Replying on my phone so I apologize for any typos I miss! And I apologize if I cone across as arguing, want to make sure we're on the same page in understanding even if it means I misunderstood something along the process of learning.
No, the standard industry dress form does not work - unless you're one of the small group of people with the "ideal" measurement. In terms of learning though, the standard size allows teachers to easily see if something is wrong and needs corrected. It's ideal for learning but not for the real world. Unless I have misunderstood the concept (entirely possible btw!), your fit model should not be the industry standard in any measurements. When you develop a RTW line, the first major hurdle is determining the market. Is it young teenage girls who cannot afford to buy their clothes themselves? Or is it the 40-65 middle aged women who strive for a professional image? It is impossible to make clothing for the "average" customer. Nor is it possible to satisfy everyone in terms of sizing. Once the market is established and concise enough to be realistic, you create your sizes from the measurements and studies of your market. The size medium (or it's equivalent numerical size) is what sales reps and sample makers are used to working with. Your fit model then is sized according to the measurements of your line's size medium. I agree that it is frustrating to "waste one's time on something that cannot be worn or sold" but how else can they learn the process? The architect doesn't build a building while they're earning their degree... The wok with models until they learn and master the skills needed. I also am under the impression that many programs out there aren't suited for what the industry has in terms of job openings. There are plenty of amazing designers who've graduated but most don't want to do the manufacturing work themselves (or worse, they don't know how even after earning their degree!). I also am not a fan of Project Runway. I'm glad it seems to be leading kids to sew their own clothes that will fit them ... But it's equally pushing out designers who think it's easy to produce a line because that's how Project Runway does it. Also not a fan of the reality show aspect - the real industry is reality enough without adding more competition and challenges! But imagine if the kids watching the show, those who want to make clothes not to fit themselves but to fit others (because RTW is so crappy), and then are given the right skills to follow thru and produce their line - they will not only be successful, but will force those manufacturers who don't care about size to fix their doing issues and thereby bring the industry back to where it should be. That would be the ideal program of study. Michael Deibert OAS AAS LLS Sent from my iPhone On Mar 11, 2011, at 15:33, Lavolta Press <f...@lavoltapress.com> wrote: > >> This is a slight misconception and I'll avoid going into sizing issues. But >> while there are industrial sized dress forms, the industry standard size is >> a medium. The actual measurements of your line's medium is based on your >> target market and your fit model. A fit model is the actual model you will >> fit everything to - this is where the training on how to custom fit models >> comes in handy. > > Yes, I know. I did go through more than one RTW class. > > But, the average human body does not have identical proportions to either a > standard industry dress form or an industry fit model. That's why > ready-to-wear does not fit the average person well. Everyone is unique in > terms of the combination of the shape of their shoulders, bust, hips, > abdomen, behind, the length of their arms, and many other things. And that's > not even counting people who are considered to be overweight or to have > physical deformities/medical issues. > > Again, for many students, making something they cannot wear and that they are > not currently in a position to sell is throwing away time and money. > Students are typically short on both. And again, to a lot of them it sounds > fancy to enter an RTW course but that's not really what they will do when > they graduate. Colleges look at the numbers and if there are not enough > students to justify a class, it's not given. > > I think it's a very good thing that all those teenagers are watching Project > Runway and thinking, "Cool! I want to learn to sew and design clothes!" > Because, if people want clothes with a custom fit, fine construction, and/or > unique styling, they're typically going to be either spending more than a > middle-class person can easily afford to get clothes made for them, or > making their own clothes. Most ready-to-wear is pretty drecky. > > Fran > Lavolta Press > Books on making historic clothing > www.lavoltapress.com > > > > > > > > > >> Where the industry process differs from the home-sewing mindset is that >> after the sample (muslin in home-sewing world) is fit to the fit model, the >> pattern is then corrected to the new changes. The home-sewer takes the fit >> sample and finishes it off because the alterations were done on the almost >> finished garment. >> >> >> Lastly, that is extremely unforunate regarding your male classmate but I >> completely sympathize with him. As a male myself, most of the drafting books >> and courses out there are geared towards women's clothing - not men. >> Tailoring courses are for the male clothing yet unless you apprentice under >> a tailor, very few courses come close to covering the basics of drafting >> men's patterns. >> >> Michael Deibert >> OAS AAS LLS >> _______________________________________________ >> h-costume mailing list >> h-costume@mail.indra.com >> http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume >> >> > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
