Creativity in Fashion Design
Sammi Kaufman
[Institutional Affiliation(s)]
Table of Contents
TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Creativity in Fashion Design PAGEREF _Toc8375686 \h 3
Introduction PAGEREF _Toc8375687 \h 3
History of Fashion PAGEREF _Toc8375688 \h 3
Creativity in Fashion Designing PAGEREF _Toc8375689 \h 4
Creativity and Design Process PAGEREF _Toc8375690 \h 5
Principles of Fashion Designing PAGEREF _Toc8375691 \h 5
Creativity and Industry PAGEREF _Toc8375692 \h 6
Creativity and the Environment PAGEREF _Toc8375693 \h 6
Creativity and Character Traits PAGEREF _Toc8375694 \h 7
Creativity and Motivation PAGEREF _Toc8375695 \h 8
Role of Technology in Apparel Industry PAGEREF _Toc8375696 \h 8
Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc8375697 \h 9
Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc8375698 \h 10
References PAGEREF _Toc8375699 \h 12
Creativity in Fashion Design
Introduction
Fashion refers to ‘the popular style in clothing, footwear, makeup, and even the appearance of individuals. It is a changing trend in the lifestyle of people which they adopt and present themselves accordingly. Fashion changes with time and people opt for different styles according to the latest trends. There is a specific department of designers who work to produce innovative designs that can compete with the latest trends. Earlier majority of aspects of fashion were feminine that lately included masculine and androgynous trends as well. The idea of unisex costumes has however eliminated the perspective of separate clothing. The changing fashion trends have encouraged men to attend social gatherings without following a dress code and allowing them to accessorize in new ways. Also, the growing social changes allowed the youth to experiment with their style. Such as the gay rights movement has allowed the gays to adopt women’s attire and the fabrics are now utilized creatively by the fashion designers to fit all people in the changing trends in the fashion industry.
History of Fashion
The fashion and style of clothing were constant in the earlier time. The travellers and invaders entering to Persis, India, Turkey and other places believed that there is no change in the lifestyle of people especially those of Japanese that has not changed in the past thousand years. Whereas, there were rapid changes reported in Chinese clothing. The changes in the fashion trends were linked with economic, social or political changes such as ancient Rome and the Caliphate period. In the 8th century Ziryab, a Spanish musician introduced a clothing line ‘Cordoba’ which was inspired by his native Baghdad. Gradually, people noticed that as societies develop there is a need for change in their lifestyles as well as their way of dressing. Thus, major changes in fashion took place because of the invaders such as the Turks arrived in the Middle East, and introduced clothing styles from Central Asia.
Similarly, Europeans have changed the concept of fashion in the subcontinent. In the 16th century, the locally produced cloth was modified into new styles to make it worthy for the growing elite class. The people of Europe used to wear long dresses that would cover their whole bodies as a sign of modesty. However, in the middle of the 16th century, the most prominent change occurred in men’s clothing as they become short and tight that barely covered their buttocks. This resulted in a distinctive creative style adopted by elite western people. Thus, the change also referred to different styles for the elites and the lower class which they term as proletariat ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"G8DJzAcA","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Barnard, 2017)","plainCitation":"(Barnard, 2017)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":87,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/WSRDDJK8"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/WSRDDJK8"],"itemData":{"id":87,"type":"book","title":"Fashion theory: A reader","publisher":"Routledge","ISBN":"1-351-56725-X","author":[{"family":"Barnard","given":"Malcolm"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2017"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Barnard, 2017). The French styles were widely popular with the distribution of their dressed dolls that attracted people to their fashion styles. Many dressmakers have developed styles over time but the French government for the first time introduced the ‘Haute Couture’ house in Paris to meet the challenges of the growing demand of the fashion industry. The house initiated to develop different clothing lines twice a year with considering various styles at their fashion shows. Since then, the idea of formal fashion designing came into existence and is increasingly dominant.
Creativity in Fashion Designing
Global trends influence the fashion designing industry. Globalization and media highly influence the choice of people to adapt to specific trends. However, the fashion industry is highly motivated by the creativity of designers. The fashion designers who are constantly developing innovative designs and unique styles are considered as the best designers and get popularity among the general public. The four major fashion headquarters acknowledged for producing unique work includes Paris, Milan, London and the New York City. They are known to have a greater influence on global fashion trends. They arrange fashion weeks where designers exhibit their new collections. Due to the uniqueness and creativity of these fashion shows, they are watched by the whole world. Creativity in fashion designing rejects the historical and cultural trends and opt for more innovative techniques.
Creativity and the Design Process
Creativity helps designers how to play with ideas and produce new designs. The essential elements of fashion design are inspiration, drawing, silhouette, color, and texture. Researches have shown that designers pay more attention to the color of the outfit to attract maximum customers. Color is the visual aspect representing the tone and appearance of a fabric. Different colors have meanings and designers use them in combination to reveal the idea of the outfit. The next is a silhouette that involves the overall shape and line of the garment. Another important element is the texture that represents the surface of materials. The texture is changed with seasons and occasions and provide the nature of the clothing that how it feels. It involves the yarn and fabric utilized in the garment ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"esXNUBNa","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Taylor & Littleton, 2016)","plainCitation":"(Taylor & Littleton, 2016)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":78,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/5P9MW82U"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/5P9MW82U"],"itemData":{"id":78,"type":"book","title":"Contemporary identities of creativity and creative work","publisher":"Routledge","ISBN":"1-317-16081-9","author":[{"family":"Taylor","given":"Stephanie"},{"family":"Littleton","given":"Karen"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2016"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Taylor & Littleton, 2016). The creative designers tend to produce different kinds of garments that represent various colors, texture, and silhouette. The increase variation in designing helps them to keep themselves in the fashion industry.
Principles of Fashion Designing
The fashion designers keep the elements as well as consider the principles of fashion designing. Five principles are applied by the fashion industry that includes creating innovative designs by balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis, and harmony. The designers are required to creatively present their collection under these principles. The proportion means to effectively utilize all the spaces in the garment. The balance required to equally design the symmetric and asymmetric sides of the outfit. The rhythm tends to create a sense of the colors and repetition of shapes and lines in the outfit. The emphasis means the center point of the garment that needed much attention. It required a great emphasis on unique cuts and designs. And lastly, harmony is applying all the principles to the outfit to make it unique and desirable ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"Ud6aMXjR","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Brown & Green, 2015)","plainCitation":"(Brown & Green, 2015)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":79,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/Z7NRYJKL"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/Z7NRYJKL"],"itemData":{"id":79,"type":"book","title":"The essentials of instructional design: Connecting fundamental principles with process and practice","publisher":"Routledge","ISBN":"1-317-63316-4","author":[{"family":"Brown","given":"Abbie H."},{"family":"Green","given":"Timothy D."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2015"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Brown & Green, 2015).
Creativity and the Industry
The global fashion trends are characterized by modern age developments. Earlier most of the clothing was custom-made from dressmakers considering a particular individual. However, with the increasing technologies and industries, the production of clothing was increased that required retail stores that could cater to a larger population. The fashion industry in America and Europe are highly globalized industries with clothing manufactured in one country and designed in the other. The American Fashion Industry buy clothing from China, that is manufactured in Vietnam and finished in Italy. Thus, after finishing the clothes, they are sent to warehouses in America and is sold worldwide through retail outlets. The process includes the perfectionism in all the departments to present the best quality of clothing in the market ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"KtX1RM8e","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Davila & Ditillo, 2017)","plainCitation":"(Davila & Ditillo, 2017)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":81,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/HNFM9E49"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/HNFM9E49"],"itemData":{"id":81,"type":"article-journal","title":"Management control systems for creative teams: Managing stylistic creativity in fashion companies","container-title":"Journal of Management Accounting Research","page":"27-47","volume":"29","issue":"3","author":[{"family":"Davila","given":"Antonio"},{"family":"Ditillo","given":"Angelo"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2017"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Davila & Ditillo, 2017). The fashion industry consists of four levels and each requires its own creativity in generating the output. The first is the Textile Design that offers production of unique fibers. Second is the Fashion Designing that includes styling and designing of these materials into creative designs. Third, are the marketing techniques that involve fashion shows and the selling to the retailers by the constant increase in the demand worldwide. And lastly, the unique idea to promote and advertise specific clothing or new designs through media.
Creativity and the Environment
Creativity is a multifaceted concept that results from the interaction of different factors in the environment. The environment is determined to be a major factor right from the state of designing to the support of family, peers, and society. The designers get inspirations from the environment which he expresses through his designing’s. The creativity comes from a set of thought processes which the designers inherit through the environment. This thought process results in new ideas, theories, and perspective about fashion. The societal norms and roles play an integral part in developing or restricting the creativity of designers. Designers take consideration of their cultural norms while designing a particular range ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"APTOcgNx","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Vincent, Makinde, Salako, & Oluwafemi, 2018)","plainCitation":"(Vincent, Makinde, Salako, & Oluwafemi, 2018)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":83,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/CQAGUSK8"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/CQAGUSK8"],"itemData":{"id":83,"type":"article-journal","title":"A self-adaptive k-means classifier for business incentive in a fashion design environment","container-title":"Applied computing and informatics","page":"88-97","volume":"14","issue":"1","author":[{"family":"Vincent","given":"O. R."},{"family":"Makinde","given":"A. S."},{"family":"Salako","given":"O. S."},{"family":"Oluwafemi","given":"O. D."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Vincent, Makinde, Salako, & Oluwafemi, 2018). However, due to the increasing demand for more glamorous outfits, the designers that do not bother about their values are more popular. In recent times, fashion has resulted in more revealing dresses and the designers are actively involved in the promotions of such cultures. Lately, the idea is perceived to be normal and no one considers a revealing dress like a bad impact on society. People have become more comfortable with the new trends.
Creativity and Character Traits
The personality traits of designers highly influence their creativity. The more the designers are innovative and extrovert, the more they tend to produce new designs. It also involves risk-taking for developing a new idea that has the probability of either acceptance or rejection by the general public. The risk-taking in designing is quite crucial where there are high consequences of any problem. Such as if a particular collection is not liked by the public, it heavily impacts on the image of that brand and people suddenly move towards others. The traits for creativity encourage the designers to experiment with the clothing by giving them different cuts and shapes. Designing requires high passion from the designers which support them to utilize the freedom and design whatever they want. One of the key elements in creativity is a novelty that insists for something innovative ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"VByA0ee9","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Casadei & Gilbert, 2018)","plainCitation":"(Casadei & Gilbert, 2018)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":84,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/ER2UI5SF"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/ER2UI5SF"],"itemData":{"id":84,"type":"article-journal","title":"Unpicking the fashion city: global perspectives on design, manufacturing and symbolic production in urban formations","container-title":"Creative Industries and Entrepreneurship: Paradigms in Transition from a Global Perspective","page":"79","author":[{"family":"Casadei","given":"Patrizia"},{"family":"Gilbert","given":"David"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Casadei & Gilbert, 2018). It also involves the recycling of an old idea to new trends. Designing is not about to produce new stuff; it also requires how creatively designers recycle old outfits to make them useful again. The meaning of dress, colors, and silhouettes are equally important for a designer to consider while designing outfits.
Creativity and Motivation
The creativity of designers is strongly influenced by motivation. The motivation helps the designers to present specific cause in their designing. It has a significant role in the display of the particular volume of the collection. The motivation involves Intrinsic Motivation that includes designing for pleasure. Designers sought excitement in producing specific outfits. It is most conducive to creative designing. However, the other motivation is Extrinsic motivation. This includes the designing for fame or money. The designers are more particular about getting enough profits from what the produce. Creativity is also backed by the motivation to explore. Such as designing for special cause or groups. The designers are now believing that they have a social responsibility to look into the needs of disables people as well while designing. Thus, the design to fulfill and needs for larger causes. Motivation provides designers with feelings of inspiration from others. It is also influenced by the fast fashion in the designing industry ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"Ta9EY6GH","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Hogan, Murdock, Hamill, Lanzara, & Winner, 2018)","plainCitation":"(Hogan, Murdock, Hamill, Lanzara, & Winner, 2018)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":85,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/8XK4VEUI"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/8XK4VEUI"],"itemData":{"id":85,"type":"article-journal","title":"Looking at the Process: Examining Creative and Artistic Thinking in Fashion Designers on a Reality Television Show","container-title":"Frontiers in psychology","page":"2008","volume":"9","author":[{"family":"Hogan","given":"Jillian"},{"family":"Murdock","given":"Kara"},{"family":"Hamill","given":"Morgan"},{"family":"Lanzara","given":"Anastasia"},{"family":"Winner","given":"Ellen"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Hogan, Murdock, Hamill, Lanzara, & Winner, 2018). The rapidly increasing trends require the designers to quickly respond to the changing trends and fashion to keep their customers loyal to their brands.
Role of Technology in Apparel Industry
Technology has largely helped in the development of the fashion industry. Designers use Computer Aided Designs (CAD) to create designs. This allows the designers to perform experiments with the designs on computers, thus reducing the waste of material and time on manual designing. The tools used by designers are patternmaking and grading, the former helps to designs the outfit into appropriate pieces. While the later process the increase and decrease in the sizes of the garment. The garment samples are tried by the models and then changes are made accordingly. The designers are creatively utilizing these tools in designing illuminated embroidery. Integrated circuits, sensors and circuits now make the clothes of the models glowing. The designers have now incorporated engineers to present them with the more innovative interplay of fashion and high tech electrosmog. The 3D printed fashion is also in great demand that adapts to the body movements. The fashion shows are modifying their designs to innovative techniques to attract attention worldwide ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"F3nigCkl","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Katz, 2017)","plainCitation":"(Katz, 2017)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":86,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/4FSXIIMV"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/ZeEdB6mD/items/4FSXIIMV"],"itemData":{"id":86,"type":"book","title":"Machines that become us: The social context of personal communication technology","publisher":"Routledge","ISBN":"1-351-50803-2","author":[{"family":"Katz","given":"James E."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2017"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Katz, 2017). The glamour od fashion industry demands high innovation such as the production of all-rounder sneakers. The sneakers count steps of individuals and have a temperature controller. In the future, there is a high probability that these sneakers will replace doctors as the strong sensors will diagnose the disease.
Recommendations
The fashion industry is lost in the glamorous world, forgetting on the negative impacts they have on the environment. The fashion industry is the second largest pollutant and requires consideration from the designers who are in the constant thrust of innovation for compromising their environment. Only some of the brands have started to adopt antibacterial methods to counter the ecological disaster. The chemical textile dyes have largely contributed to the deteriorating the natural resources. However, the designer needs to focus on environment issue before considering any innovations in the fashion industry. The creativity needs to be focused alongside the preservation of the natural environment.
The critics believe that the fashion industry has become so capitalized, that it only encouraged the participation of elite classes. It has broadened the differences between the rich and the poor, where the middle-class group is treated to have replicas of the original products that have poor quality. The high cost of garments and increased modernization is only affordable for the higher elite groups. The fashion designer needs some regulations from the government for their prices to control and also their contribution towards decreasing social issues. The creativity should not be only determining with what suits the models but it should also focus on creating special outfits for the disabled groups. The development in the production of medicated shoes for the diabetic groups is an innovation but an increase in such creativities are required.
The issue of hacking is quite common in the fashion industry. Designers usually accuse one another of copying their ideas and designs. Designing requires months of efforts and while some hackers copy the designs, it lost all their efforts. Also, the production of copies and replicas of original and selling them in the market is a quite common and neglected phenomenon. Creativity means coming up with your own ideas and presenting one’s individual choices. This is morally and ethically violation of rights to copy someone’s else ideas. However, at times it impacts the image of designers for producing low-quality products. There should be proper check and balance on the fashion industry due to its increasing popularity.
Conclusion
The fashion industry is totally driven by the hard-working designers and their experimentation with the designing. These designers put themselves at higher risk of losses to produce something new that keeps their customers happy. The designing requires high efforts and to stay in the topmost, they're required to constantly improve on their designs. Creativity is an essential element for the success of these designers who strives to develop new ideas. However, due to the increasing thrust for producing more innovative outfits, the fashion industry has lost its reputation in copying others. They also are responsible for environmental damage. Thus, looking into the considerations, the designers need to focus on their social responsibility and work hard towards benefitting the larger groups.
References
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Barnard, M. (2017). Fashion theory: A reader. Routledge.
Brown, A. H., & Green, T. D. (2015). The essentials of instructional design: Connecting fundamental principles with process and practice. Routledge.
Casadei, P., & Gilbert, D. (2018). Unpicking the fashion city: global perspectives on design, manufacturing and symbolic production in urban formations. Creative Industries and Entrepreneurship: Paradigms in Transition from a Global Perspective, 79.
Davila, A., & Ditillo, A. (2017). Management control systems for creative teams: Managing stylistic creativity in fashion companies. Journal of Management Accounting Research, 29(3), 27–47.
Hogan, J., Murdock, K., Hamill, M., Lanzara, A., & Winner, E. (2018). Looking at the Process: Examining Creative and Artistic Thinking in Fashion Designers on a Reality Television Show. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2008.
Katz, J. E. (2017). Machines that become us: The social context of personal communication technology. Routledge.
Taylor, S., & Littleton, K. (2016). Contemporary identities of creativity and creative work. Routledge.
Vincent, O. R., Makinde, A. S., Salako, O. S., & Oluwafemi, O. D. (2018). A self-adaptive k-means classifier for business incentive in a fashion design environment. Applied Computing and Informatics, 14(1), 88–97.
