Fashion Portfolio E-Book

Anna Kiper

• Herausgeber: Batsford
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 123

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

The book takes the reader through all the major steps of fashion portfolio creation. It features the main components of the design process from the identification of inspiration sources and fashion trends research to conceptualization of a complete fashion collection. The topics covered include mood/fabric boards development, creation of original and innovative textiles as well as fashion silhouettes and garment details development through extensive research, quick design sketching, fabric manipulation, and draping experimentation. Great original designs and illustrations by the author as well as design sketch samples by established designers are provided throughout. There are samples of sketchbooks from professional and emerging fashion artists. The book provides some insight from established fashion and accessories designers on the highlights and challenges of the creative process. It is a great professional reference for techniques in the portfolio development. A beautiful but practical book that provides useful techniques and helps the reader get inside the mind of the designer.

Leseprobe

FASHION

PORTFOLIO

A portfolio is the mirror of a designer. At a glance it showcases one’s aesthetic, thinking process, ability to create and potential to execute.

Lubov Azria

Chief Creative Officer

BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP

FASHION

PORTFOLIO

DESIGN AND PRESENTATION

ANNA KIPER

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I FASHION IN PERSPECTIVE

II DESIGN

CREATIVE PROCESS AND DESIGN TOOLS

CONCEPTUAL THINKING

DESIGN APPROACHES

III PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES

FASHION DRAWING AND MEDIA

ILLUSTRATION STYLES

PRESENTATION WITH IMPACT

FLATS FOR DESIGN AND PRESENTATION

IV DEVELOPING COLLECTIONS

V SPECIALISATIONS

KNITWEAR

ACTIVEWEAR

LINGERIE

EVENING WEAR

MENSWEAR

CHILDRENSWEAR

ACCESSORIES

PORTFOLIO COVERS

THE LOOK BOOK

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND RESOURCES

INDEX

INTRODUCTION

What is fashion — art or craft? The common perception is that fashion always has a practical, utilitarian purpose. However, on occasion, brilliant, creative minds elevate fashion to the level of art, affecting our views and emotions with their vision, telling us powerful stories and transporting us to their imaginary worlds through their collections.

Fashion geniuses have transformed society by changing common perceptions — Chanel liberated women, giving them an independent, powerful look marked by a military-styled tweed suit; Dior brought back the hour-glass silhouette, instilling femininity into post-war fashion; Comme des Garçons questioned human form and shape, thereby redefining the traditional concept of female beauty through garment deconstruction and an all-black attire; and McQueen, with his unleashed, burning talent brought a strong emotional component to his collections, constantly referring to death and his personal struggles. Balenciaga and Ferré forever merged architecture and fashion, while Issey Miyake and Hussein Chalayan explored innovative ways to fuse fashion with technology. Miyake was fascinated by the technical process of garment creation, the inherent mishaps, and therefore the innovation that occurred throughout the stages. Chalayan broke away from the traditional materials of fashion, using pieces of plastic from cars and metal from airplanes.

Probably one of the most fascinating achievements in fashion was Elsa Schiaparelli’s design approach. Rather than following the more traditional method of designing collections around individual looks inspired by the latest textiles and embellishments, she introduced the idea of storytelling through her collections, which were inspired by distinct and complex themes. Decades later, Yves Saint Laurent, fascinated by the narrative method, developed his Out-of-Africa safari story and Russian collection, tying together all elements such as textiles, silhouettes, styling, and mood to make a cohesive presentation. Designers today continue with this effective approach.

This book sheds light on the many ways a designer can pursue the creative process. Many designers surround themselves with beautiful objects, images and textiles to create an inspirational environment that sparks design ideas. Some gravitate to the technical language of draping and construction. Others emphasise sketching as the primary design tool, endlessly documenting their ideas on paper, and some, on the contrary, deconstruct and reconstruct vintage clothes, inspired by the transformation of the garment.

No matter what the creative approach is, it is critical to capture personal vision in the form of the design journal and portfolio. As designers evolve and mature, the fashion portfolio needs to express their current state of mind, design aesthetic, world perceptions and unique life experiences.

Designers have an important responsibility to society. They are the beauty and style receptacles, collecting and filtering cultural trends to generate the aesthetic of their times. Through careful observation, intensive research, experiments, and studies, documented in design journals and portfolios, designers should strive to create meaningful and personalised garments, cherished by customers for years.

Highly competitive fashion companies expect designers to constantly update their portfolios reflecting changes in society, technology and trends. The designer’s portfolio is the ultimate expression of their identity, capturing a sensibility, style, target customer, market and price point. Nothing is more important for a fashion company than to have a successful match between the company’s business focus and the creative identity of their designer. A designer’s portfolio is what companies rely on to assess this match, and get a glimpse into their own future. From cover to cover, the fashion portfolio is the summary of designer’s creative achievements and it is impossible to overstate its significance.

FASHION IN PERSPECTIVE

1900s The Gibson Girl

The Exposition Universelle held in Paris at the dawn of the new millennium showcased the industrialisation of a modern age. Against the backdrop stood the Gibson Girl, in her delicate swirling white lace skirts designed by Charles Frederick Worth, the grandfather of haute couture. Echoing the curvaceous lines of the popular Art Nouveau style, the favoured silhouette was that of a ‘mature woman,’ with her mono-bosom and ‘s-curve’ shape accentuating a heavily corseted waist. Her long, romantic bishop sleeves and the modest, high-necked gowns were topped with long strands of pearls and wide-brimmed hats with ostrich plumes.

1900s Styles: Tailor-made suits, tea gowns

Colours: White, cream, pastel pink, pale blue, mauve

Fabrics: Lace, crêpe de chine, chiffon, tulle

Designers: Charles Frederick Worth, Jacques Doucet, Callot Soeurs, Drecoll, Redfern, Madame Paquin

Fashion Influences: Princess Alexandra, The Gibson Girl, La Gazette du Bon Ton, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar

Artists: Giovanni Boldini, John Singer Sargent

1910s The Age of Decadence

Arguably the most important fashion influence in history, WWI set the tone for the second decade of the new century with the relaxation of social standards. Women were exploring a new-found ease of dress with the reduction in prominence of the corset and the high-waisted, tubular silhouettes of the period. Society found an escape from the horrors of daily wartime life in the exoticism of the Orient and the Classical Ideal, which showed up in the unusual textiles and asymmetrical drapery. The columnar, ankle length skirts were topped with decadent cocoon coats and turbans or extra-wide brimmed hats.

1910s Styles: The hobble skirt, Turkish pants, cocoon coats, turbans and fillets, parasols

Colours: Rich palette-reds, pinks, military greens

Fabrics: Hand painted, embellished silks, net, burn-out velvet

Designers: Paul Poiret, Lucile, Jean Lanvin, Mario Fortuny

Fashion Influences: Theda Bara, Pola Negri, Mary Pickford, Isadora Duncan, Mata Hari, Nijinsky and the Ballet Russes

Illustrators: Alastair, Aubrey Beardsley, Leon Bakst, Etienne Drian, Georges Lepape

Movies: Silent films like Cleopatra

A solid foundation in fashion history is immensely useful for many fashion designers when seeking inspiration, and an understanding of past styles allows young designers to communicate with other industry professionals. Learning the way that styles have changed throughout the past can improve one’s ability to forecast future trends, and training the eye to notice historical trends in silhouettes, fabric, colour stories and design motifs, can improve the ability to transform these ideas into new designs.

1920s The Flapper

With the post-war relaxation of social standards, new sporting activities and dances like the Tango and the Charleston had a profound affect on the modern ‘jazz-age’ generation. Women’s suffrage was reflected in the most casual of dress seen in centuries. The ideal figure was ‘the garçon’, a youthful, energetic, boyish quality with skirts to the knees and bare arms. This new woman smoked cigarettes, bobbed her hair, and would never be seen in a corset. With the widespread use of the automobile came mobility and freedom, as well as time for recreational activities like tennis and golf.

1920s Styles: Robe de Style, Flapper dress, jersey separates, cardigan sweaters, tennis sweaters, cloche hat, gloves, silk stockings, long strands of pearls, costume jewellery, feather and fur boas, ankle-strap shoes; the bob and ‘Eton’ crop, rouged lips, pencilled eyebrows, the introduction of the zip

Colours: Sunset colours: sea green, dusty rose, slate blues and grays

Fabrics: Silk crêpe, silk georgette, beaded silks

Designers: Madeleine Vionnet, Coco Chanel, Hattie Carnegie, Sonia Delaunay, Jean Patou

Fashion Influences: Colleen Moore, Clara Bow, Claudette Colbert, Josephine Baker, Louise Brooks, Rudolph Valentino

Illustrators: Erté, J.C. Leyendecker

Fashion Photographers: George Hoyningen-Huene

Movies, Theatre and Books: Ziegfeld Follies, Charlie Chaplin, Aelita, the ‘It Girl’, Pandora’s Box, The Great Gatsby

1930s The Movie Star

Following the stock market crash of 1929, The Depression coloured the reality of fashion for many once-well-shod, but both the glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood movies and the abstraction of surrealism were outlets for the nation. The boyish looks of the 1920s matured into a feminine silhouette, with a return to the natural waist, her curves emphasised by bias-cut dresses. This highly feminine decade featured flowers and ruffles, with demure Peter Pan collars and dropped hemlines. The width of her shoulders were dramatically emphasised by puffed or ruffled sleeves, giving a strong basis for the classical silhouettes.

1930s Styles: Bathing suits, bared-back evening gowns, envelope bags, fur capes and stoles, short, curly hair

Colours: Cream, peach, gold, champagne, chartreuse, shocking pink

Fabrics: Charmeuse, chiffon, nylon, floral prints, ruffles, bows, bias-cut drapery

Designers: Elsa Schiaparelli, Mainbocher, Madam Grés, Robert Piguet, Marcel Rochas, Elizabeth Hawes

Fashion Influences: Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Gloria Swanson, Marlene Dietrich, Ginger Rogers, Jean Harlow, Wallis Simpson, Anna May Wong

Illustrators: René Bouét-Williaumez

Fashion Photographers: Cecil Beaton, Horst P. Horst, Man Ray, Martin Muncasci, Edward Steichen, Erwin Blumenfeld

Movies: It Happened One Night, Gone with the Wind, The Women, Letty Lynton, Top Hat, She Done Him Wrong, Shanghai Express

Fashion trends do not precisely follow the calendar, and many designers, celebrities, photographers and trends last far longer than one decade. The following is an attempt to identify the time period in which they were most influential, and help to organise major movements in social trends and the styles that followed them.

1940s Wartime

WWII put fashion in an unusually practical position, with women forced into factory work after the men had left for the front. Fabric rationing meant less fullness in the skirts and sleeves, and contributed to the slimmer, no-nonsense silhouettes and alternate materials like rayon. The ‘make do and mend’ campaign saw the recycling of garments and contrasting fabrics. With Paris occupied and London under siege, fashion saw a reliance on American designers and ready-to-wear for the first time. The feminine, romantic feeling of the 1930s sobered up to a mature, practical woman with her nipped-in waist, practical knee-length skirts, padded shoulders and long sleeves.

1940s Styles: Practical workwear, austere tailored suits, wrap-around ‘popover’ dress, recycled knits

Utilitarian details: Patch pockets, epaulettes, larger buttons platform shoes, spectator shoes, fur stoles, shoulder-strap bags high-rolled hairstyles, snood hairnets, red lipstick, ‘painted’ stockings

Colours: Dark and dusty: utility blue, browns, grab green, beige

Fabrics: Wool, cotton, denim, rayon, seersucker, jersey, pinstripes, small scattered patterns

Designers: Norman Norell, Claire McCardell, Hattie Carnegie, Pierre Balmain, Edith Head, Adrian, Jacques Fath

Fashion Influences: Lauren Bacall, Lana Turner, Rita Hayworth, Kathryn Hepburn, Rosie the Riveter, Carmen Miranda

Illustrators: Eric, Alberto Vargas

Photographers: Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Lee Miller, Irving Penn

Movies: Gilda, Casablanca, It’s a Wonderful Life, Rebecca

1950s The New Look

The post-war return to domesticity saw a resurgence in high fashion, and the practical woman became a sophisticated lady in the 1950s. Her retreat to the home saw the return of the proper corseted waist, impractically full skirts, softly rounded shoulders and bracelet-length sleeves. A return to extravagant eveningwear and matched ensembles were a requirement for any well-dressed woman, but the Rockabilly and Beatniks also brought a youthful influence from the streets.

1950s Styles: Twinsets, pencil skirts, shirtwaist dress, cocktail dress, strapless ball gowns, ‘the little black dress,’ fur coats, stiletto heel, pearl necklaces, clutch purses, matching accessories, chignon hairstyles, gingham dresses, pedal pushers, Converse and Keds sneakers, preppy style

Colours: Jewel tones, neutrals

Fabrics: Wool tweed, cashmere, satin, taffeta, organza, nylon net, cotton piqué

Designers: Christian Dior, Cristobal Balenciaga, Pierre Balmain, Charles James, Norman Hartnell, Hardy Amies, Pauline Trigère, Hubert de Givenchy

Fashion Influences: Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, Eva Peron, Evelyn Tripp

Illustrators: René Gruau, Coby Whitmore, Rene Bouché, Bernard Blossac

Photographers: Bill Brandt, Diane Arbus, William Klein, Cecil Beaton

Movies: Sabrina, Funny Face, The Seven Year Itch, Rebel Without a Cause, The Wild One, La Dolce Vita, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, All About Eve, To Catch a Thief, Rear Window

The rise of teenage culture and rock and roll during this decade had a lasting influence on fashion, as did the electronic age and the rise of suburban development, shopping malls, and the domestic use of washing machines.

1960s The Mod

The woman who had been maturing over the last 30 years started over again in the 1960s, with a wide-eyed return to youthfulness and a naïve schoolgirl look colourfully influenced by Pop Art and Op Art. The look was unisex, with waistless sack dresses, short haircuts, and sleeveless tops. The mod styles of swinging London’s Carnaby Street and King’s Road reached the world along with The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, James Bond, and The Avengers in a ‘British Invasion.’ Hemlines shot up to the mini-skirt, showcasing colourful tights and go-go boots, and silver and metallic colours highlighted the inspiration of the Space Age. The free spirits of the decade saw the freedom of oral contraception and the Women’s Lib movement, and politics met fashion in the Equal Rights Movement, at Woodstock and protests against the Vietnam War.

1960s Styles: Mini-skirts, shift dresses and jumpers, boxy coats, turtlencks, bold top-stitching, oversized hardware, go-go boots, hipster style, ‘bee-hive’ and bouffant hair-dos, bob and wedge haircuts, cat-eyed eyeliner, pillbox hats, headbands

Colours and Prints: Mondrian-inspired colour blocks in primary colours, silver, white, Pucci prints

Fabrics: Futuristic: PVC, acrylic, polyester, crimplene, plastic discs, chainmail, clear plastic inserts.

Designers: André Courrèges, Paco Rabanne, Pierre Cardin, Mary Quant, Oleg Cassini, Ossie Clark, Rudi Gernreich, Guy Laroche, Bonnie Cashin, Emilio Pucci, Valentino

Fashion Influences: Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton, Edie Sedgwick, Peggy Moffitt, Penelope Tree, Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot, Jackie Kennedy

Illustrators: Andy Warhol, Bob Peak

Photographers: Richard Avedon, Norman Parkinson, David Bailey

Movies: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Belle de Jour, Barbarella, The Graduate, West Side Story

1970s From Hippie to Disco

With the Vietnam War hovering overhead, the protesting, disco-generation embraced personal politics with free love and flower power. Multi-cultural influences were strong, with a dreamy nostalgia and interest in folkloric and vintage styles. The romantic, neo-Art-Nouveau chic of ‘The Biba Look’ was inexpensive and available to the masses via mail order. This accessible, handmade or ethnic natural look met the Studio 54 hip-hugger waists, flared pants, collared shirts and shirtwaist dresses of the Disco era.

1970s Styles: Trouser suits, ready-to-wear, t-shirts, maxi-dresses, A-line skirts, hotpants, bell bottoms, jumpsuits, craft revival, knitted hats and scarves, platform shoes, long, straight, centre-parted hair

Colours and Prints: Earthtones, Missoni patterns, floral prints

Fabrics: Polyester, lycra, brushed wool, corduroy, tweed, suede, oversized plaids

Designers: Yves Saint Laurent, Halston, Zandra Rhodes, Perry Ellis, Anne Klein, Diane von Furstenberg, Betsey Johnson, Kenzo

Fashion Influences: Farah Fawcett, Lauren Hutton, Angelica Houston, Olivia Newton-John, Angela Davis, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall, Patti Smith, ABBA, David Bowie, T. Rex

Illustrators: Kenneth Paul Block, Robert Melendez, Robert Passantino

Photographers: