Feature Friday 1: Book Review
Basics Fashion Design 01: Research and Design: by Simon Seivewright
If you’re interested in design, fashion or otherwise, Basics Fashion Design 01: Research and Design by Simon Seivewright is a great book to keep handy. It’s small, portable, and brimming with a wealth of information on the research and development of a fashion collection. It’s a great book for beginners and students especially, but even I still find myself referencing the text when I’m experiencing a creative block or need a refresh on types of research to conduct when seeking inspiration for a collection. Even if you are not a designer of fashion, the concepts on brainstorming, idea-generation, and how to compile your research are great tools to use to help you through any design process. The chapters are concise, very quick to reference, and chock-full of colorful examples of the design process - from mind-maps to mood boards to finished garments. There are even interviews with contemporary designers working in the fashion industry that delve into the designer’s research process and why it’s important, sources of inspiration, and how this information translates into their finished work. I highly recommend this book for new and seasoned designers alike, as it is full of valuable ideas and a wonderful reference material to have on-hand whenever a creative block might strike.
As the book describes it:
“Research is the fundamental success to any design-related project and in Research and Design you are taken through a series of chapters that explain firstly the constraints you may have as a designer and then what research is. Why you research and where you research. The book then moves into design development and the processes that you need to explore as a designer to maximise the information gathered in the research. The final chapter discusses the varied ways you can communicate and illustrate your design work.”
Covers subjects including:
“What a brief is, types of briefs, brainstorming, choosing a theme or concept, primary and secondary sources of research, drawing, collage, juxtaposition, deconstruction, analysis of research, model and drape, fabric, recycled garment manipulation, ideas generating exercises, development of individual garments, editing ideas, templates, working drawings, art materials, use of media and mark-making, illustration, layout and composition.”
This book is part of the BASICS Fashion Design series, which also includes Textiles and Fashion, Construction, Developing a Collection, and Fashion Drawing
-- Catherine