Fashion

What does a fashion designer do? A fashion designer understands that clothes are much more than protection from the elements. Clothes can make people feel confident or powerful. Or they can be comforting. Clothing can be an artistic expressiona projection of the image people want the world to see. While good fashion design will probably never bring about world peace, fashion can make a person feel better. Far from being purely superficial, fashion can have profound effects, to both individuals and to the world at large. Whether you think of royalty or rock stars, you visualize their appearance and presentation. What people wear projects who they are. The sophisticated and often over-the-top styles found on the runways of Paris and New York do not represent the full spectrum of fashion designers' work. In reality, there are a multitude of opportunities in fashion design, from sportswear, to children's clothes, to haute couture. If you can wear it, someone has designed it.

Fashion Designer Job Description: Common Tasks As a fashion designer, your job description may include a variety of tasks. Designers may be responsible for the following kinds of things:

Researching fashion trends and staying current on contemporary styles Creating sketches and samples Choosing materials Attending fashion shows Performing business administration tasks Marketing products Supervising or working with design team members

Essential Skills for a Fashion Designer Job Creativity and Style No fashion designer can get by without creativity and style. The fashion design industry is in a perpetual state of metamorphosis. Fashion designers need to be on their toes. They need to be able to draw inspiration from past trends and see a new possibilities for their future designs. They need to be able to innovate and put a fresh spin on things. From sketching to execution, fashion designers need artistic ability and originality to succeed in the industry. Knowledge of Fashion History Setting trends isn't a simple business. Fashion designers have to stay a step ahead. To do that, they need knowledge about previous styles and movements in fashion history. They also need to be aware of current fashion events and developments. Business Know-How Never underestimate the value of good, old-fashioned business skills. Knowing the ins and outs of business beneficial for any fashion designer. In this highly competitive industry, aspiring designers can't rely on their artistic vision alone to bring success. For fashion designers, understanding basic principles of marketing and business can help them reach their goals. Ability to Perform Under Pressure A fashion design career isn't for the faint of heart. Fashion designers should thrive in high-pressure environments. Working with an assortment of people and personalities to meet tight deadlines can be stressful. Those entering this occupation should be willing to work in a team, and they should work well under the demands of deadlines. They should also be able to handle criticism. Critics in this field can be brutal. Successful fashion designers know how to learn from a critique while maintaining their individual style.

History of FashionIn the Beginning...Ancient drawings discovered on cave walls only included those of animals, indicating that humans did not consider themselves set apart from the rest of the world. In 10,000 B.C. the history of man was forever changed with the invention of the needle and loom. People made clothing from soaked animal skins, hide, and an early version of felt formed by meshing two skins together. During the Neolithic Period (6,000 B.C.) people began to settle down. They built bigger looms and made jewelry and weaponry. Natural sources made dyeing fabrics possible. A shell was used to create purple and led to the discovery of indigo. Mordent allowed colors to stay. Fashion and clothing as the "silent communicator": protection, modesty, status, affiliation, identification, comfort, superstition, belief systems. Prehistoric times called for mostly furs, draped skin, and simplicity. Mesopotamia 3500 B.C.--333 B.C. Basics: wrapped animal skins, stylized tufts, bare chested, dressed not for warmth but for status. (cylindrical silhouette) Assyrians: tunics, squared beards, petals as fringe. (cone shapes) Persians: trousers, fuller garments, cooler climate, women covered up, tunics with surcoats, woven fabrics. (pointed shapes) "Purdah" 1200 B.C.Assyrians started the custom of veiling women in public. Egypt 3100 B.C.--30 B.C. Egyptians enhanced and controlled nature through concepts of beauty. Basics: gowns called kalasiris with breasts in full view, clothing used to symbolize status, elaborate wigs and collars, shenti=loin cloths, cosmetics, gold, linen. (angular shapes) Minoan 3,000 B.C.--1450 B.C. The First European Civilization Basics: tiered dresses with circular skirts, colorful, elaborate detailing in clothing and hairstyles, pleating, exposed breasts, cinched waists, filigree, grooming was important, bathing was a daily ritual. (hourglass shape) Ancient Greece 1700 B.C.--146 B.C. Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic Basics: chiton, chylamis, himation, drapery, fibulae, wool, linen, patterned fabric, cosmetics, bleached hair to blonde, conditioned skin, cleaned teeth, bathed, exercised, very body conscious. Etruscan 753 B.C.--509 B.C. Basics: very colorful, not modest about nudity, athletic, joyful people, t-shaped tunic, followed Greek fashions, cloaks, loin cloths, wool, cotton, chiton, Etruscan tebenna later develops into the Roman toga. Roman 753 B.C.--395 A.D. 509 B.C.--476 A.D. (Fall of Rome) Basics: narrow, simple, dalmatica, tunic, palla, togas, full range of color, linen, wool, silk, cuculus, all about hair, fibulae, layering, bathing, military, Roman brides wore red, modest about nudity, clothes were sewn. Byzantine (New Rome) The Dark Ages and Byzantium Coexist 324 A.D.--1453 Basics: Greco-Roman influence, dalmatika, chemise, stola, moving toward Medieval fashion, veils, pearls, public baths, clothing was symbolic of stature and rank, robes, silk, taffeta, brocade, damask, perfumery. The Dark Ages (Carolingian and Romanesque) 476 A.D.--1150. The End of The World Basics: bliaut, cyclas, trousers, plaids, camisa, hooded garments, capuchon, full skirts, tabard, long sleeves, utilitarian, "barbaric," knots, braids, colder climate. Medieval, Gothic, Middle Ages 1150--1485. Nationalistic Styling and The S-Curve Basics: influenced by Byzantine dress, vertical shapes, more fitted, flowing gowns, cotehardie, cloaks, tunics, surcotes, silk, brocade, wool, flemish, parti-colored, emblems, dagging, hennins, wimple, barbette, chaperone, pale complexions, poulaines, rise of heraldry, chivalry, Crusades, Black Death.

The Renaissance 14th--16th century. Fashion For Fashion's Sake Basics: shapes becoming rounder, accentuated physique, farthingales, corsets, drawers, pleated cloaks, lacemaking, codpieces, peascod belly, padding for men, slashing, flamboyant, tailors, looser, sexier clothing. Elizabethan/Jacobean 1558-1603 Basics: fairly rigid, stiffness, linearity, ruffs, flatchested look, V-waist, farthingale, bumroll, Venetians, blouses with exposed chests for men, pearls, heeled shoes, whisks, tight, elaborate, heavy and luxurious fabrics. Cavalier (Early Baroque) 1620-1660. Spain No Longer Dominates Fashion...France Does Basics: sensual, soft look, doublets, canons, breeches, busk, frock, corset, less stiffness, waistlines rose, embroidery, muffs, hat and plume, very ornamented, falling lace collar, turned down boots, loose hair, echelon: ribbons and bows. Baroque/Restoration 1660-1715. "L'etat c'est moi"~Louis XIV Basics: wealthy era, imposing, heavy, vertical look, moving toward Colonial fashion, coat, vest, britches, canons, stockings, busk, Manteau gown, plunging neckline, high waisted, fontages, lace, ribbons, silver and gold embroidery, high heeled shoes, jewelry, elegance, decolletage, fontanges, poor hygiene, lots of perfumes. Rococo 1715-1775. The Dressmaker is Revered as a Designer Basics: The Englightenment glorifies women through art and philosophy, light basket around waist as undergarment, pannier (overskirt), silk brocade shoes with heels, Watteau gowns, silks, brocades, jacquard loom invented, fullness from Baroque moves to sides, knee britches, riding boots, powdered hair, mob cap, powder and rouge on faces, corset with V-bodice, softer sleeves, lace collar, sweetheart necklines, sausage curls, pastels, ribbons, lace, birds, flowers, feminine feel, pretty, tricorne, vest, coat, jabot, bag wig, bombazine, King Louis imposed an idealistic pastoral influence on trends. (Rounded hourglass shape) Neoclassical 1775-1795 and the Revolution 1790-1795 Basics: dresses are called robes: Robe a la Englais (fitted all the way down) and Robe a la Francais (fitted in the front with a Watteau back), fashion dolls become popular, poor hygiene, cosmetics are used to hide bad skin, children get play-clothes!, toilles (scenes depicting an idealized countryside) become popular in mid 18th century, jacquard, satin, silk, seersucker (striped linen with a pucker), French Revolution shuts down fashion in France, Phrygian bonnet resurfaces, waistcoat, trousers, hair is getting bigger, the English wore waistcoats cutaway to reveal underskirts, redingote, stock, mobcap, fullest and most unrealistic proportions after the Baroque period, bicornes, military costumes become ornate, Spencer jacket, stripes. Directoire/Empire 1795-1815 Basics: high-waisted sheer dresses, revealing bustlines, messy hair for men, cropped jackets, fascination with the classical lines of Greece, tophat, shawls, pouf, time of the first male fashion plate, carrick greatcoat, Incroyables, Marveilleuses, reticule, moving toward Romanticism. Romantic 1815-1848 Basics: bateau neckline, Bertha collar, Byron collar, frock coat, crinoline, leg-o-mutton sleeves, opera cloak, stock, Zouave jacket, emphasis on small waist, rounded sloping shoulders and slender necks, fashionable women took on a porcelain doll quality, women were fashionably ill or faint, women looked like tea cozies-Tussy Mussy, hourglass shape for men and women, hair pulled up, corsets, wasp waist for men, men were generally clean shaven and later had small mustaches, the Hoop Skirt became popular mid-century, trousers, stirrups, modern evening attire for men. Victorian (crinoline) 1848-1870 and Victorian (bustle) 1870-1890 Basics: Basque, bloomers, cardigans, bowler or derby hats, bolero, crinoline, morning coat, mutton chops, pagoda sleeves, paisley shawls, pea jackets, sacksuit, Chignon hairstyle, cinched waist and off the shoulder dresses, handkerchiefs, hoop skirts, promenade gowns, carriages, elaborate cloaks, men wore cutaway jackets, equestrian styling for daytime, Charles Worth and Levi Strauss contributed greatly to the progression of fashion and design, the first department store came about in the 19th century, emphasis on propriety, ascot tie, dust ruffle, blazer, bustle, Chesterfield overcoat, Eton jacket, fedora, jersey sweater, tuxedo, swallowtail jackets, Windsor ties,

monocle, knickerbockers, wing collar, modern formalwear, sewing machines made ready to wear clothing!, and true couture sets in. Edwardian 1890-1911. The Unnatural Waistline Persists Basics: seaside trips and bathing suits, promenade costumes for women: jacket and bustle, smart hats, adorable button up boots, fullness flattened down the back giving a centaur-like silhouette, stovepipe trousers, waistcoat, looking more modern, different outfits for different sports, Gibson Girl, idealized womanhood, soft and romantic, Art Nouveau-extravagant, over-civilized decadence, Art Deco-more freedom from corseting, skirts impossibly long and tight at bottom=hobble skirt, the advent of film (1910). WWI and the 1920s. The War and the Flapper Era Basics: Paul Poiret as the purveyor of eastern fashion, encouraged freedom from corsets, fur shawls and stoles, turban, fantastic headdresses, knee britches for sports, men were static as far as fashion, the war effort called for women to give up their corsets for steel, to be patriotic was fashionable, blouses, skirts, cropped hair, cloches, fashion halts with the war, the invention of birth control-condoms were given to soldiers to prevent Venereal Disease, birth control promoted sexual freedom and the party atmosphere of the twenties, Louise Brooks, cowl neckline, shawl collar, saddle oxfords, trench coat, turtleneck sweaters, pajamas, kimonos, the bob or the shingle hairstyle, t-shirts, chemise dresses, boutonnieres, jodhpurs, suppressed bustlines, straight and thin figures were in, t-strap shoes with a Louis heel, fashion was dictated by youth, nude hose, the new erogenous zone is the leg, mens dress reflected uniforms after WWI, zoot suits, crazy times until the stock market crashes in 1929. 1930s The Golden Age of Hollywood and The Rise of Chanels Practical Silhouette Basics: women began to wear pants, Kathleen Hepburn, Gretta Garbo, Marlene Diedrich, during the Depression brides cut their gowns, Gone With The Wind, Wizard of Oz, slinky, long and shiny gowns, Fred Astaire, backless gowns, the waist becomes natural, tanning and swimming becomes popular, erogenous zone is now the back, legs are covered up, poor women made dresses from flour sacks, the zipper becomes acceptable in womens clothing, bathing suits trim down, tanned skin symbolizes the leisure class. WWII/1940s Basics: the aloha shirt, argyle, beanies, Bermuda shorts, culottes, crew cuts, loafers, teddies, windbreakers, flight jackets, halter neckline, cummerbund, platform shoes, sportswear, high fashion is relocated from France to the United States. 1950s The Dior Revolution Basics: skirts get longer, the hourglass silhouette is very similar to Victorian, the natural waist is corseted again by the Merry Widow-breast support and boned down the waist, voluminous skirts, crinoline is replaced by tulle, strapless gowns, silk, evening wear, ballerina look, epitomized by narrow grey flannel suit for men, the new look is characterized by the little black dress and pearls, chukka boot, gaucho pants, twin sets, poodle skirts, pageboy haircuts, mandarin jackets, car coats, ballet slippers, the A-line dress, duffle coat, capri pants, shifts, parkas, pedal pushers, women were encouraged to stay home and men had first picks for jobs, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Johnny Cash, France returns as the leader of couture. 1960s and 1970s. Great Social Change Precipitates Great Fashion Change Basics: the miniskirt emerges from Great Britain, youth movement, bob hairstyles, Twiggy, caftans, Nehru jackets, maxi skirts, micro skirts, mod clothing, pantsuits, the birth of the supermodel, ponchos, punk, Sassoon cut, Velcro, vinyl, the moon girl-space age waif, hot pants, flower children, afros, catsuits, the extreme mod look, the hippie look, and preppy styles coexist, the Beatles, designers look to art, music, and youth for inspiration, individualism in fashion takes hold, patches, parti-colored look, the rise of vintage, peasant look, ethnic influences, the crotch is the new erogenous zone, birth control promotes free love, sexuality takes a physical presence as shirts and pants grow increasingly tight. Influential Designers

France (Paris)

Paul Poiret-hobble skirt Coco Chanel-adaptation of menswear, more freedom, accessories Pierre Cardin-first designer to license his name Christian Dior-the new look, master of construction, the silhouette Yves St. Laurent-headed house of Dior, pantsuit, Rive Gauche Hubert de Givenchy-slim silhouette, Audrey Hepburn look, prominent in 1960s Karl Lagerfeld (German designer for French houses), supermodel muse, unique look Jean Patou-now a fragrance house, Joy is the costliest perfume per ounce, 1919 Andre Courreges-space-age look John Galliano-house of Dior Louis Vuitton-durable luggage, monogram dates from 1896, now headed by Marc Jacobs Italy (Milan)

Mario Fortuny-textiles, artists, pleats of silk Gucci-finely crafted leather goods, revived by Tom ford, huge fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo-accessories, shoes, stiletto heel in the 1950s Valentino-flamboyant Italian clothing Giorgio Armani-classic design, tailoring, understatement, suits Versace-decorative, artistic, emphasis on the body Pucci-modern, bright, fun printed fabrics Prada-originally leather goods, 1910, Miuccia Prada made her bridge line in 1978 American Designers

Claire McCardell-sportswear, separates, and bodysuit for women Donna Karan-bodysuit, wrap skirt, worked for Anne Klein Anne Klein-sportswear Bill Blass-suits and licensing Halston-big in the 1960s and did a lot for the Kennedy family Oscar de la Renta-South American, huge name here, feminine design Ralph Lauren-classic American sportswear inspired by classic style and equestrian attire Calvin Klein-risqu ads, simple, classic, American sportswear Victor Costa-known for knocking off French designs Betsey Johnson-known for taking underground looks mainstream, whimsical, fun Marc Jacobs-designed for Perry Ellis and Louis Vuitton Germany

Escada-beautiful fabrications, easy fits, big price points Hugo Boss-1923, known for making uniforms for Hitler, now part of Valentino Group England

Mr. Charles Worth-took dressmaking to couture level Burberry-classic design and label recognition Zandra Rhodes-name mother of punk for reworking punk into high fashion Japan

Rei Kawakuba-Comme des Garcons, unique approach to the silhouette, 70s-80s The Black Pack-set the stage for D&G and Prada now with creative and utilitarian looks

Contemporary Fashion as a Business: The fashion industry is made up of tiers based on price point.

Couture Designer Bridge Moderate

There are only about three thousand true couture customers in the world (Alexander McQueen and Badgley Mischka). Couture collections fuel ready-to-wear collections. Designer collections maintain serious price tags and inspired styles (Max Azria, Armani Black Label, Dolce and Gabbana). Bridge lines serve as a segway between designer wear and moderate price tags (Betsey Johnson, BCBG, Marc by Marc Jacobs). Moderate labels offer designer inspired looks and affordability for all (Luella for Target). HISTORY OF FASHION 1920s 1930s 1940s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s TRENDS: superbrands, music moguls to designers and handbags become essential TRENDS: a decade of color, power suits and the start of the Japanese invasion FAMOUS DESIGNERS: Azzedine Alaa, Donna Karan, Tommy Hilfiger, Bill Blass, Perry Ellis, Miucca Prada, Christian Lacroix, Manolo Blahnik and Jean Paul Gaultier TRENDS: minimalism, simplicity and grunge FAMOUS DESIGNERS: Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford (for Gucci), Gianni Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli and the Antwerp Six TRENDS: day dresses, blouses with bow detailing and military looks FAMOUS DESIGNERS: Christian Dior, Bonnie Cashin and Claire McCardell TRENDS: high heels, pencil skirt, shape and volume FAMOUS DESIGNERS: Cristbal Balenciaga, Givenchy and Chanel TRENDS: mod, fun revolutionary clothes, short skirts, psychedelic prints, wild colors, go-go boots, dresses made out of vinyl, paper, cellophane, metal, covered with mirrors and baby doll dresses FAMOUS DESIGNERS: Pierre Cardin, Mary Quant, Yves Saint Laurent, Emilio Pucci, Paco Rabanne, Andr Courrges and Rudi Gernreich TRENDS: disco, ethnic trend, bell-bottoms, mini-skirt and platform shoes FAMOUS DESIGNERS: Vivienne Westwood, Sonia Rykiel, Geoffrey Beene, Bill Blass, Elio Fiorucci, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Norma Kamali and Anne Klein TRENDS: return to femininity and glamour, backless dresses and nylon hosiery FAMOUS DESIGNERS: Madeleine Vionnet, Elsa Schiaparelli and Madame Grs TRENDS: the flapper, bobbed hair, higher hemlines and lower waistlines FAMOUS DESIGNERS: Gabrielle Coco Chanel, Jean Lanvin, Jean Patou and Paul Poiret

1950s

1960s

FAMOUS DESIGNERS: Alber Elbaz (for Lanvin), Chlo, John Galliano, Karl Lagerfeld (for Chanel), Oscar de la Renta, Zac Posen and Christian Louboutin WHAT YOUR TYPICAL WARDROBE SHOULD HAVE INSIDE

Little Black Dress (Coco Chanel) Classic Mens White Shirt (Audrey Hepburn/Diane Keaton) Cashmere Cardigan or Turtleneck (Coco Chanel) Trench Coat (Thomas Burberry) Anything Denim (Levi Strauss) Mens Classic Watch (European women in the 1880s) Diamonds (King Charles of France VII) Ballet Flats (Repetto [a company]) Classic High Heel Pumps (Catherine de Medici) A Great Bag (Chanel, Gucci, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Prada, etc.)