A look into "how to become a lingerie designer" book
CHAPTER ONE: Lingerie - A brief History
This chapter takes a look at the lingerie through out history, including Warners buying 'Mary P Jacob' bra design patent, facts about that women were asked to stop wearing corsets and this freed up enough metal to apparently build two battleships (for WW1).
It also looks at the change in shape through out the years that the bra took, with the advanced technology of fabrics and elastics. This chapter takes you through each decade with facts and how the changing shape of the bra and changed the attitude towards lingerie.
It also questions the bras place and function and how women are fitted still using the 4/5+ system. With the garter belt and stocking dying out will the bra follow place? Or do you think it's here to stay?
For those who are obsessed with Vintage lingerie - check out Under Pinnings online lingerie museum, which documents vintage lingerie.
CHAPTER TWO : INSPIRATION FOR DESIGNING
This chapter takes a look at where to look for gaining for inspiration for your designs. Inspiration comes to us in many forms for designing, it could be images, photos from magazines, or fabrics. I recommend starting a private Pinterest board and over a course of a couple of weeks pin images that inspire you every day, and then take a look at the end and you should see a style emerging.
Within this chapter is also the low down on copyright laws for your lingerie designs and a list of Lingerie Magazines and Fashion magazines which I've found helpful in the past for inspiration.
CHAPTER THREE : TARGET MARKET
This chapter looks at analysing the market you're aiming for. It talks about Identifying your target market for your lingerie designs and who you are going to be making and designing for. Covering if you have trouble deciding who is your target market, because at some point I'm sure we've all been in the situation where we have 101 ideas going around in our head.
Three main points that are covered that I think important about the direction of your brand are:
1. Passion: Being passionate will carry you through when you are spending every working minute on your brand.
2. Niche: Designing for your target market means you cut out some of your competitors
3. Style: A strong style brings recognition and trust from your customers.
Also this chapter covers how to keep on track season after season.
CHAPTER FOUR: SKETCH BOOKS & MOOD BOARDS
"SKETCH BOOKS ARE NOT ABOUT BEING A GREAT DESIGNER THEY ARE ABOUT BEING A GREAT THINKER"
This chapter leads you through the importance of keeping a sketchbook. It also covers designing mood boards for lingerie and a list of internet sites to help you create your mood-board if you don't have access to Photoshop or Illustrator.
CHAPTER FIVE: FASHION DRAWINGS
The blog covered how to draw a fashion model, and it covers it in the book as well. This chapter covers the importance of fashion drawings and how they are relevant to the fashion industry today.
And all the information that you need to write on a pattern.
For those who need a place to start on pattern making then lingerie patterns can be bought from this website.
CHAPTER SIX: WORKING DRAWINGS
Unlike fashion drawings, working drawings are also known as 'technical drawings', always drawn flat and never from an angle. This chapter looks at basic working drawings, and ones with stitch lines and fabric representation.
CHAPTER SEVEN: PATTERNS
This chapter covers where patterns began, and the joy of using the same pattern to create different looks.
It also looks at the three methods usually used to create a lingerie pattern:
1. Flat-pattern Method
2. Drafting Method
3. Draping Method
CHAPTER EIGHT: BRA PATTERNS
This chapter covers starting out with soft bras then looking at underwire bras, and explains the two type of bras, cradle or non cradle. It will also show you, how you can create different looks by just using one pattern. (When running Vanjo I only had one style bra for four years) .
Designing around the bras is the most important aspect of designing, and this chapter will show you the starting point of using your wire to start your pattern.
CHAPTER NINE: SPECIFICATION SHEETS
This chapter covers 'what is a spec sheet' why to use them and what goes on them. It also shows you the industry measurements in which the sizes increase or decrease. A lot of people in the industry still manually enter the sizes, which if you then have to change the sample measurement, it takes an age to change the other sizes. This book shows you the formulas you can use on Excel to automatically fill in the sizes. This chapter covers measuring both briefs and bras.
CHAPTER TEN: GRADING
This chapter covers what grading is, and using the information we gained from chapter nine (specification sheets) and shows you the basic way to grade on a brief pattern. It also covers cross grading - how a bra cup volume 32C can be the same cup volume as a 36A, and when to not use the standard grade.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: SAMPLE SPEC SHEETS
This chapter covers what a sample spec sheet, and why it's important to use them for you, it also includes what to put on them. (the book image is from How to write a tech pack for a bra and brief).
CHAPTER TWELVE: COSTING
This chapter covers the basic way to make a costing, it guides you through measuring elastics and fabrics to working out how much 1 meter of fabric will make. It also gives you an example of a broken-down cost sheet to look at. *Remember the bigger companies will always be able to compete on the costings - look for something else for you company to offer*
CHAPTER THIRTEEN:MANUFACTURING
This chapter covers the decline of manufacturing, and the pros and cons of hand-making your lingerie or getting it manufactured, it also gives you a couple of lingerie manufacturers in the UK.
Image inside Stitching Academy in North London
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: PHOTOSHOOTS
This chapter looks at doing your photography in the studio or location, whether to video it, and what you might need.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: ADDITION INFORMATION
This chapter covers all the extras you may need to consider, such as your website and business stationary.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: TRADE SHOWS
This chapter covers showing at shows, contacting buyers, the pros and cons of sale or return and gives you a list of lingerie trade shows.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: PRESS RELEASES
This chapter covers the formatting of press releases and working with your journalist.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: LINGERIE COURSES
This chapter gives you a brief overview of UK and online Lingerie courses.
INTERVIEW WITH LINGERIE DESIGNERS
This chapter covers interviews with independent lingerie designers, who at the end get asked "What words of advice would you give to aspiring designers?"