Q&A for How to Design Clothes

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  • Question
    How can I design my own clothing line?
    Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
    Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist
    Chloée Ohayon-Crosby is a Costume Designer and Wardrobe Specialist in Los Angeles, California. With over eight years of experience in fashion consulting, Chloée specializes in personal, film, theater, and commercial styling as well as image consulting and costume design. Chloée has worked as an assistant designer for the distinguished fashion house Chloée and as a freelance stylist with Glamour Italia. Chloée studied Fine/Studio Arts at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and Fashion Design and Merchandising at the world renowned ESMOD École Supérieure des Arts in Paris, France.
    Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist
    Expert Answer
    To get started, you'll have to design your own clothes. There are many places to get inspiration from, so don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Art, film, photography, history, and icons are great places to start. History especially is a big answer to how and why we've worn certain styles in the past. Different colors and shapes can all help get you ideas for creating these new exciting pieces.
  • Question
    Can I start my own businesses at a young age?
    Community Answer
    Of course! Everything starts small. You will need to have a bank account and an adult who can assist you. Sell small things first and see how your customer base responds.
  • Question
    Can a 12-year-old learn how to make clothes (it's my dream job)?
    Community Answer
    Yes, of course. In fact, the younger you start learning to design and construct, the better your chances of becoming a successful designer.
  • Question
    How do I get the fabrics to design clothes?
    Community Answer
    Google "fabric stores near me" and check out the results. If you have a Joann's nearby, start there.
  • Question
    How do I stitch my clothing?
    Community Answer
    You'll need a sewing machine. You can find some great tutorials online.
  • Question
    How do you create a website?
    Community Answer
    Search online "website creator" and you will get plenty of results - although you may have to pay to have one. For those who want to keep it as low a cost as possible, there are sites such as Weebly or SimpleSite that will create it for free - but you have to pay if you want to upgrade the website.
  • Question
    Can we design our own clothes using a laptop?
    Community Answer
    You can download fashion designing software on your laptop, but it will cost you money.
  • Question
    Is designing clothes easy?
    Community Answer
    It really depends on individual opinions regarding whether it is easy or hard. Usually if it is something you love and enjoy, it is easier.
  • Question
    What do I do if I want to only do the design part and have someone else sew and sell the clothing?
    Community Answer
    Find a tailor who can sew your designs, and you can get connected to various e-commerce websites and put it on sale. You can employ someone to manage the e-commerce, if budget permits.
  • Question
    Should a designer need to know the measurements of the outfits they sketch?
    Community Answer
    Not really. You'll just need measurements when you start to make the actual garment so it actually fits the model.
  • Question
    What if I just want to create embroidery patterns for ladieswear?
    Community Answer
    You can use Wilcom software to design your embroidery with GUI.
  • Question
    How can I put print on a piece of clothing?
    Community Answer
    Fashion designers usually buy fabric with the print they want already on it, but you might be able to print a pattern onto a shirt or something using transfer paper.
  • Question
    How much money can I make selling dress designs?
    Community Answer
    It depends on how many people are buying your designs and how much you are selling your designs. People are willing to buy if they think the designs are great, and the quality is excellent. The lower the cost is to make them, the more profit you will make as well.
  • Question
    Is there anywhere I can find a cheap sewing machine to work on the clothes I design?
    Community Answer
    You can get professional sewing machines for a little over $100, however you can get a small hand-held one for nearly half the price. Check online auction and physical place auctions (estate and liquidated goods auctions are good), to find an affordable sewing machine. There is also no harm asking for one for free using a site like Freecycle.
  • Question
    I can't produce enough garments if I sew them myself. Where do I go to find "sewers"?
    Community Answer
    Look around. You will definitely find sewers in your area. Keep an eye out for terms like seamstress, tailor, and dressmaker. Use portals such as Just Dial or other directories to get the contacts, or ask people you know if they know people who sew.
  • Question
    Will it matter if I'm a little free-handed and think it might spoil my design?
    Community Answer
    It's OK if the sketch is not perfect. Practice will surely lead to perfection. The design is not spoiled, as sketch is just a rough view of the product.
  • Question
    I am 9 years old and love to design clothes, but cannot sew. At my young age, how can I best learn to sew?
    Community Answer
    Online. There are so many useful tutorials out there! All you need is a laptop (or phone) and a sewing machine. Craft stores like Joann's also have fairly cheap sewing lessons, so you can try that as well.
  • Question
    I want to start my own online store with my own designs. How do I start getting the word out if I do not have any samples yet?
    Community Answer
    You don’t. Make samples, figure out how good your designs are and who you think could be interested. Afterwards, try to target those people.
  • Question
    How do I design clothes if I am a preteen?
    Community Answer
    Start with throwaway clothes with holes or cuts in them. Attempt to fix them up! This will give you an opportunity to see things with a new point of view, and that is the first step in learning to design.
  • Question
    How do I design clothing without a light box?
    Community Answer
    If you have a computer and printer/scanner, you can sketch out a croquis, outline it in pen, and then scan it into your computer. Then you could print out as many croquis as you need.
  • Question
    I'm 15 and this is my dream job; where do I start?
    Sarika Saiyara
    Community Answer
    Since you're very young, it's ideal for you to start looking for trends in the fashion industry and get your creative juices flowing as to how you envision your designed clothes. It is also advisable that you learn a bit about fashion, designing and drawing, as this will help you be a better designer. At the core of everything, remember to have fun experimenting with clothes!
  • Question
    How do I design clothes if I don't have a tracing table?
    Community Answer
    While it is great to design clothes traditionally, it is better to draw using software that supports layers. If you have to design your clothing on paper, a reliable LED tracing table costs less that $30. Makeshift tracing pads can be made by placing lights inside of a large, transparent, and smooth plastic container. Additional tutorials and materials for creating a lightbox can be found online.
  • Question
    How do I design clothes if I can't draw well?
    Community Answer
    There are many different ways a person can design. If you cannot draw well or at all, try checking out some books on it from your local library. Remember that the most important thing is to practice, practice, practice! If you have a friend or relative who can draw, try asking them for help. You could also design digitally, combining basic shapes to make complex items.
  • Question
    How do I design clothing as a kid if I have no materials?
    Community Answer
    You can still design clothes even if you don't have materials just yet. You could upcycle old clothes or get old fabrics/clothes from an op shop. Another idea is to do extra jobs around the house to get the funds for the fabric you need.
  • Question
    Are there any free computer programs that can be used to design clothes?
    Community Answer
    Yes. Tailornova is a free designing software. You just have to sign up.
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