I saw the last drop of collaboration between luxury Spanish leather house Loewe and Japanese animation studio Ghibli, centered around « Howl’s moving castle » film. And it kept me wondering: when does a collaboration becomes more than just expensive version of Boxlunch licensed merchandising?
The purpose of this series is to teach you, with practical examples, how to design a full fashion collection, the full process, from start to finish, from the perspective of an independent fashion designer.
In the corporate fashion company, these jobs are divided amongst a full team of people. Tough luck, if you are reading this, chances are that you don’t have LVMH money. Don’t be sad though, it is achievable, with a lot, A LOT, of work and a few good tips.
For context, since I graduated from fashion school, I clothed myself not appear naked in public. It wasn’t fun or nice, it was just practical and functional. But lately, I have missed dressing up and feeling myself in my own clothes. Throughout the years, I have collected a few yards of each fabric that I liked and could afford, waiting for the moment when I would have the time to make me some beautiful clothes. I am going to use my personal collection as exemples.
We will do more than just making clothes together, we will touch on every subjects that is necessary to master, if you want to be an independent fashion designer.
I have always been petrified by the idea of being perceived as vulnerable. It has always been associated with danger and unease in my mind. I grew up in a household where I had to grow up fast, unable to rely on adults for safety. I had to create my own by not counting on anybody but myself. It took a toll on my mental health, because I had to be strong no matter the situation which is impossible and a perfect way to set yourself up for failure in a never-ending vicious circle of “I got hurt” “It’s my fault” “I shouldn’t have been in a situation where I could have been hurt” “I need to hyper-vigilant and avoid being hurt at all cost”. Rinse, repeat. I was a perfectionist.