Inspiration & Research

When I was an architecture student, research has been one of my favorite part of the process. It gave meaning to design. When creatin a model each  function had a purpose and a reason to exist. Fast forward years later, I became a fashion designer. When I started applying architecture principle to fashion a marriage was born and I never looked at fashion the same after that 

Creating a collection is more than just a mood board with images that inspires us.  I have in the past created many mood boards and it left me empty. I wanted more than images on paper. I wanted those images to speak life and create a dream that hasn't existed yet. 

It was my senior year at Savannah College of Arts and Design when  Professor Christopher helped me mergerd architecture and fashion. It finally click. At that point in my studies I have been studying both majors. It never hit me to combine both majors. Now I see architecture through the lense of Fashion. 

As a designer you must have a purpose. Discovering why are you design and what perpective you  want to give to the world. It's ok if you don't have all the answers. Find out what in fashion you wish could exist and be that voice for it. 

Here re are a few tips that can help you create a collection

When looking up inspirations for your collection, go back to the principle of design and articulate in design words why this image is important to you. The principle of design words has helped me understand where I am taking a the vision for the collection. After I create my process book I take those design words and apply them to my process designs. 

Here are two ways to create a process book. 

Procesa Book idea #1- Create it your self. 

Design the cover page on Microsoft word, Photoshop or any program you have 8.5  x 11 Page- On the page you would have an image, title, designer name incase you miss place it 

Buy a pack of 100 card stock at homedepo 

I usually go to fedex- Kinco print the cover page In card stock 

Bind the cover page and 100 card stock- cleared covering  

All of this should be between 15-20.00  

Idea #1- Create your own book  

Idea 2# Buy an existing art journal with no lines Moleskine journals are my favorite but they are a little expensive but so worth it. They last the longest.

STARTING A FASHION COLLECTION

Hey Everyone,

Hope you are having a great day. I get a lot of messages in my inbox on how to start a collection. Where to start and so on. So I decided that I would walk you through my process. Hopefully it can inspire someone. Studying architecture for so many years I felt like I had a lot to learn about fashion. I am still learning everyday about the process. I still take my professors out for coffee and ask questions. I am at the library, Barnes and Noble, and listening to fashion talks on youtube daily.  I am constantly learning and finding ways to improve as a fashion designer. Here are resources that can help provoke ideas on how to start a fashion collection. 

I love these books. They have helped spark ideas and help me design many collections in the past. The books walk you through the processes from begin to end.  The Fashion Portfolio book is one of my favorites.  It opens your mind to creating a collection from a different perspective. In fashion you may have been taught to start at creating a mood board. The truth is that you can start at any point.  Stay tune for the next steps in starting a collection.  Hope you enjoy these books and welcome to my process as I create my next collection. 

Book 1: Creating a successful fashion collection by Steven Faerm

Book 2: Daniel Vosovic Fashion Inside Out foreword by Tim Gunn 

Book 3: Fashion Portfolio design + presentation by Anna Kiper

| FASHION INSTALLATION |

I am excited about my new conceptual collection which premiere during Art Basel in Miami.  I have been dreaming of being a conceptual designer for a long time. Now I can walk boldly towards that direction. Designing brings pleasure to my soul and when it comes to life, magic happens. I have been creating ideas for the last couple of weeks. I love my process books. Something I carry with me since college. Hope you love them as I do. 

xoxo

Merline