Calderin J. Form, Fit, Fashion. All the Details...2009

Textbook in PDF format

The premise behind this handbook for fashion designers is that the art and business of fashion is ultimately a body of symbols and systems—a language. To communicate effectively within the industry and with the consumer, the designer must have access to an array of relevant information and resources. Since by definition fashion is ever changing, the focus here is on developing strategies that provide a competitive edge, no matter what the prevailing trends of the moment might be. These formulas also afford the creative side of fashion a fertile environment for growth.
Importantly, Form, Fit, and Fashion approaches its subject through an entrepreneurial lens. Even within large corporate fashion houses, designers often consider themselves independent entities—free agents. Their career arcs are frequently defned not only by the positions they have held, but also by the strategies they have employed. Whether their reputations have been meticulously planned or have developed organically, these histories are in the end a commodity, requiring polished packaging and integrated delivery systems to have the greatest impact. Contemporary fashion designers face the job of designing a career path as well as a collection.
The dialects of style are as varied as the cultures that cultivate them.
Regardless of the vernacular, successful long-term design infuences are based on a closed circuit, one that conveys the designer’s message clearly.
Designers can tap into this circular pathway at any point, but they must complete the course. This book serves as a primer for newcomers and a reference guide for professionals engaged with the daily demands of this art form/business. Each section represents a connection that fashion designers make between their original idea and the audience they wish to reach. As this volume is designed to be concise, convenient, and portable, the material is intended to act as a catalyst for further study and experimentation