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