Normal fashion design?

Post Reply New Topic

My main special interest, fashion, is taking over my life again. I've always wanted to be a fashion designer, and I'm dreaming of starting my own clothing line and maybe even someday opening a shop. The problem is I kinda feel lost and alone here because everyone else is designing like, high fashion stuff; abstract avant garde gowns almost like what Lady Gaga wears, and all the fashion tv shows such as Project Runway are pretty much the same. It's less like clothing and more like an art piece that happens to be on a person. But I don't design that way! I'm interested in clothes that me and my friends would actually wear. The type of clothes you'd buy at the mall. Hot Topic, Rue21, Modcloth, JcPenney. Stuff for your average fun & classy young lady to wear to a party. And I can't find anything like that... no like-minded people to follow or befriend online, no groups to join, no tv shows to watch, not even help online anywhere at all! I don't understand because I know there are thousands of designers like that out there... like the people who designed all the clothes in my closet. And surely there are other people who are just starting out like me. Where is everyone? And is there a special name for this type of clothes? Because every time I google "fashion design" or something, all I see is the crazy stuff and no "real" outfits. I've done all I can think of to find information and resources online over the course of several years, and I just don't know what else to do now.

You know....this makes me think if Isaac Mizrahi. He went from high fashion to designing clothing for QVC. It probably is his name that gets him that job, but his clothing is very accessible now, though I think it targets an older crowd. I remember reading people's reactions to that - some saying how sad that was, and I think it's sad too, for him, since I think he really wanted to be in high fashion. But others were saying, he's very successful financially this way, since you're average person is able to buy his clothing.

So....that was a long way of saying, maybe you could design clothing for a company like QVC, or the kinds of things that are sold at Target.

I found a site called Tilly and The Buttons that I like. They do wearable fashion.

http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com

Just had a thought. If you Google "how to make a skirt" or "how to make" any piece of clothing you'll find people who like to sew and make designs for wearable fashion are often those who tend to make how to blogs rather than call their work "fashion".

You might find like minded people that way.

There are actually quite a few "sewing circles" on Google+.

I ran a sewing store for a while... and [very very basic] SEO for Google searches benefits greatly from an active +
profile...

Anyway, there seemed to be more quilting communities than any other sewing communities BUT there were beginner sewing communities and social clothing communities and at least one [pattern] drafting community - some of which may fit your criteria.
Sorry I don't recall specific names, the store account had a lot of those connections, and I haven't worked there in about a year.

It's also possibly worth connecting with Craftsy on there - they regularly promote discounts to digital classes...
I remember seeing a foundational undergarments class [there was a bra-with-underwire pattern specified], a LBD class, an infinity scarf crochet class... just to name a few.

Oh! (Wow, I'm sick today and thinking even more random/abstract than usual... should have started with these.)

Local sewing supply stores (JoAnns was the best back in the day [I suspect Hancock was similar, only less local to me] if any are left near you, Michaels and Hobby Lobby less so as they are "craft" stores primarily but I've seen classes offered at both) will offer classes that generally last for x hours over one or a few days and culminate in the creation of a specific garment. You can pick up some good techniques (french hems, boning, pin tucks, etc.) and meet other sewists.

Perhaps better to stop in machine dealers (which is what I ran, primarily a machine dealer that also stocked some notions and accessories). Dealers offer a few types of class - one teaches you the features on your machine, as most people don't know how to use their rolled hem foot or buttonholer (these are generally individual), and the other is small group classes which, like the fabric/sewing supply stores, tend to play out as everyone on her/his own machine creating slight variants on a type of garment [i.e., women's dress pants] HOWEVER these establishments tend to offer higher-skill-level classes. Best of all, many of these classes are run by instructors who also belong to hobby sewing groups of different types.

And honestly, with both of those retail establishment types, you could just call/e-mail/walk in and ask if they are aware of local sewing groups. I know local groups used to bring brochures in to me to pass out to folks like you

This one's a bit more of a long shot - but around where I live now there is a boutique clothing store that offers sewing classes and events in a work room they have off the showroom floor. Their best selling point was that they had a variety of machines, many of which were at least a pricing tier up from what the average home sewist owns... and some of which offered some useful niche capabilities [sewing through four layers of leather; serging; computerized embroidery].
The same boutique does a lot of "local designer only" trunk shows... I got talked into one because a customer was showing her purse line that night, and it would have been great for that kind of networking if it wasn't so loud and crowded.

I could have formatted that better. It got away from me.

Ah.
Well the best of luck to you!
And thanks better now.