing paper is more transparent than layout paper but more resistant to colour. Both layout and tracing paper work well with pencil and pen. Marker Pads This paper has been especially formulated to work with marker pens and will give a good result.

400 lb/850 gsm. The most usual surface finishes are cold-

Sketchbooks

pressed, hot-pressed and rough. Rough paper

Sketchbooks come in a variety of sizes, formats

has a coarse texture as its name suggests, whilst

and different qualities of paper. It is useful to have

hot-pressed paper is smoother and finer and

a couple of different sizes: a small A5 or A6 book

cold-pressed paper is in between. Cold-pressed

that is easy to carry around in a bag or pocket and

paper is a popular choice for using with water-

slip out when inspiration strikes and a bigger one

colour, whilst hot-pressed paper performs well

for working in the studio. You can also make your

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visual research methods in fashion

Selection of papers.  Courtesy of the author.

own sketchbooks; it is actually quite easy and

presentation board samples and examples of

means you can use a selection of different types

technical drawings. The body of the book has

of paper. You can also bind loose sheets to make

faint outlines of a figure printed on the pages,

up a sketchbook. A good publication to look at for

making it easy to sketch out ideas without worry-

ideas for making your own sketchbooks is Making

ing about proportions (http://fashionary.org).

Books by Hand (McCarthy 1997). Fashionary is a sketchbook that has been

Brushes

created specifically for fashion designers; its in-

Brushes are categorized according to their shape

ventor, Penter Yip, designed it as a tailor-made

and the materials they are made from. They can

sketchbook for fashion designers. The informa-

be synthetic or made from animal hair such as

tion section contains a brand index, body mea-

sable. Sable brushes are more suitable for water-

surements, basic patterns, typography and

colour, whilst nylon-filament brushes work better

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185

Technical drawing sheet.  Courtesy of Fashionary. Reproduced with permission.

with acrylics. You will often find that art shops will

creating washes. Always clean your brushes after

sell starter packs for acrylic or watercolours. These

use, and never leave them standing in water. If you

are usually fairly reasonably priced and a good op-

look after them, they will last a long time.

tion for beginners. Once you have a feel for the

There are many other media that you can use;

kind of brushes you like to work with, you can in-

experimenting with something you have not used

vest in some more expensive makes. It is useful

before can lead to interesting results. An illustrator

to have a range of round and flat brushes in sizes

who has a unique approach to the use of media in

from very small (no. 2) for detail to large (no. 26) for

her work is Kacchi.

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visual research methods in fashion

Aquafine brushes  by Daler Rowney. Courtesy of Daler Rowney. Reproduced with permission.

Case Study: Kacchi Kacchi uses clay dolls to create settings that she then photographs in both illustrated and real-life situations. Many of her works are inspired by Hula and Hawaiian culture and also the people she sees on the street. Kacchi’s work has appeared in various magazines and advertising campaigns, and it has been featured in Paul Smith’s window displays throughout Tokyo. Kacchi creates the clay dolls and the background and then photographs them. When she is working on a display or installation assignment for a store window, an event or an exhibition, she creates a three-dimensional installation with dolls and a background based on the commissioned theme. To make the dolls she creates the torso, then adds wires to the face, hands and feet and attaches them to the torso using water to blend the separate body parts. When the pieces dry, she uses sandpaper to smooth the surface and colours them with acrylic paint. Kacchi is self-taught, and her technique was arrived at through a process of trial and error. The piece shown here was to be used during Golden Week (a Japanese holiday week in May) for a department store. The client was a design company called Chocolate. Kacchi feels that the piece ‘expresses the pleasures and happiness of spending a holiday with the ones you love’. You can see more of her work at http://www.kacchiworld.com/.

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Kacchi’s sketch for the commercial project shown in Plate 24.  Courtesy of Kacchi. Reproduced with permission.

using libraries and archives

to online resources you would not have general access to, like subscription databases.

Although the Internet is a useful and very acces-

The first thing you need to know about a library

sible resource, it is important to remember that it

is which cataloguing system it uses. In the US

does not provide you with all the information and

many libraries use the Library of Congress cat-

inspiration you will need to engage in visual re-

aloguing system, whereas in the UK the Dewey

search. Libraries and archives are good sources

Decimal system is popular. The cataloguing sys-

of visual imagery and can give you access to a

tem helps you to locate the books or other materi-

rich source of material you will not find online or

als on the shelves. It is useful to get to know the

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coding or numbering system for the parts of the

Your library may offer induction sessions or train-

library you use most often.

ing in information seeking; if this is offered to you,

There are different kinds of libraries: those that

then take it up. Every library has different areas of

lend books, videos, music and DVDs and those

specialism and offers a slightly different service.

that provide them for reference only. Some librar-

Getting to know your university library will make

ies require special membership or a recommen-

life much easier for you when you start to work on

dation from your tutor for you to be able to gain

a project or assignment.

access, and others are open to the general public. Many universities and colleges have arrangements

Getting the Most Out of a Library Visit

to enable students to use or borrow from each

Being well prepared will help you to get the most

other’s libraries. Check with your librarian to find

out of your visit. You may want to make sure that

out which libraries in your area you have access

you have the following:

to, and be prepared to travel; the best information may not be in your own university library. Most libraries now have their catalogues online, so you can search them to see if they have the material you want before you go to the li-

• A notebook or sketchbook and pens and pencils • Change for the photocopier or your photocopy card

brary. You can sometimes reserve a book online

• Your library card

or get a notification when it is due back, manage

• Your laptop or a memory stick

your loans and renewals or even save the bib-

• A list of keywords for searching in the

liographic data for books that you want to read or borrow. Your library may also offer a system of interlibrary loans where they will order a book from another library for you if they do not stock it. There may be a limit to the number of these re-

catalogue • A bag with you to carry the books away if you are borrowing them • Possibly your own earphones, if you intend to view a video and they are not provided.

quests you can make or an associated cost. Most catalogues in university libraries will also tell you

To protect their stock most libraries do not

which online journals and databases the library

allow food and drink. If you are preparing for a long

subscribes to as well as listing the physical stock

study period, eat first or find out where the nearest

that the library holds. Access to these databases

cafeteria is and take some money with you.

may be limited to on-campus computers, or your

Don’t be tempted to borrow too many books

library may subscribe to a system that allows you

at once. You may just feel overwhelmed or run out

to access certain databases off campus using a

of time to use them before you have to renew or

password.

return them. Remember to always write down the

Librarians are extremely knowledgeable when

source of any material you intend to use in your

it comes to finding information, and they are there

work; this includes images as well as text. It is

to help you, so if you can’t find anything or can’t

good practice to cite the source of your inspiration

understand the catalogue, don’t be afraid to ask.

in order to avoid being accused of plagiarism

traditional research tools and techniques

189

London College of Fashion Library.  Photographer: David Hardy. Reproduced with permission.

(copying the work of another or presenting some-

the usual loan period and others for short loan or

one else’s idea as your own). This will also help

reference only.

you to find the information again if you need to check something.

Photocopying

If the catalogue says a book is in and you can’t

Always check that you are within the copyright li-

find it, check the oversize shelves or ask the li-

cence if you are photocopying from a book (see

brarian. When borrowing materials be careful to

Chapter 5 for more information about copyright).

check the loan period; some copies may be for

If in doubt consult the librarian.

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Case study: North Carolina State University College of Textiles Background The North Carolina State University (NCSU) College of Textiles houses the Burlington Textiles Library, a branch library of the NCSU Libraries. The library is unique in the US for both the breadth and depth of its collections, and it ranks as a world-class textiles information centre. The NCSU Libraries as a whole own more than 4.3 million volumes and subscribe to approximately 62,000 print and electronic serial subscriptions (51,000 of them electronic), 500 bibliographic databases, 400,000 electronic books and a growing array of electronic full-text and image collections. The libraries are widely recognized for innovation and effective use of digital library technologies within the academic library community. The Textiles Library’s collections are a combination of online books, journals, conference proceedings, databases and a print collection of more than 40,000 volumes, with nearly 90 current periodical subscriptions and over 1,500 historical titles in all. The collection emphasizes the following subject areas: textile engineering, polymer chemistry, medical textiles, apparel management, fashion design and textile economics. Included in the wealth of textiles information is a collection on the history of costume. The collection helps students to understand what people wore in a certain culture or period and why. The books fall into two main categories: one is cultural history; the other is construction of clothing. These books show, for example, patterns for men’s clothing from the Civil War. There are also various designer biographies, art history coffee table books and oversize books in this collection. Scott Warren, associate director of the library from 2004 to 2008, described it this way: ‘These books are rife with images and they are often a better resolution than the images you can get from the Internet. You also get the context of where the image comes from and where the clothing came from.’ Honora Eskridge, the director of the Textiles Library, works with faculty to ensure that the library is fully utilized as a teaching resource. Textiles librarians provide instruction for students on effective research methods and use of library materials. This is achieved through close collaboration with faculty to integrate appropriate assignments into courses and curricula. Librarians guest-lecture in classes or utilize a growing number of online tutorials they have created to provide instruction. For example, Scott Warren and Lisa Parrillo Chapman, a faculty member who teaches computer-aided design for textiles, worked closely together to ensure that their students got the maximum benefit from the library. Lisa says that: Building a relationship with the library is extremely useful for helping students to engage with visual research. Having the librarian come into the classroom helps students to understand the importance of research and that ideas don’t just spring out of your head. The librarians help the students to understand how the library is organized and point out the two or three areas they are most likely to want to use. They are also able to help them find a lot of images that are not available online. The NCSU Libraries’ online catalogue is powered by Endeca software, which allows for powerful searching of library collections. Like most college and university libraries in the US, the NCSU Libraries use the Library of Congress classification system. This means that call numbers are consistent from

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library to library. For example, if you go into Philadelphia University, you should be able to walk into their library and go to the section on clothing history or clothing manufacture (call number ranges in the GTs); if that library collects in that area, one would be able to find them. The NCSU Libraries also has consortial arrangements with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. The combined holdings of the three libraries amount to about 15 million volumes, making this consortium the biggest concentration of materials in the US after Greater Boston. There is a common interface, so students can search all three collections with one tool. Databases The arts databases give the students affordable access to images and help them to understand the context to the images. The NCSU Libraries have purchased the Artstore and Amica (Art Museum Images from Cartographic Associates) databases, both of which are quite common in design libraries. These databases have very high-resolution images that students can organize into folders and print out for educational use. The images also have information about who made them, when and in what period. The NCSU Libraries also provide online access to dissertations and master’s theses. Alternative Media In addition to traditional library materials, the Textiles Library’s Special Collections Room houses the William H. Harriss Collection of Modern Fabrics, which contains approximately 4,000 fabric swatches. The collection is not searchable electronically, but there is a card catalogue allowing one to search by patterns, weave, fabric type and so on. Each fabric sample is about one foot square. You can see what the fabric looks like and how it drapes. There are also about 400 videos and DVDs in the Textile Library and about 10,000 of them in the D. H. Hill Library, including a strong Bollywood collection. A digital media lab provides equipment and assistance for converting all types of media into digital format and includes a plotter for printing poster-sized documents.

museums and art galleries

is a much better idea to focus your visit on a particular collection or even one piece. Drawing

When visiting a museum or art gallery, it is a

is important because it will help you to focus on

good idea to carry out a bit of secondary re-

what it is about an object or image that interests

search first. Find out what is in the collection,

you. Seeing an object or picture at close range

what the opening times are and what the policy

enables you to appreciate the detail, to consider

is on photography and drawing. A small fold-up

how it was made and why. Always note down as

stool can be a good idea unless you are good

much information as possible about the piece;

at drawing standing up or enjoy sitting on the

you may need it later to do some follow-up re-

floor. A lot of students make the mistake of try-

search on the artist or the period in which it was

ing to see everything in a museum or gallery. It

produced.

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visual research methods in fashion

Many museums and galleries have an educa-

eye on what is happening, not just in your own

tion department and will run special events such

city or country but around the world as well. A big

as interviews with artists and designers or may

exhibition in one of the major fashion centres like

offer the opportunity to talk to a curator or view

New York or Paris will be seen by a lot of people

pieces that are not on display. Most major muse-

who work in the industry and can influence what

ums and galleries will also have information about

they are designing. Museums and galleries usually

their collections and upcoming exhibitions online.

publish their exhibition schedules well in advance,

Major exhibitions can often influence what is hap-

so they are also a good source for possible trend

pening in fashion, so it is a good idea to keep an

influences.

Case Study: Charlotte Hodes An artist who often uses museum pieces as inspiration for her work is Charlotte Hodes. Charlotte is a senior research fellow at London College of Fashion, and she was an associate artist at the Wallace Collection from 2005 to 2007 (http://www.wallacecollection.org). She used the collection as a source for new papercuts and ceramics. Two examples of her work are illustrated in Plate 25 and Plate 26. She describes them as follows: The papercuts juxtapose both a contemporary figure, drawn from myself, alongside historical images. In ‘Sèvres Silhouette I’, the figure is posed on a domestic ‘kitchen-type’ pot shape. She is draped in a patterned cloth. The pattern is sourced from a pattern on the Sèvres Vase ‘à colonnes cannelées’, 1768 in the Wallace Collection. The historical figures in ‘Bathers: Pool’ are repeated as if forming a pattern across the papercut. It is sourced from a drawing that I made in the Wallace Collection of a mid French miniature gouache painting ‘Women Bathing’ attributed to Jacques Charlier.

Archives

its Los Angeles campus. Companies may also

Some libraries also have special collections called

keep archives of their products, and these may be

archives; these may contain unique historical doc-

available for viewing on special request. In Paris

uments and resources, some of which can be very

there is the Yves St Laurent Institute for fashion re-

rare and unpublished. Articles in archives are usu-

search (http://www.ysl-hautecouture.com), which

ally being preserved as an historical record and as

is dedicated to the designer’s work.

such may require special arrangements for viewing. The London College of Fashion (http://www. fashion.arts.ac.uk) has a tailoring archive; Hong Kong Polytechnic University (www.polyu.edu.hk)

photography

has a fashion archive and fabric library; and the

Photography is an established tool for conducting

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising

research. For many years the only way to know

(http://fidm.edu/) has a permanent collection of

how your image would turn out was to wait for

over 12,000 costumes in its study collection at

the film to be developed. Digital photography has

traditional research tools and techniques

193

completely changed the way that both amateur

to print them, which we are doing less of, pre-

and professional photographers work. It is now

ferring to store and share photographs digitally.

quick and easy to take a photograph, and there

Whether you use digital or analogue photography,

is little or no cost attached to taking and storing

a little bit of basic knowledge as to how a camera

them. The only additional cost is when we decide

works will help you to get better results.

Interview with David Moy David Moy is the production director and colour management specialist at theprintspace (http://www. theprintspace.co.uk). Here, he outlines some basic guidelines for buying and using a camera and getting good results from editing, printing and exhibiting work. What do you need to think about when buying a camera? You need to pick a camera that is going to be useful for what you need it for. The Canon G10s are good because they are compact and they have a good sensor size for their physical size. Don’t spend all the money on the camera if you are going to buy a serious piece of kit. The lens is what is recording your image so the poorer quality the lens the worse your image will be. Spend as much on the lens as you would on the camera and get a variety of lenses. The most important thing is to buy a camera and lenses that suit your needs; if you are doing lots of studio work you can have a massive camera; if you are a documentary photographer you might need one with a fast-burst shutter so you can record a lot of images at once. With a digital SLR (digital single lens reflex) camera you have an interchangeable lens and a slightly bigger sensor. They usually come with a telephoto, they are slightly bigger cameras than the compacts and they start at about eight to nine megapixels upwards. A digital back is used in conjunction with a medium-format camera like a Hasselblad, the old viewfinder cameras. They have adapted a digital sensor for the back so instead of using a film roll you take the back off and you use a digital back but these are upwards of £20,000 for the back. A lot of photographers rent them out because they can’t afford them. The quality of the image is a lot better but it doesn’t quite reach the quality and feel of large-format film cameras like 5 x 4” and 10 x 8”. There are some things that film cameras are better at than digital: long exposures and large-scale prints are two examples. If you want to take very long exposures for night photography or large-scale landscapes with a lot of detail a film camera or large-format camera could be better and allow more flexibility to the photographer. It is always good to read the online reviews about cameras but any magazine or Web site with promotional advertising could mean that the reviews are biased so look for blogs and articles where there is no advertising, usually they are a good source of information. Is there a difference between digital and traditional photography? The difference is that you have got a digital display so in theory it should be a lot easier because you can see what is happening in front of the camera and you can experiment a lot more and assess the image during capture. If you have a laptop with you, a lot of people shoot with a laptop they will be

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visual research methods in fashion

looking at a big image if not you can be looking at the LCD display and that gives you a good indication of what the image is looking like. Although they are discontinuing some film stocks others are still holding the sales volumes that had been seen over the past ten years. Kodak has discontinued some stock but there are still a lot of photographers out there who are used to the traditional film workflow. For big jobs you need it but the speed and the budgets are what have killed it off commercially because a lot of the agents and the clients can’t spend the money processing film and they haven’t got the time to make the three shoots and three lots of processing which is why digital has taken over but there will still be a need for film. It is my preference for what I shoot, those cameras give you the most flexibility. You need to think about the type of photography you are doing and what equipment best suit this work. What is the secret to getting a good photograph? With digital photography a lot of people overlook the thought process involved in taking photographs. If you are taking a picture you have got to think about where the light is coming from, about have you got enough light on your subject how that is affecting the shadows on your image and how that affects the composition, the whole shot. What makes a good photo? There is not an exact science to making a good photo but there are certain things you can look for: good contrast, a nice bright image. One thing we find is that a lot of images are too dark, if it is for show work it can look very dull. Getting a good exposure is the first thing to get a good image because all the information is getting recorded then sound editing will result in a good image but if you haven’t recorded a good exposure in the first place it will make the editing a lot harder and it will degrade the image through the whole process. Think about where your camera is the most boring images are the ones at eye level. Most people use their camera at eye level because it is easier but think more creatively about the composition maybe something low down or stand on something to get a higher viewpoint because that will give you a more interesting image. Don’t actually look behind the camera look at what the lens will see because the lens is actually recording the image not the viewfinder. Get your head in front of the lens and look at what you are actually photographing and spend time examining the subject and the light around it before setting up and recording any images. If you choose to shoot outside in daylight choose a time of day when the light suits the mood and subject content. You have to think about what you need the image for before you take it. A lot of people will shoot on a compact camera and try to blow something up to poster size. You have to think before you shoot what is the output? Where is it going to be? Is it going to be on a Web site at low res or a large-scale fine art print? My favourite photographers are Ansel Adams and Edward Burtynsky, as they both employ the large-format camera techniques that I am interested in. No digital photography has reached the level of what 10 × 8" and 5 × 4" film has produced there are certain things you can do with a film camera that digital hasn’t caught up with yet. If you don’t understand the fundamentals of photography in relation to the shutter and the aperture the automatic settings and scenes are a good starting point. However if you have a bit of knowledge about how the camera actually works you get a better image The main settings you need to consider are outlined below.

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Tetons and the Snake River,  by Ansel Adams. Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

The ISO Ratings The ISO is how much light the sensor is recording so at the lowest setting it is recording less light at a higher setting it is recording lots of light. A low ISO number means a slow response to light and a high number means a fast response to light so in low light conditions you will want a faster ISO for example 16000. This could also be used if you were shooting something that was moving fast and you wanted to capture that without any blur you could use that setting with a fast shutter and that would record the image. If you put your camera on a tripod and wanted a really nice fine art image and you weren’t worried about blur or you had enough light in the image you could use a much lower ISO—there is a popular myth that low is always better, when it’s not in digital—most digital cameras capture the most amount of information at the highlight end which is why it is good to get a bright exposure because that holds all the tone it is different from film where it used to be a lot in the shadow end—so photographers exposed for the shadows and developed the highlights whereas in digital you can push your ISO and get a nice bright exposure and get a better image. Shutter Speed The shutter speed is the length of time the shutter is open, the length of time that it is recording light on the camera’s film or sensor. If you leave the shutter open for a long time you will get more light in but subject content is more likely to experience motion blur. A faster shutter will stop moving objects much

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quicker so if you have a helicopter you could set it up to 1/500th of a second and that shutter speed would stop the blade moving. If you took the same shot on half a second you would not see any of the blades, just a blur of their movement. You can use the shutter speed creatively to introduce movement into a shot—everyone has seen pictures of sea scenes where it looks like it is perfectly still and blurry. That is done over a long exposure you can create much more artistic images using the camera manually with the shutter speed and aperture settings. If you are shooting outside the amount of light that you have on the day will dictate a certain amount of your shutter speed how much how fast the shutter is but you might want to have a bit more control so that is why you change the diameter of the aperture or increase the ISO value. The Aperture The aperture is the size of the hole that allows light to pass through the lens and into the camera. Effectively the bigger the hole the shorter your focal distance will be so you have a range of focus, which is determined by the size of the aperture (the hole). The smaller the hole the longer the range of focus so if you have a model in the foreground and a mountain in the background and you wanted to get everything in focus you could use a small aperture. If you wanted to take a close-up of a flower and to blur the background you would use a larger aperture because you would get a shorter length. This would bring the subject out by having sharpness on the subject whilst blurring the background. The aperture can have a bearing on the artistic feel of the image. Lighting As a general rule the more light you can get on the subject the better; the more flexibility you will have in terms of the camera settings. I shoot most of my stuff in available light. In the studio you can use different lighting it depends on the lighting effect you want to go with the image. A lot of people rent the lighting kit because it is quite expensive. RAW Images A RAW is an unprocessed digital file it is like the digital version of a negative before negative processing. The only information saved with a RAW file is the luminosity (the brightness) and the actual exposure information, the shutter speed and the F stop (aperture). When you take a normal image with JPEG or TIF on a digital camera the camera automatically sets the points for the shadows and the highlights in the image where it thinks it is appropriate. This might not be the aesthetically pleasing place and it might cause clipping some of the information in the file. You can use the RAW file as a starting point to work creatively on your image it is also used because you can make multiples of the same image, you can export the RAW file differently depending on your use or your need. It’s a standard for working in digital now because you might only have one chance to shoot an image. If you shoot JPEG not RAW the shadows and highlights may become clipped therefore losing important information in the image. The white balance is not editable after using JPEG, which can become problematic if you have a cast in your image or you are shooting

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in mixed light conditions. When you shoot RAW, you have the ability to manipulate a lot of these parameters. Most digital cameras support RAW files and the other important thing is in your image editing software like Photoshop needs to have the right plug-in. They have upgrades for each of the new cameras, every time you buy a new camera it is not necessarily going to work on an old version of Photoshop. You need to find the right software to download to use with your camera. There are a lot of different RAW processors on the market and usually the best one is the one produced by the manufacturer of the camera so if you are using a Canon camera find the Canon plug-in. There are some specialist areas of photography that need extra consideration, for example, where you are trying to capture moving objects, scenes with low light. Night Shots and Low Light You need a tripod for night shots because you need a longer exposure. Because there is not as much light you need a longer shutter speed—sometimes they can be ten to fifteen minutes. This is a problem with digital photography. Night photography is one of my personal favourites and I have gone back to a film camera purely because you cannot set an exposure length longer than about five or six minutes on a digital camera. Because of the battery life it uses it is not practical; it really does drain the battery and you would not be able to take a lot of shots. The most important thing is to have a tripod to keep it still over that time; even for a shot of thirty seconds you need a dead-still camera. Any shutter speed below one-sixtieth of a second requires a tripod to eliminate camera shake. Fashion Photography and Portraiture For a good catwalk shot the shutter speed is important. You want to freeze the model; you don’t really want any motion blur unless they are in a flowing dress and you want to create that feel. Mainly it is finding an angle where you have got light on the subject. One of the most common things we find with students when they come in is they will backlight something and they have shadow over a model’s face; you want to see the detail in someone’s face, the light in their eyes. You need to think about the angle where the light is coming from and where you want to be in relation to the subject and make sure you get a lot of light on the subject. In the studio a lot of it depends on the type of image you are going for but for a classic portrait the most important thing is someone’s eyes; that is what engages you with the image. You want sharp focus in the eyes maybe you can use short depth of field because you don’t want the skin so sharp and concentrate on their eyes, which is what engages you with the picture. The most important thing in a portrait to get the focus right and get some light on their face making sure they are not in shadow. Editing Pictures Retouching. A lot of students come in and they have something that is too heavily retouched because they have read a couple of things online how to do something and followed the technique. I would rather that people know what they want in their heads and go about it in the right way in Photoshop. What I teach people when they are first learning is basic colour correction using curves and selection

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An image after and before editing.  Courtesy of David Moy. Reproduced with permission.

using masks. A lot of fundamental problems with the work of fashion students are caused because don’t understand the concept of colour. They don’t understand how to correct for a red cast or a blue cast they don’t understand RGB and CMYK. With traditional photography they would have been working in the darkroom and learning those principles but now it is all on computer so it feels more like playing than actually seeing what is in front of you. This can cause problems because people tend to overwork their images. All I teach is curves and masks and most retouchers will use those two things to get 90 per cent of their retouching done. Curves. A digital image is comprised of 255 levels, 0 being black and 255 being white, and the curve represents the curve from the shadow to the highlight end and you have a red curve, a green curve and a blue curve. It is a more accurate way of editing your image throughout those levels of tones. You can be more specific in your shadow and highlight end rather than using a global correction. The curve is more precise because you can go into each individual curve and edit individual areas in the image from highlight to mid-tones to shadow areas. Oversharpening, that happens quite a lot, that is a no-no. Composition. Cropping and sizing are important. I like to think that most of it is done in camera but that isn’t always the case nowadays. A crop can have a big visual impact; you might want to draw attention to a certain area so you might want to crop off certain things. What I find is people will crop something to an unusual shape then they won’t understand the relationship when they come to print so they will crop something and say I want a 4 x 11 print and the original is not in a 4 x 11 ratio you need to think about the aspect ratio, students can find that hard to understand. Filters. I tend to stay away from those sort of things you can create all the styles in photography based on curves, you can create a Nick Knight feel or Vincent Peters style, they can all be created with curves and masks. I wouldn’t get involved with the filters so much because they don’t make your work stand out they don’t give it any uniqueness because anyone can do it. Printing Your Image A good print starts with a good image, a good shot in the first place and good knowledge of the editing process as well, based on what size print you want. You need to have some knowledge of the papers because different papers and printing techniques give different feels and have different applications.

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It is good to know what sort of paper you visualize your image on and that will help you during the editing process. It is always good to get inspiration from other people’s work and there are unwritten rules in photography especially when you are selling work and there are standard papers for books and portfolios. It is good to know which papers you should be using for different outputs. A lot of people use matt for exhibitions if they are going to frame their images because you don’t want a double reflection with a piece of glass. Ninety per cent of professional photographers’ books and portfolios are matt as well. If you have got art directors and stylists looking at a book around a table they can’t all look at it if it is gloss because of the reflections. Think about the paper you are using while you are editing. Digital C Type Print C stands for chromagenic, which is colour basically but it stands for the c41 process this is a chemical process that was used in traditional darkroom papers. This is a traditional silver-based light-sensitive paper—it is not an inkjet it is done in the dark. These are the only truly photographic prints. On a square inch of an inkjet print you have got 720 levels of colour; in a C-type, because of the silver emulsion, you get something like sixteen million. They offer a lot more subtlety and tone. C types are the true photographic print. The papers aren’t that expensive but the technology to produce those prints is a lot more expensive and harder to control and manage. They are the fine art standard if you are selling work purely for longevity; they last over 100 years. Epson say that their papers are archival standard but they haven’t been around long enough to test the claim. Screen Calibration To get a good print you need an accurate screen to represent what the print is going to be like and that is based on calibration. You can spend a lot of time editing your image and be disappointed if the screen is not calibrated. Students come in with a lovely image, they open it up on a calibrated screen and they will look at it and think oh my god it looks completely different. When your screen is calibrated you will have a good accurate on-screen proof of your print. You need a piece of hardware which most universities have, or you can buy one. We use an X-Rite I 1 it is a piece of hardware that fits on your monitor and measures the amount of colour coming out of your screen and matches that to known values and creates a profile for the monitor. It is much easier to proof on screen and let someone do the colour management process for the printing because it takes a lot of experience and is a skilled job. Print Size A lot of people come in who have shot something on a compact camera upsized it to about thirty or forty inches and want to print it. They can’t understand why that degree of enlargement won’t work. You can change the file size in Photoshop by interpolation and change the size but that is only adding information that is not there. The bigger the sensor you can record your image with the bigger you can print it.

Table 2  Photographic Print Size Guide

Courtesy of David Moy. Reproduced with permission.

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Think about your output basically if you have an image on a Web site at 72 dpi you won’t need a big camera to record it, it is never going to be big but if you need a big print at 300 dpi you need a big camera to achieve that. We let people do test strips at theprintspace so they upsize their file to what they think it might print and the test strip give an indication of the quality at that particular size. Exhibiting Your Work You need to think about the sequencing of your work and the size. You will need to think about the longevity of the exhibition and what quality of paper is required as well as the budget you have to work on. Consider how you are going to mount and hang your work with or without borders, flush to the wall or offset. An exhibition looks more coherent if the images are the same size and format, are hung at the same height and there is some form of cohesion and narrative in the sequencing of the images. There are various options for mounting your work, Foamex, card and MDF are cheaper, aluminium, acrylic and die bond are more expensive. Visual examples can be found here: http://www.theprintspace. co.uk/print-mounting.

Project: Analysing a Photographic Exhibition Visit a photographic exhibition and analyse how it has been curated. How have the pictures been organized? What paper have they used? What size are the images? How are the images lit? How have they been sequenced? Does it work? Would you have changed anything?

Project: Using Aperture Settings Set up in a studio with a camera and a tripod; change the aperture and look at the image and see how it changes. The great thing about digital photography is that you can play—you don’t have to wait for your film to see the result, and you can experiment a lot more. Find an object that moves like a metronome, and record the image at different speeds and see how that changes.

using image agencies

important part of many creative roles in the indus-

It is always good to be able to use your own im-

try. Especially if you are working in areas such as

ages to illustrate your research and as a source of

advertising, marketing or journalism, you need to

inspiration whenever possible, but often you will

know which agencies are relevant to your work.

need an image—either for inspiration or to use in

This case study of Getty Images explains what an

a project—that it is beyond your means to pro-

agency does and how to use an agency effec-

duce. In these circumstances image agencies and

tively. The study was drawn from an interview with

stock photo companies can be extremely useful.

Rick Mayston, Alison Crombie and Pat Lyttle at

Understanding how to use them is an increasingly

Getty Images in September 2009.

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Case Study: Getty Images Mark Getty and Jonathan Klein founded Getty Images in 1995 with the aim of bringing the stock photography business into the digital age. Getty Images was the first company to license imagery online. It offers licensing models, digital media management tools and a comprehensive selection of creative and editorial imagery, microstock, footage and music. A wide range of industries including newspapers, feature film and television producers and bloggers use Getty Images. Getty Images creates and distributes images, footage and music as well as rare and contemporary archival imagery (http://www. GettyImages.co.uk). Images and Licensing There are different kinds of images that you can source from an agency. Editorial images are usually sports or entertainment. They have been taken in the public domain of people going about their business; they are normally used in an editorial way to illustrate a story. A photographer would normally have set up a rights-managed image. If there are any people in the shoot, the payment has been made to the model at source, and the model has signed a modelrelease form which means the image can be used in advertising as well as editorial content. On a rights-managed image you pay according to the use of the image. A royalty-free picture is exactly the same as a rights-managed image except that when you buy royalty-free images, you buy the rights to use them wherever you want to. They are not usually as good a quality as rights-managed images, but you can use them as and when you need them. Things get more complicated when there is a person in the image. There are two sets of rights: the author’s rights and the subject’s rights. If you are using the image editorially, only the author’s rights come into play. The subjects do not have any rights unless someone is saying something bad about them, in which case they would be able to take them to court. In terms of actual usage of the picture, subjects’ right come into play if the subject is appearing to endorse something. That is why you would have to have model-release clearance for ads and publicity. If an editorial shot was being used for advertising, you would have to clear it with the subject of the picture first. That also holds for things like buildings; some skylines like the New York skyline require clearance for some uses. It is actually very complicated. If you license an image from an agency like Getty Images, they will sort out the clearance issues for you; it is called indemnification. If you buy something that isn’t indemnified and you use it commercially, you can get in trouble. Coverage Getty Images has photographers around the world, to react to news stories as well as to cover scheduled events such as sports, entertainment and news. They have a roster of staffers in Europe and the US and stringers in various locations around the world. A staffer is a paid member of staff, whereas a stringer is a contributor who works on licence. Getty Images also has a worldwide agreement with Agence France Presse (AFP). In addition to the images that are available online, Getty Images also owns the Hulton Archive. The Hulton Archive in total has access to approximately ninety million images in the UK; less than 1 per cent of the archive’s content is digitized and online. The collection has been built up over the years through acquisitions such as Keystone, Archive Photos, Redferns, Michael Och

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Archives FPG and the original Hulton library, which can trace its roots back to the 1850s. Approximately 70 per cent of the archive is black and white. Once a client has requested an image from the analogue archive, it is uploaded to the Web for licensing. The archive has a conservator and a curator who work on restoring the images, bringing them back to their former glory. Getty Images has a selection of photographers who work in Paris and New York to cover fashion. Some photographers have access to specific brands and particular shows, and they have partnerships with companies such as Catwalking (http://www.catwalking.com). They cover almost every major show. Advice on Using the Web Site Everybody researches differently; whether they are a freelance researcher or an internal researcher from a publisher, clients will have a way of researching and keywords that they are putting in. Getty Images tries to put a lot of information into the metadata. You may not be able to find certain images because you are not using the same terms that have been entered into the metadata; this is where Getty Images’ team of researchers can be extremely helpful, as they can fill in the gaps for you. For images that are used for commercial purposes, they will put in the metadata every item that is in the picture and also categorize them by concepts such as happiness or tranquillity. It is always a good idea to pick up the phone and talk to one of the team members. Especially if you have not used an image agency before, the staff will be more than happy to help you find what you are looking for. Trends in Stock Imagery There are trends in the style of photography that is popular at any given time. When a new style of photography emerges, other photography begins to look very dated. Agencies have to keep up with photographic trends, fashion trends and also trends within book publishing. Getty Images has a team called creative research that looks at content and analyses it from a social demographic perspective. They look at the trends that are coming through and how that can shape their creative content. They look at all sorts of data, such as megatrends, the really big trends that have come through, and they shape their content in accordance with that. Subject specialists will also check the relevant blogs and Web sites in their field looking for new influences. In fashion, for example, celebrity fashion has become very important; it is something that people will go out and buy books about, whereas maybe ten to fifteen years ago they wouldn’t have done so. Other forms of media are in more demand as more publishing moves online. What Makes a Good Stock Photographer? Getty Images photographers look at something from a different angle; even though they are editorial photographers, they are naturally very creative with how they construct an image. You have to be different to the person next to you and think what you can do to make your image stand out. An example of this creative approach is the picture Stu Forster took of the runner Iwan Thomas who won in the European athletics championships. Because he is Welsh someone gave him a huge Welsh flag and he put it behind him. All the photographers rushed to get him with the Welsh flag, but Stu went around the back, waited for all the flashes to go off, and got the silhouette of him through the Welsh flag. That was the picture that got in the paper, and that is the creativity of the type of photographer that Getty Images takes on.

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Iwan Thomas flies the flag for Wales after victory in the 400 m during the Commonwealth Games in Kuala ­Lumpur, Malaysia, 19 September 1998.  Photographer: Stu Forster/Allsport. Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

Summary Traditional tools and resources should not be overlooked just because there are also digital alternatives. The boundaries between the two overlap, as many traditional resources can now be sourced or accessed online. However, there are some things like a sketchbook and pencil that it would be very difficult to completely replace with technology, and a computer image is no substitute for viewing an original artwork or installation. Traditional tools used together with technology provide us with a world of possibilities for being creative researchers. In the next chapter we explore some of the digital tools and resources that are currently available.

traditional research tools and techniques

references and further reading Anon. (2003), Acrylics and Gouache: Materials, Techniques, Color and Composition, Style, Subject, 1st ed., Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s. Anon. (2004a), Pastels: Materials, Techniques, Color and Composition, Style, Subject, 1st ed., Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series. Anon. (2004b), Pencil Drawing: Materials, Techniques, Color and Composition, Style, Subject, 1st ed., Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series. Bailey, D., and Victoria and Albert Museum (1985), Shots of Style: Great Fashion Photographs. London: Victoria and Albert Museum. Brereton, R. (2009), Sketchbooks: The Hidden Art of Designers, Illustrators and Creatives, London: Laurence King. Derrick, R., and Muir, R. (2004), Unseen ‘Vogue’: The Secret History of Fashion Photography, London: Little, Brown. Fuga, A. (2006), Artists’ Techniques and Materials, Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum. Harrison, L. (2005), Artist’s Materials: All the Materials You Will Ever Need to Make Art, Richmond Hill,

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Langford, M. J. (2010), Langford’s Basic Photography: The Guide for Serious Photographers, 9th ed., Oxford: Focal. McCarthy, M. (1997), Making Books by Hand: A Stepby-Step Guide, Rockport, MA: Quarry. Mower, S. (2007), Stylist: The Interpreters of Fashion. New York: Rizzoli International. New, J. (2005), Drawing from Life: The Journal as Art, New York: Princeton Architectural Press. Parramón Ediciones and Barron’s Educational Series, Inc (2003), Watercolor, Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series. Siegel, E. (2008), The Fashion Photography Course: First Principles to Successful Shoot—the Essential Guide, London: Thames & Hudson. Viaux, N., ed. (2009), Contemporary Fashion Photographers, Cologne: Daab. Wilson, K. (2009), The Modern Eye: Stieglitz, MoMA, and the Art of the Exhibition, 1925–1934, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

websites art supplies

Canada: Firefly Books. Hicks, R., Schultz, F., Larg, A., and Wood, J. (2006),

Daler Rowney http://www.daler-rowney.com/

Photographing People: Portraits, Fashion, Glam-

Derwent http://www.pencils.co.uk

our, Crans-Près-Céligny, Switzerland, and Hove,

Faber Castell http://www.faber-castell.us

UK: RotoVision.

Winsor and Newton http://www.winsornewton.com/

Jacobs, L. (2010), Professional Commercial Photography: Techniques and Images from Master Digital

libraries and museums

Photographers. Buffalo, NY: Amherst Media. Jennings, S. (2006), The New Artist’s Manual: The

University of London Research Library Services, ‘Using

Complete Guide to Painting and Drawing Materials

Libraries’

and Techniques, San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

libraries/

Kennel, S. (2010), In the Darkroom: An Illustrated Guide to Photographic Processes before the Digital Age. New York: Thames & Hudson. Krug, M. M. (2007), An Artist’s Handbook: Materials and Techniques, New York: Abrams Studio.

http://www.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/tutorial/

British Library http://www.bl.uk/ Costume Museums in Europe http://www.marquise.de/ en/misc/museums.shtml European Museum Guide http://www.europeanmuse umguide.com

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MuseumNet (list of museums in the UK) http://www. museums.co.uk/ MuseumsUSA http://www.museumsusa.org/

photography and stock photos

tutorials on painting, drawing and sketching Derwent Academy http://www.derwentacademy.co.uk/ Drawspace http://www.drawspace.com/ How to Draw and Paint, ‘Acrylic Painting Section’

Ansel Adams http://www.anseladams.com Corbis Stock Photography http://www.corbisimages. com/

http://www.how-to-draw-and-paint.com/acrylicpainting.html Watercolor Painting.com, ‘Watercolor Tutorials’ http://

Ed Burtynsky http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/

www.watercolorpainting.com/watercolor-tutorials.

Getty Images http://www.GettyImages.co.uk

htm

chapter 8 web- and technology-based research tools Chapter Overview In this chapter we look at the technological tools and materials that can be used to assist in the research process. The Internet and digital imaging software have had a profound effect on the fashion industry, speeding up the research and communication process and offering access to a vast array of digital resources. It is very easy to be overwhelmed by the resources and information that are available. This chapter presents some of the most useful resources available and explains how to use them effectively. This chapter includes: • How to use the Internet effectively • Image search tools • Using databases • Image databases • Multimedia • Online networking • Blogging and Twitter • Interview with Filep Motwary • Interview with Leon Bailey Green • Role of computer-aided design in the fashion industry • Case study: Rose Sinclair • Copyright • Interview with Kevin Smith.

how to use the internet effectively

the amount of information available, and not all

The amount of information on the Internet has

­erroneous. You always need to check your facts

grown by more than 360 per cent over the last

with more than one source, and you need a good

­decade, and it is now estimated that almost

strategy to evaluate the information that you find.

a quarter of the world’s population is online

If you have not already done so, you should read

(http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm).

Chapter 1, ‘Strategies for Information Seeking’,

As the use of the Internet has grown, so has

for advice on how to plan your research.

information is equal. Some is useful; some is

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It is useful to know a little bit about how

search engines that use a combination of the two

the Internet works, as this will help you to use

methods, called ‘hybrid’ search engines (http://­

it more effectively. The Internet is a large net-

searchenginewatch.com/2168031). Google is

work of ­computers that are connected to each

prob­ably the most popular search engine on the

other. Some of these computers contain infor-

World Wide Web. It is so popular that it has be-

mation that they share with other computers.

come a verb to describe conducting a search: to

These are called servers. The World Wide Web

‘Google’ or ‘Googling’.

is a part of the Internet where graphic-based

Most people use search engines to find things

­documents are linked to each other using a

because even when they know the Web site’s ad-

system of ­hyperlinks. Every site on the Internet

dress, it can be quicker to Google it and click on

has its own unique a ­ ddress, or URL (uniform re-

the link than to type in the URL. You should be

source locator). To view these pages we use a

aware that most search engines return two types

piece of software called a browser. Browsers in-

of links: natural search and paid-for search.

clude Internet ­Explorer, Firefox and Chrome. The

Natural search returns links using the search en-

URL or Web address of the site should tell you

gine’s own algorithms or page ranking system,

a bit about who they are. The letters that come

whereas paid-for search shows sponsored links:

after the dot are a good guide. The ending .org

a company has paid to have its site link appear

means the site owner is a not-for-profit organiza-

when someone enters a particular keyword.

tion, .com means it is a business, .gov means

These sites may be very useful but are usually

it is a government organization, and .edu in the

commercial in nature. A typical Google search

US or .ac. in the UK means it is an educational

will return a mixture of natural search results and

establishment.

sponsored links; the former are usually in the central part of the page, while the sponsored links will

Search Tools

appear above or to the side of the natural search

Search Engines

results. Each search engine has a different way

Perhaps the most important tools on the ­Internet

of ranking sites based on their content, popular-

are search engines. Search engines trawl the

ity and the number of people linking to that site.

Web cataloguing the information so that we

Using this information the search engine decides

can find what we are looking for. They use key-

which content is most relevant to the query and

words within the page titles and content to iden-

returns the information in that order. This is called

tify what a Web page is about. When you use

page ranking. Page ranking is very important to

a search engine, you type in the keywords that

commercial companies on the World Wide Web

you are looking for, and it matches them with

because most users only look at the first few links

the pages it has found containing those key-

that come up.

words. Search engines that use an automated

Most search engines offer a powerful set of

system to do this are called ‘crawler-based’.

advanced options that can help you to refine the

Some ­directories or search engines are based on

results of your search and make them more use-

human input in which people submit information;

ful to you. You can usually refine a search to look

these are called ‘human powered’. There are also

for a specific type of content such as a video or

web- and technology-based research tools

209

A Google search results page for the keyword fashion.  Courtesy of the author.

Project: Using Advanced Search Options Use the advanced search options on Google to find an image of a dress that was created in the UK within the last year.

an image. You can also filter the results by date,

many people do not organize their bookmarks

country, language and so on. Many people do not

properly, creating long lists of links instead of

use these really useful functions.

placing them in folders, and they do not use the tagging options. This can result in a large number

Saving Your Searches

of random addresses that are difficult to navigate.

Once you have found a useful site, you can add

Tools such as Zotero, Delicious and Foxmarks

its address to your bookmarks or favourites list

can help you to synchronize your bookmarks

so that you can easily find it again. Unfortunately,

and access them from different locations.

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visual research methods in fashion

Zotero

snapshot of them (very useful for sites where the

Created by George Mason University and the

content changes regularly). It also allows you to

Centre for History and New Media in the US,

download bibliographic information from library

Zotero (http://www.zotero.org) is the ultimate

catalogues and Web sites directly into your own

­research tool. It is a plug-in that at the time of writ-

library of resources. You can then export the infor-

ing is designed to work on the Firefox browser.

mation in a variety of bibliographic formats such as

Zotero allows you to bookmark sites and take a

Harvard or APA. It has a cite-as-you-write function

Screenshot of Zotero library.  Courtesy of the author.

Screenshot of Delicious page.  Reproduced with permission of Yahoo! Inc. ©2010 Yahoo! Inc. Delicious and the Delicious logo are registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.

web- and technology-based research tools

211

that enables you to insert citations ­directly into a

is that you can also search for sites that other

Word or OpenOffice document. You can also cre-

users have tagged on that topic, and you can

ate shared libraries and synchronize the informa-

see how useful the site is from the number of

tion on your computer with the Zotero Web site.

other users who have tagged it. You can link your

Shared libraries are excellent for teamwork and

Delicious account into your blog or social net-

group projects.

working site.

The Zotero button sits at the bottom of your browser window, and you can open the library by clicking on it. You can create folders for specific projects, and you can create citations for a vast range of media and formats including journal articles, videos, books, reports, Web pages and so on.

RSS You can use RSS feeds to get updated information from your favourite Web sites. RSS stands for really simple syndication; this means that you don’t have to visit a Web site to get updates, as the information comes to your feed reader or ag-

Delicious

gregator. Bloglovin (http://www.bloglovin.com) is

Delicious (http://delicious.com) is a social book-

a good example of an aggregator that brings to-

marking site. You can add bookmarks for your

gether updates from all your favourite blogs in one

favourite sites and tag them with keywords that

place. If a Web site offers an RSS feed, you can

you can then use to retrieve information on a

subscribe to the site, and this can save you a lot

specified topic. The best thing about Delicious

of time. Look for the RSS symbol.

An RSS icon.  Courtesy of the author.

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visual research methods in fashion

Screenshot of Wikipedia page on fashion.  Courtesy of the author.

Wikipedia

pages. Cooliris (http://www.cooliris.com) allows

Quite often the first result for a search will come

you to scroll through a three-dimensional wall of

from Wikipedia (http://wikipedia.org). Wikipedia is a

images. It works with a variety of sites including

free online encyclopaedia that anyone can contrib-

Flickr and Google images. You can also search for

ute to. Because anyone can contribute to it, there

images on Flickr using attributes such as shape

has been a lot of discussion about the validity of the

and colour with a tool called retreivr (http://labs.

information. Some educators even ban their stu-

systemone.at/retrievr/). This is very useful if you

dents from using it. It can be a very useful resource

are looking for a particular colour for a mood-

if you use it properly; as with any other source of

board or colour board.

information, it is a good idea to triangulate and

You should note that finding an image with

cross-check the information. Wikipedia pages will

one of these search tools does not mean that you

give you the references that were used to compile

can use it with impunity. You should always check

the page. This may be a good place to start cross-

the copyright of the image and get the appropri-

checking. You could also check information on an

ate permissions. There is more information about

academic database or in a printed encyclopaedia

copyright at the end of this chapter.

to be certain of its value. Printed encyclopaedias, journals and so on are usually edited and checked

Picasa

by professionals, but that does not make them

Picasa is a piece of software that helps you to or-

foolproof. Newspapers often have to print correc-

ganize your images, both online and offline. Some

tions and retractions. If the information you need is

of the features work only on Windows, but you

important and the facts have to be accurate, you

can get a Mac uploader for Picasa Web albums

should try to use a minimum of three sources.

(http://picasa.google.co.uk/). Evernote

image search tools

Evernote is an application that works on most

There are now some excellent tools for searching

to the Internet. You can create text notes, take

for images instead of downloading lots of individual

pictures or make audio memos and then upload

mobile telephones that are capable of connecting

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213

them to the Web site, where you can search and

main types of image databases: those that are

retrieve them. Evernote even allows you to find

created for educational and research purposes,

words within images. So if you have a photograph

commercial sites and image-sharing sites. Access

of a business card, for example, it will find a name

to educational sites will depend on the institution

or address in the image of that card. You can find

you are attending as a student and your country

out more at http://www.evernote.com.

of residence. Access to commercial sites usually requires registration, and you will usually have to pay a fee to use an image. The fee will depend on

using databases

how you want to use the image and will vary ac-

Most databases operate on keyword, author or

ing it from. Usually, you are buying the right to use

title searches, or you may be able to browse al-

the image in a particular way: on a Web page, in a

phabetically or according to subject. If the data-

book or on a garment. It is important to check the

base offers you a function to store your searches

terms and conditions to make sure you have the

or mark your favourite resources, it is a good idea

right permissions. Examples of commercial sites

to use it. Saving your searches will save you time,

include Corbis (http://www.corbisimages.com)

as you can go back to a search or avoid search-

and Getty Images (http://www.gettyimages.com).

ing again using the same keywords. If you can’t

Educational databases are very useful because

find what you want straight away, use another

they will have all the appropriate reference infor-

keyword. See Chapter 1 for more information on

mation and will offer high-resolution images that

search strategies. Some databases offer you ac-

you can download and use for educational pur-

cess to the full text of the document if your library

poses. Many offer you the opportunity to create

subscribes to that particular publication; other-

collections of your favourite images or libraries

wise, it may offer you the abstract or preview

of images around a specific theme. Examples of

and citation information along with information

educational image databases are VADS (http://

about the publisher or source. You may have to

www.vads.ac.uk) in the UK and ARTstor (http://

pay for an article or image if it is not covered by

www.artstor.org) in the US. Both of these sites

the subscriptions of your university. Useful data-

pull together a range of collections from different

bases that your university might subscribe to in-

institutions and allow you to search them.

cording to the company or institution you are buy-

clude Mintel, Academic Search Elite, Art Full Text,

Many museums, art galleries and libraries have

and the Design and Applied Arts Index. There are

searchable online image galleries. These include

many more, so check with your librarian.

the British Library (http://www.imagesonline.bl.uk), the British Museum (http://www.­britishmuseum. org), the Victoria and Albert Museum (http://­

image databases

collections.vam.ac.uk)

and

the

Metropolitan

­Museum of Art (http://www.moma.org). Many of The benefit of using an image database over an

these sites allow fair use of the images for edu-

image search is that the images will have been

cational noncommercial purposes. Always check

professionally curated and tagged. There are three

the terms and conditions on the site.

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visual research methods in fashion

A third source of images are social sites such

Tools for creating multimedia content include

as Flickr (http://www.flickr.com) and Photobucket

Flash (animations and interactive Web sites), Final

(http://photobucket.com). Images on these sites

Cut Pro (video editing), Fireworks and Dream-

are usually licensed under Creative Commons, a

weaver. Many sites offer free tutorials on how to

system that enables the creators to easily make

use these tools. Some useful sites include:

their images available for others to use whilst retaining the intellectual property rights (IPR). There

Adobe.com http://www.adobe.com/­design

are different levels of Creative Commons licences

center/tutorials

so check the details before using these images,

Tutorialized http://www.tutorialized.com

particularly if you plan to do so in a commercial

Vectortuts+ http://vector.tutsplus.com

context (http://creativecommons.org). If you are a Mac user, then iWeb, iMovie and

multimedia

GarageBand are excellent tools for creating Web sites, video and music tracks or podcasts. You will find plenty of tutorials on the Apple Web site

Many of the organizations and companies that

(http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#iphoto-

provide images also have video footage and audio

hero).

files in their collections. You can usually search for them in the same way using key terms, and they may have a separate area of their Web site for multimedia resources. There are also sites for sharing

online networking

video. YouTube (http://www.youtube.com) is prob-

Throughout this book you will find references to

ably the best known, but there are others such as

the importance of networking. Networking online

Vimeo (http://www.vimeo.com). There are also sites

is a really good way of getting contacts around

such as Academic Earth (http://academicearth.

the world with shared interests and finding out

org) where you can access educational videos

about new trends, designers, suppliers and so on.

created by professionals from major universities.

There are the popular social networking sites such

YouTube used to be full of pop videos and home

as Facebook (http://www.facebook.com) and My-

movie clips of animals doing silly things; those are

Space (http://www.myspace.com), but these are

still there, but it can also be an excellent source for

not professional networks. LinkedIn (http://www.

fashion trend information. There are videos of cat-

linkedin.com) allows you to connect with people

walk shows and tutorials on how to use software

working in the same field and to join groups with

such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

similar interests. IQONS (http://www.iqons.com)

There are also sites where you can access copy-

is a specialist site for fashion networking, and

right- and royalty-free music for use in educational

Coroflot (http://www.coroflot.com) is an employ-

projects. These include Freeplay Music (http://free

ment community for designers. You need to be

playmusic.com) and ccMixter (http://ccmixter.org/).

careful about what you post online as employers

You can get information about sharing and licens-

are starting to use online profiles as part of their

ing music at http://creativecommons.org/audio/.

selection process.

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215

blogging and twitter

project. You can use it to jot down your thoughts,

Blogs are fast becoming an essential source of

so on.

add links, embed videos, create book lists and

information for the fashion industry. Well-known

The best blogs are impartial because they don’t

bloggers can have more readers and be more in-

rely on advertising and are regularly updated. In-

fluential than traditional fashion journalists. Keep-

fluential bloggers are well connected and know

ing track of all the blogs you like can be tedious,

what is going on in the clubs, shops and fashion

so it is a good idea to use an aggregator like Blo-

business in their part of the world. The following

glovin to keep up to date and see which blogs are

two interviews are with bloggers who have found

the most popular. A blog can also be an excellent

a niche in what is increasingly becoming a very

tool for storing all the research related to a given

crowded arena.

Interview with Filep Motwary Filep is a blogger, illustrator, journalist and designer. He lives in Athens and has a business partner, Maria, who is a jewellery designer. As well as writing his blog Un Nouveau Ideal (http://unnouveauideal. typepad.com/), he creates collections, films and illustrations. What made you decide to start a blog? I never decided to do that. I do have writing skills but I didn’t really care about literature or any of that sort of thing, not at least six years ago. Until then I was just a reader. Diane Pernet, an American living in Paris (she is also a blogger and a very interesting person) gave me the idea that I should blog for her as a Greek correspondent. I was writing endlessly for her then one day she said ‘Filep I like what you do but you should start your own blog ’cause you write so much’. So this is how my blog was born; at the beginning it was a personal journal, which did not really interest people because it was a sort of diary. I discovered that I didn’t have any identity so I had to create my own voice and instead of revealing how my day was, I started sharing my personal opinion, which no one asked for before. I put it out there and my aim was to have original material from the people I feature, instead of ‘Googling’ and stealing photos or information from the net. The good thing about blogging was the fact that a lot of people here, that in a way had ignored me in the past, discovered me again afresh. They realized that I was not what they had in mind; I was something else. Because of my time in Paris I had made some good contacts. I can say that I was lucky. The first interview I did was of Mr Jean Jacques Picard, consultant for some of the most important brands in the world, including Louis Vuitton. When the second phase of the blog was introduced, I asked him if he would be interviewed he said yes and I think it was quite shocking for me because he is very influential in the fashion industry. He was my first major interview and that led me to the rest of the real professionals in the business like Christian Lacroix, Dries Van Noten and Rick Owens. There are many names coming in the future months.

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I never sit down to think how the blog is going. I just work on it combined with the rest of my work. Whether it is clothing, photography or illustrations I am completely devoted to my work. I am proud that my blog has been chosen as one of the TOP fashion blogs of Europe recently by Dazed and Confused magazine. How do you approach people? In a completely different way from when I started and it also depends on whom I want to interview. Right now it is much more professional; a clear and formal letter which I send to them is sometimes the starting point. If they have any questions about who I am, there is always a return on my behalf with a short bio and links where one can see that I am no time waster or amateur. These people have no time for nonsense they all have a very tight schedule and they are well known; they are who they are. One needs to know the story of the interviewee and the background, there has to be a reason why the interviewer wants to interview someone otherwise there is no motive to do so. Most of the people I interview are people I admire not someone I heard of. Of course there are some glints of talent happening every now and then from the young generation and I’m interested in young people because there is no boundary in what they create. But only some of them deserve a future in fashion, not all of them. I just interviewed Brett Bailey. A twenty-one-year-old boy who is a stylist; and I did it because I saw something in his work which reminded something of myself at that age. Research is very important, the starting point of it all. If you don’t know the history of the person if you don’t know the history in general or the background of the professional you dream to be, you have no future. You can’t be a jazz singer if you don’t know Billie Holiday, correct? This is something I learned during the thirteen years that I have been working in the industry. It is very important to participate in a conversation with people who have knowledge; it is not sitting on a chair in the corner and smiling at people. You need to have an opinion if you want to have a part in fashion, or any other field you want to be part of. Was there someone whom you have interviewed who surprised you? All of these people I interviewed because I really like what they do and know what they are doing. I would say that equally I like them all on the other hand I wish that some of them were more expressive in their answers. At the end of the day an interview happens because someone asks you to share something more than we already know and to give it out to people, because there are people who want to dream out there or hope for their own future. Who would you like to interview? There are so many people. Now I am trying to get approach Comme des Garcons. There are three different designers and a seniority of whom you have to interview first and second and third because this is how the house goes. I want to do that; it is a big dream for me since CDG have an important chapter in the modern history of fashion. Also I want to do Maison Martin Margiela and Givenchy’s Ricardo Tisci. Their work makes my heart ring like a doorbell and brings tears to my eyes. Such is their poetry.

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What advice would you give to students who want to be in the fashion industry? Nowadays young people choose to study fashion without really knowing the reason why. Of course it is understandable, because if you are very young not everything is precise in your head. I find that young people have a lack of knowledge these days but also seem not to care about it. I get a respectful number of emails every day, most of them sent by young designers demanding to have a place on my blog. But not all young creators deserve to be on the blog or any other blog. Work hard because nothing is for free! Also it is a matter of approach. Manners can be the key to enter a steel door. To students I would say that the world has already enough of everything and has already enough of talent. One needs to become necessary or you will be kicked out (sooner or later). Are there other bloggers that you admire? Diane Pernet her blog is called A Shaded View of Fashion, Style Bubble by Susie Bubble; I love Susie. Do you know how many girls copied her blog? They start their own blog trying to be Susie and I am like ‘there is only one Susie’. The same goes for Diane’s blog. There is only one Shaded Diane. Do you pay any attention to trends? No, I don’t care about trends. I only buy magazines to admire people and their works, not to see what is going on selling-wise. There are some great stylists out there, helping the world to keep on dreaming. I think that everything starts from London, everything! Not Paris. Paris is the second step, where everything becomes really elegant and admirable. One is so lucky living in London because even to go out in the night you have to dress up. Not just simply put some make-up on. Dressed up, and in a way attend the competition among other fancy people in the clubs.

Screenshot of Un Nouveau Ideal (http://unnouveauideal.typepad.com).  Courtesy of Filep ­Motwary. Reproduced with permission.

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visual research methods in fashion

A network is important factor for one’s success, but before it gets to the network part. You need to have your own universe, your own vision of things otherwise as I said before, you are unnecessary; impress me with your presence.

Interview with Leon Bailey Green Leon’s background is in Web development and online marketing. He worked for the social networking site OSOYOU and now runs the Online Fashion Agency (http://www.theonlinefashionagency.com) and organizes the Online Fashion 100 awards. How did you get into blogging? I was doing lots of different things and just went round and decided I wanted to talk about the work that I was doing. I suppose I just wanted to share some of the learning as well. The blog that I’ve got at the moment has concentrated on fashion since the beginning of this year but prior to that it was a lot about online marketing generally. I suppose the archive basically follows where I was personally and professionally. How many visitors do you get? I’d rather not give exact figures because it’s an industry blog so I look at the results in terms of who contacts me and what they ask for. So outcomes are more important than this? I think if I was looking at a blog that needed commercially to have certain users then that’s where you look at numbers. I don’t make revenue from the blog, I make revenue if somebody reads it, follows it and then asks me to consult for them. Why do you think blogs are important in fashion now? Blogs are only going to become more important, they’re not going to become less important so the brands and the designers that get involved now will reap the benefits when blogging becomes even more mainstream. It really is just the beginning in terms of how popular blogs can be. When brands look at engaging with bloggers now they shouldn’t think ‘if we engage with all these bloggers today then tomorrow we’re going to be everywhere and everyone’s going to know us’ because that’s not what it’s about. It’s about engaging with a group of people now so that in a few years’ time when they become even more popular you are on their radar and as a brand you care about them, you care about their development. How do you choose what to write? It’s normally just based on conversations I’ve had with people, events that I go to, people that I speak to, sometimes if I meet people I’ll write about ‘Oh I met so and so this week and we were talking about this particular topic’ but the majority is based on project work that I’ve been doing.

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The work you get through the site is that still in the area of search engine optimization and driving traffic or is it more fashion-related now? It’s all fashion and it’s quite broad actually. I get some people that just want to bounce ideas. They’ll hire me just to sit with them for half a day and talk about ideas that they have. They want me to say yes or no to something they’ve already thought about because I speak to so many people and have absorbed all this information. It’s just finding the new areas of interest and where the demand is going to be. What makes a good blog? Everyone’s doing blogs at the moment. There are students doing this and people who were journalists or online editors that have lost of their jobs because of the recession. They are starting up blogs and because there are so many the key is to be completely different. We don’t need another blog that says I’ve bought this moisturizer and it did this, that and the other, or I’ve just seen this photo in this magazine and this is what I think. No one cares about what the blogger thinks unless you’re a really good writer; they care about how it might affect them. The key thing is other blogs liking your angle and talking about you. To be popular you have to know the other bloggers and that means being at the same places sometimes. So do you think commenting on other people’s blogs is a good idea or not? That’s a start but as long as you say something relevant. People know if you’re just commenting to get a presence out there. How important are the visuals? Important but it doesn’t always have to be about what someone’s dressed in or wearing. If you go to http://www.fashion-stylist.net/, which is Rebekah Roy’s blog it is very visual but it’s not about what she wears. It’s about things that she’s seen she’s a stylist and it’s a chronicle of her working week. She has a few freelance guest writers but it’s all very visual. It’s about the people that she’s styled that week, campaigns that she’s done, how it’s turned out in a magazine. What do think about company blogs? If someone is looking at the product on a retail Web site they go to the blog for confirmation of how to wear that item from a styling point of view. If you imagine that when you go into a store you see things on mannequins, they’ll put a pair of jeans and a couple of tops together and the store owner is telling you that this pair of trousers goes with these tops and these shoes and this handbag. The blog is just the way of doing that online. It looks like product placement because it’s just their stuff in one outfit but it’s only the same thing that you would see in a shop because they’re merchandising it all together. What I think we’re going to see more of are retail blogs where they put together stuff that’s available elsewhere on the Web. Rather than saying you have to style it with our items they’ll give the user what’s best for them. So, if another retailer has a better black top that goes with a pair of jeans they’ll put that top on there instead but it’ll be a while before that mentality kind of kicks in.

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visual research methods in fashion

Online Fashion 100 (2009):  Cover of the e-book. Courtesy of Leon Bailey Green.

Where do you see the future of blogging where can it all go? It needs to become more mainstream because at the moment fashion people in the industry and people who are really into fashion read blogs. This is why most of the fashion blogs are about the high-end and designer outlets. What we need a bit more of is the high street. A good example of that is a blog called Shoegalfi (http://shoegalfi.blogspot.com/) she’s called Shoe Gal she just photographs herself on her landing every morning and everything she wears is high street it’s always stuff from New Look, Primark or Dorothy Perkins. It’s more towards the high street end and we need more blogs like that. If you find a good blog bookmark it and keep coming back in the same way that when you find a magazine you like you buy it again the next week. Tell me about the online 100 what’s that about? That was as a result of working as a consultant in the industry. I thought it would be good to put together the people that are doing different things to grow the online retail fashion industry.

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(See http://www2008.leonbaileygreen.com/index.php/site/permalink/online_fashion_100_event_ sponsored_by_fashshotcom_part_4/ ) There’s kind of an attachment between the bloggers, then store owners and the affiliate networks. The affiliate networks are where revenue goes from the publisher to a retailer because publishing and retailing are moving together. So you’ve got newspapers that are creating their own online shops where they get say 10 per cent of the sale that goes through. Within retailing you’ve got retailers doing publishing where they’re writing their own blogs so the two things are coming together. There’s a bit of a disconnection between bloggers and people from the technical side, people who are making these Web sites. I thought there needed to be a good way of saying here are a collection of people doing completely different things but everything that they are doing has the same sort of aim. The event was to get everyone together and to give out an award; Schway (http://www.schway.net/) and Fashshot. com sponsored it. What advice would you give to fashion students? If I were a fashion student starting out I would find people who I thought were inspirational and just work day and night for them. If you’ve got something that you think you want to specialize in, then just find that someone who you think is doing it really well, follow them and absorb as much information as possible. You have just got to get in there, it’s your business to understand what they’re trying to achieve and think about things that can help that rather than just waiting to be told what to do. I’ve been in a couple of situations where the people that showed the initiative they end up with the role. I know that’s probably the simplest piece of advice but it’s just how it is.

Twitter

Mobile Phones

Twitter (http://www.twitter.com) is a way of com-

Mobile phones are becoming increasingly im-

municating in real time by using short text mes-

portant as research tools; the invention of the

sages up to 140 characters that can be received

iPhone and the success of the App Store have

by the people who have decided to follow your up-

created a whole new way of working away from

dates. It was devised as a social networking tool

the desk. Most phones now have cameras and

but is also being used by companies for market-

can play and record video; they can also connect

ing and for tracking what people are saying about

to the ­Internet and store and play audio record-

them in their tweets. You can download widgets

ings. There are some excellent applications for the

and applications from the Twitter site so that you

­iPhone like the Pantone app, which allows you to

can send updates from your mobile phone or have

take a photograph and extract a colour palette

it sitting on the desktop of your computer. It can

that you can then save or email. You can down-

be a useful research tool because you can see

load documents onto your phone, and there are

who influential people are following. You can also

also augmented-reality applications that ­enable

use hash tags # to follow specific topics, and you

you to get context-specific information about

can see trends in the subjects people are tweeting

your surroundings if your phone has GPS. Mobile

about.

phones are now really miniature computers, and

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visual research methods in fashion

Screenshot  from author’s Twitter page.

they can be an effective investment. You could,

sales. Data for many of these operations are stored

for example, interview someone at a fashion event

and shared online and can be updated in real time

and record it as an audio or video file, then use a

using sophisticated Web-based applications. A

mobile blogging tool to upload it to your blog or

computer can handle almost every aspect of the

social networking site. You can snap interesting

design and development process. However, there

people on the street, shop windows, landscapes,

is still a need for traditional processes and an un-

interesting textures and so on. Because we tend

derstanding of how these processes work manu-

to carry our mobile phones with us at all times,

ally before you start to work on a computer. If you

the phone is perhaps the most effective tool you

don’t understand how a pattern works or what

can have.

elements are required for a good photograph or presentation, then using a computer will not ensure a good outcome: it is a tool, and it still needs

role of computer-aided design in the fashion industry

a skilled operator.

Much of the fashion industry is now computerized:

providers include Lectra, Gerber, Assyst and

news, communication, production, marketing and

Speed Step, but there are many others, so if

Many companies develop and produce software for the fashion industry. Some of the key

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223

you are thinking of investing in a system, it is a

systems are Web-based, they are extremely use-

good idea to do lots of research. Talk to people

ful when you are dealing with offshore production.

in the industry about the systems they use; if

Different levels of access can be set, so that users

you are a freelancer, find out if your clients have

can access only the information they need and

any preferences. In most cases, however, it is

can change information only when they have the

now possible to swap files between different

permissions to do so.

systems. Pattern Cutting and Marker Making Product Data Management and Product

Many companies now digitize their basic patterns

­Lifestyle Management

and blocks so that alterations and modifications

Product data management (PDM) and product

can be done in a pattern-cutting package. This

lifestyle management (PLM) software enables

saves time, reduces duplication of effort and en-

­everyone in the production process to track

ables the easy recall and updating of styles. The

the development of a product in real time. This

pattern can be checked for accuracy, then taken

­improves communication, speeds up the produc-

into a lay-planning package where the best pos-

tion process and reduces errors. Because the

sible lay plan and costing can be created.

Range plan created using Kaledo Style  by Lectra. Courtesy of Lectra. Reproduced with permission.

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visual research methods in fashion

Computer-Aided Design Programmes

Specialist programmes are available for fash-

for ­Design Development

ion design development, textile print design and

Many students and companies use generic soft-

knit and weave. These include the Kaledo suite

ware such as CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator and

of products from Lectra, Fashion Studio by Ger-

Photoshop to draw and develop their design

ber and a suite of tools by Speed Step. There are

ideas. Whilst these programmes are success-

advantages to both generic and specialist pack-

fully used by a lot of fashion and textile designers,

ages; fashion students should be aware of what

they were not specifically created for this purpose.

specialist software has to offer.

Case Study: Rose Sinclair Rose Sinclair is an experienced user of computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacture (CAM) and is heavily involved in introducing CAD into the curriculum in UK secondary schools, through the CAD/CAM Initiative, a programme supported by the Design and Technology Association (DATA) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Here, she explains why she thinks it is important that students are able to use specialist as well as generic software.

Textile designs produced using Speed Step ProPainter®.  Courtesy of Speed Step. Reproduced with permission.

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Specialist software speaks your design ­language; if I want to do a repeat pattern, I click on the repeat icon. If I want to create a weave I click on a weave icon. I really can’t do that in a generic CAD programme unless I have spent money buying all the additional add-ons and tripling the price of my initial ­investment in the software. Then you have got to learn them all. It is not just learning to use the software you have got to learn all of the add-ons as well. Specialist software does the job quicker ­because it is designed specifically for fashion and textiles. In generic software there isn’t a repeat pattern icon, there is a tile icon but a tile and a repeat are not the same thing. It does not work as you would as a textile designer. In specialist software I can apply a simulated knit finish with the fabric simulation icon, or even design the pattern in an actual knitted stitch. In generic software I would have to scan my design in greyscale, put my design in a layer, add my knit in another layer then merge them together. That is why the students get so frustrated when they are introduced to software that is very graphics-orientated. To simulate a weave I can put in my colours for the warp and the weft then I have 800 weaves to choose from and I can just click and see it instantly. You could never do it that quickly in generic design software. In practice many designers will use both generic and specialist software, and a good specialist programme will allow you to import files from the popular generic programmes that are available. Most generic programmes will also allow you to export files in a variety of common formats.

copyright

Protecting Your Copyright

Throughout this book we have touched upon the

tomatically own the copyright; if others want

issue of copyright. This is an extremely important

to use your work, they need your permission.

topic in fashion from two perspectives. First, you

Copyright applies only to objects that have a

need to protect your intellectual property rights for

material form, whether physical or digital. You

your own creations, and second, you need to en-

cannot copyright an idea for a design—you have

sure that you do not breach the rights of others. In

to have actually produced it in some form. You

an industry that relies upon the exchange and rein-

have copyright only for original works that you

terpretation of ideas, this can be very challenging.

have created. Copyright can be sold or given

The advice offered in this section is not in-

away, however, so even if someone owns a

tended to be legal opinion, and if you have a

photograph, he or she may not own the copy-

copyright problem, it is always best to seek expert

right. Copyright covers literary works, dramatic

legal advice. A lot of copyright legislation has not

performances, broadcasts, artistic works, films,

kept pace with technology, and there are many

music, typographic works and sound record-

grey areas around the use of digital imagery that

ings. The duration of copyright is also very

have not been tested in court. Different laws apply

complex depending upon the type of work and

in different parts of the world, so you will need to

the country in which it was produced. In the

check what applies in your country.

UK, for example, a photograph produced after

If you create a design or a photograph, you au-

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1986 is covered for the life of the photographer

property rights is to use Creative Commons. With

plus seventy years (JISC). An excellent guide

Creative Commons you can define the rights to

regarding misconceptions about copyright is

use your work, from all rights reserved to no rights

available at http://www.templetons.com/brad/

reserved or some rights ­reserved, and they work

copymyths.html.

globally. To find out more about the system, visit

Depending upon what someone wants to

http://creativecommons.org/about/what-is-cc.

do with your work, you may or may not want

There are links to Web sites with more information

to charge him or her for using it. If you intend to

about protecting your intellectual property rights

publish your work on a Web site or image-sharing

in the references at the end of this chapter.

platform, it is a good idea to make sure that the

In education, the whole area of copyright is so

terms and conditions clearly state how the work

complex that some universities hire specialists to

can be used and by whom. An easy way of shar-

advise their staff and students. Kevin Smith is such

ing your work whilst still retaining your intellectual

an expert working at Duke University in the US.

Interview with Kevin Smith Kevin is the scholarly communications officer at Duke University. He is a librarian and a lawyer and went to law school in order to deal with intellectual property issues in higher education. What do you do in your current role? Probably 60 per cent of my job is consulting with faculty administrators and students quite often on copyright issues. The other part of my job is to help encourage management of copyright when faculty and students publish work, to encourage digital techniques for distributing research scholarship, and to help with licensing issues. What advice do you give students about using images? In the US there are two specific provisions of our law that would be applicable to students using images as well as most other things in their work. First is what we call the Teach Act or Section 110(2) of our Copyright Act. This was a provision added to make digital transmission of classroom material possible. It was originally envisioned to assist distance education but really applies most often to hybrid classes or things that are done in Blackboard or other course-management systems. The Teach Act, which would allow a substantial amount of images to be used in a digital course, is obviously restricted to nonprofit educational institutions. Once a student left a university or school they would no longer have the advantage of using the Teach Act. That is a major difference for US students versus the rest of the world. The other provision is fair use, which in the US version is very flexible but difficult to define. It is extremely important as well; we rely on it all the time. A student would be able to use fair use both in an educational setting and later in other settings but the argument would change. Fair use is always very fact-specific and depends on the specific circumstances of the use. The first and one of the most important factors in the fair-use analysis is what is the nature of the use being contemplated? In an

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educational setting we always have the advantage of saying it is education and education is something that is favoured in a fair-use analysis. Once a student leaves the educational institution they no longer have that advantage so it becomes much more important that they look at all four of the fair-use aspects, especially if it is a commercial use. It is much more likely that the now-former student will have to seek permission from the copyright holder. US law also has a specific provision that says that any kind of display or performance that takes place in a face-to-face classroom is authorized; it is a specific exception to the performance and display rights in US law for face-to-face teaching. When we go online things get more difficult. More and more we find that students and their instructors want to put student work online to showcase the fine work that our students do. We always have to address a couple of intellectual property issues, one is the material that is owned by some third party that the student has incorporated into their own work. If the student work then goes on the Web, the Teach Act no longer applies and the fair-use argument is more difficult to make. The other issue we need to consider is the students’ own intellectual property rights in their work. We discourage faculty from putting student work online without permission from the students. It is important to respect the students’ rights in their own work. When a student has incorporated images by some third party into her work, for example, and then she wants to put it online, the incorporation of those images into the student works is likely to be fair use. There are four factors that are balanced when we consider fair use: • • • •

Nature of the use Character of the use and the nature of the copyrighted material The impact on the market The amount used.

Impact on market is extremely important and sometimes courts have said it is the most important factor. When a student uses someone else’s work in their own work just to hand in to class it is very hard to say it has an impact on the market. When they then put their work on the Web, on the other hand, so that somebody who finds their work might be able to download the images that they have incorporated, then it is much more likely that there will be a negative impact on the market for the original. For that reason the fair-use argument is much more difficult, and we need to look at those situations very carefully. We have encountered situations where we have decided to remove images or video clips from the online version so it is only the student’s own work and not the other material. Sometimes that really harms the impact of the work but we feel we need to do it in many cases because of the copyright issues. How long does copyright last for? Copyright lasts a very long time; it lasts for the life of the author plus seventy years in the US and UK. The international agreements known as the Berne Convention and the TRIPs (Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) treaty through the World Trade Organization have required a minimum length of copyright protection of the life of the author plus fifty years. There are a few countries that

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are still at that minimum, but many have gone to life plus seventy. There are even some countries where the term of protection is life of the author plus seventy-five years and, in one case, life plus one hundred years. There are other kinds of rights that if you don’t enforce you lose them. If I let someone trespass on my property everyday over and over eventually a court is going to say I no longer have the right to throw him or her out. That is not true with copyright; it does not fade or go away over time, until the point at which its term expires. You don’t have to know that you are infringing copyright or intend to infringe copyright to be found liable for infringing copyright; we call it a strict liability tort. Even material that is very old may still be subject to copyright protection; for example, in the US many things that were published after 1922 are likely to be still protected. The most important thing I advise students and others to look for when searching for images to use, especially when searching on the Web, is to look for material that is already available for them to use. I encourage them to do searches on Creative Commons licensed material because the Creative Commons licences usually allow for noncommercial use as long as attribution is given to the creator. In those situations the students are free to use the material; the attribution requirement should not bother them because that is good scholarly practice anyway. Also our institutions subscribe to databases of images like ARTstor that are licensed already for students to use in certain ways. So finding something that is licensed and using it in accordance with that licence ensures that you will not have any copyright issues to worry about. The second step would be to look at fair use. There the most important thing is to think about how the student’s use might interfere with the original market for the copyrighted material and avoid that. In the US the best way to do that is to use third-party copyrighted material in a way that transforms it. That has become the key word in court analysis; transformative uses are things like mash-ups, uses that are critical of the sources or comment on the sources, or parody. These kinds of uses are favoured in the fair-use analysis because the courts say that they serve a social purpose, and that they don’t compete in the market with the original. There is a famous case in our Supreme Court around the Roy Orbison song ‘Oh, Pretty Woman.’ A parody was made by the rap group called 2 Live Crew that used most of the lyrics and all of the tune. It is fairly crude but it parodies the image of feminine beauty in the original song. The Supreme Court said it was a fair use largely because no one buying a CD of Roy Orbison songs would find the parody version and say ‘oh well, that is just as good I will buy that instead.’ When we transform a work there is not this sense of market substitution and that is very important to consider. We want to encourage students who are using third-party copyrighted material to be as creative as possible and to use works in a way that is transformative. That really strengthens their fair-use argument. Fair use in the US is maddening in a lot of ways because you can never be certain that something is or is not a fair use until you get sued and the judge tells you it was. But it does encourage creativity and innovation. The nice thing is that, at least in theory, fair use is format neutral and technology neutral; when it applies, it applies regardless of the nature of the format of the original work. There are what we call moral rights, which usually include at least the right of attribution. That is the right of the creator to have his or her name associated with the work. There is also often a right of

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integrity, which is a right is to have the work not changed in a way that is derogatory of the reputation of the creator. These moral rights are recognized in most countries around the world, in the UK and every European country that I am aware of, but they are not formally recognized in the US except in a very limited case. We have never had moral rights. When we joined the International Convention in 1989 we argued that in most cases our other laws, trademark laws for example, were sufficient to protect moral rights. The only place our copyright laws give the right of attribution and integrity is in certain visual arts, artists that make works of visual art in less than a certain amount. I think if there are more than 200 copies the moral rights don’t apply, so it is really only artists with very limited runs who get this extra protection. In the rest of world it is extremely important to protect attribution and the integrity of the work. These moral rights often cannot be transferred so that if an artist transfers the copyright, the economic right in their work, in France for example they still retain the moral right to enforce attribution and integrity. That means that the transformative argument that I was talking about that works very well for fair use here in the US might not translate very well into other countries because when you make a transformative use you may be compromising the integrity of the original. In the US we have a very strong free speech tradition and we have built into our law that parody is one of the privileged fair uses. In other countries, where integrity of the work is considered to be more important and where they have a much stronger sense that creative works are an expression of the personality of the artist, it would be much harder to make that argument. The Internet, of course, does not stop at international borders. The international agreements basically say that every country affords what is called national treatment. That means that a UK creator gets in the US the same protection as an American creator does and in the UK an American creator gets the same protection as a UK creator does. If an American student uses work of an UK artist for example in the US and puts it on servers in the US the law that would likely apply would be US law. Then there would be a fair-use defence available. But if it were on a UK server the transformative-use defence would probably not be available; the UK courts would apply the fair-dealing provisions, educational exceptions that are narrower than fair use. So the transformative-use exception would probably stop at our borders. It is well recognized that quoting two or three sentences from a published book is fair use; nobody even bothers to sue over it anymore. It is a very small piece of a much larger work and the use is usually transformative. The fair-use argument is much stronger when you are talking about two or three sentences from a 400-page book than when you are talking about the whole work. The difficulty with images is that you usually have to use the whole work. If you are going to use a photograph or graphic work you are usually going to use the entire work. This will often count against fair use, but US courts have recognized that this has to be evaluated in terms of reasonableness as to the purpose of the use. You have to be very careful. The best advice is to contact the copyright holder and get permission when there is any doubt. It is not my role to give legal advice but to provide basic information on education fair use. It is important that students and faculty make the decision for themselves and understand why they made it. This is especially true in a commercial situation, where they need to document the decision and have a sound basis that is honest, objective and reasonable. It is easier and less expensive to get the permission and pay for the licence than it is to defend a lawsuit later.

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Project: Searching Creative Commons Visit the Creative Commons Web site (http://search.creativecommons.org). You will see a range of tabs. Select the one that has the Flickr logo, and enter a keyword in the search box at the top of the page, then press go. Click on an image to go to its page on the Flickr Web site. Scroll down to the Additional Information section and check what permissions the creator has applied to the image. Clicking on the rights information will take you to the Creative Commons license details.

Summary In this chapter we have discovered a range of tools and resources that can assist us in the process of visual research. Computers and information technology have had a strong impact on all aspects of the fashion industry. The introduction of Web 2.0 technologies has democratized the flow of information, and CAD technologies have speeded up the design development process and improved communication between designers and manufacturers. Whilst these advances in technology offer opportunities, they also create challenges. How do you keep up with the flow of information and not be overwhelmed? How do you evaluate the information available and ensure that you protect your own copyright and do not breach the copyright of others? Fortunately, some excellent tools are available to help us to meet these challenges. The next chapter focuses on how to ensure that you present your research effectively.

references and further reading

Burke, S. (2006), Fashion Computing—Design Techniques and CAD, n.p.: Burke.

Alvarado, J. (2007), Computer Aided Design Using

Burrows, T. (2008), Blogs, Wikis, MySpace, and More:

Gerber Technology, ill. ed., New York: Fairchild

Everything You Want to Know about Using Web

Books.

2.0 but Are Afraid to Ask, 1st ed., Chicago: Review

Armstrong, J., Armstrong, W., and Ivas, L. (2005), From

Press.

Pencil to Pen Tool: Understanding and Creat-

Hay, D. (2009), A Survival Guide to Social Media and

ing the Digital Fashion Image, ill. ed., New York:

Web 2.0 Optimization: Strategies, Tactics, and

Fairchild Books.

Tools for Succeeding in the Social Web, n.p.: Pap/

Belew, R. K. (2008), Finding Out About: A Cognitive Perspective on Search Engine Technology and the WWW, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Black, C. (2008), Modaris, Diamino and JustPrint for Apparel Design, 1st ed., New York: Fairchild. Bradley, P. (2004), The Advanced Internet Searcher’s Handbook, 3rd ed., London: Facet.

Cdr. Dalton. Pedley, P. (2008), Copyright Compliance: Practical Steps to Stay within the Law, London: Facet. Sauers, M. P. (2009), Searching 2.0, London: Facet. Stern, S., and Association of Illustrators (Great Britain) (2008), The Illustrator’s Guide to Law and Business Practice, London: Association of Illustrators.

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websites

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Lectra http://www.lectra.com/ Mintel http://www.mintel.com/

Bitlaw, ‘Copyright Law in the United States’ http://www. bitlaw.com/copyright/ Freedigitalphoto http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/ Gerber http://www.gerbertechnology.com/

Own It (UK) http://www.own-it.org/ Speed Step http://www.speedstep-schools.com/ UK Copyright Service, ‘International Copyright Law— the Berne Convention’ http://www.copyrightser

Intellectual Property Office (UK) http://www.ipo.gov.uk/

vice.co.uk/copyright/p08_berne_convention_

Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), ‘Copyright

US Copyright Office, ‘Copyright Law of the United

and Digital Images’ http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac. uk/stillimages/advice/copyright-and-digitalimages/_

States’ http://www.copyright.gov/title17/ Web Gallery of Art http://www.wga.hu

chapter 9 visual research for presentation Chapter Overview Effective presentation is an essential skill in the fashion industry. Whether you are developing a paper-based portfolio, a Web site or a PowerPoint presentation for a client, you need to present ideas in the best possible light and the most effective form. This chapter presents ideas for how to research presentation techniques, where to find inspiration for layout design and what tools to use to enhance presentation of a wide range of work in traditional and electronic formats. The chapter includes: • Sources for inspiration • Presenting your ideas as printed media • The portfolio • Interview with Julia Dorff • Interview with Shenlei Winkler • Other forms of presentation • Exhibitions • Case study: Claire Baker • Case study: Rene De Lange • Case study: Tiffany Ong • Catwalk or runway shows • Giving a verbal presentation • Software for fashion presentation • Case study: Ayako Machida • Case study: Philippa Waite • Specialist software for fashion and textile design • Interview with Sjef van Dongen.

sources for inspiration

fashion industry will at some time have to present

Good ideas for presentations require a constant

the Web. Looking at how the professionals do it

supply of inspiration. Most people working in the

can help you to improve your own presentation

their work, whether in a portfolio, in person or via

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skills. There are many places you can look for

is presented and text and images are used,

this inspiration: books, magazines, the Internet,

you can learn a lot about what does and does

museums, archives and other people’s presenta-

not work. Graphic design is all around us: it is

tions, both good and bad.

on posters and the side of buses, on the cov-

By looking at magazines, books and Web

ers of books, on the television, in the cinema, in

sites and analysing the way in which content

our daily newspapers, on flyers and pamphlets

Singer sewing machines advertisement poster with the name of the Singer sewing machine company in a giant red Cyrillic letter 3 ­(reflecting the German pronunciation of ‘Singer’), Russia, 1900s. Courtesy of Wikimedia.

visual research for presentation

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and on the packaging of the food we eat and the cosmetics and household products we buy.

A couple of good starting points to learn more about graphic design and typography are

By examining how brands use graphics, you can learn a lot about how to sell your message and develop and promote your own brand. To understand how graphics work, we need to start noticing them, analysing them and thinking about our responses to them. Graphic styles change over time, so doing some historical research is a good idea. How have advertisements changed over the last fifty years? If you wanted to convey a retro feel in your site or design, what kind of typography would you use? If you use bright, bold colours, what mood does this convey? The message or mood may change from project to project or be dictated by the client or the brief you are working on. By looking at how other designers have utilized colour, layout and typography, you can begin to understand how to use these elements to develop different moods and messages. For inspiration on layout design and

Digital Web Magazine http://www.digitalweb.com/articles/elements_of_design/ Typographica http://typographica.org/ History of Graphic Design http://www.designhistory.org/. Illustrators are also often very good at layout and presentation, so looking at some illustration Web sites (both fashion-specific and generic sites) can be a good starting point for ideas for laying out your pages or making your figures look more dynamic. Some useful sites include: Fashion Illustration Gallery http://www.­ fashionillustrationgallery.com Folioplanet http://www.folioplanet.com/ Illustration/Fashion/

how to use images and text together, start by looking at how professional graphic designers lay

Folioplanet covers many types of illustrations

out their work. You can find many books and Web

and also categorizes the illustrations by themes

sites that cover packaging, book design, Web

such as retro and whimsical, which can be quite

design, advertising and typographic design.

useful.

Project: Analysing a Magazine Find a current magazine—something that deals with fashion—and start to analyse its style. Does it use a lot of colours in the text? How are the pages laid out? What relationship do facing pages have to each other? How many typefaces are used within an individual article and the magazine as a whole? How much white space is there? How does the font relate to the content? How do they use scale, alignment and perspective? Now find an online version of a fashion magazine. How does this differ from the printed version? Which has the stronger impact?

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presenting your ideas as printed media

to have one you can use. High street print shops

The introduction of digital printing has had a mas-

can be restricted in paper sizes, normally to A4

sive impact on how we can present work. It is now

and A3 (but some may be able to print up to A2

possible to use an infinite number of colours and

or bigger on large-scale printers). Commercial

to integrate text and images in ways that would

printing, whether lithographic or digital, will give

not have been possible without desktop publish-

you the best-quality results. However, if you are

ing. However, just possessing a copy of Adobe In-

using desktop colour inkjet or colour laser printing

Design or QuarkXPress does not guarantee good

you will get better results by using the specialist

results; in fact, it can often lead to over-­designing

papers marketed for the purpose by the printers’

and over-complex results. Also, a project some-

manufactures (Epson, HP, Canon etc.) to suit dif-

times calls for a hand-finished feel or the addi-

ferent printed results.

such as Kall Kwik have both inkjet and colour laser printers, but remember that these printers

tion of textures and embellishments. When you

If you are using a standard commercial print

are giving a presentation, you want people to be

process, you should use CMYK colour because

able to clearly see your ideas. There are some

the printer will not recognize RGB. You should

guidelines you can follow to make this easier. The

note that CMYK colours tend to be more muted

following advice is based upon an interview with

than RGB, because of the process by which the

Richard Doust. Richard is a graphic designer who

colours are laid down. You can produce digital

lectures at the Royal College of Art in London; he

prints in RGB if you are using a photo or inkjet

is also co-author of New Media Design (Laurence

printer. Some inkjet printers use special and extra

King, London, 2007).

colours, so read the advice provided by manufacturer. There are some differences in how you will

The Difference between Digital

set up your document depending upon how you

and T ­ raditional Printing

are going to print it.

There are two main methods for commercially producing print media. The first is lithographic print-

Resolution

ing where a plate is produced for each colour and

Printing requires your image to be at a higher

printed using ink. The second uses digital printers

resolution than for viewing on screen. For black-

such as inkjet and laser printers. In terms of cost,

and-white laser printing, the minimum resolution

if you are printing fewer than 500 copies, digital

is 85 dpi (dots per inch), and 150 dpi is good.

printing can be more economical. If you are pro-

For inkjet and colour laser printing, the minimum

ducing upwards of 500 copies, then lithographic

is 150 dpi, and 240 dpi will give you better-quality

printing is usually more economical.

images. There is no point in going higher than

Within digital printing there are three main types

240 dpi because the printer may not be able to

of printers: inkjet, colour laser and commercial

interpret the information. If you are using a pro-

digital printers such as Indigo. Inkjet printers are

fessional commercial printer, it usually requires an

easier to access and use; you may already have

image of 300–400 dpi. For colour, the minimum is

one yourself, and your college is almost certain

300 dpi, and for black and white, 250 dpi.

visual research for presentation

237

It is important to think about resolution when

make your life easier and your work more eco-

you are preparing your images. If you are shooting

nomical to produce. The type of paper you use

an image with a digital camera at eight megapix-

is very important. For best results from an ink jet

els, the resulting file size can be very large. You can

printer, use specialist papers recommended by

change the file size and achieve a high resolution

the printer manufacturer for high-quality prints.

by adjusting the image in photo editing software

Most of these are coated on one side only,

like Photoshop. To change the image resolution

but some are two-sided. The accuracy of non-

upwards—from 72 dpi to 300 dpi—in Photoshop,

commercial ink jet printers is usually not good

for example, select Image Size, un-tick the Resam­

enough for printing both sides of the same sheet

ple Image box, and enter the dpi number you

of paper (except for some laser printers that have

require (300). This will reduce the dimensions of

a ‘duplex’ function). If you are using a special

the original image but increase the resolution; the

paper and a laser printer you need to make sure

file size will stay the same. Then you can reduce

that the toner adheres to the paper properly. In

the Document Size if it is still too large. Be careful

commercial printing, if the paper is too light, the

not to reduce the file’s dimensions before chang-

printing from one side will show through on the

ing the resolution as this will result in a pixelated

other.

image when printed.

There are several main types of paper that you

Try to retain as much image data as possible

will come across when printing. Laid paper is like

for as long as possible. If you are scanning an

writing paper: when you hold it up to the light, it

image, saving it as a TIFF will help you get the

has lines in it which are formed by the way the

best result. Keep your image in TIFF format until

paper is made. Laid papers are normally used for

you are sure you have made all your adjustments

letter heads and quality brochures, but laid paper

and then save it in the required format, e.g. JPEG

can be problematic when used with a laser printer,

or PNG. Most digital cameras will record in JPEG

as the toner does not always adhere properly.

format; this is not a problem and will give you

Wove paper is made on a mesh, and you can’t

good-quality results when printed, but converting

see a pattern when you hold it up to the light.

from a JPEG to a TIFF will cause a deterioration

Wove papers are more commonly used for print

of your image. Some digital cameras also record

work. In commercial printing, the surface of the

in RAW format. This holds the greatest amount of

paper can be uncoated (like drawing cartridge),

colour information, but you will need some spe-

coated, normally smooth (matt or semimatt) and

cialist knowledge to make the best use of this

gloss, often referred to as ‘art paper’. Commercial

format. It is also a good idea to keep your image

coated and glossy papers may not be suitable for

in RGB mode until the last minute and then save

ink jet or laser printers. You should always check

it to CMYK if you need to, for example, for most

that the paper you are using (other than those rec-

commercial printing.

ommended) is suitable for ink jet or laser printers. If you want to print onto film, it is most important

Paper Size and Quality

check that it is ‘laser safe’ as ordinary film material

The most common paper sizes for printers are

will melt in the printer. Some special inkjet films are

A4 and A3. Working to these standard sizes will

also available.

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File Formats

visual research methods in fashion

It is usual to leave a slightly larger margin at the

Whether you produce your document in Word,

foot and inside, or spine, edge of the page than

InDesign, Quark or Illustrator, it is best to create

at the head and outside. Cheaper books tend to

your final document as a PDF. Some commercial

user smaller, more compact text and narrower

printers insist on this format. The advantages of

margins to save on printing costs. If you want your

a PDF are that it is smaller and prints faster. Also,

book or brochure to look more expensive, then

you can ensure that your layout and fonts will be

you should leave more generous margins.

exactly as you planned them. If you make a PDF in Adobe Acrobat, you will be able to select ‘Press

Orphans, Widows and Hyphens

Quality’ for professional printers and ‘High Quality

When you are laying out your document there

Print’ for inkjet and laser printers; these settings

are some things you want to avoid. Widows are

will save your file at the right resolution.

words that end up on a line by themselves at the end of a paragraph. You can usually fix this

Borders and Margins

by changing the text slightly to make the para-

The top of the page is referred to as the head;

graph or a sentence shorter or longer. When

the outside edge of the page is the fore-edge; the

going from one page to another, try not to end

inside edge, next to the spine, is the gutter; and

a paragraph on the top line of a page and try

the bottom of the page is known as the foot. Nor-

not to start a paragraph on the bottom line of

mally, you cannot print right to the edge of the

a page; sentences like this are called orphans.

paper because most inkjet and laser printers have

Avoid hyphenation of words wherever possible

a border that will not print, but some printers can

unless the word is one that is supposed to be

do borderless printing. As a rule, if you are able to

hyphenated.

print borderless or on oversize paper, you should allow an extra three millimetres on each side, ex-

Fonts and Typefaces

cept for the binding edge of the sheet if your doc-

The font or typeface that you select for your text

ument is to be bound, or if an image is the size of

is extremely important. The main aim is to en-

the page on all sides. This three-millimetre ‘bleed’

sure that your audience can easily read your text.

is a margin for error, because when the paper is

There are two main categories of fonts: serif and

cut on the guillotine every printed sheet will not

sans serif. A serif is the little tick-like shape on the

necessarily be in exactly the same place. Even

end of a character, as in Times and Georgia. Sans

if you are carefully trimming pages by hand, you

serif fonts like Helvetica and Arial can be easier to

should allow a ‘bleed’ because otherwise white

read than serif fonts such as Times New Roman

edges can result. If you are printing and binding a

and Georgia. You can see examples of these

book of more than thirty-two pages, you can get

fonts below:

something called creep where the centre pages are pushed outwards. You may need to compen-

Helvetica

sate for this in your design. Commercial printers

Arial

usually provide this information or have computer

Times New Roman

software that makes the necessary adjustments.

Georgia

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239

Fancy and stylized fonts should be used with

black, can be very difficult for people with dys-

care and not for large portions of text. They can

lexia, whereas a soft, muted background colour

be effective, but you also need to ensure that they

can work better. Putting text and a background

are relevant to the content. Don’t forget that pre-

with similar tonal values together will make your

sentation is about communication. If your work is

text difficult to read because there won’t be suf-

difficult to read, people may not bother. Examples

ficient contrast.

of some fancy fonts that should be used with care are given here:

Laying Out Your Text White space is as important as printed space,

Stencil

we read the white spaces as much as the

Lucida Handwriting

text.

Haettenschweiler —Richard Doust If you are communicating electronically, it is important to know that not all computers can deal

The spacing between lines of text and the

with all fonts. You may need to use a format like

way the text is aligned on the page can also add

PDF where you can embed the font to make sure

to its readability and improve the clarity of your

that you get the result you want. There are some

message. Unless you are a very experienced ty-

standard fonts that you can reasonably expect

pographer, it is better to select one style of align-

most computers to be able to deal with. Verdana,

ment and not mix centred and left-aligned text.

Helvetica and Arial are basic sans serif fonts, and

Captions are better ranged left than ranged right,

Times New Roman and Georgia are generic serif

and large sections of text are usually best pre-

fonts.

sented as ranged left with a ragged right-hand

The general rule with typefaces or fonts is the

side.

fewer the better. Richard recommends using ‘no

For maximum readability a line of text should

more than two fonts in no more than two to three

be sixty-two characters including spaces. This

sizes’. The size of font you choose will depend

can be extended up to seventy characters if the

upon the purpose of the document and its au-

font is compact. Try not to change the width or

dience. If you are producing something for an

‘measure’ of continuous text from column to

older consumer, it is wise to use larger type, as

column.

many older people develop problems with their

The space between lines of text is called the

eyesight. If something needs to be read from a

leading; this gap needs to be comfortable, not

distance of two to three feet, such as an exhibi-

tight. If you are working with 12-point font size,

tion caption, then it should be at least size 18

then 15-point leading usually works well, an ad-

point.

dition of three points between the lines. With 10-

The colour of your text should also be consid-

and 11-point font sizes, use 13-point leading.

ered carefully. Muted colours often work better

Some fonts like Helvetica and Baskerville may re-

and look more sophisticated than garish bright

quire extra leading, whereas other, more compact

colours. Black on white and the reverse, white on

fonts may require slightly less.

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visual research methods in fashion

Combining Text and Images

can be very boring. You can ensure that your

Making text and images work well together is not

project is cohesive but still has sufficient variety

difficult if you consider a few simple rules. Richard

to engage the viewer by considering the use of

Doust recommends using a grid to place things

scale, colour, grouping of objects, symmetry and

so the type always appears in roughly the same

asymmetry and perspective when laying out your

place on the page and the images always line up.

page. What is the main focal point on your page?

One thing to consider is whether the pages are

Is it strong enough to stand out? Is the eye drawn

going to be printed on both sides. In that case it is

to it?

best to ensure that the type is in the same place so it does not show through and affect the white

Scale

spaces on the other side; this is called ‘back up’.

The larger an item is and the more of the page

Consider the position of each element on your

it occupies, the more it will stand out and draw

page carefully—the title, images and text.

the eye in. You may want to play around with the scale on different pages. Some may have one

Page Layout and Design

large image and others several smaller images.

When you are presenting work on paper, you often need to consider the relationship between

Colour

pages that face or follow on from each other. A

The eye is drawn to strong colours. If you

portfolio with page after page of identical layout

put something bright pink on a white page,

Designers of books and magazines use a grid to help order the elements, text and illustrations throughout a publication.  Courtesy of Richard Doust. Reproduced with permission.

visual research for presentation

241

that object will become the dominant feature.

Grouping

Choose colours that reflect the mood of your

If you group objects together, this reinforces the

project. It may be acceptable to use bright

connection between them. If you place the text a

primaries for a childrenswear project, but

long way from the image it is related to, the viewer

this will usually not work for something more

may not make the appropriate connection.

sophisticated. White Space Perspective

Think about borders and margins and how much

Placing objects on the page using the principles

white space you want to leave on the page. It can

of perspective can give your page depth and draw

be useful to divide elements from each other and

the viewer into your composition.

also to frame the images you are presenting.

A selection of layout designs for presentation sheets.  Courtesy of Fashionary. Reproduced with permission.

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visual research methods in fashion

Project: Designing a Layout Produce a range of thumbnail layout designs for a double page spread for your portfolio. Consider all of the elements that have been discussed in this section. How are you going to ensure that the two pages work together? Will they mirror each other, or will they have different layouts, with some elements that create unity between the two pages? Choose your favourite thumbnail design and work it up as a finished piece.

Movement

Physical Portfolios

You can use the placement of objects and lines

These may be designed to take loose sheets or

to give your page a static or fluid feeling. The

have ring mechanisms that allow the use of pro-

figure on page 241 shows an illustration taken

tective plastic sheets. With the advent of online

from Fashionary (http://www.fashionary.com),

digital book printing, some students have produced

a fashion-specific sketchbook developed by

their portfolio in book format. This can look very

Penter Yip. Here, he presents a range of different

slick, but it is difficult to update, and your portfo-

ideas for the layout of presentation sheets. By

lio needs to be constantly updated and reworked

working in this thumbnail style, you can quickly

­depending upon whom you need to show it to.

and easily try out layout ideas before committing yourself to a final piece.

Content The content of your portfolio will depend upon your subject area and also on the purpose for which you

the portfolio

are compiling it. If you are applying for a college or university course, the tutors or interviewers will

In addition to the design of individual layouts and

probably want to see some developmental work

spreads, you need to consider how you are going

and sketchbooks as well as finished pieces so

to present a body of work to a potential employer

that they can see the thought process behind your

or client. In most areas of art and design, this is

work. Once you move into the professional arena,

done using a portfolio. Your portfolio is a collection

this becomes less important, but on some occa-

of work that represents your skills and abilities. It

sions a client may want to see how you develop

can take a variety of forms, from a traditional port-

your ideas. You should also include sufficient tech-

folio made of card, plastic or leather to an online

nical information to illustrate that you understand

or electronic portfolio in the form of a DVD or even

how to bring your ideas to fruition. In the case of a

on a memory stick. The format of your portfolio

design portfolio, this means technical drawings as

will depend upon the product that you are design-

well as beautiful illustrations and photographs.

ing, your own preferences and the preferences

Whatever the purpose of the portfolio, you

of the clients that you work with or the demands

should ensure that it contains your best work and

of the section of the industry in which you are

is well organized. It should contain a range of proj-

employed.

ects, and these should be clearly defined. Most

visual research for presentation

243

interviewers or potential employers will not be im-

work and the most appropriate for the position or

pressed if you stagger through the door with a huge

course you are applying for.

portfolio that has not been properly edited. If you are going for a college interview, they will probably

Size and Format

provide you with guidelines as to what they want

The type of work that you produce will determine

to see. Otherwise, bear in mind that professional

the size of your portfolio. An A4 portfolio is easy to

people are busy and may be interviewing several

carry and cheap to produce, as most home print-

people, so they will not want to trawl through 300

ers will produce A4 printouts. However, this would

pages of your work. Also, they will probably make

not work if you were a textile designer producing

a judgement about your work based on the first

large-scale prints that need to be viewed at full

half dozen pages, so these should be your best

size to achieve the intended impact.

Technical drawing created using Speed Step Sketch.  Courtesy of Speed Step. Reproduced with permission.

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visual research methods in fashion

Anything up to an A2 size is fairly portable, but

Your portfolio should flow in the way that you

once things get bigger than this, you might strug-

would expect of an illustrated book or magazine.

gle to carry your portfolio. Also, remember that

There should be a table of contents at the be-

not everyone has a huge desk onto which you can

ginning, clear visual clues to show where one

open and display your portfolio. If you have cre-

section ends and another begins and sufficient

ated large-scale work that will not fit in your port-

text to explain the work because in some cir-

folio, consider whether a photograph will suffice

cumstances you may not be there to provide the

or think about producing a scaled-down copy by

commentary.

scanning it. Remember that you could also use a

You can use title pages, coloured sheets, tabs

double page spread. If you want to put something

or other devices to break the portfolio into sec-

A3 size into an A4 portfolio, you may be able to

tions. Remember to think about how facing pages

cut it in half and present it across two pages.

interact with each other, and make sure all of the

Whether you choose a loose-leaf portfolio or

pages run in the same direction. Try not to mix

one that has binder rings to take plastic sleeves

landscape and portrait pages within a project un-

will again depend upon your work. Plastic sleeves

less absolutely necessary.

can be useful in protecting work, but these do not work for everything. You do not necessarily have

Texture

to use a commercially produced portfolio. You

In fashion, texture is often important. If your port-

can make your own customized version, using

folio contains lots of colour photocopies or com-

card and paper, plastic, wood, metal or any other

puter printouts, it may lack texture. Texture can

material. If you go around a student degree show,

be achieved by using textured papers for printing

you will find all kinds of innovative approaches

or mounting or by adding fabric swatches if ap-

to making a portfolio. Books on bookbinding,

propriate. If you are using fabric swatches, it is

packaging and handmade books can be very in-

a good idea to attach them by only one edge so

spirational and give you lots of ideas on how to

that the fabrics can be handled. This is especially

customize your portfolio.

important if you are a textile designer. In fact, most textile designers present their work on card head-

Organization

ers or as garment parts (if it is a placement design)

For a college portfolio you may wish to organize

rather than in plastic sheets as a fashion designer

each project so that it shows what your sources

or photographer might.

of inspiration were, how you developed your ideas and what the final outcomes were. Another way of

Three-dimensional Objects

organizing your work is into themes. Perhaps you

You may have used three-dimensional objects in

have design and illustration work; these could be

your research or have created three-dimensional

in separate sections. Maybe you have completed

objects as part of your project. In this case pho-

some childrenswear assignments, some styling

tographing them from a variety of angles may be

projects and some womenswear designs—these

the best solution. You may also want to present a

could be grouped according to the product or

finished piece to show the quality of your techni-

category.

cal work; in this case you will want to make sure

visual research for presentation

245

it is presented professionally in a good box or in a

Resolution and Browsers

good-quality garment bag. It is not a good idea to

All computer screens have a resolution of 72 dpi,

put bulky objects into your main portfolio as this

but the size of the screen may vary. Therefore, it

may distort the other pages or make your port-

is important that the pages that you produce for

folio look untidy. Some companies and design-

the Web look good on a variety of sizes and work

ers are starting to use augmented reality to show

in the most popular browsers. As the number of

three-dimensional objects; this approach uses a

browsers and displays that are available continues

target on a card or paper and a link to a Web

to grow, it is impossible to ensure that your page

site via a webcam that then displays the three-

works on everything. The popular approach has

dimensional item on screen. You can see some

been to ensure that your design works on a screen

good examples here: http://econsultancy.com/

that is 800 × 600 pixels by making the page

blog/4288–10-mindblowing-augmented-reality-

780 pixels wide (reserving 20 pixels for the scroll

apps-and-videos.

bar), but the number of people using this size of monitor may be changing (http://www.webdevel

Electronic Portfolios

opersnotes.com/design/web-screen-resolution-

A lot of the advice for creating a physical portfolio

usage-statistics.php). If you are a proficient Web

also applies to an electronic version; indeed, you

designer (or know someone who is), you can de-

may well want to have both. If you are presenting

velop your pages using a liquid template that auto-

your work electronically, then much of the work

matically adjusts to the size of the screen.

has to be done on the computer. Even if you have to produce something by hand, it will have to be

Plug-ins

digitized by being photographed or scanned in.

Plug-ins are programmes that add functionality;

You will need to adjust your work to the format in

for example they can enable your browser to play

which you want to display it. If you create some-

multimedia files or display certain kinds of graph-

thing in Photoshop, Illustrator or a specialist de-

ics. Examples of plug-ins include Adobe Flash

sign package, you cannot presume that everyone

Player and Shockwave.

has this software. It may be a good idea to save your work in a generic format such as JPEGs or

Video

PDFs so that the majority of people will be able

Video on the Web is very complicated. There are

to view it.

many different formats including AVI, Quicktime,

If you are presenting your work on the Web,

MPEG and Windows Media and Flash. There are

there are more issues to consider. One major dif-

plug-ins or helper applications that the browser

ference is that you cannot control the size at which

can use to play a video, Adobe Flash Player for

your image is being viewed. Computer screens

example. These applications allow the user to

vary in size: some are widescreen, and most are in

control how the video is played, for example to

a different ratio to the printed page. Also, people

rewind or change the volume. Videos can also

use different browsers to view content and may

be embedded in Web pages; this is done using

have different plug-ins and applications to the one

a piece of code. You can see an example of this

in which you created your content.

on YouTube: next to most videos you will find the

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visual research methods in fashion

code to embed the video, which can be copied

captured is of decent quality. These programs

and pasted into your Web site or blog. One of the

allow you to add titles, transitions and music,

most popular video formats is Flash (FLV ), which

to remove unwanted footage and to rearrange

plays using Adobe Flash Player, a plug-in that

scenes.

is very common and free to download from the

If you want to get really professional, you will

Adobe Web site. The format you use will depend

need a package like Final Cut Pro or access to

upon where you want to put your video and how

someone who has the skills to use it. Sometimes

you want it to display. YouTube, for example, sup-

it is quicker and more effective to find someone

ports a range of formats including WMV, MOV and

with the skills you need than to try and learn a

MPEG formats.

whole new skill set yourself. It depends on what

If you want to get really technical there is a lot of information on the Web. Try starting here:

kind of course you are following as to whether making professional video is something you are able to engage in.

W3schools.com, ‘Multimedia Video Formats’ http://www.w3schools.com/media/media_

A few tips to help you capture good video include:

videoformats.asp Adobe Developer Connection, ‘Video Tech-

• Storyboard your movie before you start.

nology Center’ http://www.adobe.com/

What are the opening and closing scenes

devnet/video/

going to be? How many scenes do you want? What sequence will they follow?

Creating Videos Digital video cameras are becoming more affordable, and many still cameras and mobile phones include the ability to record video. There are also cameras such as Flip (www.­theflip.com) that are intended for producing video for the Web. You

• Use a tripod if you don’t want the Blair Witch effect, that is very shaky video. • Consider using a variety of shots including close-ups and unusual angles. • Remember that, as with still photography, the more light the better.

need to decide what kind of quality you need for

• Think about the sound. If possible, use a

your purposes. If you are recording interviews

microphone for interviews to try and cut out

purely for research purposes, the quality may

the background noise.

not be that important. The end product that you want will determine how much you need to spend and how much time you need to invest.

There is an excellent article with lots of tips on the Adobe Web site (http://www.adobepress.com/ articles/article.asp?p=1350893&seqNum=2).

Editing Video Editing your video has become more accessi-

Animations and Interactivity

ble with the introduction of packages like Apple

Many Web sites now include animations and in-

iMovie and Windows Moviemaker. For simple

teractivity with interesting introductory pages or

projects these can give you perfectly satis-

ways of navigating the site. A couple of good

factory results as long as the video you have

­examples are

visual research for presentation

Jonathan Yuen.com http://www.jonathanyuen. com/main.html Dave Werner http://okaydave.com/

247

Entheos Free Resources, ‘Flash Tutorials and Resources’ http://www.entheosweb.com/ Flash/default.asp W3schools.com, ‘Flash Tutorial’ http://www.

Many of these sites use Flash to create the inter-

w3schools.com/Flash/default.asp

active elements and animations. There are lots of tutorials on the Web that can help you to learn

ePortfolio Web Sites

this package and many designers who will create

There are many ways that you can get your port-

Flash sites for you. The main thing to remember is

folio online and many sites that will host them.

the purpose of the site and why people are visiting

Students are sometimes worried about putting

it. Sometimes flashy introductions and esoteric

their work online, but many sites let you con-

navigation methods are off-putting rather than en-

trol who sees your work and whether they can

couraging, so use them with care.

download it. Issuu (http://issuu.com) is one such

For some introductory Flash tutorials see the following:

site; you can upload your documents and make them into interactive Web documents. Julia Dorff, a designer from New York, published her gradu-

Macromedia Flash Getting Started Tutorials

ate portfolio on Issuu; in the following interview

http://www.tutorialized.com/tutorials/Flash/

she explains why she thinks this is a good way to

Getting-Started/1

present your work.

Interview with Julia Dorff Why did you use Issuu to share your portfolio? It is a great way to show your work to other people. You can flip through the pages of a presentation like a book, and decide whether people can download your work or whether they can see the images in full resolution. There is always the issue of someone stealing your work but in this industry it is so quick and based on being inspired by other people anyway. There is no point in being afraid of it and hiding your work. Do you do research to get ideas for presentation? A lot of my presentation ideas are based on online research for example through street fashion blogs. Also I studied in Italy for a year and learned more about conceptually based presentation there. Which tools do you use to create your presentation sheets? A lot of my work is illustrated by hand, and then touched up and laid out in Photoshop. I now use ­Illustrator eleven hours a day I could not imagine working without it now.

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visual research methods in fashion

It is important to present yourself well. This is such a visual and fast-moving field that people have to get where you are coming from right away. Students shouldn’t be afraid to learn how to use new technologies. I learned Illustrator on the job, and I am teaching myself InDesign. Have you had to change your approach now that you are working? Now that I am working, everything has to be presented clearly, simply and quickly. I am doing boards to lay out the line, sketching clothes in Illustrator then laying in the colours and fabrics. These boards are shown directly to buyers so there is often no need or time for over-designed composition and loads of artwork—sometimes they just have to be clear, flat sketches. It is very different from creating your portfolio in school.

Images from Julia Dorff’s graduate portfolio.  Courtesy of Julia Dorff.

Images from Julia Dorff’s ossify project.  Courtesy of Julia Dorff.

visual research for presentation

249

Design created in OptiTex by Zorana Kozomara.  Courtesy of OptiTex. Reproduced with permission.

Three-dimensional Objects on the Web

be shown on a virtual catwalk. Videos of these

It is now possible to represent objects in three di-

can then be posted onto a Web site.

mensions on the Web using technology that en-

There are also virtual worlds such as Second

ables the user to spin the object around or zoom

Life, where many designers are experimenting

in on it to see the detail. Mostly large companies

with virtual prototyping and presenting their work

use this technology at present, but it is becoming

in virtual fashion shows. One pioneer of this ap-

more accessible. It is possible to use packages

proach is Shenlei Winkler of the Fashion Research

such as OptiTex and Modaris 3D to create three-

Institute. She is working on a three-dimensional

dimensional versions of garments and place them

software design solution for virtual worlds called

onto animated models or avatars that can then

Black Dress.

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visual research methods in fashion

Design created in OptiTex.  Copyright 2009 OptiTex International Pty Ltd. (www.optiTex.com). Image courtesy of OptiTex. Reproduced with permission.

Interview with Shenlei Winkler Why are you using virtual worlds? We feel strongly that virtual worlds are the path forward for the apparel industry; it is an old and wasteful industry. We have found working with virtual worlds with our new application Black Dress Design Studio

visual research for presentation

251

that we are able to cut about 75 per cent of the design cycle time and about 65 per cent of the physical sample waste. It is appreciable when you consider that it takes about 11,000 litres of water to produce a single pair of jeans or that there is so much oil wasted in creating physical samples. When you can cut out 65 per cent of that, particularly for developing nations where so much offshore production is being created, it becomes a substantial saving. You are able to produce a higher-quality product for the end user and you are capable of addressing fit issues, and you can actually send to production with a single sample. How do virtual worlds differ from three-dimensional design packages? All those software packages run on a single PC and you cannot bring your collaborative team into a single space and actually have a process of discussion about your product. For example the designer comes up with a handful of designs for a handbag and perhaps some of them cannot be produced in the factories that the design house has available to them. The designer may not know that, it is fairly technical information and knowledge that perhaps the product manager or someone else in the company or the factory has. You can have the entire team together to have a conversation about that product in real time. Being able to have that discussion with the designer in real time before you go through the sampling process and before you even start production means that you can start alleviating some of those issues and reduce some of the waste. With virtual worlds one of the things that is wonderful is that when you have these collaborative immersive spaces you can also have translators built in. So often the designers are sitting some place where they are speaking a completely different language. It doesn’t matter where the designer is Milan, New York, Paris, London; the odds are good that the designer is speaking a different language to your production factory wherever your factory may be India, Brazil, or China. When you bring all the people together and have the translator right there you have the ability to point and look at the different concerns that you have. We get people who don’t speak English with whom we do rely on translators and our experiences have been that they are largely accurate. The one thing that line designers hate doing more than anything (besides filing) is doing their tech packs—they hate them. Designers are thrilled by the idea of being able to design their product and not have to tech-pack it. With Black Dress as you are designing you add components and you are building your tech pack. It is very fast and simple and you can just approve the pack when it is done. You don’t have to go back and tech-pack the line design. How will it work? You would enter the virtual world and begin designing your product in the world. People probably will continue to do their sketches and scan and upload them. We broke down the process of design into something that could be heavily codified by technology. There is a specific process that people would have to follow that ensures that everything that is put into the system is tracked correctly in a relational database. Having dealt with companies where they have existing data files and there is no way to search them I found that thrilling. The database itself is easy and simple to use and it all talks back to the primary database. The wonderful thing about the relational databases is they can be plugged back into the back end existing systems, business intelligence systems, enterprise resource planning system, supply chain management and product life-cycle management systems. It enables the designer

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visual research methods in fashion

to have access to a number of those different things. When product managers need changes on prices of materials or it turns out that the material is no longer available it is taken out of the system and is no longer available to the designer. How does the system differ from the fashion design that is currently happening in Second Life? Virtual fashion for Second Life and OpenSim is a niche market part of virtual goods and it is very different from what we have to do for the apparel industry. Things in Second Life and OpenSim never have to go into production. You can do things with Photoshop and you can do things with OpenSim and Second Life that you would never actually be able to do in real life. Those details like strapless gowns; how do you get it to stay up and get into it? Second Life fashion designers are by and large very good graphic designers but those skills don’t necessarily cross over into making product for the apparel industry. Reallife fashion designers can cross over pretty well and easily develop new marketing channels and revenue streams because of the discipline they need to design for the physical marketplace. This is something that we are interested in talking to people about because the virtual goods marketplace is something that is set to explode. The global marketplace is estimated to be somewhere in the region of ten billion dollars. What is your vision? The idea of being able to do true product customization is very much part of the vision. There are some interesting things including the idea of moving to some less massive production capabilities. Right now

Fashion Research Institute virtual runway in OpenSim.  Courtesy of Shenlei Winkler.

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253

anytime that you do true custom it is expensive because the factories aren’t set up for that and when they talk about ‘custom’ they are pulling from their master patterns, putting it together and calling it custom. The human body exists in four quadrants and you have to take measurements of each one of those quadrants and unless you are doing that you don’t actually have full custom. Going forward factories will be looking at being able to do short-run custom production and that will get the cost down to where people can actually afford it. For more information see http://www.fashionresearchinstitute.com/.

other forms of presentation

• Swatches: These are textile or knit samples, usually shown on hangers. They include

In addition to portfolios, many other kinds of pre-

information about the fabric such as the

sentation are used in the fashion industry. These

fibre content, the width and the supplier’s

include:

details. • Trend books: These are created by fore-

• Moodboards

conceptboards:

casting companies and contain photo-

These are used to visually present a con-

graphs, swatches and drawings to illustrate

and

cept or theme and are used throughout the industry.

forthcoming trends. • Audiovisual presentations and slide shows:

• Specification sheets: These are used

These are often used by forecasting com-

to provide technical information about a

panies and at trade fairs to present the

design and usually include a detailed line

trends for the coming seasons; they usually

drawing.

use a combination of still images or video

• Range plans: These show all of the pieces

and music.

in a collection and the various options such as colours and fabrics.

Toiles/Calicos, Maquettes and Prototypes

• Illustrations: These are used in promotions

To present an idea that is still in the developmental

and editorials in magazines, stores and

stage, designers might use a toile or calico, which

exhibitions.

is a representation of the final garment made in a

• Look books: Companies and designers use

cheap fabric such as calico. It is usually in cream

these to show how their range can be worn

or white so that adjustments and alterations can

and coordinated. They can contain catwalk

be marked on it using a pen or tape. A maquette

or studio shots on models or photographs of

or scale model is a mock-up of an accessory such

individual garments and accessories. They

as a handbag; if it is a solid form this may be in

can be very creative with interesting and un-

card or plastic. Increasingly, accessory, footwear

usual covers or designs. Their main purpose

and jewellery designers are using three-dimen-

is to help the buyers decide which pieces

sional printing and rapid prototyping to present

they want to purchase from the collection.

their ideas.

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visual research methods in fashion

exhibitions You may have to present your work in an exhibi-

• Staffing • Display items such as rails, stands and business card holders

tion either as part of your final assessment or for a

• Mounting and hanging

trade fair. Exhibition presentations require a lot of

• Accessories to decorate the stand—fresh

planning. You need to know the size and layout of

flowers, etc.

the space you will be given as well as any restrictions about how work can be hung and rules about

Display

health and safety. For example the organizer may

If you want people to look at your work, you

insist that all materials are not flammable, and you

need to attract them to your stand or display

will normally need insurance coverage.

area. If the space is small, it may be tempting to cram in a lot of work, but this can be coun-

Budget

terproductive. It is usually better to pick out

The next thing you need to consider is your

your best pieces and highlight them and have a

budget. Staging an exhibition can be extremely

brochure or CD to hand out containing more of

expensive, especially in a professional venue

your work or a business card with a link to your

where you can expect to pay not only for the

Web site.

square footage of your stand but also for all

If you are displaying images, you need to think

the extras such as power lighting and an In-

about how you are going to mount and hang

ternet connection. Things you may need to

them. Will you need signage, how will you create

budget for:

it and how large will the lettering need to be? If you are showing garments or three-dimensional

• The stand, usually charged by square footage

pieces, do you need rails, mannequins or hang-

• Lighting and power

ers? Small precious pieces such as jewellery may

• Internet connection

require closed cabinets or other security mea-

• Furniture (something to sit on is vital and

sures. Do you need to print some literature about

often forgotten) • Business cards and point-of-sale materials • Signage • Refreshments: for you and visitors/potential buyers

your work? How does this fit with the overall theme of your exhibition? Visiting shows and exhibitions—not just in fashion but also other creative areas—can give you ideas and inspiration.

Case Study: Claire Baker New Designers (http://www.newdesigners.com/) is an exhibition in London that features the work of recent graduates in fields such as textiles, jewellery, ceramics, glass, furniture and visual communication. At the 2009 exhibition Claire Baker, a ceramicist whose work is heavily influenced by fashion and

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textiles, had created a wonderful display of objects that had inspired her. Here, Claire explains the thinking behind how she displays her work. I revisit the memories and emotions associated with vintage ceramics, and recreate them using a collage of textural surfaces, slips, glazes, transfers and lustres. In my view boxes, shelves, window ledges, mantelpieces are all substitutes for subconscious shrines. In a transitional world it is an area of stillness and reflection, my own shelves are cluttered but orderly, in fact a reflection of myself. My dresser shelves tend to ‘grow’ I don’t feel that there is ever an item that doesn’t belong; so plastic toys sit happily with bone china or jewellery. It is from the eclectic dresser in my house that I take inspiration when displaying my ceramics. I have always been drawn to junk shops, their smell is intoxicating, it reminds me of the large cupboard under the stairs at my grandparents’ house, where we would haul out the trunk of (vintage) dressing-up clothes and parade happily for hours to the music blaring from an old wind-up gramophone. My own collecting has stemmed from this very happy childhood, Chanel bottles, brooches, flowers and vegetables, kitchenalia, Yardley soapboxes, tins and travel sweets would all be memories of this and therefore in my mind sit happily alongside each other.

Display of work  by Claire Baker (http://www.bakerart.org.uk).  Courtesy of Claire Baker.

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Claire Baker’s display at New Designers 2009.  Courtesy of Claire Baker.

Case Study: Rene De Lange In the Master’s Textiles Show at the Royal College of Art in 2009, Rene De Lange presented her finished work along with an animated movie showing some of her research experimentation. Her final collection was called ‘Chasing Shadows’ and explored the idea of creating illusion and mystery through print and fabric manipulation. Her interest in illusion led her to look at photography and the power of light and shadow. She wanted to communicate the story of the creative process behind her work, and a film provided the platform to reflect this story in a slightly humorous, romantic way. Another Royal College of Art student with an interesting approach to display was knitwear designer Tiffany Ong. She was inspired by the way specimens were presented in the Natural History Museum, and she used this format to show her knitted pieces.

visual research for presentation

Still from film  by Rene De Lange. Courtesy of Rene De Lange.

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Another still from film by Rene De Lange.  Courtesy of Rene De Lange.

Case Study: Tiffany Ong Tiffany’s work and the manner in which it was displayed were inspired by the notion that craft is slowly diminishing and may become extinct. The presentation was inspired by natural history museums—the long, unpronounceable labels on the exhibits and the care and attention that go into preserving, cataloguing, labelling and displaying the objects. Tiffany displayed her knit samples behind glass in order to convey the sense of preciousness that you get in a museum and also the notion that the knitting itself might become something precious. She hunted around and finally came upon the old entomological display boxes that

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she then used in her display. She labelled the exhibits in the same manner used by museums according to what yarns, materials and machinery had been used. She added the creation date as a gentle reminder that the pieces were made by someone and to give the piece a place in the timeline of history (see Plate 29).

Project: Analysing a Display Visit a local art gallery or museum and look at how the work is displayed. How have the pieces been arranged? If they are three-dimensional, are they in cabinets? Look at how the pieces are lit; this will be important if you are presenting your work in an exhibition-style setting. Are there any ideas you can use for presenting your own work? Make notes and sketches in your journal.

Dior Spring/Summer 2010 haute couture show.  Getty Images. ­Reproduced with permission.

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Image from McQueen catwalk show Spring/Summer 2010.  Image by Chris Moore of Catwalking.com. Getty Images. Reproduced with permission.

catwalk or runway shows

you have little control, or you may be staging an

The ultimate fashion exhibition is the catwalk or

yourself, you need to budget for and consider

runway show. This takes the form of a live pre-

the venue, the set, the models, hair, make-up

sentation using models to wear the garments

and styling, dressers, music, public relations

and show them to an audience on a catwalk, on

and marketing. Most companies and designers

stage or in a salon setting where the models walk

will employ a show producer to do a lot of this

through the audience. Catwalk presentations are

work for them so they can concentrate on the

extremely expensive and require a lot of research

collection.

individual show. If you are organizing the show

and preparation. They can be quite simple, with a

Because catwalk shows are so expensive,

white backdrop and walkway, or very extravagant.

some designers are now looking at alternatives,

Even the simplest catwalk show is an expensive

either holding private showings in their studios

commitment, and most designers need some

or using mannequins (Nikkhah 2009). Others are

form of sponsorship to be able to stage them.

experimenting with alternative forms of presenta-

You may be participating in a group show, in which case there will be many factors over which

tion such as film for either artistic or budgetary reasons (Williams 2008).

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Project: Catwalk Show Analysis Go to http://www.style.com/video/fashion-shows-by-season/ and look at some of the catwalk shows for the current season. How are the models styled, and how well do all the elements work together: garments, models, styling, lighting, set design? Produce a short analytical report.

giving a verbal presentation

• Use too many transitions, animations and

There are many situations in which you may be

• Create a background that is so busy you

called upon to verbally present or explain your work. You may need to ‘sell’ a trend to a buyer, persuade a gallery to stage your photographic exhibition, address an audience at a trade show or present your work to a potential employer. This section will point out some things you should

irrelevant sound effects. can’t see the information. • Give a presentation about a visual subject with no images. • Use images at very low resolution blown up so they pixelate. • Advertise your presentation as twenty min-

avoid and provide some tips that will help you

utes and run to forty-five.

to feel confident and give a clear and informative

• Woodenly read from a script.

presentation.

• Use charts and tables with too much

The first thing you have to decide is how you

information.

are going to show your visuals, taking the set-

• Use clip art. This looks really amateur. Use

ting and the size of the audience into consider-

your own images; after all, you are a cre-

ation. If it is a small meeting, you may want to

ative person.

use boards (it is a good idea to have an easel to

• Mumble so the audience cannot hear you.

place them on so you don’t have to hold them).

If there is a microphone, it is probably a

In a bigger setting or depending on the nature

good idea to use it. It is even better if it

of the material, you may want to give an elec-

is a radio microphone so you can move

tronic presentation using PowerPoint or Key-

around.

note. PowerPoint is one of the most misused presentation tools available, and it is easy to fall into bad habits and put your audience off rather than engage them.

Things You Should Do • If you are using bullet points, keep them

Things You Should Not Do

short and make notes about what you want to say about each point.

• Read out the text on the slides. • Put too much text on a slide and make it so small your audience cannot see it.

• Time your presentation and practise it beforehand. • Keep eye contact with your audience.

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visual research methods in fashion

• Use a variety of layouts for your slides, but

size without this problem. Bitmap images work

ensure that some elements such as the

best for complex images with lots of subtle vari-

heading size and font are consistent to cre-

ations such as photographs, and vector images

ate unity.

work well when you are working with a limited

• Make sure your images are the right size

colour palette, are using solid blocks of colour or

before you insert them—this reduces the

want to be able to scale up your image without

size of the file and ensures that they are the

losing quality.

right quality. • Use a fairly large font size so that people at the back or with visual impair-

Adobe Photoshop

ments do not have to strain to read your

Adobe Photoshop is primarily intended as an

slides.

­image-editing package to enable the correc-

• Consider producing a handout to show your

tion and manipulation of photographic images.

charts and tables, as these do not always

Images from Photoshop can also be taken into

work well in PowerPoint, especially if they

Adobe Illustrator where they can be traced or in-

are very complex.

corporated into a vector image. Photoshop is a

• If you are using a movie, make sure that

very sophisticated piece of software with many

you have saved it in the same folder as your

functions; depending upon your subject area,

presentation, and check that it will play on

there may be large parts of the program that you

the machine you are using for the presen-

do not use. If you want to learn more about Pho-

tation. Some movie formats will not play in

toshop, there are many excellent books available

PowerPoint.

and lots of tutorials on the Adobe Web site. If you do an Internet search for Photoshop tutorials, you will find a large number of Web sites and forums. Very few are specific to fashion, but many are still

Software for Fashion Presentation

useful.

There are two types of image software: those

tools such as Picnik (http://www.picnik.com) and

that create bitmap images (where the image

Pixlr (http://www.pixlr.com). Many packages that

is made up of small squares called pixels) and

come bundled with cameras and scanners will do

vector-based packages where algorithms are

basic editing functions such as cropping, rotat-

used to create the image. Because they are cre-

ing and adjusting the brightness and contrast.

ated from pixels, the resolution of bitmap images

Macintosh users can also do a range of edits in

is important. If you scale them up, they may

iPhoto.

If you can’t afford Photoshop and want to do some basic editing, there are some free online

become pixelated (show the individual pixels),

There are many illustrators who use Photoshop

which does not look good. The advantage of

extensively in their work. One of these is Ayako

vector images is that they can be scaled to any

Machida.

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Case Study: Ayako Machida Ayako attended the Saga Art Junior College in Japan where she studied visual design. After graduating in 1990, she worked as a graphic designer before becoming a freelance illustrator. Ayako’s career is taking off in Japan, and she is starting to be recognized in the United States. In 1998, she had her first solo show Hajimemashite (‘Nice to meet you’) in Osaka, Japan. Her original postcards and T-shirts are on sale at select gift shops throughout Japan. You can see more examples of her work at http://machizoo.com/. Ayako has been drawing professionally for about ten years. Her favourite medium is her computer. She primarily uses Photoshop on a Macintosh, because it allows her to make several attempts and revisions and they can easily be printed and published. She makes a sketch and then scans it into the computer, adding the colour in Photoshop. Ayako says, ‘I am not generally good at drawing so I like to know what it is that I want to express in my drawing and I do my best to illustrate that. It is my aim that what comes out of this process is always something warm.’ Colour is a major component of Ayako’s work. For commercial work she tends to use colours that are easy to recognize and create a lively contrast. Otherwise, she likes colours that are subdued and tasteful and that do not distract the viewer’s attention. Ayako’s work is inspired by everyday life and people, conversations with friends, travel and browsing through bookstores. She collects packages, wrapping paper, postcards, tags from clothing, napkins, coasters and other such ephemera that leave an impression. Plates 30 and 31 show a page from a calendar. The page was inspired by how the role of older people in society is changing as there will be many healthy/robust ageing members of society in the next few decades. Ayako was thinking about how she would still want to play around in a swimsuit even when she became a grandmother. Her advice to students is to persist and move along with your gut feeling. Also, you should always be able to look at your own work objectively.

Adobe Illustrator

Illustrator and CorelDraw has become an estab-

Adobe Illustrator is a vector-based drawing pro-

lished part of the curriculum for fashion design and

gram. It is widely used in fashion illustration be-

illustration. There are cheaper and even free alter-

cause of its flexibility and wide range of tools and

natives such as Inkscape (http://www.inkscape.

effects. Many of the illustrations that you see in

org) if you cannot afford the proprietary packages,

books and magazines use Illustrator. The ability

or you can use an online program such as Sumo-

to use vector-based drawing programs such as

Paint (http://www.sumo.fi/web/?s=3#/home/).

Case Study: Philippa Waite Philippa Waite is a fashion graphics designer who works for many major high street brands. She uses Photoshop and Illustrator extensively in her work. Her advice is that it is very important to understand the technical aspects of working on a computer.

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I don’t think it’s all about the computer but I think you have to have a solid grasp of Photoshop and Illustrator to do what I do. I think that’s what sets the good designers apart. Yes you’re a good artist and yes you can draw beautiful pictures but if you produce it in such a way that it’s technically viable then you’re likely to be more commercially successful. I do think that if you’re going to do what I do it’s very important to understand the technical side. You can produce the most beautiful design ever but if it is difficult to output then it may not be commercially viable, because most things come down to cost (see Plate 32). You can see Philippa’s work at http://www.phirefly.co.uk.

Adobe InDesign

for the fashion industry. There are some functions

Adobe InDesign is a page layout program. It en-

that fashion and textile designers need that do not

ables you to bring together text and images and

come as standard in these programs, and some

to organize them into layouts. It is much easier to

things you want to do may take longer since these

manipulate images and text in this kind of pro-

functions are not built in. Colour reduction, cre-

gram than in a word processor. You can easily

ation of colourways and drawing in symmetry are

flow text around images and create styles that

just some examples of actions that can be much

you can apply to text. You can create your text

quicker in a specialized program. Specialist pro-

in a word processing program and then bring it

grams may come with a library of silhouettes or

into an InDesign document to format it. InDesign

details such as stitches and pockets that would

is also extremely useful for formatting and laying

take a long time for you to develop. Specialist

out long documents such as dissertations, es-

programmes are also required for knit and weave

says and books. You can use InDesign to create

design, embroidery and advanced print design

documents for print and the Web. Again, you will

­functions. There are many programmes on the

find many tutorials on how to use the application

market, and it is not possible to review them all here.

on the Internet and the Adobe Web site. The pro-

Lectra and Gerber are probably the main suppliers

gram also integrates with both Photoshop and Il-

to the industry, and Speed Step is a company that

lustrator. If you can’t afford InDesign, there is a

has been involved in getting computer-aided fash-

free page layout program called Scribus (http://

ion and textile design into the curriculum.

www.scribus.net/).

Lectra offer a range of design packages under the Kaledo brand. These include Kaledo Style, a design program in which you can create illustra-

specialist software for fashion and textile design

tions and technical drawings. Kaledo Collection enables you to save and easily retrieve all your designs, along with components and materials,

Although Photoshop and Illustrator are excellent

and to quickly make changes that are reflected

design tools, they were not specifically developed

throughout the collection. Lectra also produces

Presentation sheet created in Kaledo Style  by Lectra.  Courtesy of Lectra.

Presentation sheet produced in Speed Step ProPainter.  Courtesy of Speed Step. Reproduced with permission.

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visual research methods in fashion

Kaledo Knit, Weave and Print for textile design-

php?option=com_content&task=view&id=282&It

ers. You can find more information at http://www.

emid=463).

lectra.com/en/fashion_apparel/products/kaledo_ fashion.html.

Three-dimensional Design Software for Fashion

Gerber Technology produces a software suite

Three-dimensional designing for fashion is a fairly

called Vision Fashion Studio that includes colour

recent innovation that is becoming more popu-

reduction and cleaning, textile design and repeat,

lar. When you create your design visualizations in

storyboard and cataloguing functions, Easy Knit

three dimensions, it is easier to understand how

and Easy Weave and an optional component for

the final product will look. Some companies see

draping. You can find out more at http://www.­

three-dimensional prototyping as a way of re-

gerbertechnology.com/downloads/pdf/html/1view/

ducing costs, reducing waste and speeding up

index.asp?name=VisionFashionStudio_E.

the supply chain. Applications that are available

Speed Step also offers a package of appli-

vary from those that enable you to just create a

cations for fashion and textile design called Pro

graphic representation of your design and see this

Sketch and ProPainter. Information about their

on a virtual model or avatar and those that en-

educational offer is available on their Web site

able you to bring in a pattern and test that pattern

(http://www.speedstep-schools.com/index.

for fit. There are also three-dimensional design

Design being created in Romans Cad software  by Lectra. Courtesy of Lectra. Reproduced with permission.

visual research for presentation

267

packages for accessories and footwear such as

characters including humans and animals. Poser

Lectra’s Romans Cad.

figures can be exported into other programmes.

You can create three-dimensional designs in Maya or Rhino, AutoCAD or SketchUp. These

For more information visit http://my.smithmicro. com/win/poser/.

are generic three-dimensional programmes used

You can also create designs in Photoshop and

in a lot of creative areas such as product design

then upload them to Second Life to see them

and computer graphics. Poser is a specialist

on a figure (these are just graphic representa-

package for creating three-dimensional animated

tions and will not show fit details, however). Other

Research into producing real-time three-dimensional visualizations for online fashion retail  by Peter Hill for the Fashion Digital Studio at London College of Fashion. Courtesy of Peter Hill. Reproduced with permission.

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visual research methods in fashion

programmes such as OptiTex (http://www.optitex.

an impact is visual merchandising. Three-

com/about_us/industries/fashion) and Modaris 3D

dimensional technology has made it pos-

(http://www.lectra.com/en/fashion_apparel/prod-

sible for designers to design a virtual version

ucts/modaris_3d_fit_fashion.html) enable you to

of their store through which the client can

bring in a pattern and to test it on a fit model.

take a virtual walk. One of these packages

Another area where three-dimensional software has been developed and is having

is called Mockshop, produced by Visual Retailing.

Interview with Sjef van Dongen Sjef van Dongen is an independent retail consultant with a focus on all visual aspects of fashion retailing, from virtual merchandising (VM), to visual identity, to visual communication. He has sixteen years of retail experience with C&A Netherlands and C&A Europe. He is also working with VRSoftware Co Ltd as a solution provider, implementing their software at retailers in the European marketplace. Where do you start when you first get a project? First of all I try to figure out what the company stands for, what they claim to be, what is their target customer base? What are their brand values and what the message is that they want to bring across and the total environment around that. Then I try to come up with a concept for that. Do you sketch things? Since I have started working more intensively with the Mockshop application from VRSoftware I quite often make a 3D mock-up with the software. I used to sketch things and make them up in Illustrator and Photoshop. I have even gone as far as making little maquettes, 3D window boxes to scale with the elements in it. It helps in selling concepts to be able to work through the store in 3D. There is an advantage to being able to do it virtually to be able to walk around it and see it the way the customer will see it and know if it looks right. What are the current trends in visual merchandising? There are general trends more like interior trends in what type of materials are used for the fixtures and that reflects in what sort of new concept the store comes up with. We have had a trend where big bold wallpapers were back in fashion probably for some retailers they still are. So you would see shops where they started playing with bold wallpaper patterns, as backdrops the trends you can see in interior design certainly will have a reflection into store design. Abercrombie is one of the first to start with almost dark shops where there is limited lighting and in their new stores there is even more suspense because it is really very dark. That limits the possibilities for the visual merchandiser and what they can and can’t do with the merchandise displays.

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In terms of window displays, Selfridges is still one of the inspiring ones their displays are like small pieces of art. They probably take a long time and cost a fortune but they do give inspiration and they do set trends to water down and use in a normal store; likewise Saks 5th Avenue and Barneys in New York. Have the skills you need to be a visual merchandiser changed? It is a change of your job content; you would normally be more hands-on in the showroom you are now doing it in the virtual way. The advantage is the scope of what you do and the number of shops you can reach with something that has been done virtually is a lot bigger than when you have to go there and do it yourself. Because of the constraints of time it has changed the skills. What advice would you give to students who want to work in virtual merchandising? They need to be able to communicate with whatever product they are dealing with, to know how a store layout works, how a customer walks into a store and observes what is happening in a store, then

Planogram created in Mockshop.  Courtesy of Visual Retailing. Reproduced with permission.

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visual research methods in fashion

Virtual store created in Mockshop.  Courtesy of Visual Retailing. Reproduced with permission.

what that shows and the different offers that they have to display. If you look at the showroom layout there are areas that are hot and areas that are cold they have to understand the basic principles of shopping. A good book to look at is Paco Underhill’s Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping. It is a good book in terms of understanding the whole logic or illogic of shopping. Is colour important? There are colours and odours that help create a good feeling. Abercrombie in the States do it really well; they go around the shop with a house fragrance and they spray around the presentation units and when you come back and open the bag you recognize it as theirs. The smell is still there subconsciously it has been there while you were shopping. If you go in a store where they have coffee the smell of coffee makes you want to go and have a cup. It is those sorts of things that influence your buying behaviour and yes colours do have an effect as well, how colours are displayed. Understanding colour is really important for VM it is partly instinct but a bit of theory is useful to understand colour families and how colours can work or not work together. Students need to understand

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different light sources. It may not be their main area of responsibility but when the showroom is laid out and the fixture and light plans are discussed they need to understand what they will be able to do with light. If a light plan is not correct they know they will not be able to set any highlights where they need them. They need to be able to say we don’t need just general lighting there we need spotlights because that is going to be a focus wall. They need to be aware of light and how to use light in a store.

Project: Showroom Layout Create a basic rectangular showroom layout. In any high street store there is a window and a store entrance. How would you do the routing in that store? Based on the routing, where would you have your focal areas? What are the hot spots? Where would you put your bestsellers? How would you work that showroom? It may be useful to visit a few high street stores to research how they guide their customers around the store using walkways and signage and to see how they create focal points within the store.

Summary In this chapter we have explored a range of options for presenting your work. There are many tools available to help you to achieve exciting and original presentations, but the most important element is your imagination. As with all other areas of fashion, you need to do research to be aware of the latest trends in presentation and of new tools coming onto the market. Researching the techniques used in other areas of creative practice is possibly one of the most valuable things you can spend time doing. Practice and experimentation along with an understanding of some of the basic principles of layout and design will help you to ensure that your presentations are effective and fit for your purpose.

references and further reading

Austin, T. (2007), New Media Design, London: Laurence

Adobe Creative Team (2009), ‘20 Tips for Shooting Great

Blackman, C. (2007), 100 Years of Fashion Illustration,

King. Video’ [Web page], AdobePress.com. Available at: http://www.adobepress.com/articles/article. asp?p=1350893&seqNum=2 (accessed 8 January 2010). Armstrong, J., Armstrong, W., and Ivas, L. (2005), From

London: Laurence King. Borrelli, L. (2004), Fashion Illustration Next, London: Thames & Hudson. Borrelli, L. (2008), Fashion Illustration by Fashion Designers, San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Pencil to Pen Tool: Understanding and Creat-

Burke, S. (2006), Fashion Artist—Drawing Techniques

ing the Digital Fashion Image, ill. ed., New York:

to Portfolio Presentation, 2nd ed., London:

Fairchild Books.

Burke.

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Centner, M., and Vereker, F. (2007), Fashion Designer’s Handbook for Adobe Illustrator, Oxford: Blackwell. Clurg-Genevese, J. (2006), ‘Design in Theory and Practice’ [Web page], Digital Web Magazine. Available at: http://www.digital-web.com/articles/designing_

Underhill, P. (1999), Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping, New York: Simon & Schuster. Viaux, N., ed. (2009), Contemporary Fashion Photography, Cologne: Daab. Williams, E. (2008), ‘YSL Ditches the Catwalk in Favour of Film’, Creative Review (January). Available at:

for_the_web/ (accessed 15 May 2009). Dawber, M. (2007), Big Book of Fashion Illustration: A

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2008/

World Sourcebook of Contemporary Illustration,

january/ysl-ditches-the-catwalk-in-favour-of-film

London: Batsford.

(accessed 10 January 2010).

Delicatessen (Firm) (2005), Mondofragile 2: Modern

Williams, R. (2006), The Non-Designer’s Web Book: An

Fashion Illustration from Japan, Modena, Italy:

Easy Guide to Creating, Designing, and Posting

Happy Books.

Your Own Web Site, 3rd ed., Berkeley, CA: Peachpit

Digital Web Magazine. ‘The Elements of Design’ [Online

Press.

article]. Available at: http://www.digital-web.com/arti cles/elements_of_design/ (accessed 15 May 2009). Digital Web Magazine. ‘The Principles of Design’ [Online

websites

article]. Available at: http://www.digital-web.com/ articles/principles_of_design/ (accessed 15 May

Adobe http://www.adobe.com

2009).

Adobe Illustrator Tutorials http://www.adobeillustrator-

Emden, J., and Becker, L. (2004), Presentation Skills for Students, Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

tutorials.com/ Computer Arts (free illustrator fashion tutorial) http://

Gatter, M. (2006), Software Essentials for Graphic De-

www.computerarts.co.uk/­t utorials/premium_

signers: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, QuarkX-

content/2d_and_photoshop/create_a_stylish_

Press, Dreamweaver, Flash and Acrobat, London: Lafuente, M. (2006), Essential Fashion Illustration, Nikkhah, R. (2009), ‘Designers Seek Cheaper Alternatives to Catwalk at Fashion Week’, Telegraph (14 February). Available at: http://www.telegraph. co.uk/fashion/london-fashion-week/4623418/ Designers-seek-cheaper-alternatives-to-catwalk(accessed

login=true Extropia, ‘Photoshop Tutorials’ http://www.extropia.

Gloucester, MA: Rockport.

at-fashion-week.html

fashion_illustration Evernote Web http://www.evernote.com/Home.action?

Laurence King.

10

January

2010). Pegler, M. M. (2006), Visual Merchandising and Display, 5th ed., New York: Fairchild. Tain, L. (2010), Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Designers, 3rd ed., New York: Fairchild Books.

com/tutorials/photoshop/toc.html Fashion Illustration Gallery http://www.fashionillustra tiongallery.com/ Folioplanet.com: ArtistFinder™: Fashion Illustration http://www.folioplanet.com/Illustration/Fashion/ Typographica: Type Reviews, Books, Commentary http:// new.typographica.org/ Visual Retailing http://www.visualretailing.com/ Webmonkey, ‘Flash Tutorial for Beginners’ http:// www.webmonkey.com/2010/02/flash_tutorial_for_ beginners/

glossary

Abstract  –  A brief summary of a research paper or article.

Augmented reality  –  A combination of ­computergenerated and real-world data.

Acid dye  –  Class of dyes used on protein fibres, such as wool, silk and nylon.

Avatar  –  A representation of a computer user in either two or three dimensions. Avatars are used in games, in virtual worlds and on Web sites.

Acrylic paints  –  Fast-drying paints made from synthetic materials. Additive colour  –  Method of creating colour involving emitted light and using red, green and blue to produce other colours. Aesthetics  –  Branch of philosophy dealing with the notion of beauty, particularly in reference to works of art.

Basic dye  –  Class of dyes used on some ­acrylics. Bast fibres  –  Natural textile fibres obtained from the stem or stalk of a plant, e.g. linen, jute, ramie. Betty Boop  –  Animated cartoon character; first appeared in the 1930s.

Agents (textile)  –  People who represent a number of mills or designers.

Bibliography  –  A list of works used to compile a book or written piece.

Aggregator  –  Software or Web site that draws together information such as news from a range of online resources.

Bitmap  –  A digitized image made up of a grid of pixels.

Algorithms  –  Sets of rules to solve problems; they are used in data processing. APA referencing  –  American Psychological Association style of referencing, often used in the social sciences and similar to Harvard. Appliqué  –  A decorative design created by sewing one piece of fabric on top of another. Archive  –  A depository containing historical ­records and materials.

Block  –  A basic pattern from which styles and modifications are developed (called a sloper in the United States). Blog  –  An online diary or journal that is organized chronologically. Blogroll  –  A list of blogs in the sidebar of a blog which the blogger recommends. Bollywood  –  India’s film industry. Boucle  –  Fancy yarn typically showing an irregular pattern of curls or loops.

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glossary

Brahmani  –  A Brahman woman; they are the highest ranked of the social classes in Hindu India.

Chroma  –  The intensity or saturation of a colour.

Broderie Anglais  –  A white needlework technique characterized by the use of eyelets overcast with buttonhole stitches and patterns worked in satin stitch.

CMYK  –  A mode of colour that uses a mixture of cyan, magenta, yellow and black — sometimes called four-colour printing.

Browser  –  A software application for retrieving information from the World Wide Web, e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome. Buyer  –  The person who decides which lines to buy for a given company or retailer. Cable stitch  –  Knitting stitch pattern achieved by moving the position of stitches within a row (using a cable needle to transfer the stitches). Carcinogenic  –  A substance that may cause the development of cancer. Cellulosic fibres  –  Natural textile fibre from a plant, e.g. cotton, linen and sisal. The term is also used for man-made fibres regenerated from plants, e.g. viscose, modal. Chenille  –  Fancy yarn produced by weaving a leno fabric and cutting it into warp-way strips so that each strip forms the yarn, which has a velvety caterpillar-like appearance. (A leno fabric is a woven fabric where some warp yarns are made to diagonally cross other warp yarns between the picks by a special mechanism on the loom. This allows yarns that are widely spaced to be firmly held in place.)

Cold-pressed paper  –  Paper with a slightly textured surface, popular with watercolour artists. Colorimeters  –  A device for measuring the amount of red, green and blue reflected or emitted from a colour sample. Used for measuring colour from computer monitors. Conceptboards  –  See Moodboards. Couture  –  See Haute couture. Crimp  –  The waviness of a fibre, e.g. wool fibres have a characteristic natural crimp. Man-made fibres can be produced with crimp if required. Cupro  –  Generic name for a man-made natural polymer regenerated cellulosic fibre. Curation  –  Organizing and maintaining a collection of art or artefacts. Databases  –  Structured, searchable collections of related information. Delta Ecmc  –  A system for representing the distance between two colours. Demographics  –  Statistical data relating to a population, for example age, gender and occupation.

Chiffon  –  Originally a very lightweight, sheer, plain-weave fabric made from silk. Now can also be used to describe a similar fabric using other fibres.

Device-dependent calibration  –  Where one device is used as the standard to match the colours between two or more devices, for example a display and printer.

Citations  –  A reference to a published (or unpublished) source.

Device-independent calibration  –  Where colours are matched using a software application,

glossary

the colour profiles of the devices and a colour notation system (e.g. CieLab). The software creates algorithms to decide how best to reproduce the colour on the target device. Dewey Decimal classification system  –  Library classification system that uses ten main categories that are subdivided into ten divisions, which are further divided into ten sections. It is a numerical system; e.g. the arts and recreation come under 700. Direct dye  –  Class of dyes used on cellulosic fibres. Disperse dye  –  Class of dyes used on some man-made synthetic and modified cellulosic fibres, e.g. polyester, acetate and triacetate. DNA  –  Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), a nucleic acid containing the genetic instructions used in the development of living organisms. Term is used in marketing to indicate the distinctiveness of a brand. Double jersey  –  General term to describe weft-knitted fabrics made on two sets of needles. Includes both rib-based and interlock-based structures. Dressers  –  People who work backstage at a fashion show to assist the models with changing their outfits. Drill  –  Woven twill fabric with a similar structure to denim but usually piece-dyed. Elastane  –  Generic name for a man-made synthetic polymer fibre with very high elasticity. Extruded/extrusion  –  The process of forming filaments from fibre-forming substances by forcing them, in plastic or molten form or in solution, through the holes of a spinneret (metal plate with perforated holes).

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Fads  –  Short-lived trends. Fair Isle  –  A knitting technique using various coloured yarns in which there are normally only two colours in each row; named after an island in the north of Scotland. Farthingale  –  Structure used under women’s clothing in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century  –  it added width at the hips. Fashion blogger  –  Someone who keeps a Web blog about fashion or clothing. Feed reader  –  An application that enables you to subscribe to multiple RSS feeds and access them in a central place. Felt  –  (1) Fabric made directly from fibres containing at least 50 per cent animal hair, usually wool. Manufacture relies on the property of wool and other animal hair fibres to become entangled when exposed to heat, moisture and intermittent mechanical pressure. (2) Fabric woven or knitted from staple fibre yarns containing some wool or animal hair, where in finishing the woven or knitted construction is completely obscured by the smooth felted surface of the fabric. (3) Needlefelt: a nonwoven fabric where fibres are entangled by the mechanical action of barbed needles. Fibre  –  A long, thin, flexible, solid structure, where the length is very much greater than the thickness. Fields  –  An area in a database that holds one type of information, e.g. an address or telephone number. Filament  –  A textile fibre of infinite length. Finishing  –  Processing, physical or chemical, of textile material that improves the appearance, handle or performance.

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Flagships  –  A retailer’s leading store, usually in a high-prestige location; the largest store or their first outlet. Flammable/flammability  –  Ability of a textile to burn with a flame under controlled conditions. Flower power  –  A 1960s youth culture that advocated love and peace; they used the flower as a symbol. Fluorescent  –  Energy-efficient light source created by gas discharge in a low-pressure tube. Font  –  A font (also fount) is traditionally defined as a complete character set of a single size and style of a particular typeface. For example, the set of all characters for 9-point Ariel is a font, and the 10-point size would be a separate font, as would the 9-point italic (slanting) and bold (heavy). After the introduction of computer fonts based on fully scalable outlines, a broader definition evolved. Font is no longer size-specific but still refers to a single style. Georgia regular, Georgia italic, Georgia bold and Georgia bold italic are four fonts but one typeface. Freudian psychotherapy or psychoanalysis  –  The ideas of Austrian physician Sigmund Freud, looking at human behaviour and psychological functioning. Genetically engineered seed  –  Seeds that have had their natural genes (DNA) altered to make them stronger or more resistant to ­disease. Georgette  –  Fine, lightweight, plain-weave, crêpe fabric, usually having two highly twisted S and two highly twisted Z yarns alternately in both warp and weft. Glam rock  –  1970s musical movement that began in the UK; characterized by male musicians using make-up, glitter and decorative clothing, e.g. David Bowie.

glossary

Gouache  –  An opaque water-soluble paint. Harem pants  –  Loose-fitting trousers gathered at the ankle. Harvard referencing  –  A referencing style that uses the author and date of the work in the main body of the text. The full citation is then listed at the end of the essay/written piece. Haute couture  –  Custom-made high-fashion clothing  –  from the French for ‘high sewing’. Harajuku girls  –  Fashionable teenagers from the Harajuku area of Tokyo. Heterophilous  –  Where individuals collect in diverse groups, the result of which is thought to promote innovation; used in social network analysis; see E. M. Rogers (2003), Diffusion of Innovations, 5th ed., New York: Free Press. High resolution  –  An image with a large amount of detail; having more pixels per inch than average. Hippies  –  1960s culture that favoured an alternative lifestyle, rejecting mainstream culture. Hot-pressed paper  –  Paper with a smooth surface. Iconic  –  An easily recognized object with great cultural significance. Incandescent  –  Light that is created by heat, in the case of a light bulb, by using electricity to heat a filament. Innovate  –  Introduce something new, e.g. an idea or a product. Intarsia  –  Weft knit technique where different colours are used within plain, rib or purl structures on the same course. Each area of colour is knitted from a separate yarn, which is contained in that area and does not float on the back of the fabric.

glossary

Jacquard weave  –  A fabric woven on a jacquard loom where the patterning mechanism allows individual control on any interlacing of up to several hundred warp threads. Judy Garland  –  American actress and singer born in 1922, famous for her role in the Wizard of Oz.

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Library of Congress cataloguing ­system  –  System of library classification used by most academic libraries in the US. It divides subjects into broad categories using letters of the alphabet, such as Class N — Fine Arts. Loop yarn  –  Fancy yarn typically showing an irregular pattern of curls or loops.

Keyword  –  A significant word or phrase that can be used as a search term to retrieve data.

Low resolution  –  Images with limited detail and a low number of pixels per inch.

Kitsch  –  Objects of questionable artistic value; gaudy and garish.

Loyalty cards  –  Used as a marketing strategy to reward consumers for loyal behaviour by allowing them to collect points or get discounts; the card identifies the consumer and often collects data about their purchasing habits.

Lab dips  –  Samples of colour on the correct fabric used for approval by the designer or product developer. Lace  –  Open-work fabric, usually with a ground of mesh or net on which patterns are worked either as the ground is made or at a later stage. The yarns are looped, twisted or knitted to achieve the openness of the fabric and the pattern. ­Machine-made laces are often named according to the machine on which they have been made, e.g. Leavers lace, racschel lace. Land girls  –  Women who worked for the Women’s Land Army during World War II, replacing men on military service. Leading  –  Leading is the amount of added vertical spacing between lines of type. (In word processing software, this concept is usually referred to as ‘line spacing’; the inclusion of a full line of space between each line is known as ‘double spacing’ (in typography, this is called a white line space), but in page layout software such as QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign the term leading is still used. Leading may sometimes be confused with tracking, which refers to the horizontal spacing between letters or characters.)

Lustre  –  The sheen of a fibre. This depends on the amount of light that is reflected from the fibre. Fibres with a high degree of lustre can be described as bright. Lycra  –  A trademark for a synthetic elastomeric fibre. Lyocell  –  Man-made natural polymer regenerated cellulosic fibre, obtained by extruding cellulose dissolved in a recyclable organic solvent. Macro trends  –  Long-term trends that are often global in nature, for example changes in the population or world economy. Mash-ups  –  Applications or Web pages that combine information from two or more sources — or, in the music industry, a composition created by blending two or more existing songs. Mercerized  –  Process of treating cotton and linen yarns and fabrics with a solution of caustic alkali, generally caustic soda, which

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is sodium hydroxide. The fibres swell, and the strength and dye affinity are increased. The textile is usually held under tension to increase the lustre. Merchandise (v)  –  To ensure that the right products are in store at the right time Merchandise (n)  –  Goods for sale. Merino  –  Wool from the merino sheep, which produces the shortest and finest fibres. Metadata  –  Data that describe other data. It may give information about an image such as the date it was taken and the location or information about a document such as the author and publisher. Metamerism  –  Phenomenon where two colours may match in some lighting conditions but not in others, e.g. in daylight versus tungstenfilament light. Colours will match in all lighting conditions only if the same dyes mixed in the same proportions have been used.

glossary

Mill  –  Manufacturer of fabric, whether woven, knitted or printed. Moodboards  –  A collage of images, samples and text used to communicate a design concept or mood. Nano science  –  Science concerned with ultrasmall structures and devices that are usually between 0.1 and 100 nanometres (a nanometer is one billionth of a metre). Natural search  –  Search results that are shown on search listings because they have a direct relevance to the search term entered (not paid for by a sponsor). New romantics  –  1980s youth movement in the UK that is associated with pop groups such as Duran Duran or Spandau Ballet, and flamboyant clothing. Node  –  Centre point of component parts, a group or cluster. Opaque  –  Does not allow light to pass through.

Methodologies  –  A body of rules and procedures of inquiry within a particular discipline.

Organdie  –  Lightweight, transparent plainweave fabric, with a permanently stiff finish.

Microencapsulation  –  A process in which small particles of one substance are embedded in another. The material is then released through a process of heat, pressure or other means.

Ottoman Empire  –  Turkish empire between the fourteenth and twentieth centuries.

Microfiche  –  Sheet of film containing micro­reproductions of documents, e.g. newspapers. Microstock (photography)  –  This is also known as micropayment photography, where images are sourced from a wide range of photographers and sold at a low rate, usually online. Modal  –  A generic name for a man-made natural polymer of regenerated cellulosic fibre.

Page ranking  –  A way of ranking Web pages based upon the number of other pages that link to them. Paid-for search  –  Sponsored advertisements that appear on a search engine’s results page — usually linked to a particular keyword or phrase. Paraphernalia  –  Equipment required for a particular activity; personal belongings. Parody  –  A work that mimics the characteristic style of an author or work in an humorous way.

glossary

Patchwork  –  Needlework consisting of scraps or patches of various fabrics sewn together. Pea coat  –  Heavy coat usually made of navycoloured wool, originally worn by sailors. Peer reviewed  –  Evaluation of a scholarly work by others in the same field. Physiological  –  Relating to the body. Piece-dyed  –  Fabric that is dyed in a vat after it has been woven. Pill(s)  –  Unsightly balls of fibre that stand up on the cloth. Pixel  –  A single rectangular dot in an image on a computer display. Pixelate  –  When the individual pixels in an image become visible to the eye. Plagiarism  –  Copying the work of others and passing it off as your own. Plain weave  –  Most common and simplest woven structure where each warp yarn, or end, runs over one pick and under the next pick, and each weft yarn, or pick, runs over one end and under the next. Pleating  –  A fold in fabric that is held in place by either stitching or pressing. Pleats can be decorative or be used to reduce fullness in a garment. Point of sale  –  Location where payment is made, e.g. till or counter. Poly-cotton  –  Fabric made from a blend of polyester and cotton. Polyester  –  Man-made synthetic fibre (generic name).

279

Poplin  –  Medium-weight, plain-weave fabric, traditionally made from cotton, with a closer-set warp than weft. Shows slight weftways ribs and is often used for shirtings. Premetallized dye  –  A group of dyes that contain a metal complex, used for dyeing wool and polyamide fibres. Primary research  –  Original research that generates new data, e.g. through interviews or observations. Punk  –  Music genre of the mid 1970s characterized by deliberately offensive lyrics and an antisocial stance (also refers to a follower of punk rock). Psychological  –  Relating to the mind. Qualitative research  –  Research using nonnumerical data, often used to gain an understanding of human behaviour; used in market research and social sciences. Quantitative research  –  Research that generates numerical data, or data that can be expressed numerically, for example the number of people within a certain set or group. Quilting  –  Sewing technique in which several layers of fabric are joined together to create a thicker, padded material or quilt. Reactive dye  –  Class of dyes used on cellulosic and protein fibres. Referencing  –  A note that refers the reader to a source of additional information, e.g. another publication. Referent  –  The object/idea that is referred to by a sign/representation. Refraction  –  The bending of a light wave caused by a change of speed, for example when passing from one material to another.

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Retina  –  A light-sensitive tissue that lines the inner surface of the eye. RGB  –  A mode of colour (used by computer monitors) where all the colours created are described as a mixture of red, green and blue. Rough paper  –  Paper with a highly textured surface, often used with pastels. RSS feed  –  Really simple syndication; a format for providing users who have subscribed to the feed with updated information, used for example on blogs and news Web sites. Sample lengths  –  Small length of fabric used to make the first prototype of a garment. Satin weave  –  Woven structure where the maximum amount of warp shows on the face. The smooth effect is enhanced by using filament yarns and/or lustrous fibres. Search engine  –  Computer program that searches for and retrieves information from the ­Internet. Secondary research  –  Collation and synthesis of data based on the research of others and/or derived from existing resources. Seed  –  Unit of reproduction of a flowering plant that can produce another plant. Selvedge  –  The neat, firm, longitudinal edge of a woven fabric parallel to the warp yarns and grain. The purpose of the selvedges is to prevent fraying of the outside ends from the body of the fabric and to give the edges of the fabric sufficient strength for subsequent processing. Servers  –  A host computer that holds and responds to requests for information or a program that provides such a service.

glossary

Sketchbook  –  A notebook in which artists and designers record ideas and things they see which inspire them. Sloper  –  American term for a block (see Block). Slub  –  Fancy yarn characterized by areas of thicker, loosely twisted yarn alternating with thinner, more tightly twisted areas. Smocking  –  Embroidery technique in which the fabric is gathered and then embroidered with decorative stitches. Specification sheet  –  A page containing all the details relating to a garment or product; used to communicate with a manufacturer. Spectrophotometer  –  Device that measures how much light is absorbed or reflected by a colour sample at each wavelength, giving accurate data. Staffers  –  A member of staff, a term usually used in relation to newspapers. Stock images  –  Professional photographs that are available to purchase. Stringer  –  A freelance journalist or photographer. Subcultures  –  A cultural group within a larger culture that has distinct beliefs or behaviours. Subtractive colour  –  Colour that is created by materials that absorb some wavelengths of light and reflect others, e.g. paints and dyes. Sulphur dye  –  Class of dyes used on cellulosic fibres. Synonym  –  A word with the same meaning as another word that can be used interchangeably. Tags  –  Labels used to easily retrieve data. Taxonomy  –  A classification system.

glossary

281

Tech pack  –  A package of technical information relating to the production of a garment. Thermochromic  –  A reversible change colour due to a change in temperature.

in

Thesaurus  –  A list of synonyms and related words. Think laterally  –  A creative approach to problem solving achieved by changing one’s perspective and thinking differently. Term originally defined by Edward de Bono. Translucent  –  Allowing light to pass through. Trendboards  –  A collection of images, swatches and so on that illustrate a particular trend; also see moodboards and conceptboards. Trends  –  Movement in a general direction, relating to what is popular or in fashion at a given time. Trendsetters  –  People who create trends. Triacetate  –  A generic name for a man-made natural polymer cellulose ester fibre. Triangulation  –  Using more than two methods to check a piece of information. Tuck stitch  –  Stitch consisting of a held loop and a tuck loop, both of which are intermeshed in the same course. Tweets  –  Messages sent via Twitter. Typeface  –  A typeface is a set of one or more fonts, in one or more sizes, designed with stylistic unity, e.g. Arial (sans serif) or Georgia (serif). A typeface usually comprises an alphabet of letters, numerals and punctuation marks; it may also include ideograms and symbols.

Typography  –  The art and technique of arranging type, typesetting and type design. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length and leading (line spacing). Tyvek  –  A strong synthetic material by Dupont. Ugg boots  –  Brand of sheepskin boots with a wool lining and tanned leather outer surface. URL  –  Uniform resource locator; the address of a page on the Web. Vat dye  –  Class of dye used on cellulosic and protein fibres. Vector  –  A path in an image created in software such as Adobe Illustrator; vector graphics can be scaled without losing their quality. Vintage  –  Clothes from a previous era, e.g. the 1920s or 1950s. Virtual worlds  –  Computer-based simulated three-dimensional environments where users can interact, create and play games. Visual journal  –  A daily diary kept by an artist containing sketches and text. Visual literacy  –  The ability to interpret images and understand the ideas conveyed by them. Visual merchandiser  –  Someone who creates visual displays to promote the sale of merchandise, e.g. window displays and presentations within the store. Visual merchandising  –  The visual presentation of goods within a store to promote sales. Vita Sackville-West  –  English author and poet born in 1892. Vox pop  –  The voice of the people; interviews with the general public.

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Warp knitting  –  Method of constructing a knitted fabric where the loops made from each warp yarn are formed substantially along the length of the fabric. Each warp yarn is fed more or less in line with the direction in which the fabric is produced. Watercolour  –  A water-soluble pigment used for painting. Weft knitting  –  Method of constructing a knitted fabric where the loops made from each weft yarn are formed substantially across the width of the fabric. Each weft yarn is fed more or less at right angles to the direction in which the fabric is produced, and the fabric may be flat or tubular depending on the machine used. Wicking  –  The ability of a fabric to move moisture away from the skin. Widgets  –  Small applications that the user can install within a Web page, also known as gadgets.

glossary

Woodstock  –  A music festival held near Bethel, New York, in August 1969. Woollen system  –  Spinning system developed specifically for wool fibres, but which is now used in addition for other fibres and fibre blends where the fibres are of similar dimensions. Worsted system  –  Spinning system developed specifically for wool fibres where the fibres are combed to remove short fibres and make the remaining fibres lie more parallel. Used in addition for other fibres and fibre blends where the fibres are of similar dimensions. www  –  World Wide Web. Yarn  –  A fine continuous length of fibres and/ or filament(s), with or without twist, that is strong enough to be processed into fabric. Zeitgeist  –  The mood or spirit of the time.

contributors and useful contacts

Dr Shlomo Lee Abrahmov 

Emma Crowther 

[email protected]

[email protected]

http://www.hit.ac.il/visualliteracy/engdefault.html

CWCi

Kinder Aggugini 

Creative Agency 

http://www.aggugini.com

http://www.cwc-i.com/

AJS Embroidery 

Daler Rowney 

http://www.ajs-embroidery.co.uk

http://www.daler-rowney.com/

Leon Bailey Green 

Ruth Davis 

[email protected]

[email protected]

http://www.theonlinefashionagency.com

Philip Delamore

Claire Baker 

London College of Fashion 

[email protected]

[email protected]

http://www.bakerart.org.uk

http://www.fashiondigitalstudio.com

Tonia Bastyan 

Rene De Lange 

http://www.bastyan.co.uk

[email protected]

Before and After Magazine  http://www.bamagazine.com/ Janet Best

http://www.renedelange.com Derwent  http://www.pencils.co.uk

Colour Diversity 

Doneger Group  

[email protected]

http://www.doneger.com/web

http://www.colourdiversity.com Bonhams and Butterfields  http://www.bonhams.com/

Julia Dorff  [email protected] Richard Doust 

Tony Buzan 

[email protected]

http://www.thinkbuzan.com/uk/home

http://www.richarddoust.co.uk

Color Solutions International 

Faber Castell 

http://www.colorsolutionsinternational.com

http://www.faber-castell.us

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contributors and useful contacts

Kathleen Fasanella 

Nicholas Huxley 

Fashion-Incubator.com

TAFE NSW Sydney Institute

[email protected]

[email protected]

http://fashion-incubator.com

http://www.sit.nsw.edu.au

Fashionary 

Paul Jackson 

http://www.fashionary.com

http://www.origami-artist.com

Gavin Fernandes 

Fiona Jenvey Mudpie 

[email protected]

http://www.mpdclick.com

http://www.gavinfernandes.com

http://twitter.com/mudpietrend

Ana Stankovic Fitzgerald  [email protected] http://www.anastankovicfitzgerald.com Flyhoof  http://flyhoof.blogspot.com/ Gerber  http://www.gerbertechnology.com/ Getty Images  http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/ Tony Glenville  [email protected] http://tonyglenville.co.uk David Hardy  [email protected] Greg High  http://greghigh.com Peter Hill 

http://uk.linkedin.com/in/fionajenvey Kacchi  http://www.kacchiworld.com/ Jane Kellock  [email protected] Gene Kiegel  http://www.genekiegel.com/ Kim Kight  True Up http://www.trueup.net Lectra  http://www.lectra.com/ Philippa Leith  [email protected] http://www.philippaleith.co.uk Greg Lever-O’Keefe  prior2lever ltd [email protected]

London College of Fashion

http://www.prior2lever.com

[email protected]

Kirsten Ludwig 

Charlotte Hodes 

[email protected]

[email protected]

http://www.kirstenludwig.com

http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/lcf-research

Ayako Machida 

Leslie Holden 

http://machizoo.com/

Amsterdam Fashion Institute

Sarah Manning 

[email protected]

Visual Merchandising Courses

contributors and useful contacts

285

[email protected]

Tiffany Ong 

http://www.visualmerchandisingcourses.co.uk

[email protected]

MBTs  http://uk.mbt.com/ Francesco Mellina  [email protected] http://www.myspace.com/francescomellina Miao Baby Carriers  http://www.miaobabycarriers.com/ Jessica Mills  [email protected] http://www.jessicaemills.com Nicola Morgan 

http://tiffanyong.blogspot.com/ OptiTex  http://www.optitex.com/about_us/industries/ fashion Daniela Orsulova  [email protected] Pantone  http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/index. aspx Lynne Perrella  http://www.lkperrella.com/

[email protected]

Rob Phillips 

http://www.nicola-morgan.co.uk

[email protected]

Filep Motwary

http://www.robphillipswork.com/

Mastori*Motwary Studio 

Premiere Vision 

[email protected]

http://www.premierevision.fr

http://www.filepmotwary.com David Moy theprintspace  [email protected] http://www.theprintspace.co.uk Eric Musgrave UKFT (UK Fashion & Textile Association)  [email protected] http://www.ukft.org Natural Colour System  http://www.ncscolour.co.uk/ Nelly Rodi  http://www.nellyrodi.com North Carolina State University College of Textiles  http://www.tx.ncsu.edu/

Promostyl  http://www.promostyl.com Martin Raymond The Future Laboratory  http://www.thefuturelaboratory.com https://lsnglobal.com/login Laura Tinsley Scott Old Navy/Gap, Inc.  [email protected] Jenny Shellard  [email protected] Shima Seiki  http://www.shimaseiki.com/ Rose Sinclair Department of Design, Goldsmiths, University of London 

Office of Metropolitan Architecture 

[email protected]

http://www.oma.eu/

http://www.gold.ac.uk/design/staff/sinclair/

286

contributors and useful contacts

Lottie Smith

Sjef van Dongen

LoveLottieKnits 

Visual Instinct Co Ltd 

[email protected]

[email protected]

http://www.folksy.com/shops/LoveLottieKnits

http://www.visualinstinct.be

Society of Dyers and Colourists 

VV Rouleaux 

http://www.sdc.org.uk/

http://www.vvrouleaux.com

Speedo 

Philippa Waite

http://www.speedo.com/en/ Speed Step  http://www.speedstep-schools.com

Phirefly Ltd  [email protected] http://www.phirefly.co.uk Philippa Watkins

Style Bubble 

Royal College of Art 

http://stylebubble.typepad.com/

[email protected]

Miriam Sucis 

Terry Weston 

[email protected]

[email protected]

Basia Szkutnicka 

WGSN 

[email protected]

http://www.wgsn.com

Textile Institute 

Walter White 

http://www.texi.org Textile Resource Guide  http://cltad-web.arts.ac.uk/trog Toronto Rob on Flickr  http://www.flickr.com/photos/torontorob/

http://www.walterwhite.co.uk Shenlei Winkler Fashion Research Institute  [email protected] http://www.fashionresearchinstitute.com Fong Wong 

Manel Torres 

[email protected]

http://www.fabricanltd.com

The Woolmark Company 

Jeun Ho Tsang 

http://www.wool.com/

[email protected]

Angela Wright

http://www.jeunhotsang.com

Colour Affects 

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation

[email protected] http://www.colour-affects.co.uk James Wright

Service (NRCS) 

Mint Vintage 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/

http://www.mintvintage.co.uk

index

Note: Page numbers in italics indicate illustrations. Abrahmov, Dr Shlomo Lee, 144–6 Academic Earth, 214 Academic Search Elite, 213 accessories, 38, 73, 124, 129, 130, 155, 161, 176, 253, 267 achromatic greys, 63 acid-free paper, 183 acrylic, 86–8 acrylic paints, 180 additive colour, 62 Adidas, 52 Adlington, Rebecca, 98 Adobe Acrobat, 238 Adobe Flash Player, 245, 246 Adobe Illustrator, 214, 224, 238, 245, 263–4 Adobe InDesign, 236, 238, 264 Adobe Photoshop, 214, 224, 237, 245, 262–3, 264, 268 Adobe Web, 246, 262, 264 aesthetics, 22 Aggugini, Kinder, 11 alpaca, 84 Amsterdam Fashion Institute, 150–2 analogous colours, 63 analysis, 144, 147 analysing a catwalk show, 261 analysing a colour palette, 75 analysing a display, 259 analysing a magazine, 16, 235 analysing a photograph, 146 analysing a photographic exhibition, 201 analysing a store, 31 analysing trends, 138–9 angora, 84 animations and interactivity, 246–7 Aniston, Jennifer, 48 appliqué, 96 architecture, 45 archives, 187–8, 192 vintage clothing, 38 Art Full Text, 213 art galleries, 6, 22–3, 191–2 art materials, 179 brushes, 184–6 buying art supplies, 179–80 charcoal, 182 markers, 181–2 paints, 180

paper, 183 pastels and chalks, 182 pencils and coloured pencils, 181 pens and inks, 181 references and further reading, 205 rubbers and erasers, 183 sketchbooks, 183–4 supplies, 205 ARTstor, 213 asbestos, 85 ASOS, 110 Assyst, 222 auctions, 38–9 AutoCAD, 267 background research, 2 Bailey-Green, Leon, 218–21 Baker, Claire, 254–6 Bastyan, Tonia, 162–5 Beckham, David, 36 Beretta, Anne Marie, 111 Best 100, 130 Best, James, 72 black, 65 Black Dress, 249 blogging, 2, 109, 129, 138, 215, 215– 18, 218–21 blogs and hobby sites, 101, 101–2 digital printing, 95 blue, 66 bookmarks, 209 books, 46, 57 trend books, 130–1 boucle, 88, 273 brainstorming, 16–17, 18 brand identity, 173, 174–5, 176 Bread and Butter, Berlin, 138 British Library, 213 British Museum, 213 broderie anglais, 96 browsers, 71, 208 brushes, 184–6 Burton, Tim, 38 business-to-business Web sites, 100 buyers, 30–1, 35, 75, 124, 129, 130, 138, 253, 261, 274 Buzan, Tony, 17, 18 cable stitch, 94 calicos, 253 camel, 84 cameras, 8, 193 Carlin International, 124

case studies Abrahmov, Dr Shlomo Lee, 144–6 Baker, Claire, 254–6 Bastyan, Tonia, 162–5 Crowther, Emma, 153 Davis, Ruth, 3–4 De Lange, Rene, 256–8 Fasanella, Kathleen, 176 Fernandes, Gavin, 147–9 Getty Images, 202–4 Hodes, Charlotte, 192 Kacchi, 186–7 Leith, Philippa, 96–7 Machida, Ayako, 263 Mills, Jessica, 154–5 Morgan, Nicola, 152 Nelly Rodi, 135–7 North Carolina State University College of Textiles, 190–1 Ong, Tiffany, 257, 258–9 rapid prototyping, 171–3 Sinclair, Rose, 224–5 Smith, Lottie, 64–5 Sucis, Miriam, 44 Waite, Philippa, 263–4 Wong, Fong, 51 cashmere, 84 catwalks, 110, 260 catwalk show analysis, 261 trends, 129 celebrities, 47, 110 Chalayan, Hussein, 97–8 chalks, 182 charcoal, 182 checklists, 6 chenille, 88, 274 chroma, 63 chromatic greys, 63 Chrome, 208 CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black), 62, 63, 71, 236, 237, 274 coir, 85 cold-pressed paper, 183 Collezioni, 129–30 Collezioni Uomo, 130 Color Solutions, 73 colorimeters, 72 colour forecasting, 73–5, 75–7 colour management, 71–2 dye labs and standards, 72–3 colour matching, 72–3 colour palettes, 63, 64 colour printing, 240–1

288

colour psychology, 65, 66–7, 67–9 colour symbolism, 65–6 colour systems, 69 Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage, (CIE) 71 hexadecimal, 71 Munsell system, 70–1 NCS (Natural Colour System®©), 70 PANTONE®, 69–70 Web sites, 72 colour theory, 61, 77 colour interactions, 63–4 colour terminology, 62–3 references and further readings, 77–9 Web sites, 79 what is colour? 62 colour value, 63 colour wheel, 63 Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE), 71 complementary colours, 63 computer-aided design, 222–3, 224–5 pattern cutting and marker marking, 223 product management, 223 programmes, 224 references and further reading, 230 Web sites, 231 computers, 62, 71 concept development, 144, 147, 177 Empire Line Project, 147–9 Jackson, Paul, 168–69, 170 moodboards and conceptboards, 166–7 references and further reading, 177–8 storyboards, 167 three-dimensional development, 167–70, 171–3 understanding consumer, 173 visual literacy, 144–6 Web sites, 178 conceptboards 139, 166–7, 253 consumer profiling, 173 cool colours, 66 Cooliris, 6, 7, 212 copyright, 189, 212, 225, 226–9 protecting your copyright, 225–6 references and further reading, 230 Web sites, 231 Corbis, 213 CorelDraw, 224, 263 Coroflot, 214 cotton, 85 Creative Commons, 214, 226, 230 creative projects, 149 Crowther, Emma, 153 Holden, Leslie, 150–2 Huxley, Nicholas, 149–50 Mills, Jessica, 154–5 Morgan, Nicola, 152 creative thinking, 16–19, 21 Crombie, Alison, 201 Crowther, Emma, 153 Cruz, Penelope, 38 cupro, 86

index

databases, 4–5, 6, 212 Internet databases, 213 libraries, 187, 188, 213 Davis, Ruth, 3–4 De La Haye, Amy, 25–8 De Lange, Rene, 140, 256–8 Delicious, 138, 209, 210, 211 Delta Ecmc., 73 demographics, 22, 112 Denver Art Museum, 123 Derwent, Inktense, 181, 182 Design and Applied Arts Index, 213 Design Intelligence, 124 designers, 22, 30–1, 32, 36 Baker, Claire, 254–6 Bastyan, Tonia, 162–5 consumer profiling, 173 Dorff, Julia, 247–8 film, 37–8 Leith, Philippa, 95–6 music, 48 networking, 35 science and technology, 49, 97–8 Smith, Lottie, 64–5 sport, 52 Sucis, Miriam, 44 trends, 110, 117, 124, 129, 130, 138 Wong, Fong, 51 development sheets, 160–2 device-dependent calibration, 72 device-independent calibration, 72 Diana, Princess of Wales, 36 digital printing, 95 Digital Web Magazine, 235 Dior, Christian, 114, 259 Dorff, Julia, 247–8 double jersey, 93 Doust, Richard, 236, 239, 240 Drapers, 46 drawing, 45–6, 155–6 development sheets, 160–2 Phillips, Rob, 156–7 sketchbooks, 158–9 tutorials, 206 visual journals, 159–60 Dreamweaver, 214 Duke University, USA, 226 dyeing, 94–5 dye labs and standards, 72–3 eBay, 28, 101 Eberle, Robert, 18 economics, 34 Elle, 46 embroidery, 96, 97 Empire Line Project, 147–9 environment, 57 environmental issues, 176 ephemera, 28–9 erasers, 183 ethical considerations, 9–10, 176 Etsy, 30, 101 Evernote, 138, 212–13 exhibitions, 254 budget, 254 display, 254

Eye Candey, 30 fabric, 29–30 sample lengths, 100 fabric finishes, 94 dyeing, 94–5 printing, 95 fabric structures, 88 knitting, 93–4 nonwovens, 94 weaving, 88 Facebook, 214 fads, 110 Fair Isle, 94 farthingales, 23, 24 Fasanella, Kathleen, 176 fashion curation, 23, 25–8 Fashion Design Studio TAFE NSW Sydney Institute, 149 Fashion Illustration Gallery, 235 Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles, 192 fashion journalism, 10–13, 14–16 Fashion Research Institute, 249 Fashionary, 184, 185, 241, 242 felt, 83, 94 Fernandes, Gavin, 147–9 Ferre, Gianfranco, 45 fibres, 81, 138 animal fibres, 82–5 fibre blends, 88 mineral fibres, 85 natural polymer fibres, 86 plant fibres, 85 synthetic polymer fibres, 87 film, 37–8 Final Cut Pro, 214, 246 finishes, 81, 94–5 Firefox, 208 Fireworks, 214 Flash, 214, 245, 246, 247 flax, 85 Flickr, 138, 212, 214 Flip, 246 flower power, 48 FolioPlanet, 235 fonts, 238–9 Foxmarks, 209 Freeplay Music, 214 friends, 57 Future Laboratory, 117–22, 124 Galliano, 29 gamut, 63 GarageBand, 214 Gaultier, Jean Paul, 37, 48 George Mason University, USA, 210 Gerber, 222, 266 Fashion Studio, 224 Getty Images, 201, 202–4, 213 glam rock, 48 Glenville, Tony, 10–13 Google, 4, 6, 208, 209, 212 Gore-Tex, 52, 97 gouache, 180 graphic design, 234–5

index

Grazia, 48, 110 green, 66 Greenaway, Peter, 37 grey/gray, 66 greyscale/grayscale, 63 Guardian, 129 hair fibres, 83–4 harmonious colours, 63 Hello, 48, 110 hemp, 85 Hepburn, Audrey, 14, 37 hexadecimal system, 71 hippies, 48 History of Graphic Design, 235 Ho, Lisa, 149 Hodes, Charlotte, 192 Holden, Leslie, 150–2 Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 192 hot-pressed paper, 183 hue, 63 Huxley, Nicholas, 149–50 image agencies, 201, 202–4 image databases, 6, 213–14 image search tools, 6, 212 Evernote, 138, 212–13 Picasa, 138, 212 iMovie, 214, 246 Informat, 124 information evaluation, 6–7 information retrieval, 138–9 information storage, 8 inks, 181 Inkscape, 263 Inktense, Derwent, 181, 182 inspiration, 21, 53–6, 58, 233–5 architecture and the built environment, 45 change your environment, 57 create a map, 57 drawing from life and still life, 45–6 fabric and trimmings, 29–30 fashion and sport, 52 film and theatre, 37–8 listen to music, 57 museums and art galleries, 22–3 museums, libraries and archives, 59–60 music and fashion, 48–9 objects and ephemera, 28–9 observation, 57 people and networking, 35 phoning a friend, 57 print resources, 46–8 read a book, 57 references and further reading, 58–9 science, nature and technology, 49, 51 society, economics and politics, 34 stimulating inspiration, 57–8 stop and think, 57–8 store research, 30–1 street fashion, 32 style icons, 36 vintage clothing and textiles, 38–9 Web sites, 59

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write a list, 58 your personal history, 36–7 intarsia, 94 intellectual property rights (IPR), 214 intensity, 63 International Herald Tribune, 129 Internet, 6, 7, 129, 207–8 blogging, 215, 215–18 image databases, 213–14 image search tools, 212–13 multimedia, 214 online networking, 214 references and further reading, 230 saving your searches, 209–11 search tools, 208–9 Twitter, 138, 221 using database, 213 Wikipedia, 212 Internet Explorer, 208 Interstoff, Frankfurt, 138 interviews Bailey-Green, Leon, 218–21 De La Haye, Amy, 25–8 Dorff, Julia, 247–8 Glenville, Tony, 10–13 Jackson, Paul, 168–9, 170 Jenvey, Fiona, 125–8 Kellock, Jane, 75–7 Kight, Kim, 101–2 Ludwig, Kirsten, 174–5 Mannino, Kim, 131–5 Motwary, Filep, 215–18 Moy, David, 193–201 Musgrave, Eric, 14–16 Perella, Lynne, 159–60 Raymond, Martin, 117–22 Shellard, Jenny, 89–92 Smith, Kevin, 226–9 Szkutnicka, Basia, 53–6 van Dongen, Sjef, 268–71 vox pop interviews, 9, 282 Watkins, Philippa, 103–6 Winkler, Shenlei, 250–3 Wolfe, David, 113–16 Wright, Angela, 67–9 Wright, James, 40–3 iPhone, 221 iPhoto, 262 IQNS, 138, 214 Isogawa, Akir, 149 Issuu, 247 iWeb, 214 Jackson, Paul, 168–69, 170 jacquard weave, 88, 89 Jenvey, Fiona, 124, 125–8 Jeun Ho Tsang, 162 jute, 85 Kacchi, 185, 186–7 Kahlo, Frida, 35, 36 Kall Kwik, 236 Kellock, Jane, 75–7 Kerrang, 49 keywords, 5–6, 188 search engines, 208

Kight, Kim, 101–2 knitting, 93–4 Koolhaas, Rem, 45 Kozomara, Zorana, 249 lace, 94 Lacoste, 52 lateral thinking, 147 layout paper, 183 Lectra, 163, 166, 173, 222, 223 Kaledo, 224, 265, 266 Romans Cad, 173, 267 Leith, Philippa, 95–6 libraries, 6, 38, 46, 187–8 Burlington Textiles Library, North Carolina State University, 190–1 fabric libraries and collections, 100 references and further reading, 205–6 visiting, 188–9 Zotero, 209–11 lighting, 73 photography, 196 linen, 85 LinkedIn, 138, 214 lists, 58 London College of Fashion, 38, 156 tailoring archive, 192 loop yarn, 88, 277 loyalty cards, 129 Ludwig, Kirsten, 174–5 Luhrmann, Baz, 37 Lycra, 52 lyocell, 86 Lyttle, Pat, 201 LZR, 97, 98 Machida, Ayako, 262, 263 macro trends, 109, 130 Madonna, 36, 48, 50, 110 magazines, 46–8, 49 analysing a magazine, 16, 235 trends, 129–30 Magic Markers, 182 MAGIC, Las Vegas, 138 Maison Martin Margiela, 112 Mango, 124 Mannino, Kim, 131–5 Mansfield, Sophie, 150 manufactured (man-made) fibres, 86–8 maps, 57 maquettes, 253 Marie Claire, 46 marker pads, 183 markers, 181–2 market research, 128–9 Maya, 267 Mayston, Rick, 201 McCartney, Stella, 52 McQueen, Alexander, 52, 260 Menswear, 130 mercerized cotton, 85 merino, 82 metamerism, 73 Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, 213 microencapsulation, 97 Miller, Siena, 110

290

Mills, Jessica, 154–5 Mind Maps®, 17–18 mineral fibres, 85 Minnelli, Lisa, 37 Mintel, 213 mobile phones, 8–9, 221–2 Mockshop, 268, 269, 270 modal, 86 Modaris, 268 mohair, 84 MOJO, 49 monochromes, 63 moodboards, 131, 139, 166–7, 212, 253 Morgan, Nicola, 152 Moss, Kate, 36, 47, 48, 110 Motwary, Filep, 215–18 Moy, David, 193–201 Mudpie, 124, 125–8 multimedia, 214 Munsell system, 70–1 museums, 6, 9, 22–3, 38, 191–2 references and further reading, 205–6 Musgrave, Eric, 14–16 music, 48–9, 57, 214 MySpace, 214 nano science, 49 NASA, 97 nature, 49 Nature, 49 NCS (Natural Colour System®©), 70 Nelly Rodi, 124, 131, 135–7 networking, 35, 36 online networking, 214 new romantics, 48 New Scientist, 49 New York Times, 129 newspapers, 46, 129 Newton, Sir Isaac, 62 NME, 49 nonwoven fabrics, 94 North Carolina State University, 38 notebooks, 8 nylon, 86 objects, 28–9 observation, 57 Officiel 1000 Models, 130 OK, 48, 110 Onassis, Jackie, 36 Ong, Tiffany, 257, 258–9 online databases, 6 Optitext, 249, 250, 268 orange, 66 organic cotton, 85 Osborn, Alex, 18 page layouts, 240, 242 painting tutorials, 206 paints, 180 Pantone, 69–70, 182, 221 PANTONE®, 69–70 paper 180–1, 183 printers, 236, 237 pastels, 182

index

patchwork, 96 pattern cutting, 223 Peclers, 124, 131 pencils and coloured pencils, 181 pens, 181 Perkin, William Henry, 95 Perrella, Lynne, 159–60 Perry, Fred 52 Phillips, Rob, 156–7 photo albums, 36–7 Photobucket, 214 photocopying, 189 photography, 8, 9, 192–3 aperture, 196, 201 buying a camera, 193 digital and traditional, 193–4 digital C type print, 199 editing pictures, 197–8 exhibiting work, 201 fashion photography and portraiture, 197 good photographs, 194 ISO ratings, 195 lighting, 196 night shots and low light, 197 print size, 199–201 printing image, 198–9 RAW images, 196–7 references and further reading, 206 screen calibration, 199 shutter speed, 195–6 Picasa, 138, 212 pigment, 63 pilling, 88, 279 pink, 66 Pitti Filati, Florence, 138 plagiarism, 188–9 plain weave, 88 planning research, 4–5 evaluate information, 6–7 identify keywords, 5–6, 188 identify resources, 6 identify search parameters, 5 make checklist, 6 references, 7–8 set time limit, 5 use advanced options, 6 pleating, 96 polyamide, 86 polyester, 86 polymer fibres, 86–7 polyurethane group fibres, 88 POP, 46 portfolios, 242 animations and interactivity, 246–7 content, 242–3 electronic portfolios, 245 ePortfolio Web sites, 247 organization, 244 physical portfolios, 242 plug-ins, 245 resolution and browsers, 245 size and format, 243–4 texture, 244 three-dimensional objects, 244–5

three-dimensional objects on the Web, 249, 250–3 video, 245–6 Prada, 12, 45 Premiere Vision (PV), Paris, 74–5, 102, 103, 138 preparation, 8–9 ethical considerations, 9–10 health and safety, 9 presentation, 233–5, 271 moodboards and conceptboards, 253 printing, 236–42 references and further reading, 271–2 software for fashion and textile design, 264–6 software for fashion presentation, 262–5 specification sheets, 253 three-dimensional design software for fashion, 266–8 toiles/calicos, maquettes and prototypes, 253 verbal presentations, 261–2 Web sites, 272 Prêt-a-Porter, 138 primary colours, 62 primary research, 1, 2 printed fabrics, 95 printing, 236 borders and margins, 238 colour, 240–1 combining text and images, 240 digital and traditional printing, 236 file formats, 238 fonts and typefaces, 238–9 grouping, 241 laying out your text, 239 movement, 242 orphans, widows and hyphens, 238 page layout and design, 240 paper size and quality, 237 perspective, 241 resolution, 236–7 scale, 240 white space, 241 product data management (PDM), 223 product lifestyle management (PLM), 223 professional organizations, 6, 100 project-specific research, 4 projects analysing a colour palette, 75 analysing a display, 259 analysing a magazine, 16, 235 analysing a photographic exhibition, 201 brand identity and trend presentation, 176 catwalk show analysis, 261 colour palettes, 64 colour photo file, 77 contradictory elements, 149 creating an heirloom, 151 designing a layout, 242 fabric trend report, 106 history of an object, 28

index

history of costume research, 24–5 movie inspiration board, 38 networking, 36 origami, 170 re-working a vintage piece, 165 searching creative commons, 230 showroom layout, 271 six degrees of separation, 13 starting a trend file, 123 store analysis, 31 street-style report, 33 stretching paper, 180–1 text as visual inspiration, 47 textile dictionary, 98 three levels of meaning—analysing a photograph, 146 trend tracking, 113 trimmings collection, 99 using advanced search options, 209 using aperture settings, 201 Promostyl, 124, 131–5 prototypes, 253 Puma, 52 punk, 32, 48 Pure, 138 Purple, 46 purple, 66 qualitative research, 128 Quant, Mary, 34 quantitative research, 128–9 Quark, 238 QuarkXPress, 236 quilting, 96 R. D. Franks, 130 ramie, 85 Raymond, Martin, 117–22 red, 65 references, 1, 7–8 refraction, 62 research, 1–2, 19 planning strategy, 4–8 preparation, 8–10 purposes of research, 2–4 references and further reading, 19 Web sites, 19 RGB (red, green and blue), 62, 63, 71, 236, 237, 280 Rhino, 267 risk assessment, 9 Roberts, Julia, 38, 39 Rolling Stone, 49 rough paper, 183 RSS feeds, 138, 211 rubbers, 183 runway shows, 260 Sackville-West, Vita, 27 sales data, 128–9 Sardouk, Richard, 65, 117 satin weave, 88 saturation, 63 Scamper, 18–19 science, 49 screen-printing, 95–6

291

search engines, 208–9 search engines, 4–5, 6 Second Life, 249, 268 secondary colours, 62 secondary research, 1–2 shades, 63 Shellard, Jenny 89–92 Shima Seiki, 93 Shockwave, 245 silk, 84–5 Sinclair, Rose, 224 sisal, 85 sketchbooks, 2, 3–4, 8, 38 using a sketchbook, 158–9 sketching tutorials, 206 SketchUp, 267 slub, 88, 200 smart textiles, 97–8 Smith, Kevin, 226–9 Smith, Lottie, 64–5 smocking, 96 society, 34, 109 specialist services, 100 specification sheets, 161, 253 spectrophotometers, 72 Speed Step, 222, 224, 243, 265, 266 sportswear, 52 storage, 8 stores, 9 store research, 30–1 storyboards, 167 Streep, Meryl, 37 street fashion, 32, 33 style icons, 36 Stylesight, 124 subcultures, 110 subtractive colour, 62 Sucis, Miriam, 44, 161 Sumopaint, 263 Szkutnicka, Basia, 53–6 Tank 46 techno textiles, 97–8 technology, 49, 51 tertiary colours, 62 textile sourcing, 100, 103–6 blogs and hobby sites, 101 business-to-business Web sites, 100 fabric libraries and collections, 100 references and further reading, 107 societies and trade associations, 100 specialist services, 100 trade shows, 102 Web sites, 107 Textile View, 130 textiles, 81 fibre blends, 88 manufactured (man-made) fibres, 86–8 mineral fibres, 85 natural fibres, 82–5 plant fibres, 85 smart and techno textiles, 97–8 yarns, 88 theatre, 37–8 thermochromic fabrics, 97

thinking, 57–8 creative thinking, 16–19, 21 lateral thinking, 147 three-dimensional development, 167– 70, 171–3 Times, 129 tint, 63 toiles, 253 tones, 63 Torres, Manel, 49, 50 tracing paper, 183 trade associations, 100 trade publications, 46 trade shows, 102, 138 travel, 57, 111 Trend, Union 124, 131 trends, 2, 22, 32, 109–10, 113–16 blogging and the Internet, 129, 214 catwalks, 129 colour forecasting, 73–5, 75–7 communicating trends, 139 forecasting, 117, 117–22, 140 forecasting companies and services, 123–4, 125–8, 131–5, 135–7 magazines, 129–30 museums and galleries, 192 newspapers, 129 references and further reading, 141 sales data and market research, 128–9 trade shows, 138 trend analysis, 138–9 trend books, 130–1 trendboards, 124, 139 Web sites, 141 where do trends come from? 110–12 trendsetters, 32, 35, 110, 281 Trendstop, 124 triacetate, 86 triangulation, 7, 212, 281 trimmings, 29–30, 98–100 tuck stitch, 94 Twitter, 138, 221 Typographica, 235 typography, 235, 238–9 Ugg boots, 47, 48 universities, 38 University of Rhode Island, 38 URLs, 7, 208, 281 VADS, 213 van Dongen, Sjef, 268–71 verbal presentations, 261 do and don’t, 261–2 Victoria and Albert Museum, 213 vicuna, 84 video, 245–6 creating video, 246 editing video, 246 Viewpoint, 129 Vimeo, 214 vintage clothing, 38–9, 40–3, 44 Web sites, 60 virtual worlds, 249, 250–3 viscose, 86

292

vision tests, 62, 73 visual journals, 2, 46, 159–60, 181 visual literacy, 144–6 visual merchandising, 30–1, 38, 61, 268, 268–71, 282 Visual Retailing, 268 Vogue, 46 Waite, Philippa, 263–4 Wallpaper, 46 warm colours, 66 warp knitting, 93 watercolour, 180 Watkins, Philippa, 103–6 weaving, 88, 89–92 weft knitting, 93

index

Westwood, Vivienne, 22, 23 WGSN, 124 white, 65 wicking, 85 Wikipedia, 212 Windows Moviemaker, 246 Winkler, Shenlei, 249, 250–3 Wire, The, 49 Wolfe, David, 113–16 Womenswear Daily, 46 Wong, Fong, 51 Woodstock, 48 wool, 82–3 processing, 83 Word, 238 Wright, Angela, 67–9 Wright, James, 40–3

Y-3, 52 Yahoo, 5 Yamamoto, Yohji, 52 yarns, 73, 81, 88, 138 yellow, 66 Yip, Penter, 184, 242 YouTube, 214, 245, 246 Yves St Laurent Institute, Paris, 192 Zara, 124 zeitgeist, 2, 34, 282 Zimmerman, Nikki, 149 Zoom on Fashion Trends, 130 Zotero, 138, 209, 210–11

Plate 1  Inspirational notice board in the office of Roy Peach,  dean of the graduate school, London College of Fashion.

Plate 2  Traditional Chinese embroidered baby carrier.  Courtesy of Miao Baby Carriers (http://www.miaobabycarriers.com). Reproduced with permission.

Plate 3  ‘Six’ illustration of final collection  by Fong Wong.

Plate 4  Collage of inspirational images  by Basia Szkutnicka. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 5  How the eye sees colour.  Courtesy of the author.

Plate 6  RGB and CMYK colour.  Courtesy of the author.

Plate 7  Colour wheel.  Before and After Magazine, no. 45, article 0646, p. 2 (http://www.bamagazine.com/). Courtesy of Before and After Magazine. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 8  Primary, secondary and tertiary colours.  Before and After Magazine, no. 45, article 0646, p. 3 (http://www.bamagazine.com/). Courtesy of Before and After Magazine. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 9  Complementary colours.  Courtesy of the author.

Plate 10  Colour interactions: Receding and advancing colours.  Courtesy of the author.

Plate 11  Lottie Smith’s collage of research and development for her graduate collection.  Courtesy of Lottie Smith. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 12  Summer and winter colour palettes.  Courtesy of the author.

Plate 13  The four colour groups. Courtesy of Colour Affects.  Reproduced with permission.

Plate 14  Author’s page on myPANTONE.  PANTONE®, myPANTONE and other Pantone trademarks and copyrights are the property of, and used with the permission of, Pantone LLC. Portions © Pantone LLC, 2010. All rights reserved.

Plate 15  The NCS colour circle, Natural Color System®©.  Property of NCS Colour AB, Stockholm 2010. References to NCS®© in this publication are used with permission from the NCS Colour AB. Reproduced with permission of NCS.

Plate 16  Munsell colour system.  Licensed under Creative Commons by Jacobolus on Wikimedia. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 17  CIELAB colour space.  Licensed under Creative Commons by Jacobolus on Wikimedia. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 18  Handwoven fabrics with light-responsive material  by Jenny Shellard, photographed under UV and projected light by Peter Mackertich. Courtesy of Jenny Shellard. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 19  The English Bird Garden (textile design by Philippa Leith).  Courtesy of Philippa Leith. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 20  Selection of vintage fabrics.  Courtesy of Kim Kight. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 21  Colour trend information.  Courtesy of Mudpie. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 22  Journal pages inspired by history of costume.  Courtesy of Lynne Perrella. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 23  Artgrip coloured pencils. Courtesy of Faber Castell.  Reproduced with permission.

Plate 24  Commercial project by Kacchi for LUMINE department store and Chocolate.  Courtesy of Kacchi. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 25  Charlotte Hodes, ‘Sèvres Silhouette I’.  Digitally manipulated drawing, inkjet and collage, 120 x 61 cm (2006–2007). Courtesy of Charlotte Hodes. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 26  Charlotte Hodes, ‘Bathers: Pool’.  Digitally manipulated drawing, inkjet and collage, 91.7 x 135.7 cm (2006). Courtesy of Charlotte Hodes. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 27  Ana Stankovic Fitzgerald’s Picasa Web album.  Courtesy of Ana Stankovic Fitzgerald. Reproduced with permission.

Plate 28  A pattern, grading and marker by   Daniela Orsulova, created in Gerber Accumark CAD programmes for design development.  Courtesy of Daniela Orsulova.

Plate 29  Tiffany Ong’s Entomological Knits  at the Royal College of Art Summer Show in 2009.  Courtesy of Tiffany Ong.

Plate 30  Sketches  by Ayako Machida. Courtesy of Ayako Machida.

Plate 31  Personal work  by Ayako Machida. Courtesy of Ayako Machida.

Plate 32  Watercolour floral placement graphics designed to be compatible with standard screen-printing processes.  Courtesy of Philippa Waite. Reproduced with permission.