Textile Properties

A large and often overlooked part of fashion retail, though a large part of the production process, is appropriate textile selection. Each textile used in a garment has specific properties, utilised for a specific purpose; viscose for lining, wool for outerwear, or cotton for underwear etc., each has been selected, constructed, treated, and finished to meet the needs of the garment and its wearer, this is why it is so important for designers and salespeople to understand various textiles' properties, and capabilities.

Here is a concise selection of textiles and their properties that I have studied, worked with and sold (in menswear) and how they can relate to customer's needs.

"Without tradition, art is a flock of sheep

without a shepherd. Without innovation,

it is a corpse." 

Winston Churchill

Management through Mastery, Autonomy and Purpose

Since working in jobs concerned directly with supply and demand, I have engaged in the study of behavioral economics, particularly what motivates people to work more effectively and efficiently, and what motivates people to consume.

The need to motivate employees and customers is fundamental to any business. While management and marketing are concerned with different sectors of business, though they share the same aim of motivating people.

“Form follows function” 

Louis Sullivan 1896.

Louis Sullivan was known as the "father of skyscrapers" and the "father of modernism". This quote was based on his rationalist theories, it would later become foundational to the theories of modernism, and 'modern' values. The Modernists would add "...ornament is a crime" to the above statement, to enforce their disregard for unnecessary adornment in design.

Design - A market approach (post 2008)

During final year of University in 2007, news media was stating - “Credit markets go into freefall” and "We suspect the problem in the sub-prime area is just the tip of the iceberg”. It seemed market demand was set to turn on it's head, the consumer bubble of the mid 00s was about to burst, as a global recession was imminent.

“Tradition is the illusion of permanence.”

Woody Allen

Diffusion of a market - Saville Row

2006 was my 3^rd year of design school, I had just completed the 'advanced construction' paper at university, lead by a very good and inspiring tailor, I chose to pattern make and construct a three piece suit. At this time Men's fashion, lead by the designer Hedi Slimane at Dior Homme, revered the British suit cut, exemplified by the traditional tailors of Saville Row. During a visit to London in mid 2006 I made a sort of 'pilgrimage' to Saville Row, to find that my reverent views of this street and its stores were appropriate though out of date.