It’s been a few weeks in between jobs and as a freelancer there is always this panic that sets in: “will I ever work again?” I completed a fall lookbook for my client last week and now the phone is silent. What to do? As I wait eagerly for NYFW to roll around I find myself looking for inspiration. But do you ever notice when you are specifically looking for something it never appears?
I have decided to branch off into a little bit of designing. My degree is officially in fashion design although I haven’t worked specifically in that area ever. This week we will be discussing how a fashion trend is made. Most people think they appear out of thin air and that a few designers get the same idea and it trickles down from there. This is not true; in fact most designers are extremely secretive about their ideas until the show. The truth is, inspiration can and should come from everywhere but as they say, art does imitate life and trends and influences come from the world and the environment we specifically live in.
Trends may be influenced by nature, government (ie. an election year), or a statement about humanity. Every year a company called Pantone picks a color of the year. This directly effects what you might see in garments as well as paint, textile design and interior. Trends are most often brought to you by “Trend Forecasters”. (This is actually another very specific job in fashion). As I look at fabric swatches and samples I am mindful of what might be relevant by the time my garments are ready for production—which will be a year from now. It’s a daunting task to take on what someone might or might not want to wear next summer.
This is also how one might create an “editorial fashion story.” Which is an editorial centered on a specific visual theme. Visually organizing yourself can be a challenge, and as I search for inspiration I start with beginning to create a mood board based on something I am naturally drawn to. I basically make a lot of collages. When I don’t have the room to cut and paste I use my favorite site pinterest to collect ideas.
What do you do when you find yourself in need of inspiration? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!