Inside the Fashion Design Process From Briefs to Assembly

Whether you’re an aspiring high-fashion designer or simply curious about the entire process of fashion design, check out the following overview:

1. 1. Consulting the brief. Designers often receive requests from managers or clients who want them to design particular fashion projects or create a new collection. It is the fashion designer’s job to meet the demands of the client or fashion house, and create a product design that fits the style, values, budget, and constraints of the brand. The clients will include this pertinent information in a fashion brief, a document detailing the project’s scope, and other necessary information a designer needs before starting production.
2. 2. Finding inspiration. Fashion is more than just the clothing you wear, but the way it is worn and the visual story it tells. Whether designing for someone else’s label or making a collection for their own, designers look for inspiration in their daily life. They’ll pull inspiration from resources like music, art, history, architecture, and fashion trends. Designers try to discern what current fashion trends communicate about consumers’ wants and needs to inform their designs.
3. 3. Sketching ideas. Sketches help designers mentally visualize designs. Sketches present an idea in a tangible form, giving the image another viewpoint. Sketches are the foundation of design; these minimalistic, flat drawings can communicate the technical elements of an idea, including darts and seams, sleeve length, overall length, fit, shape, and more. Eventually, these sketches will become a blueprint for the pattern maker to create the first muslin or prototype.
4. 4. Honing in on the design. Many designers use a mood board or inspiration board to hone in on their design style. These reference points can help organize inspirational concepts or materials and see which creative ideas strike the most interest. Photos, magazines, books, and film are all resources designers use to inspire their designs. They may also include fabric swatches or textile design ideas to narrow down their style choices further.
5. 5. Choosing fabrics. Designers have to select the right type of fabric to express their design ideas adequately. Sometimes, the fabric will dictate the type of garment the designer makes; other times, the type of silhouette will inform the fabric selection. Good designers research the weight, thickness, and construction of their fabric selection to better understand how they fit, move, and drape on the human body.
6. 6. Picking colors. Color is a powerful tool for transmitting a mood. It’s often the first thing people notice when they look at any garment of clothing. Fashion designers must choose the right color palettes to ensure they depict the appropriate mood and story for their garments. Learn more about how designers create color schemes in our color theory guide.
7. 7. Considering silhouettes. There are different approaches to using silhouettes to define a garment’s shape and how they fit the human body. Designers must consider the target consumer’s body type and the fabric they plan to use to create the right look. They have to be mindful of proportions, balance, and how certain pieces drape or move. Silhouettes can be an easy aspect to overlook in the two-dimensional sketching phase, but being mindful of a silhouette’s impact throughout all design stages is essential.
8. 8. Sampling and prototyping. Eventually, the designer will finalize their sketches and send them to patternmakers for prototyping. Patternmakers create the first clothing sample with materials like muslin, a loosely-woven cotton fabric often used to test garment patterns before cutting and stitching the final product. Prototypes aim to capture the spirit of the final garment through their shape, draping, and fabric choice. This product sample marks the first time a designer will see their garment in a three-dimensional form, which they can revise and edit as needed.
9. 9. Assembling the garment. Construction brings a design to life. The designer must determine the best techniques to use to formally construct their garment, like stitching, buttons, or zipper choice. These design choices must work within the context of their fashion story. For instance, the frayed, unfinished look works well for a streetwear fashion collection, but it may not be the best choice for an elegant evening gown.
10. 10. Testing the garment. Designers often use fashion models to visualize and conceptualize their designs. Models allow designers to see how their clothing fits and lays on a real, three-dimensional person. If wearability is a concern for a design, some models will offer feedback on a garment’s design functionality, like how it feels in terms of size, texture, or mobility, which can further inform any changes designers need to make when creating the final, polished product.

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