How My View of the Fashion Industry has Changed

Before traveling to Paris, I had a very one dimensional view of the fashion industry. Since I'm an apparel merchandising minor and not involved in the fashion design department, I haven't taken any fashion design classes. Because of this, I hadn't really considered what factors actually contribute to fashion design. I focused mostly on the retail cycle, but this trip so far has already opened my eyes about the fashion design part of the fashion industry. 

I always viewed the fashion design industry as mostly focused on design and construction. By going to the Mode Museum of Fashion in Belgium and discovering Abraham fabrics, I realized that the fabric the piece is made out of is just as important as the design and construction. The color of the fabric and the print go through a long and intricate creation process and can completely alter the final product.

 

When I saw the dresses below, they really resonated with me. Their construction is fairly simple, but what makes them interesting is the beautiful silk they're made out of. Before this trip, I probably wouldn't have thought to notice the material as much as the design. Experiencing the Abraham museum was a really eye-opening experience for me because I hadn't considered the relevance of materials in fashion design, which served to change my view of the fashion industry.

Another thing that changed my view of the fashion industry has been our design projects. I got the chance to design my own feather accessory this week, and I'll be designing my own hat next week. Although I've wanted to try designing for awhile, I've never gotten the chance to take a fashion design class so this was a great experience. I never quite realized the range of creativity allowed in design- even with the feather project everyone's project ended up looking completely different. So far it's been really interesting learning about the design part of the fashion industry, and it has inspired me to try to learn how to sew this summer!