fashions?

[panic in paradise]

im the type who latches onto a subject, immerse, excel, then abandon. im getting too old for that, its time to fight that...

with no experience at all, i feel i could make some nice, unintrusive, minimal but eyefull dresses etc.

im planning a year of practice and study before i made something of my own, and longer to make it over and over.

i heard its much like the music industry which iam familiar with. i imagine i should have 3 garments at least to present to either an established company, or ,, find an investor in the industry, source models, take a thousand pictures, place adds in local rags and the web, source out stores and either go on commission with several spread out stores in different areas where different styles are wanted or are more practicle, annnd hope it sells fast and builds a reputation?

i seriously need to pull something like this out of my hat, i really am usless at any ordinary job due to my physical condition, so i have time, tenacity, need, inspiration, vision, ability, creativity and uniqueness.

this is a gas huh, lol, well im nutty and surprising enough to do it, i just have a mass of study and practice...


does anyone reading this have experience with this industry? if i actually create a few 'worth it' dresses, is it a combo of the right place right time, talent, and gab. or are their more direct routes to take some confident designs on.
how likely would it be for a truly gorgeous design to be stolen, or would is that uncommon because of common style amongst designers?

would attempting to collaborate with a local producer and getting into the scene that way be wiser, then going my own? with an agent/manager yug, ive had bad experiences with these types... but they are sure so handy dandy, in the meantime.


i would look for an apprenticeship, but im i have no meens to do that now, there is an artist co op a jog down the road, but they do a lot of aluminum work, and large avangaurd sculptures. im certain there are several local designer/producers close, and then there is vancouver annnd seattle, not nyc or paris but, fuck it!

this is odd especially if you kind of know me, if you truly did, you would probably again say" yeah if any one, hes crazy enough and had the sense to do it, but,
how many such things has he near perfected then crushed..."

so, any info, insight, thoughts, warnings, suggestions, experiences, or resources will be anticipated.

 

[Fawkes]

i studied Fashion Marketing and Design in college, but i warn you my experience is limited as i didn't pursue the field and now work in Finance.

i guess the question is what do you want to do? do you want to design for a large, established fashion house? or do you want to have a small independent company and sell designs locally? do you want to hand-make your designs or do you want to out-source the construction?

to get into a fashion house or even build one of your own, you need to know people and apprentice or intern for people in an established house. in these times, more often than not an education from somewhere like Parsons is preferred. high-end fashion houses are tough business and you really need to know someone already integrated to be respected or taken seriously. i wouldn't recommend knocking on their door to show your designs.

if you're trying to do something a little more modest, i'd suggest putting together some quality pieces and then getting involved in your local fashion scene. most cities have a Fashion Week, ours is in November, which is a perfect opportunity to show your designs, mingle and take orders.

from what i understand, especially with big designers, designs are often stolen and because it's not blatant and often reinterpreted, there's little you can do about it. how can anyone copyright a trend?

an instructor of mine designs reconstructed t-shirts into ball-gowns. she operates from home and pretty much established the fashion scene in Phoenix. i believe all her designs are made to order and she has examples online. if it were me, and perhaps one day it will be, i'd follow a similar route she did. start out small and if it got bigger, hire more people. i think if your designs are good, people will notice.

another suggestion to sell and show-case designs: etsy. if you've never heard of etsy, be forewarned it's addicting. but it definitely provides a forum to gain a wider audience.

so with that said, my suggestion is to immerse yourself in your local fashion scene (socialize, attend fashion shows, read up in your local fashion magazines, familiarize yourself with who's who) and find out when and what's required to participate in Fashion Week (Seattle's is in May) and start putting together designs. if you don't know how to sew, you can always contract a seamstress or pattern-maker.

be warned it's a superficial and dog-eat-dog industry. for instance, the instructor i mentioned was asked by our local newspaper to follow her and then write a story on her. Ecstatic about the potential exposure, she agreed... they wrote a very lengthy, very detailed and very scathing article; the summation being she and her designs were a joke. she was devastated.

please keep me abreast of which route you decide and how it's all going, if only to live vicariously. i'm eager to read other responses by more experienced people.

 

[panic in paradise]

well my plan after testing my capabilities, would be to start looking much closer at individuals, try to further grasp any actual possibilities, and then working myself into the local scene. i know for sure there is one in the small city i live in, there are very eclectic -lol- farmers markets where you can by essential oils, hand made clothing/jewelry, fresh goat milk yogurt, hand made music instruments etc. but its mostly earthy hippy type stuff.

not the style id be going for, there are people from all over the world living and visiting here. this i not a cheap place to live and, haha, people like the nordstroms have several homes in the area, so its a very diverse place, and i know not everyone wants to wear hemp all the time, so sleek black and white, or wavy flowing nouveau type dresses are needed too, maybe more then they realize .

there are many small individual owned clothing stores around, and i have seen promotions for fashion show/parties. i will be searching for such events, and local designers/fashion houses. as i said i need to see what i can do, besides; sketch, be motivated, have a plan be persistent and focused. iii am not going to be able to drive for a while, so being able to attend as many events as possible, have an apprenticeship too far and the same goes for an internship, for now would be too much.

thats more time to practice though, find my niche, and attend what events i can. there is no way i could be leaning over a massive cutting board, cutting out patterns on some one else's clock for long with my physical condition. i have all sorts of health issues, so after all this time not being able to work or go to school, this is what has become my driving goal...

i couldnt imagine a seamstress unless i was asked for a few dozen garments, then i would have to get a retainer to pay for that...

i stayed a float in the DJ business for a while, and imagine its about the same where clubs and raves become places for producers, djs, promoters, crews, and labels to mingle, and id imagine there are just as many snakes in the mix. my manager burnt me, and i learned a lot in that 5 minutes.

so yeah, time to read up and the goings on, where its going on, and see what i can put on.

thank you very much for your response, very insightful, you confirmed many thoughts and sparked new ones, and good links. hopefully this is a interestingly good chapter im opening.

im also interested to hear more experiences...!

oh and, wish me luck...

Please...!?!

 

[sunshinefix]

I am just curious as to how you plan on executing any designs you have. I mean, my experience is not with fashion but I did study Costume Design in college which is designing costumes for theatrical performances. I have lots of training in the production of apparel and design and I can't even quite wrap my head around any cohesive collection, nor do I have the financial means to even buy the materials needed to start anything by myself.

As a designer, my advice to you is to not go the safe route. Make something nobody else would think of. I would also say that you should just start out making your own clothes. Oh, and draw every day!

 

[panic in paradise]

well i have been studying and looking into the local scene, and interviews with local designers... and there is indeed a large local demand. there are lots of thrift and second hand stores, lots of youth hit them trying to create be unique and oddly extravagant. they also will spend on such relative apparel, thrown together shabby sheik type stuff, like the ball room type dresses Future Pig mentioned.

i have a lot to learn about fabrics, i know i really like Modal, and Rayon, fine-sheer-conforming-cottons, and linen. Modal is neat, doesnt wrinkle dries fast sounds cool, feels stiff and takes on shapes, but soft cool and smooth. but, the clothes i have made with 60-70% modal are pricey.

the demand is here, there are options, i have a lot of ideas, and they all fall into 3 genres, besides corsets.

if i have more then an eye and vision; which would be talent, ability, gab, and luck. i will have to put together a group of pieces, advertise them, sell as much as i can make of several pieces, or make to order and use that profit, if much, to construct more designs, continue building a wardrobe, connections, and a circle of faith.

but yeah, by next summer i hope to have a several skirts/dresses/corsets made from practicle materials, that dry fast, wont wrinkle/or minimally so, draw strings, etc. most of my inspiration comes from Mucha, victoriana, burlesque, nyc nights, days comfortable outside, functional, easily kept and cared for.

ultimately, if im damn good lol, sleek black on black, with some white features that scream wow dresses is the goal, but not uncommon... now corsets, that would be the most economical to build, as far as the return, much easier to specialize and hone in on the market with, create a niche, and is a piece of clothing that has many functions, all about feeling and looking ones best. they can be so expensive, uncomfortable, useful, fun, but inhibiting. im sure what ever i think of will be out there, but not as obtainable or considered so much.

i can try putting together, and advertise in the local 'rags', music stores, privately owned salons, co ops, universities, interwebs, music events, bazaars etc.

heh, its hard to give a good schematic now, but its on my mind, right now, yes lots of sketching, listening and remembering complaints from, my wife and females about the daily inconveniences and needs/wants.

im a man, so i unfortunately can not invent for what i want or need as a convenience, menswear sucks for the most part, and is boring lol, and they dont buy nearly as many clothes...

 

[panic in paradise]

omg, im wondering through a fabric department, noting which materials i like and prices.

so much, but its easy to narrow it down.
,:D

edit: ok, the chronic pain had me out a while, but i have been soaking in as much as possible. i got a couple patterns to skrew up a few times, and am now looking for materials to experiment with.

i found i really really like the female garments "Paul & Joe" put together... but that stuff lol, yeah, 10, 15 years of constant obsessive practice?! with enormous natural ability...!?!


okay, my first materials purchase, the first was cheap, abundant, and i had a plan that turned easier, and better; i hope. an A frame out of the polyester>linen? sandy faint plaid, with bits of gold shimmer. which will have 3 large pleats, or loose running spreading folds, and spreading from the right hip. the darker of the “friction free" lining will make 1 tear, in a tear shape out from the bottom third or so; front left; back a 15° angle? half way across.
i have thread a bit darker then the lining to use for outer stitching.
this begs for, almost any color style top & style of accessories. i imagine a small red plaid coat, and white cotton top, with heavy accents lacy, and frilly, or straight lines also white cotton with a corset like loose V binding at the bust... etc.
conceptually...
: P

i haven't decided about the waste our fastening. i think i can make it work.

the second, this material i will hold onto a while, i figure the "onion peel over the yellow but, man, im going to think about it a good while, the yellow was hard to capture. it looks very authentic vintage, i was so concerned about buying it i didn't notice the material! hah
double embroidered, silky, rayon? rayon> polyester, maybe i need to freaking find out before its gone, and probably buy the rest of it....!

love it!