4/28/23 |

Designing a Clothing Collection

Pierce Marengo delivers a speech on the 10 steps to designing a clothing collection in his Public Speaking I class at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree California.

LEMON: https://notdefinedbyflaw.com

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Introduction:

Have you ever wanted to start a clothing brand, or create a clothing collection? Pierce Marengo is the designer of LEMON, a clothing brand and community based on nature, going outside, and not being defined by flaws. In this speech, Pierce shares the 10 steps he used to design his clothing collection, CAMP LEMON.

10 Steps to Designing a Clothing Collection:

1. Inspiration / Ideas

What makes you want to create? What do you want to create?

2. Sketching

Sketch out all the ideas of what you want in the collection, and the packaging.

3. Final Designs

The files that you make in a graphic design software that will be used to create the product.

4. Digital Mockups

Use the final designs to create what you want the physical product to look like.

5. Sampling

Make or purchase samples for you to figure out which one you like the feel, the look, and the textures. Figure out which one you want to wear everyday, and choose a favorite.

6. Mood Boards

Create a representation of the vibe of the collection to show your team when you create film or photography.

7. Physical Mock Ups

This is where you figure out how to make the clothes. There's many ways to do this, through embroidery, screen printing, stencils, etc. This could also be through companies that create the pieces for you, going back and forth until you're satisfied with their physical mock ups.

8. Testing

Wear it multiple times, wash it multiple times, see how it looks in person, in camera, on film. Make any adjustments to the process of making it.

9. Manufacturing

Even if you're making it by yourself, it's still a process. This is when the sketches come to life. Use the process from the physical mock up for the whole collection. If you use fabric paint or fabric markers, slide the shirt over a piece of cardboard so that the paints or markers don't go through onto the back of the shirt. You can create stencils by using stencil materials (or even thick paper, although it's harder to wash) to make stencils using a guide of a printed version of your final designs on paper. When you make the stencils, you can't have a hole within a hole, which means no O's or P's, so instead use bridges—this is the same thing you might have seen for the stencils for road painting. If you use stencils, use cardboard overtop so that the fabric spray doesn't get onto undesired areas of the shirt. Afterwards, fill in the gaps made by the bridges with a fabric marker or fabric paint and a paintbrush, unless you want to keep the gaps as part of the design.

Also, packaging. Figure out the process to make it, just like you did with the physical mock ups. This could be using stencils as well, if you want, or even just drawing things with fabric markers, or using stamps. Figure out what sort of things you care about, like if it is 100% recyclable or made from 100% recyclable materials. Figure out what you want to do for presentation, folding (or rolling), and tags.

10. Look Book

Create your Mood Board with the physical product. Emphasize certain things. It could be photos, videos, multiple photos and videos, or a collage. It could be just the product, or people wearing the product, or anything. Be creative and have fun.

Conclusion:

The main thing that I keep learning over and over is that there will always be flaws in the design process, but some of those flaws can enrich the design. If you decide that you want to create a clothing collection, I say do it, just remember that if things don't turn out exactly the way you wanted, it's still Not Defined By Flaw.

Filmed & Edited by Pierce Marengo.

If things don't turn out exactly the way you wanted, it's still...

NOT DEFINED BY FLAW