Fashion designers are not only supposed to be creative artists but also practical selectors. You can have the best fashion designs on paper, but it all boils down to how your designs are manifested in real life. Having the right fabric which not only fits perfectly but also adds grace into your designs is a prerequisite to excellent outfits.
From colour to weight, selecting the right fabric for your design can be tiresome because it requires experience and knowledge about various kinds of fabrics available in the market. That is where fashion designing courses come in, as they provide essential practical knowledge to budding fashion designers.
Below mentioned are a few helpful tricks you can use to make the right choice while selecting fabrics for your design.
- Examining the fabric weight
According to your fashion design you can choose lightweight, medium or heavy-weight fabrics. They determine the thickness of your fabric and can therefore determine the fabric’s suitability. Organza and chiffon are a few lightweight fabrics, Satin and velvet are medium-weight fabrics and denim and wools are heavy-weight materials that you can experiment with.
- Choosing the Colour
The right colour choice can be a deal breaker for your outfit. Double-check the shades and hues in ample natural light as the colours can appear different in the store. Keep the design in mind while shopping to make sure that the colour coordinates with the outfit.
- Examining the Stretch Ability of the Material
While shopping for the material, hold and stretch the fabric between your hands to measure its stretchability. If the material is too stretchy then it can pose difficulty while sewing. Make sure that the fabric fits the silhouette of your design.
- Check the drape
The drape determines the flow of the outfit. For example, silk drapes softly while other heavier fabrics are stiffer. If your design requires a flowy fabric then you can choose materials like silk, but if your design requires stiff or body-fitting fabric then you can select the drape accordingly.
- Width
The width of the fabric should be an approximate estimate of how much fabric you will require to execute the design.
Fashion Designing is not just about being artistic and creative. Not choosing the right fabric for your design can turn out to be a design disaster. Picking the right fabric is a skill acquired through experience and guidance which can be learnt through fashion design colleges.
