Fashion design is all about applying design and aesthetic methods to clothes and clothing accessories. It usually is to make a person more attractive, and modern fashion is certainly inclined in this direction.

Influences:

It is influenced by social and cultural attitudes, as well many times by location of the wearer. For example, Indian fashion would differ from Western European fashion as seen in the photograph. Clothing could be thinner and more vibrant.

Fashion is influenced by utility as well. In olden times, a heavy wool suit and hat would be aesthetically authoritative as well as comfortable in colder times around England. The Colonial empire that spread all over the world spread this fashion; and the current executive suit is highly influence by this suit of earlier times.

Fashion is influenced by rank in society. Sharp crisp clothing signifies authority, while a looser, more casual set may signify a lower status in society, or less dominance. In ancient times, higher ranking officials were expected to be disciplined and wear the former, while the latter types of fashion were generally seen with lower classes of public.

Fashion design helped the wearer to conform to societal opinions of “looking good”. Vertical stripes on clothing help a person look thin; padded shoulders help a person look broad shouldered and confident.

Because of overlapping traditions and influence of western cultures, fashion sometimes tends to compromise comfort for aesthetics and impressions.

Types:

Haute couture

This means “high fashion” in French. This type of fashion used to be designed and tailor made for each client specifically, and would be very expensive with high quality fabrics and intricate designs. To this day, haute couture remains very expensive, although with the advent of technology time has decreased.

Ready-to-wear

Ready-to-wear clothes are in between haute couture and mass market. While they are not made for individual customers, they are still expensive and great care is taken in choosing fabric and design. They aren’t made in large quantities, but in smaller ones to guarantee exclusivity. Fashion weeks that usually occur bi-annually in major cities around the world usually showcase Ready to Wear fashions.

Mass market

The fashion industry relies mostly on mass market sales. This caters for a wide range of customers and is affordable. Usually, after the ready-to-wear fashion shows described above, mass market fashion houses arty to adapt styles from that season. They produce with a lower quality of fabrics and on an assembly line.

Terms:

A fashion designer will think of and design the clothing item or accessory thinking of color, shapes, fabric in mind. This person is trained formally or apprenticed.

A pattern maker will take these designs and draft shapes and sizes to be ready to cut. It could be done on paper or in CAD software.

A textile designer will design the fabric used in the clothing, along with pattern prints, and weavings.

A seamstress will sew all the fabrics together according to the design set by the designer with the patterns kept in minds.

A model wears and displays clothes at fashion shows and in photographs.