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In the previous post while we took you inside the design room and tranquil of thoughts from forecast to mood setting to conceptualization of a range. Now we take a trip to the product development department and sampling room of vendors where the range is given final shape before it moves into bulk production.

Product Development: Once the products are selected for the range, pattern generation and product development is eked out in several stages.

Fuel4Fashion blog The product development process sample garment development process

Sample garment development process:
Image courtesy : http://www.future-fashion-design.eu/portals/0/Images/ffd_concept.png

First in line is proto sampling in which proto types are developed and required modifications are incorporated in terms of styling, fabric, trims. Sample garments are developed by apparel manufacturing vendors in sync with development sheets or preliminary tech packs offered by the buyers. Buying here refers to the team which is getting the range developed and co-coordinating with the vendors for its brand for forthcoming season. Henceforth the vendor who manages to develop samples at the most optimum cost and stipulated time frame, thereby meeting all the prerequisites of technical specifications and aesthetics is given the final order.

Fuel4Fashion blog The product development process Style Sheet

Style sheet :
Image courtesy : http://goo.gl/k9vcvC

Post a rigorous process of cost negotiations and order placements, final tech packs are designed with crisp information on fabric construction, its properties(GSM, CPI/WPI), fabric body color, trim details with their positioning, measurement specifications, size chart, illustrations with a clear demarcation of each part and point of measurement. This tech pack is developed by product development team in close collaboration with design team. This is handed over to buying team that posts it to the selected vendor.

Fuel4Fashion blog The product development process Garment techpack

Sample teck pack :
Image courtesy : http://www.mypracticalskills.com/tech-packs/tab-1-missy-jr/TechPack-Missy-Jr-2.jpg

The vendor refers to tech pack and develops fit sample taking a stringent note of the measurements. It is sent across to the product development team who cross-checks all the technical specifications and provide required comments in case of discrepancies. Also the measurements are re-evaluated and modified if required and sent across to the vendor for redevelopment. This process continues till a perfect sample meeting all the prerequisites is given a full form. Final patterns used for fit samples are replicated in soft copy and hard copy.

Fuel4Fashion blog The product development process Analyzing Garment fit measurements

Garment fit session on a live model.
Image courtesy : http://goo.gl/Sp0rXd

This maps out a route for bulk production with a prior submission of pre –production samples for validating the bulk fabric, trims being employed.

While sampling activities proceed on order confirmation on one hand, there are series of activities that go simultaneously to enable smooth bulk production. Revisit our blog post to know all that goes on till the final garment is crafted and made available at your nearest retail outlet.

Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the freelance fashion design studio for apparels that caters to new and upcoming fashion design labels with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience with international labels and start-ups.