The inspiration behind the ideas of design!

New products are the result of experimentation, consumer research or much of the time it’s a solution to a problem of a current product. If a current design does not meet the satisfactions of the consumers then an opportunity can arise to incorporate another design to produce a new product. A design brief is an identified problem which is then presented, researched and then begins a development into the product, with written intentions to then be researched to solve the problem.

Research into a design brief is broad and can use a variety of different sources to enable in-depth research. Popular research includes; questionnaires, observations of events, the internet, photographs, similar products and prototypes. All of which are the required to have a written analysis, summaries and conclusions.

Once the results are presented and analysed a designs specification is made to decide whether the problem is worth perusal. The specification will be shown to the manufacturer and decisions over types of materials, dimensions, costs and materials preferred will all be information classified in the specification. To begin designing when gathering ideas larger corporations may employ freelance designers to help bring interesting innovations or ideas about a design.

With today’s vast amount of fashion designers it’s become harder to come up with an original idea or invention, however by looking at original ideas it becomes easier to adapt and innovate old designs. Adapting is by differentiating features within a sketch or design, for example tall or petite ranges are adaptations as they target a specific market of consumer. 

By Abigail Stephenson

Illustration by Ismail Erbil

Photographs provided by fashion-enter, will be added asap!

For other articles in the learning about textiles technology, click below:

Part one: what are textiles?
Part two: The inspiration behind the ideas of design
Part three: drawing and modelling
Part four: planning
Part five: influences on design
Part six: fibres
Part seven: construction
Part eight: properties of fabrics
Part nine: care of fabrics
Part ten: components
Part eleven: disassembly
Part twelve: application of colour
Part thirteen: measuring and marketing
Part fourteen: assembly
Part fifteen: industrial production techniques
Part sixteen: systems in production
Part seventeen: aesthetics and ergonomics
Part eighteen: evaluation and quality
Part nineteen: marketing