1.8 The Requirements of Textile and Fashion Design and Development Flashcards
What do product developers do in commercial companies?
- Deliver new textile and fashion designs to consumers
- Critically analyse designs to address needs and improve designs
- Analyse competitors ranges
- Analyse sales figures
- Update best selling designs
Why do product developers use information about the latest trends?
- Use next seasons predicted fashion colours
- Use fabric, trims and components that are going to be on trend
- Incorporate predicted styling details
What gives product developers useful information?
- Closely studying and disassembling a product
- Consumer reviews and feedback
What can the critical analysis of a product involve?
- Considering the products intended use and target market
- Being objective and factual
- Analysing ergonomics
- Production process
- Suitability of fabrics
- Considering use of components
What is a design specification?
Sets out the criteria for the design of a product, it clearly communicates instructions to the designer and the product development team
What do specification critera include?
- Function - Materials
- Aesthetics - Environment
- Customer - Safety
- Size - Timescale
- Cost
Why are the product specification and manufacturing specification used?
As a contract to ensure accurate product information is communicated form the product development team to the clients factory
What do these specifications include?
- Working drawings
- Details of fabrics, components
- Details of decorative techniques
- Agreed tolerances and seam allowance
- Clear description of production stage
- Quality control check instructions
What else do these specifications include?
- Equipment list
- Lay plan
- Costing
- Labelling and packaging information
What is a gold seal standard?
A sample product taken from the production line and held by the client, it is used along with the specification to check the quality of subsequent products
How is a product fit for purpose?
A product should look right, work as intended, performnwell in use and be within budget
How is accuracy achieved?
- Precisely following information in product and manufacturing specs
- Applying planned quality checks to test samples
- Using computer integrated manufacture where possible
What should materials be?
Suited to a new products purpose and function but they should also have aesthetic interest and appeal
How can this be achieved?
- Using fabrics with different textures, construction methods and weights
- Manipulating the fabric
- Trims do add pattern, colour, texture
- Beads or sequins to add sparkle
- Using components
- Using interfacing and wadding
What are aesthetics?
How a product looks, and includes shape, form, symmetry, size, proportion, colour and texture
What are ergonomics?
The relationship between people and the products they use
What are anthropometrics?
Scientific measurements of the human body applied to the design of products
What is inclusive design?
Designing products that are accessible to and usable by as wide a range of people as possible
What do inclusive designs have to be?
Accessible and attractive without losing aesthetic appeal
What can empathic design make?
Big improvements in the lives of people who feel they have been excluded because of ageism or because they don’t conform to a particular body shape or gender stereotype
What help break down stereotypes?
Fashion advertising campaigns that use realistically shaped models and people from a wider diversity of backgrounds
What challenge gender stereotypes?
Zara’s ‘Ungendered’ and Selfridges ‘Agender’ gender neutral ranges
What is adaptive clothing?
Clothing designed to be easy to wear for people who experience difficulties dressing independently of the help of a carer
