First off, you need to know the contracts, order forms, and payment arrangements involved when working with a factory. It would be good to have a confidentiality agreement to make sure that your designs are not copied by your manufacturer.

Second, you need to be explicit about what you want. Provide as many details as possible such as coloured illustrations and actual swatches. You should provide a tech pack for more comprehensive instructions, and ease of communication. There will be comments on changes and recommendations that need to be diarized so at a glance each person who works on the file has all the answers they need. Tech packs can be hard copies, or shared digitally.  There are some fantastic industry specific project management software programs available such as WFX WebPDM  that allows users to login and make changes, rather than managing emails and excel sheet update chaos – but there are costs in involved so this may be something you can implement further down the line.

It requires proper training and practice to be good at pattern making. The truth is, not all designers are adept at this. Some of them hire pattern makers so they can focus on designing instead.

You can choose to do this and you can have your production house do it for you. If you prefer to do it, the first step is for you to make block patterns or simple patterns for your basic clothing pieces like a shirt, trousers, and skirt. Build a library of patterns for different pieces to save you time and effort.

Before you start scouting, make sure you already have your garments in mind. It can also work the other way around. If you want to be a good fashion designer, you should have an extensive knowledge on textiles. Your main goal is to sell multiple pieces in your collection so make sure that the materials you choose will be seen in at least four of your designs.

Fabric

Get the right fabric and you’ll get the right design. Choosing a fabric for each of your garments is the most vital design decision you will make. The visual cohesiveness of your collection relies heavily on that. Don’t be afraid to match different fabrics. There are no fashion rules that cannot be broken so enjoy the creative process!

Some of the things you need to consider when choosing fabric include:

1) Cost – this will determine how much your piece will sell
2) How the fabric fits on a body – body hugging or loose (keep your target market in mind)
3) Colour and pattern – there should be harmony in your collection

1) To test the actual fit
2) To assess the overall appearance
3) To check the construction

Use a cheaper fabric when creating a prototype. After you’ve checked the pattern inconsistencies and design flaws, make the necessary adjustments.

When you’re done with the tweaks, create the final sample using your actual fabric. If you don’t have the skills or equipment yet to make a sample, you can ask a sewer to do it for you. You can even make the manufacturer make one so you can see easily the quality of their work before they start mass producing your piece.

Take photos of each sample on a mannequin or a model. This will serve as your portfolio. You can also use the images for other marketing purposes. If you need professional studio space, check out Aspire Studios. You can rent their space and possibly the mannequins, too! A professional studio will help you get the best lighting and photos for your portfolio. Winnipeg has fantastic studio space called Aspire Studios perfect for photoshoots, and you can book your space conveniently online.