Advanced Apparel Design

and
Construction

 Lecture Two
Elements and Principles of
Fashion Design
Objectives:
 Explain the importance of each element of design
in relation to apparel design

 Apply the principles of design to apparel

 Describe how harmony is achieved in Fashion

designs

 Discuss how to use design to create illusions

that enhance appearance
 The Design Equation
 Elements  Principles
◦ Line ◦ Balance
◦ Shape ◦ Proportion
◦ Color ◦ Emphasis
◦ Texture ◦ Rhythm
 Elements of Design Include:
 Line = a moving point or dot;  Texture = the visible and
a connection between 2 points. tangible structure of a
surface.
 Shape= a two-dimensional
area enclosed by a line.  Light = the electromagnetic
energy making things visible
 Form = a three-dimensional
or radiant energy.
area enclosed by a surface.
 Pattern = the result that
 Space = empty area or extent;
occurs when any visual
a two-dimensional emptiness
element is repeated over an
or three-dimensional void. extended area.

 Color = a specific hue.

Elements of Design : Line
 Simplest and easiest element
to understand.

 Effect of a line can be created by

the edge of an object or shape.

 It leads the eye in the

direction line travels.

 It divides an area and can

communicate a feeling or mood.
 Elements of Design : Line
 Lines can be straight or curved, they can vary in
thickness, evenness, direction, sharpness, length,
and consistency.

 As line varies, it creates a contour of a shape and carries

a sense of symbolism. It reminds the viewer of a familiar
object or element in nature.
Elements of Design : Line
 Lines can be made through structural
movement and clothing construction.

 Darts, pleats, hems, pockets, collars, folds,

silhouette, edges, ruffles, braids or openings.

 Fabric can have stripes, checks, plaids,

herringbone, trim, piping, embroidery, or
ribbons.

 Chanel used lines in a manner that made

them classic.
 Line Direction
 Vertical Line – communicates
firmness, rigidity, strength,
dignity, and tradition.
 Add height through fabric
pattern and manipulation.
 Horizontal Line –
communicates rest, repose
and relaxation.
 Adds width so placement is
important.
 Line – Modular Grid
 Similar to a checkerboard
or graph.
 Seen in the 1960’s mod
look.
 Used to create color
blocking.
Diagonal Lines

 These types of lines are dynamic, suggest movement and

appear active and dramatic.

 Attracts the eye and commands attention.

 More appropriate for sportswear.

 Need to be careful because lines in too many

directions can be confusing to the eye.
Line - Curved

 This type of line is organic in nature.

 May reference human form, nature,

and water.

 Also see kinetic line – line in which

movement is perceived.
 Form, Shape & Space

 These elements are so closely

related, that many designers look
at them as a whole.

 The influences on form, shape and

space include:

Human form

Silhouettes
Form
 Defined as a 3-dimential area
enclosed by a surface.

 In fashion design, this has 2

meanings:

If the form is hollow, the

interior is perceived as
volume. Therefore, it refers
to structural clothing parts
that relate to and
compliment the exterior
contours of the body.
 Form
 Second, If the form is
solid, its interior is
described as mass.
 The term refers to the
body itself, fabric is
bounded by the
contours of the human
form.
 The human form is truly
the designers canvas.
Shape
 Shape is a subset of form.

 Defined as a flat, 2-dimensional

area enclosed by a line.

 That line creates a silhouette or

outline or edge of an interior area.

 Review back to the 3 silhouettes

through history: tubular, bell-shaped,
back-fullness.

 Contemporary silhouettes are A-

line, wedge, hourglass & bell.
 Space
 Space is empty area or
extent.
 Can refer to empty area
surrounding the human
form.
 Space exists in several
directions – forward,
backward, up, & down.
 It can also be a 2-
dimensoinal emptiness.
 COLOR Communication
 Black - elegant, sophisticated,  Orange - cheerful,
dignified, strong, serious, sad youthful, lively
 Brown - earthy, casual,  Violet - royal, wise,
comfortable, natural dramatic
 Navy - dignified, cool, classic,  Gray - modest, sad,
peaceful, calm quiet dignity,
professional
 Green – signifies life,
nature, friendly  Beige - quiet, tailored
 Red - aggressive,  White – innocent,
passionate, vibrant youthful, pure
 Yellow - sunny, cheerful,  Pink - soft, feminine
warm  Gold - wealth, power,
luxury
Using the COLOR Wheel
 Primary Hues
◦ Red,Yellow, Blue
 Secondary Hues
◦ Orange, Green,Violet
 Intermediate or Tertiary
Hues
◦ Yellow-green,Yellow-
orange, Red-orange, Red-
violet, Blue-violet, Blue-
green
 TEXTURE

 Tactile quality of goods or how

material feels

 Can be created from fibers, yarns, and

fabric construction

 Illusions

◦ Shiny, bulky, fuzzy, or heavy textures

make figures look larger

◦ Dull or flat textures tend to

slenderize
 The Principles of Design
Balance
 Formal balance
◦ Symmetrical
◦ Dignified
◦ Can look boring
 Informal balance
◦ Creates balance asymmetrically
◦ Elements placed unequally in a
way that achieves balance

 Equality among the parts of

a design or outfit
Proportion

 The spatial, or size, relationship of the parts of design to

each other and to the whole

 Most pleasing when divided unevenly

 Garments should bring out the natural proportions of the

body to be pleasing
EmphAsis

 A concentration of interest in a
particular part or area of a design.

 May be achieved with contrasts of

colors or textures, structural lines, or
unusual shapes
Rhythm
 Creates easy movement of the observer’s
eye by:
 Repetition
◦ Repeats lines, shapes, colors, or textures
 Gradation
◦ Increase or decrease of design elements
(also called progression)
 Radiation
◦ Created by lines or colors emerging
from a center (petals on a flower)
Harmony

 Pleasing visual unity of all aspects of a

design

 All parts of the design look as if they

belong

 Does not have excess variation that

could displease or detract
Illusions Created by Design

 When selecting garments, use the

elements and principles of design
to accentuate positive figure traits
and de-emphasize the negative
ones. Fashion professionals know
how to do this.
 Do You Know . . .

 How do cool and warm colors appear to change the size

and shape of a person?

 How can you use the elements and principles of design to

accomplish the following:

Look taller and thinner

Avoid attention to your hips

Attract attention to your face

 Apparel product development.
Product development, or the creation of new styles, involves
a variety of specific operations:

developing design ideas,

selecting fabrics that are available and appropriately

priced,

making the first pattern, making a sample garment or

prototype,

evaluating and refining the fit and design,

computing the cost, making a production pattern, making

duplicates, and grading the production pattern.
 Apparel product development.

 It may involve modification of an existing product or its

presentation, or formulation of an entirely new product
that satisfies a newly defined customer want or market
niche.”
 Apparel product development.

 Steps involved in garment product development

 Identify the target market
 Maintaining an Identity for the brand
 The initial idea (Concept)
 Screening the Idea
 Creating prototype and TEST for fit
 Production pattern
Concepts of Apparel Design

 „Design view „
 Clothing is an example of applied design. „
 Aesthetic purposes. „
 Business view „
 „Apparel products „
 ‘Consumer goods’, not ‘industry goods’
 „It has the power of fashion. „
 Other views „
 Culture / Society/ Psychology/ History
Aspects of Apparel Design „

Functional Design „

Structural Design „

Decorative Design
The Business of Fashion „

Economic Importance „
 Globalization „
 The business of fashion contributes significantly
to the economy
Scope of the Fashion Industry „
 It is not a clearly defined entity.
 It is a complex of many different industries.
Pattern Making
What is a pattern?

 Paper pieces

 Communicates shapes of fabric

pieces to cut to make a garment
in a specific style and size

 Communicates markings needed

to construct the garment
Types of Patternmaking
How are patterns made?
Knock-off
 Tracing the pattern pieces from an existing garment
Draping
 Using fabric on a dress form to create pattern shapes,
which are transferred to paper.
Pattern drafting:
 Using measurements taken from a form or model to
create sloper patterns.
 Sloper (“working pattern”): Any pattern used as a base for
manipulation when generating design patterns. It is
developed without design features.
Flat patternmaking:
 Manipulating previously developed sloper patterns to
create design patterns.
Basic Pattern Set
 Dart Terminology
 Dart:
◦ A wedge-shaped cutout in a pattern to control
the fit of a garment.
 Bust point:
◦ A designated place on the bust and pattern
and referred to in flat patternmaking as the
pivotal point or apex.
 Dart intake:
◦ The amount of excess (or space) confined
between dart legs.
◦ Its purposes are to take up excess where it is
not needed, and to gradually release fabric
where it is needed to control the fit of the
garment.
 Dart legs:
◦ The two lines that converge at a
predetermined point on the pattern.
Pattern-making Tools
Patternmaking Tools

 Stapler, staples, & remover

 “Magic” tape

 Metal weights

 Measuring tape

 Tailor’s chalk

 Pattern Hooks
 Pattern-making Paper

 Pattern paper

◦ Light weight

◦ Used for first patterns

 Tag board

◦ Used for slopers and production patterns

 Pattern-making Muslin

 A plain-woven cotton made from bleached or unbleached

corded yarns in a variety of weights:

◦ Coarse-weave:

 Used for draping and testing basic patterns;

◦ Light-weight:

 Used for softly draped garments;

◦ Heavy-weight:

 Firmly woven, used for testing tailored garments,

jackets, and coats.
 The All Important Grain line

 Grain:
◦ The direction in which the yarn is
woven or knitted.
 Crosswise grain :
◦ Yarns woven across the fabric from
selvage to selvage.
◦ Crosswise grain yields to tension.
 Lengthwise grain:
◦ Yarns parallel with selvage.
◦ It is the most stable grain.
 Selvage:
◦ The narrow, firmly woven, and
finished strip on both lengthwise
grain edges of the woven fabric.
 More About Grain lines
 Bias:

◦ Any slanting or diagonal line cut or

sewn across the weave of the cloth.

 True bias:
◦ The line that intersects with the
lengthwise and crosswise grains at
a 45° angle.

◦ True bias has maximum give and

stretch, easily conforming to the
figure's contours.
 Pattern-making Process

First Production
Marker
pattern pattern
Garment Specification Sheet
Garment Specification sheet (sometimes also referred to
as a “garment spec sheet”) holds all the relevant
information about the actual product including the
following:

Grading (size break down)

Bill of Materials (BOM)

Fabric specifications

Tolerances

Garment dimensions
 Cost Sheet

 A complete record of each

design that is used to cost
the garment and establish
the wholesale price.
 Pattern Chart

 A complete record of all pattern

pieces within the pattern set.

 It also includes swatches and

special pattern information.
Specification Chart
 A record of the finishing
requirements for each design.

 It is used by those responsible

for finishing to ensure that the
garment meets company
standards.
Garment operation Breakdown

Breakdown is a listing of the content of a job by

elements. A garment consists of some parts & some group
of operations.

It is a must to write down the estimated SMV & type of

machine beside each & every process
Operation Breakdown: Bra
OP # SEWING PROCESS SAM MACHINE
1 Join Cups 0.57 SNLS
2 Attach Tape to Cups 0.73 DNLS
3 attach Elastic to side cups 0.44 3SZZ
4 Set support Panels 0.39 SNLS
5 Serge support panels 0.62 3TOL
6 Join support panels, cup and front 1.52 SNLS

7 Attach coverstitch tape to front 0.61 DNLS

8 Join backs to cups 0.55 SNLS
9 Attach coverstitch tape to sides 0.47 DNLS

10 Attach lace and tape to cups 0.76 DNLS

11 Attach elastic to band 0.90 ZZ

12 Attach upper elastic & straps 0.91 3SZZ

13 Cover support panels edges 0.54 3TOL

14 Attach hooks and eyes to straps 1.39 SNLS

15 Set eye to back 0.36 ZZ
16 Set hook to back 0.50 SNLS
17 Attach trimming to front 0.25 SNLS

18 Trim thread and inspect 1.00 MAN

Total SAM 12.51
 Final project
A. Design
 Creativity/Originality
 Quality of design
 Design principles
 Design structure
 Neatness
 Inspiration
 Design sense