CHAPTER THREE

DESIGN EVENTS AND DESIGNERS

A fashion year
• Two main seasons
• Spring/Summer
• Autumn/Winter
• Both require a different fashion look and a new range of colors and
fabric designs for the time of year.
• Lightweight fabrics in summer
• Heavier fabrics in winter
The “Main Event” Calendar
• January
• Italian and French couture collections for spring/summer in Paris and Rome
• February
• British, Italian, American and French designer collections shown in London,
Bologne, Germany, and Paris
• IMBEX (International Men’s and Boy’s wear exhibition in London, England)
• International men’s fashion week in Cologne, Germany
• March
• British, Italian, American and French designer collections for
autumn/winter shown in London, Milan, New York and Paris.
• Munich (Germany) Fashion Fair
• April
• Inters off clothing, textiles trade fair held in Frankfurt, Germany
• May
• International designer collections, in Tokyo
• London mid-season fashion exhibition for autumn
• June
• Italian children’s wear collections held in Florence, Italy
• Portex: Portugese ready-to-wear fashion fari for Spring/Summer in
Porto
• July
• French and Italian couture collections for Autumn/Winter, Paris and Rome
• Uomo Italia Men’s wear shown in Florence
• August
• Future Fashions Scandinavia Fair held in Copenhagen, Denmark
• International men’s fashion week and international jeans fair in Cologne,
Germany
• Finnish fashion fair in Helsinki
• September
• British, French and American ready-to-wear collections for Spring/Summer
shown in London, Paris, New York
• October
• British, French, American and Italian designer
collections for Spring/Summer in London, Paris,
New York and Milan
• Interstoff – international textiles and trade fair in
Frankfurt, Germany
• November
• International designer collections, Tokyo
• December
• Portex Portuguese ready-to-wear fashion fair for
Autumn/Winter, Porto jiokl
1. Paris Fashion Week
• Paris Fashion week is one of the
most famous fashion shows in the
world and takes place bi-annually
during February and September
each year.

• Many fashion designers and

notables from around the globe
gather in one of the primary
fashion capitals to celebrate
fashion.
2. Berlin Fashion Week
• Berlin Fashion Week is a
relatively new event which takes
place at Brandenburg Gate each
year during the months of
January and July.
• The event was initiated in 2007
with the purpose of showcasing
up and coming designer’s
creations.
• The designers are bringing their
fashions to the Berlin capital in
an effort to get started on their
way in the highly competitive
fashion industry.
 3. New York Fashion Week
- The event is attended by
some of the biggest
fashion names in the
industry including Ralph
Lauren, Calvin Klein, Marc
Jacobs, Michael Kors,
Dianne von Furstenberg,
Tommy Hilfiger.
 4. British Fashion Council/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund
• The British Fashion Council (BFC)
is a non-profitable organisation
in London that organises fashion
events which showcase the top
British designs by up and coming
fashion designers.
• The purpose of the events are to
collaborate and share
knowledge, resources that help
to increase the interest in the
fashion industry of Britain.
• The events are typically held
during January in London.
 5. Dubai Shopping Festival

• Dubai Shopping Festival is an

annual fashion event held in
Dubai, United Arab Emirates from
January to February each year.
• The event was established in 1996
and has rapidly grown into a
primary fashion event for buyers
that seek luxurious fashions.
• Over the 30 day period, visitors
have access to the best fashion
brands from around the world
with special deals and promotions,
in addition to attending a variety
of arts and cultural events.
 Types of Design

• There are two kinds of design.

1. Structural design
2. Decorative design
1. Structural design
• When an objects structure is an integral part of the design is structural
design.
• Structural design is those that are made wide the size for colour, texture of
an object.
• For e.g: weaving different kinds of weave as examples of structural design.
• Structural design details in a dress include collar sleeves, yokes, pockets,
skirts, position of seam lines etc.
Requirements of Good Structural Design
• It should be suited to the purpose
• It should be simple.
• It should be well proportion
• It should be suited to the material with which it is made.
• It is far more importance than decorative design because it is
essential to every object or garment whereas decorative is the luxury
of design.
• Structural design depends on the form and fabric. It is also created by
the construction details as a design.
• It is inherit in all garments and its components.
2. Decorative Design
They are 5 types of decorative design.
a. Naturalistic
b. Conventional
c. Abstract
d. Historic
e. Geometric
 Cont…
a. Naturalistic Design: When objects from nature
are selected and are reproduced exactly with
photographic correction it is known as eg:
Flowers, leaves, animals and landscape.
b. Conventional Design: When an object from
nature s adopted to suit the purpose of the object
and be decorative the motif ceases to be
naturalistic.
Cont…
c. Abstract Design: Motif which does not have the nature as
the source but the combination of lines producing irregular
form i.e. not easily recognized. The modern art is an abstract
design.
d. Historic Design: It refers to the famous monuments or
building of historic importance. e.g.: Lalibel Temple, and
Axum memorial.
e. Geometric Design: It is not derived from nature. It is derived
from circles, rectangle, triangle, parallel lines and so on.
Cont…..
• The basic requirements of a good decorative deign for clothing are as
follows: Applied and design should reinforced the basic design
concept created in the construction of the garment. This is achieved
when the placement of trims is created to the structural design.
• Decorative design is very attractive when it is created in size and
structure to the textile of the garment.
Suitable combination of textures includes:

Ø Fine embroidery for fine fabric

Ø Ric rac for medium weight cotton (decor)
Ø Sequence for shiny fine material
Cont…

• In response to consumer demand and changes in consumer life style,

manufacturers and retailers have developed various size and price

ranges, as well as categories for styling and clothing type.

• Clothing for all occasions and lifestyles is available.

 Definition of a fashion show:

•‘‘A fashion show is a biannual

presentation of a new clothing
collection on moving bodies for an
audience.’’

•A fashion show is an event put on

by a fashion designer to showcase
their upcoming line of clothing
during Fashion Week.
•The runway is a decidedly Parisian idea,
forming in 19th-century Franc, During this
time in France, couture salons in Paris hosted
events to showcase certain fashions. These
shows were considered as “fashion parades.”
In fashion, a runway, catwalk or ramp is a
•In the beginning of runway modeling, only a narrow, usually flat platform that runs into
small and select group of people were invited an auditorium or between sections of an
outdoor seating area, used by models to
to the show. In fact, photographers weren’t demonstrate clothing and accessories
invited to fashion shows until the late 1940s. during a fashion show.
• The lack of photography evidence is one of
the reasons why we have little information
about the origins of runway modeling.
 TYPES OF FASHION SHOWS
Formal Fashion Shows:

Require a great deal of advanced planning:

•booking models & fittings
•arranging for a runway
Types of ‘fashion’show •lighting, microphones, music, sound etc.
presentations:
Clothes are usually grouped according to colour, styling or other
• Formal shows visual criteria, while models & music are selected to
• Department shows complement the set and mood.
• Designer trunk
• shows Informal modeling
 TYPES OF FASHION SHOWS
DESIGNER TRUNK SHOWS:
Done in cooperation with a single vendor and are a popular way
of selling expensive collections.

Invitations are sent to the best customers, the designer

or representative travels from store to store with the
collection usually shown on models in the designers
collections department.
 TYPES OF FASHION SHOWS

Department Fashion Shows:

These are of a much smaller scale and are

produced In store to generate immediate
Informal Fashion Shows:
sales. Usually a platform is set up directly in
These are the easiest to produce. A few the store that carries the clothes.
models walk through the store showing
the fashions that they are wearing to
customers who are shopping or those in
the stores restaurant. The models take
their time and customers can ask
questions.
 EXHIBITIONS & DISPLAYS
A Fashion Exhibition:

An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized

Definition Exhibition: presentation and display of a selection items.
A public display, as of the work of artists or
artisans, the products of farms or
factories, the skills of performers, or objects of
general interest, an exposition or large fair of
extended duration, as aworld’s fair.

Also referred to as a display,

exhibit, expo, exposition, fair

 EXHIBITIONS & DISPLAYS
Reasons for Exhibits?
•Tell a story in an ordered sequence or fashion.
Typesof Exhibitions:
•Tell a story that can’t be told or illustrated on site.
1) Interpretive - Museums •Allow visitors the freedom to pace themselves.
2) Interactive - Art
3) Commercial - Shops, Trade Fairs
• Visual merchandising is the activity and profession of
developing the floor plans and three-dimensional displays in
order to maximize sales. Both goods or services can be
displayed to highlight their features and benefits.

• The purpose of such visual merchandising is to attract,

engage, and motivate the customer towards making a
purchase.
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized
presentation and display of a selection of items.
 Elements of Effective Visual Merchandising
• Balance: Asymmetrical rather than symmetrical balance with
the display.
• Size of Objects: Place the largest object into display first.
• Color: Helps set mood and feelings.
• Focal Point: Where product and background come together.
• Lighting: Should accent focal point, if possible.
• Simplicity: Less is more so know when to stop and don’t add too
many items.
Accessory windowdisplays
 Clothing
window displays
 Review of designers profile
Some of the Italian fashion designers

Valentino garavani
Valentino (Garavani), who uses only his
first name professionally, was born in
Voghera, Italy, in 1932.
 Con’t
Donatella Versace & Gianni Versace

Versace, started in 1978 by

Gianni Versace, became a very
successful women's wear
business, and the company
added men's wear in 1979.

Since Gianni's death in Miami

in 1997, his sister of Donatella
heads the design team and
brother Santo runs the
business.
 Con’t
Roberto Cavalli
- Is an Italian fashion designer and inventor.
He is known for exotic prints and for creating
the sand-blasted look for jeans. He is also the
founder of the high-end Italian fashion house
Roberto Cavalli which sells luxury
clothing, perfume and leather accessories

Labels----Roberto Cavalli, just cavalli, Roberto

Cavalli Junior, Roberto Cavalli Perfums,
Roberto Cavalli Home
 Con’t
Giorgio Armani
is an Italian fashion designer, particularly
noted for his menswear. He is known today
for his clean, tailored lines. He formed his
company, Armani, in 1975, and by 2001 was
acclaimed as the most successful designer
that Italy has produced.
lables ---- Giorgio Armani, Emporio
Armani, Armani Collezioni, Armani
Exchange, Armani Junior
 Can't
Dolce & Gabbana
• Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana
began working together in 1982.
• Dolce learned his craft working in his
family's clothing factory in Sicily.
• Gabbana studied graphics in design
school.
• They Meet in 1980 while working for
another designer.
• In 1985, they presented their first
women's collection under the Dolce &
Gabbana label and have since added
men's wear, knitwear, lingerie, and
swimwear.
 Some of the French fashion designers
Christian Dior
Christian Dior was a French fashion
designer whose post–World War II
creations were wildly popular, and
whose legacy continues to influence the
fashion industry.
 Can't
Yves saint Laurent
was a French fashion designer,
regarded as one of the greatest
names in fashion history.
• is a French luxury fashion house
founded by Yves Saint Laurent
and his partner.
 Con’t
Coco Chanel
was a French fashion designer and
businesswoman. She was the founder
and namesake of the Chanel brand.
Along with Paul Poiret, Chanel was
credited in the post-World War I era
with liberating women from the
constraints of the "corseted silhouette"
and popularizing a sporty, casual chic as
the feminine standard of style.
 Cont….
Pierre Cardin
- Is a French fashion designer known for
his avant-garde style.
- He advanced into unisex fashions.
 Cont.…….
Louis Vuitton
- is a house founded in 1854 by Louis
Vuitton.
- The label's LV monogram appears on most
of its products, ranging from luxury trunks
and leather goods to ready-to-wear,
shoes, watches, jewelry, accessories,
sunglasses.
 What is a Portfolio?
A collection of items, that
document a professional’s
career, Educators, designer
woodworkers and architects all
use portfolios to showcase
their expertise .
Think of your Portfolio as a
Schematic Diagram

An illustration
that shows
YOUR
function and
connections
E.g.
Design Portfolio
A design portfolio is:

• Portable and demonstrable method to present visual information- especially

beneficial in an interview situation, presenting work to clients.

• Tool to obtaining a job or entrance to a course or degree as it shows

demonstrable skills.

• Professional way to collate and present visual evidence of your talent and skills-
art work, designs, illustrations, press cuttings, fashion photographs etc.
Sample design portfolio
 Client format
1. Full name
2. Age
3. Costumer category
4. Married status
5. Occupation
6. Income manually
7. Vacation palace
8. Season
9. Favorite product
10. Favorite fashion store
11. Favorite designer
Cont…
• Color – black portfolios look smarter and do not scuff easily

• Preferred if it is made of tough plastic material or leather; they should last a life time.
Portfolio contents and layout

• Introductory page- start with something about yourself, unique to you, a logo or graphic,
not a highly fashionable garment design that can date quickly; attach a business card or
address

• Double page spreads- allow pages to work together to create more visual impact.
Cont…
• Orientation- chose a specific layout, portrait or landscape,
• Selective- present your best work and remove any weak links.
• Creative and graphically well presented,
• Organize your portfolio either by design or (latest first) – you could index
your content.
• Informative – your portfolio should tell a story about yourself and your
abilities.
Cont…

• Display your best work

• Variety- displays your creative talents, design skills and flexibility by

presenting a range of artwork to prevent it from being repetitive.

• Clean and neat- remove grubby (dirty) marks, cut work to neatly fit,
be sure plastic sleeves are the right way up.
Cont…

• Color Xeroxing-(transferring )

• Portable- keep it light and easy to carry

• Update and rearrange- always keep your work up to date.

• Stand alone- your portfolio must be self explanatory in its use of text
and presentation techniques; this is important as your portfolio may,
at some time viewed without your presence.
Targeting your portfolio
You may need your portfolio for:
• An entry to course, school, college, university-

• Applying for a position in fashion industry-

• Marketing or presenting your latest clothing range.

• Acquire freelance work- you may need to target your portfolio specifically
for the client or show your talent and skill in all areas of design
Assignment 2
• Explain briefly the 4 types of window displaying – submitted
by a hard copy written by hand.
- Enclosed
- semi – enclosed
- open windows
- Island windows

• Collect 2 picture examples for each type of window

displaying – submitted by a soft copy.