Claudia Schiffer by Karl: expressing sexuality through austerity

As a clothes creator, a designer is a person who makes men’s and women’s lives more beautiful and pleasant. As sexuality is a basic, innate instinct, it is always there, no matter what we do. In the same time, if perceived wrong, it can harm us and people around us. And, if you ask me, there’s also a bit of psychology in the fashion creative process. Why? Because people choose their clothes with their souls.

So, what’s the thing? Sexuality is always there, but it has to be mysteriously prude in order to really excite and please. In the way Claudia Schiffer was photographed by Karl Lagerfeld for the German Vogue I saw a perfectly inspiring way of expressing, in fashion, sexuality via austerity. 

How to start a collection

A successful, that is a financially viable collection requires a great amount of research, investigation and planning. Successful designers, manufacturers and retailers have a clear understanding of their customer and their needs, as well as understanding their position relative to their competition.  

Besides creating the concept of a collection and manufacturing it, one have to consider a range of issues like construction and retail prices, as well as a sufficient customer base. Also, whether the garments are delivered at the right time to the stores and the stores pay for the stock at an agreed time frame. Then, there is a good chance to start a fashion business.

By offering a product that is not currently available, or one with an added value quality, fashion buyers will consider stocking pieces from the collection. If the pieces sell quickly and at the full retail price, the buyer will reorder and replace the stock, or plan to order the following season.

Having all this information in mind, think about ways of creating market demand and stay tuned for further details regarding developing fashion collections. 

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What is a collection

Persuading retailers to stock your designs

Paris Shanghai making of, or the diary of the collection

What will follow is magic. A collection of 12 videos. The making of the Chanel Paris Shanghai 2009/2010 collection. For me watching them was like sneaking in Karl Lagerfeld’s day to day life.

You’ll see a little bit of the entire process of making a fashion collection at Chanel: the atelier, the team, the drawing, the pattern making, the embroidery, the accessorizing, the inspiration and much more. 

Episode 1: Maison Chanel

Episode 2: The first fittings

Episode 3: The ateliers

Episode 4: Coco Chanel’s apartment 

Episode 5: Fittings la Suite 

Episode 6: Maison d’arts

Episode 7: Shooting of the press kit

Episode 8: Departure

Episode 9: Shanghai

Episode 10: The accessorization 

Episode 11: The fashion show

Episode 12: The interview 

Design Schools: Parsons the New School for Design

Located in New York City’s Greenwich Village, many of Parsons alumni have ascended to the top of the industry’s high-fashion houses. Parsons boasts 26 degrees among its five thematic schools, but the one which made the school a world renowned is the department of fashion design.

It as founded in 1906 and it was the first-ever fashion design program in USA. Among its alumni are Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Isaac Mizrahi. 

Parsons also offers a four-week summer intensive-studies program in order for those who want to be admitted to experience art school and to build a strong portfolio. Registration starts in November and spots fill quickly. 

• Address: 55 West Thirteenth Street, New York, New York 10011
• Web address: http://www.newschool.edu/parsons/
• Tuition: $ 33,700 per year
• Undergraduate enrollment: 3,815

In addition to individual program facilities, Parsons provides resources, including design libraries, computer labs, and galleries and exhibition facilities, that are available to all Parsons students.

You might also like:

Design Schools: Fashion Institute of Technology

Design Schools: Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design

How to sell online

No matter if you dream of being a designer, you are an emerging designer, or you have already quite an experience in the field, I’m sure you have thought at least once about whether to sell online your products and how to do it. 

Here’s an interesting interview with Ray Cao, CEO of Loosebutton.com, on how to sell online fashion items.

Designers profile: Holly Fulton

Holly Fulton is a quickly-rising London fashion designer, who graduated from Edinburgh College of Art with a BA (Hons) in fashion in 1999 and debuted at London Fashion Week her A/W 2009 collection.

According to her words, she creates pieces that she ”would want to wear or think is right at the time” and she finds inspiration in, “art deco; pop intense qualities, aboriginal art; jewelery in many forms; collections of all kinds of things, including 60s clocks, Swedish glass, books of any sort and others.”

“The ethos of my work is to capture a couture finish and an attention to detail within ready to wear. I aim to re-interpret the traditions of handwork and the use of techniques within couture into contemporary materials and silhouettes to create strong, cohesive collections of womenswear and jewellery. The use of decorative surfaces is vital within my work and I am constantly endeavouring to create a challenging yet beautiful surface which pushes the boundaries of modern fashion.

My working technique begins with drawing extensively and working through my references with constant re-interpretation. I believe the sheer amount of work and processes involved in producing my work makes it slightly unique. I love the extra dimension working with different materials has brought to my design, from crystallised elements to electrical cables. The scope for future exploration of materials continually pushes me and my work”, reveals Holly Fulton. 

Show of the 1959 Chanel collection

A little bit of inspiration from  history: 

Designers at work: Yves Saint Laurent’s fashion drawings

“Ballet Russes”, Fall/Winter 1976-1977

In the documentary Yves Saint Laurent: His Life and Times, the legendary designer was revealing these facts about the way he creates through drawing: “When I pick up a pencil I don’t know what I will draw. Nothing is planned. It’s the miracle of the moment. I start with a woman’s face, and suddenly the dress follows, or the garment takes shape. It’s a very pure form of creation, without any preparation, without any vision.and it is what impresses me most. This surge of thoughts. This capacity of creating clothes. No one’s more amazed than me. when the design is done I’m very happy. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not. Then, you must stop drawing, go and do something else. But you will always come back to the paper and pencil.” 

“Toreador”, Fall/Winter 1979

“Le Smoking”, Fall/Winter 1966

“Homage to Braque”, Spring/Summer 1988