What turns a fashion designer into a good fashion
designer?
Sad to say, I am not really certain the exact answer to this
question. However, I would say that “understanding
ones consumer” and “meeting the needs of that consumer” is high up on the list
of important factors. A good designer
will take these issues into account before they create their collections.
As with viewing artwork or selecting a significant other, “beauty
is in the eye of the beholder”. Since
this is the case, how do we possibly make consumers happy if everyone views
fashion in a different way. The key to
becoming a successful fashion designer is to NOT try to make everyone happy. You must identify the audience that you wish
to captivate and then keep them in mind as you create your collections. Because it is not possible to appeal to
everyone, appeal to those that you wish.
It does not matter if your goal is to appeal to one person
or if you want to appeal to a large audience.
The concept remains the same. Determine what that niche finds appealing and
provide them what they desire.
In addition to attempting to meet the aesthetic needs of
your audience, a good fashion designer obviously must have a knowledge of
textiles and a strong grasp on garment construction. Having a design in one’s own had is merely half
the battle. An extraordinary designer
will understand how to design a garment that can actually be produced to fit
well. Looking fantastic is one
thing, but being comfortable is yet another. OK, my own personal taste has crept into this
blog post. I believe that are garment
must be visually appealing and at the same time fit superbly. Yes, I agree that some people may prefer to be
uncomfortable as long as they look good.
Again, it is important for a designer to understand his or her consumer.
Consumers perceives clothing and style differently from one
another. We all have our own sense of
style and determine our likes and dislikes based on personal preference. Famous designers are often revered because
they appeal to a large audience. Others
are perceived to be extraordinary because they do very well appealing to a niche.
Fashion designers will design clothing and accessories for
various reasons. Here are a few
examples:
- Design for fit & comfort
- Design for aesthetics
- Design for shock & uniqueness (check out some of the crazy runway collections at fashion week).
- Design for commercial viability
- Design for marketing effect
- Design for mass appeal
- Design for price point
The reality is that a fashion designer can be reviewed based
on numerous and widely different criteria.
Two very different designers can
be deemed good but for very different reasons.
Take for example a designer of
punk rock fashion and compare them to a designer of a golf apparel line. Even if their likes and dislikes are at the opposite
end of the spectrum, they can both be considered exceptionally good fashion
designers.
In your opinion, what criteria must a fashion designer meet
in order to qualify as exceptional in his or her field? What makes a good fashion designer? You are welcome to share your thoughts below.
You can learn more about popular fashion designers in our directory. Below are a few examples of what you can find.
Alexander McQueen
Alexander Wang
Anna Sui
Bill Blass
Bottega Veneta
Calvin Klein
Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.