Fashion Production & Development

Question 1

What is a Manufacturing Agent?

Answer 1

An agent for manufacturing is usually a one-person operation whose aim is to introduce the factory to the brand and provide a basic level of interaction between the two parties. > pp. 52, 67, 115, 143, 183

Question 2

What is an Atelier?

Answer 2

An atelier is a small to medium sized workshop set up for high end luxury products. The atelier studio works with an artisan approach, meaning, that in most cases the fabric is cut by hand instead of on automated cutting tables and the makers make entire garments rather than just one small part. > pp. 112, 115, 124

Question 3

What is a Block?

Answer 3

A block is a basic pattern, which is made with the specific customer measurements for the brand. > p. 83

Question 4

What is Fashion Branding?

Answer 4

Branding is a method of adding the name of the company or brand onto a garment. Buttons, labels and zippers can all carry the company name or logo, and this helps the customer to differentiate between one company and another. > pp. 16, 94, 145, 158

Question 5

What is a Buy?

Answer 5

The buy is another word for the total order quantity that the shops have ordered and which is made by the factory. > pp. 66, 173

Question 6

What is a Buying Office?

Answer 6

A buying office operates in a similar manner to an agent in providing a link between the brand and the factory, but is a larger organization, comprising account managers who can take sole responsibility for the brand’s account. > pp. 114, 136

Question 7

What is Calling Off Trims?

Answer 7

Calling off trims is the process whereby the brand or factories contact the trim company to order trims. > p. 97

Question 8

What is a Catwalk Line?

Answer 8

A catwalk line has between two and four collections of garments a year and shows at one of the many international Fashion Weeks (for example, New York or Milan). The shows contain a mixture of commercial styles that buyers will order for their stores, and press pieces, which magazines will feature in fashion shoots. Catwalk shows are used by many high street brands as an indication for new trend directions. > pp. 113, 164

Question 9

What is CIF?

Answer 9

This is a method of supplying goods from a manufacturer to a brand, which includes all costs for the garment manufacture in addition to the full cost of transportation to the brand’s nominated location (usually the brand’s central warehouse). > p. 146

Question 10

What is CMT?

Answer 10

CMT means Cut / Make / Trim. It literally means that the factory only costs these elements in the price, not the fabric cost. This is bought directly by the brand and not by the factory. > pp. 121, 146

Question 11

What is a Collection?

Answer 11

A collection is the collective name for a group of garments that are linked together by a concept or theme. An alternative word or phrase for collection is range, or range of garments. > pp. 16, 22, 31, 45, 66, 88, 155, 168, 177

Question 12

What is a Colour Card?

Answer 12

A color card (or color palette) is a selection of shades compiled by the design or concept team, which gives a color direction for the season. > pp. 23, 53, 60, 133, 169

Question 13

What is a Colour Offer?

Answer 13

The color offer is the range of colors in which the style can be bought. > p. 169

Question 14

What is the Concept?

Answer 14

A concept is a design direction for the color, silhouette, mood and fabric brief for the range. Usually it comprises magazine images showing lifestyle shots, color examples, fabric pieces (swatches) or even historical books, poems or songs. The concept creates the mood of the collection and is always open to different interpretations. > pp. 15, 18, 22, 44, 52, 60, 79, 95, 112, 132, 143, 150, 165, 176

Question 15

What is the Cost Price?

Answer 15

The cost price is the cost of making the goods by the factory. It can be given in two different forms: COIF and FOB. The majority of brands prefer to work with fob costs. > pp. 40, 45, 57, 99, 115, 122, 128, 146, 151

Question 16

What is the Development Matrix?

Answer 16

The development matrix is the central place for the keeping of all the information for the whole collection; it can be an Excel chart, which holds the majority of the details of the tech packs for the collection. > pp. 18, 76, 88, 133, 144, 150

Question 17

What is Fabric?

Answer 17

Fabric and textiles are names for the material from which clothes are made. > pp. 14, 18, 23, 27, 30, 36, 44, 101, 113, 122, 125, 142, 168, 184

Question 18

What is Fashion Illustration?

Answer 18

A fashion illustration is really a beautiful piece of work and not at all technical in its appearance (it has no measurements). In some cases the designer will make a flat technical sketch with measurements to sit alongside it, so that the developers or factory can gauge proportion and shape. > p. 172

Question 19

What is Fit?

Answer 19

A fit is a description to explain the silhouette of a garment and refers to a set of measurements, which can make a garment tight or loose. These measurements are carefully constructed by the pattern maker to ensure that the proportions of the garment are correct and that the fit is appropriate for the end customer. > pp. 24, 39, 82, 126, 136, 150

Question 20

What is the Flat Technical Sketch?

Answer 20

The flat sketch is a structured computer sketch that is used to give an idea of proportion and scale to the style. The sketch has to be a very simple image so that a non-creative person can understand what the garment will look like. It needs to be clear in its details of pocket placement, collar shape, button addition etc., as this is what the factory will work from. These sketches are in the correct colors and fabrics for the season and are used much later as a selling aid for the sales teams. > pp. 81, 142, 157

Question 21

What is FOB?

Answer 21

fob (Free On Board) is a shipping method for the goods in which the factory pays for the total cost of the goods , the fabric, the cutting, the making and the trims, and partial transport costs (up to the port or location of departure for the goods but not including the full cost of transportation). It is a term that means the factory pays for all of the garment manufacturing. > pp. 146, 152, 159

Question 22

What is a Greige?

Answer 22

Greige fabric is un-dyed, unfinished fabric, and is often ordered by brands when they are not yet in a position to select colors. > p. 54

Question 23

What is Handloom?

Answer 23

A handloom is a small swatch of fabric made up on a handloom by the fabric mill to show a particular design. > p. 61

Question 24

What is a Hangtag?

Answer 24

A hangtag is an item of branding which hangs on the garment when it is in the stores. It can be made of card or fabric and holds information within a barcode of the style name, the price and the size. > pp. 19, 101, 125, 184

Question 25

What is the Header Card?

Answer 25

A header card is a square of fabric (can be up to 30cm x 30cm) from the fabric mill with its technical details written on the top for reference. This will include the reference code for the fabric, the price, the color reference number, the weight per m2, the width and composition (100% wool, or 70% wool 30% cashmere, etc.). > p. 55

Question 26

What are Incoterms?

Answer 26

Incoterms are an internationally agreed set of terms for the costs associated with the transportation of goods. These costs can vary according to who pays for the various parts of the process of getting the goods from the factory to the brand’s warehouse. > pp. 118, 152

Question 27

What is the Industry Trade Show?

Answer 27

Trade shows occur every season and are used to show the new collections of the brands, or to show new fabric or trim developments. They are not usually open to the public, as they are for industry professionals only. > pp. 29, 165

Question 28

What is the Key Dates Calendar?

Answer 28

The key date’s calendar drives the development and production process and enables all individuals involved to plan, create and produce a range. It is a series of deadlines (calculated by working backwards from the date the collection needs to be in the shops) specifying the dates by which the various stages of the process (design, fabric selection and ordering, proto review, launch, etc.) must be completed. > p. 220

Question 29

What is Lab Dip?

Answer 29

Lab dipping is a process for creating the designer’s chosen shade in a chosen fabric by a color lab (which works with the fabric mill) by mixing a series of basic dyes. This can happen at both the development stage and the production stage. > pp. 54, 60, 145

Question 30

What is Landed Price?

Answer 30

The landed price is the total cost of goods for the manufacture, the freight and insurance up to the port of destination (where the goods are being shipped to). The calculation for the landed price is: fob price multiplied by the Incoterm. > pp . 88 , 128, 152

Question 31

What is the Launch?

Answer 31

The launch of a collection comes between the development cycle and production when the collection is shown to the sales teams and buyers. > pp. 15, 17, 88, 150, 164

Question 32

What are Lead Times?

Answer 32

Lead time is the time between the placement of an order and its delivery. A fabric lead time can be anything from eight to twelve weeks, whereas trims can have a lead time of three to four weeks. > pp. 16, 62

Question 33

What is the Leg Panel?

Answer 33

A leg panel is one leg of a pair of jeans that has a pocket (in some cases) and all the correct stitching methods. It is used when the brand wants to see the effect of different wash or dye treatments, but doesn’t require a full garment for this. > pp. 68, 132

Question 34

What is a Line Book?

Answer 34

The line book contains computer aided design sketches of the garments, and is a selling tool to help sell the range at launch. It contains the sketch, fabric information, color offer, size offer and price. > pp. 19, 168

Question 35

What is the Range Plan?

Answer 35

A range plan is a table of information listing the quantity, types of garments and their prices to be planned and designed for a fashion collection. It is created by the merchandise team and is constructed from sales history, financial targets, and local market feedback and trend information. > pp. 18, 36, 58, 120, 144, 170

Question 36

What is Ready To Dye Fabric?

Answer 36

Ready to dye fabric is a fabric, which started off as greige and underwent a fabric finishing process to make it ready for use in piece dyeing or garment dyeing. > p. 54

Question 37

What is a Retail Line?

Answer 37

A retail line is a set of collections that are sold directly to customers through the brand’s own shops, and can have between two and six collections a year. > pp. 17, 166

Question 38

What is the Retail Profit Margin?

Answer 38

The retail profit margin is the percentage of the retail price that is the profit for the brand. The calculation for the retail profit margin is: > p. 152

Question 39

What is the Retail Price?

Answer 39

See Selling price.

Question 40

What are Styles And Options?

Answer 40

A style is a single item of clothing like a jacket or a skirt, and an option is a color way, wash or finish of a style. So, for instance, if a jacket is available in three colors, it is one style in three options. > p. 60 SALES ANALYSIS Sales analysis identifies the previous season’s best and worst sellers. Most ranges have best sellers every season, and at the start of range planning the merchandise team refers back to the previous season’s sales figures to establish which styles can be continued to the next season with a change of fabric or color. > pp. 45, 178

Question 41

What is the Salesman Sample?

Answer 41

The proto samples, once they have been completed with correct branding, fabrics and fit changes by the factories, become salesman samples. These are used for selling the collection to sales agents or stores. > p. 150

Question 42

What is the Selling Price?

Answer 42

Also known as the RRP (Recommended Retail Price); this is the price for which the garments are sold in stores. > pp. 39, 58, 146, 152

Question 43

What is a Size Set?

Answer 43

A size set of samples is a set of three or more samples of the same style but in the different sizes. This is requested by the brand when it is important to see how the different sizes within the style affect the proportions of the style. > pp. 125, 157

Question 44

What is the Sourcing Plan?

Answer 44

The sourcing plan is made by the development team to decide which factories are used in which country and for which product group. The plan is made at the start of the season and can change during the development process. > p. 119

Question 45

What is Style Allocation?

Answer 45

Style allocation is the process of deciding which factories get to make which styles. The style allocation is made after the sourcing plan is complete. > p. 119

Question 46

What is the Technical Pack?

Answer 46

The technical pack, also known as tech pack, BOM (bill of materials) or GWS (garment work sheet), is a document produced by the development team informing the factory of all the details relating to a particular style. > pp. 18, 79, 113, 134, 144

Question 47

What is the Time Label?

Answer 47

A time label in a garment identifies the factory, the purchase order of the garment, the month and year the garment was made, and also the style number. > p. 104

Question 48

What is Toile?

Answer 48

A toile is a version of a garment made by the factory to test a pattern. It is usually made in simple cotton or other cheap fabric. > p. 85

Question 49

What is the Tolerance?

Answer 49

Tolerance is the amount by which a measurement for a garment may vary from that specified in the tech pack. Each brand has an agreed tolerance within which the factories must work for each measurement. > pp. 125, 135

Question 50

What is Trim?

Answer 50

A trim is an additional item added to the garment to either enhance its appearance, for instance a lace or colored contrasting fabric, or it can be a type of fastening. Buttons, labels, zips, rivets, snaps or hangtags are examples of trims, which the company uses to brand or identify its name. > pp. 94, 145

Question 51

What is the Trim Mould?

Answer 51

A trim mould is a shell into which the trim material is poured or placed and is used in the manufacture of buttons, or metal tags or leather labels. > p. 96

Question 52

What is the Wash Care Label?

Answer 52

The wash care label informs the customer of the fabric composition and the washing instructions of the garment. > pp. 102, 125

Question 53

What is the Weighted Profit Margin?

Answer 53

The weighted profit margin includes the number of pieces in that style that have been sold. The calculation for the weighted profit margin is: > p. 158

Question 54

What is a Wholesale Line?

Answer 54

A wholesale line is a set of collections that are sold to shops and can have between four and six collections a year. They are launched at intercompany line presentations, also known as line launches. > pp. 17, 166

Question 55

What is the Wholesale Margin?

Answer 55

The wholesale margin is the % profit made by the brand on sales to shops. The calculation for the wholesale margin is: > p. 152

Question 56

What is the Wholesale Price?

Answer 56

The wholesale price is the price at which the goods are sold to shops. > pp. 152, 159

Question 57

What is Yarn Dye?

Answer 57

A yarn dye fabric is one which could be either a stripe, a check or an all over pattern, woven from yarns that have been dyed to the colors required by the brand. > p. 54