Fashionpedia: Why Every Designer Needs This Book
As a fashion designer, it’s hard to remember what every type of garment detail is called (there are SO many kinds of pockets, sleeves, necklines, etc). Add textiles, trims, dyeing and printing techniques to that list, and your head will explode with all the variations.
Enter Fashionpedia: The Visual Dictionary of Fashion Design. I had no idea what amazingness was inside this book until Marc gifted it to me for Christmas. And I was impressed.
So impressed that on Monday’s Successful Fashion Designer live show, I did a book review. This isn’t a sponsored post — I just had to get the word out because I know how valuable of a resource this will be for you! Watch the replay or read the write up below. But whatever you do, get this book on your shelf, ASAP.
FASHIONPEDIA DIDN’T SKIMP ON QUALITY
As designers, we care about what things look like. Feel like. Sometimes even smell like. And we care that they’re made well. Fashionpedia nailed it.
A woven label for front cover branding, neon orange painted edges, and black and gold interior pages scream attention to detail. Sometimes, it’s the little things that mean so much. And the folks at Fashionary paid attention to all of them.
The stitched binding also makes sure you won’t lose any of these precious pages (unlike cheap glued together books). Thank you Fashionary for making sure this gem would last our lifetime and then some.
AND THEY SURE AS HELL DIDN’T SKIMP ON CONTENT, EITHER
The 336 pages between the black hard cover is more information than you’ll learn in any fashion school course. To give you an idea, I picked 10 of the best things they included.
- WHAT’S THAT PART OF THE JACKET WHERE THE COLLAR MEETS THE LAPEL?
It’s called a gorge, which I didn’t know before, but now I do. Detailed fashion flats of every garment type imaginable (jackets, coats, shirts, blouses, dresses, vest, sweaters & cardigans, denim, pants, skirts, jumpsuits, suits, sleepwear and underwear) are in here. The sketches also show common points of measure (POMs).
- HOW DO I KNOW IF IT’S A BLAZER OR A TAILORED JACKET?
Unless you do menswear, you may not have the answer. But with a quick glance at page 34, you can figure it out. Know what a gymslip or column dress is? Page 73 will tell you. Any garment type, it’s in here.
- WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SPREAD AND A BARRYMORE COLLAR?
Good question. Luckily, Fashionpedia breaks garments down into their individual components. Think sleeves, collars, necklines, pockets, cuffs, hems, and more. Now, you can confidently say your shirt dress has a semi-notched collar and a tab cuff.
- BUT WHAT ABOUT ACCESSORY, JEWELRY AND SHOE DESIGNERS?
My friends, you have not been forgotten. Watches, wallets, gloves, scarves, glasses, bags, rings, necklaces, the list goes on.
- HOW DO YOU SAY RAYON IN FRENCH?
Even though it’s just one page, this section is one of my favorites. It’s also the one I wish had more. Too many times, I’ve scoured Google for content and care label translations. Surprisingly, they’re hard to find. Thanks Fashionary for giving us fiber names, but I would have killed for one more page with care instructions too.
- WHAT FIBER STRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCTION SHOULD YOU USE?
This section is thorough with closeups of different fibers and constructions (knit / woven + different types of each). It even outlines yarn aesthetics, cost, durability, comfort and care, making it easy to decide the best option for your design.
- WHAT ARE DIFFERENT PRINTING & DYEING METHODS?
Who knew there were so many? After 10+ years in the industry, I still don’t know all of them. Fashionpedia shows us the different types, explains the process, and gives examples of their best use.
- DO YOU NEED TO ADD INTERFACING?
I often ask my factory this question or copy a sample from the market. With this simple chart, you can figure it out on your own.
- WHERE SHOULD YOU PUT YOUR LABEL?
The answer is up to you, but there are common options. This one page diagram shows you those…and more. Flip the page to find hangtag examples, and packaging types (for both shipping and gifts).
- AND WHAT THE HELL DO ALL THOSE CARE SYMBOLS MEAN?
I have no idea, but now I can look them up at a glance.
I could tell you more, but don’t want to ruin all the fun. Instead, do yourself a favor and add this book to your collection. At $49.90, it’ll pay for itself in no time.
xx Heidi
This post represents my honest opinion on a product / service that I have first hand experience with. I have not been compensated in any way and if you choose to purchase Fashionpedia from a link on this page, I am not compensated.
