Advanced Apparel Design
and
Construction
(For 1st year M.SC in Apparel Technology Students )
by: Dr. Merertu Wakuma (PhD)
2022
Objectives of The Course
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be
able
Analyze apparel designing process and its challenges
Analyze the role of fashion designers in apparel industry
Analyze the fashion designing elements and their application
in apparel production process
Analyse fashion design development;
Analyse critical factors to select raw material for apparel
production
Analyse the overall apparel designing and production
techniques
Chapter One
Introduction
Introduction
How do you define Fashion?
Fashion is an art and it is a science.
To be more brief it is an artistic science and scientific art
of learning to combine colour, form, pattern and texture for
the final effect that is right for the time, place and the user.
Fashion is associated with a particular Time or Period.
Introduction
Definition of fashion
According to the editorial policy of Fashion Theory: The
Journal of Dress, Body & Culture, fashion is defined as "the
cultural construction of the embodied identity."
It encompasses all forms of self-fashioning, including street
styles, as well as so-called high fashion created by
designers and couturiers
Introduction
Fashion also refers to the way in which things are made;
to fashion something is to make it in a particular form.
Most commonly, fashion is defined as the prevailing style
of dress or behavior at any given time, with the strong
implication that fashion is characterized by change.
Introduction
Fashion keeps on changing but the elements and
principles of design remain constant.
The very word Fashion connotes the way of living of
each one of us.
It is the inner feeling of every human being to
present himself or herself according to one’s own thinking.
“Fashion” and “life style” go hand- in- hand.
Introduction
People have become more fashion conscious, mainly
because in the competitive world that we face today, we
are conscious of society accepting us as we are.
The world of fashion brings delight and comfort to all
and talented people enable the world to progress with
fashion.
Whenever a style is accepted and worn by sufficient
number of people, it is in fashion or it becomes fashion.
History of Fashion
1910 - 1919
Trend: Feminine; hemlines were floor-
length to above the ankle
Fabrics: Gossamer, silk
Colors: Pastels; vivid, bright, and bold
colors made by new dyeing techniques
Designers: Paul Poiret, Jeanne Paquin
1920s
Trend: Sporty, athletic; short, bob hairstyle;
sleeveless dresses; knee-length hemlines; high
heels; cloche hats; costume jewelry
Fabrics: Cotton, knits, jersey, ...
Colors: Bold color combinations; solid shades;
geometric patterns
Designers: Coco Chanel, Jean Patou
1930s
Trend: Feminine; menswear-inspired; mid-calf
hemlines; sportswear; pant suits; backless gowns;
wedge heels
Fabrics: Bias-cut; silk, gabardine, chiffon; pleats and
draping
Colors: Muted colors and refined, elegant shades
Designers: Elsa Schiaparelli, Charles James
1940s
Trend: Fabric shortage caused shorter hemlines;
shirtdresses; thick heels; mix and match styles;
military-look
Fabrics: Gingham, denim, mix and match patterns;
using older clothes to make new clothes
Colors: Patriotic colors, navy, gray, and brown
Designers: Claire McCardell, Christian Dior
1950s
Trend: Retro fashion of the early 1900s; feminine;
cocktail dresses; bolero jackets; pencil skirts;
petticoat skirts; Capri pants; ballerina flats; stiletto
heels; gloves
Fabrics:Taffeta, wools, gazar silk
Colors: Pastels, grays, muted shades and jewel tones
Designers:Valentino, Cristobal Balenciaga
1960s
Trend: Early 60s – a-lines and pencil skirts, Jackie
Kennedy style; Mid 60s – Mod, miniskirts; Late 60s –
hippie, relaxed clothes
Fabrics: Geometric patterns, cotton, jersey, wool,
crochet
Colors: Pales, black, white, bright, bold, tie-dye, neon
Designers: Mary Quant, Pierre Cardin, Laura Ashley,
Pucci
1970s
Trend: Bell bottom pants; platform shoes; wrap dresses;
gaucho pants;Annie Hall menswear look
Fabrics: Plaids, polyester, rayon, jersey, tweed, wool
Colors: Patriotic colors (honoring bicentennial); pastels;
bright, shimmery satins; muted tweeds for work
Designers: Ralph Lauren, Halston, Gucci, Diane Von
Furstenberg
1980s
Trend: Preppie look; pop music styles; retro fashion of the
1950s; cocktail dresses; acid wash jeans, designer jeans;
big hair; balloon skirts; crop tops; exercise wear (bicycle
shorts, legwarmers); ballerina flats; leggings; tunics; big
sweaters; pumps
Fabrics:Taffeta, tulle, lycra, rayon, denim, sequins, knits
Colors: Neons, brights, jewel tones, bold, black
Designers: Donna Karan, Betsey Johnson, Perry Ellis,
Calvin Klein
1990s
Trend: crop tops; baggy jeans; tapered leg jeans; floral
dresses; boyfriend blazers; palazzo pants; grunge style;
lumberjack shirts; overalls; platform tennis shoes
Fabrics: Cotton, denim, knits, flannel, spandex
Colors: dark, muted; floral patterns; plaid; color block;
monochromatic; black
Designers: Giani Versace, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Tom
Ford
2000 - 2010
Trend: Vintage and Retro fashion; long lines from the 1930s,
nautical look from 1930s and 1940s, shirtdresses from
1940s and 1970s, bohemian skirts and tops from 1970s;
skinny jeans and tunics from 1980s
Fabrics: Cotton, knits, jersey, khaki, linen, rayon; vintage
clothes
Colors: All colors from muted and pale to bold and neon
Designers: Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood,
Alexander Wang, Stella McCartney, classic and vintage
Introduction to designing
Have you ever looked at the clothes you wear? Why they
have their shapes? How they are designed and put
together?
When anything is designed , it is “put together with some
intent or goal in mind”.
Everything that is not entirely accidental is to some extent,
DESINED.
Introduction to designing
Design is concerned with how needs are indentified,
related and in some cases stimulated.
Designing requires patience and planning.
Variety is the spice of life.
Love of fashion is deeply seated in human nature,
even in the old days regardless of the existence or absence
of wealth.
Introduction to designing
The fundamental characteristics of fashion are acceptance.
Styles offered by fashion designers are not fashion until
consumers accept them and purchase them.
The need of design in Fashion sector
Human being are inquisitive, and curious creatures, so the
fashion changes are motivated by the visual need for a
new image.
For many years, there has been change of fashion from
season to season because of temperature and weather
change, but now styles change more frequently, largely
because of our in born desire for something new.
So to respond to such frequent style changes there should
be a designer who will design different styles
frequently.
Principles and Methods of design
Creating or styling the appearance of a person with
reference to clothing, accessories and beauty in
corresponding with personality of any individual is fashion
designing.
Fashion designing involves knowledge of basic elements of
designing , understanding color cycle, brief study of history
of clothing, knowledge of fibers and different fabrics-
textiles, trims and embellishment, garment making and
personal grooming.
Concept of design and Design Process
in Fashion
How we see an object is determined by what we are
looking for. A garment will be viewed very differently by a
designer, or photographer, or wearer.
New developments in mass production and
information technology have helped to increase this
speed of change by decreasing the lead time between
design and finished stock entering the retail environment,
quickly turning catwalk fashion into high street equivalents.
How to start designing?
Design research
Where do ideas come from? Ideas can come from
anywhere, they can be completely original and connected
to the designer in a very individualistic way, or they can be
influenced by the current Zeitgeist (spirit of the time) as part
of ongoing trends.
Starting to collect research material will provide a focus for
your thoughts and provide material from which to start
generating ideas.
Design research
Sources of inspiration may be related to the designer's
personal experience; they can come from museums to ink
blots, from the Internet to family photographs.
Listed below are some of the more well-known sources of
inspiration.
Books and magazines
Art
Graphics and photography
Raw materials
Exhibitions
Travel
Cinema
Architecture, furniture, interior design
A Normal Fashion Cycle
Terms that keep designers in business..
Fashion
Fad
Classic
Style
Design
Trends
Fashion Cycle
Fashion
The currently accepted prevailing style.
Fad
A fashion with a sudden burst of popularity
Style
A characteristic or distinctive form of dress that exists
independent of fashion
Each person develops their own over time.
Classic
A fashion that retains general acceptance over a very extended
period of time
Design
Refers to a specific version of a style
Trend
The movement of a fashion into and through the
marketplace
Introduction of Tools
Measuring Tools
Cutting Tools
Pinning Tools
Marking Tools
