Creating A Successful Fashion Brand

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design team, fabrics, fashion, fashion brands, Fashion Business, fashion illustrations, fashion labels, fashion sketches, freelance fashion designer, mood board, pre-production samples, Product design, product development, proto, selling price, Size sets, Supriya Ghurye, technical designer

Image courtesy : http://www.imodae.com

Today, several professionals from domains other than fashion choose to set up an apparel or accessories business when they look for a switch in careers.

However, starting and running a fashion label is no child’s play. For one, consistency is important as a certain form of apparel attracts and retains customers with specific preferences. Then, there is the actual design process itself. Moreover, you need to make careful choices about every aspect of business such as operations, production and sales.

Given all these elements, is there a way to streamline the process of creating and running a fashion label? We say yes! This article helps you understand some of the basics.

1. What Is Your Plan?

All those adages about failing to plan stand true in the context of fashion design. Plan out every single aspect of your label, including the ‘known unknowns’, or risks. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• What is the niche I will be operating in?
• Who is my ideal target consumer?
• How can I stay consistent with design even as trends change?
• Will I launch the entire collection at one go?
• How do I reach my ideal consumer? Which platforms (online/ offline) are they currently present on?
• How is my production team and process going to work?
• How can I gauge interest for my product?
• What is my distribution plan? Which sales channels will I be selling through?

Asking questions and answering them in granular detail helps you plan your business’s finances, your own commitment and exit strategy if any, your pitch to future investors, and most importantly, your parameters for when your creative business is succeeding or failing.

2. Who Is Your Team?

No one can live as an island, and it holds true for creative services too. The business idea may be your vision, but you still need an execution team. Specifically, in the fashion domain, you have several steps to think of- design, production, marketing, sales and analytics.

This is where a team of experienced professionals can come in handy.

Today, it is more a norm than the exception to outsource design to a skilled team that understands your business considerations and your target audience very well. Such a team can help you plug gaps in your own creative process, work with you to design a saleable product and help you understand the nuances of what makes a readymade garment viable.

3. How Are You Making It Happen?

Now that you have a sound plan and an excellent team, you can shift gears up into execution. You can either choose to create and sell in small volumes or you can go big and outsource manufacturing.

In both cases, your design team can help brief the production team about the expected output, tweak the samples and smoothen out any kinks while manufacturing the products.

Every product requires a storage facility, and this is something you need to think of very carefully. Too much inventory can eat into your working capital, while too little can cause you to lose out on sales.

4. What Is Your Selling Price?

In the planning stage, you would already have considered the pricing aspect. It is always good practice to have an optimistic price point (the standard price a few days’ post launch), a moderate price point (your launch price- early bird offer) and a pessimistic price point (your product price during sales season). Ensure that all of these prices stay above your cost price.

Once the manufacturing process is complete, reconsider your price points and adjust for any incidental expenses you may have incurred.

5. Where Are You Selling?

There’s no doubt that your choice of sales channels establishes your label’s position in the market. A product sold at Harrods is expected to be higher in price and better in quality than one sold at Primark.

Sales channels also determine your operational model itself. Do you have stores of your own, or do you stock products in some other store’s aisles? Perhaps, you’d like to ignore the offline channels entirely and sell exclusively through certain marketplaces.

The choices you make determine not just how your fashion label is run, but also the means you employ to reach consumers and bring them to these channels.

Once all of these steps have been completed and your fashion label is a real, quantifiable business, do remember to review and course-correct. Understanding what your consumers want and tweaking your label to suit those needs is the best thing you can do to build a sustainable business model and a fashion label that everyone is waiting to wear.

Stay tuned as we go into detail about each of these business aspects in the coming months. Subscribe to our newsletter and we promise you’ll be the first one to know when we publish. Meanwhile, here’s something to get your brain cells working on the business aspects of fashion.

 

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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Our guest post about techpacks on Sqetch

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apparel, apparel production, Bill of material, fashion, fashion brand, Fashion Business, fashion designer, fashion illustrations, fashion label, fashion sketches, fashion startup, garment flats, garment manufacturing, grading, measurement chart, patterns, produce fashion apparel, sizing, startup fashion labels, technical design, technical designer, technical specifications, techpack, what is a tech pack

Recently Sqetch invited us to contribute to a blog on Techpacks along with the few other talented designers, since we’ve been doing client projects on these for the past few years. The blog from Sqetch is now live and can be found here. Do read through it!

You can read one of our earlier blogs on techpacks which was also greatly appreciated.

Feel free to connect with me if you have any questions regarding techpacks or need any assistance in creating few for your new collection.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest Instagram

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What is a Tech Pack and How to Create One…

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apparel, apparel manufacturing vendors, apparel production, Fashion Business, fashion designers, fashion illustrations, fashion startup, garment, garment files, garment manufacturing, measurement charts, patterns, sizing, start up fashion brands, start up fashion labels, style, technical design, technical designers, technical specifications, technology, techpack, what is techpack

Anybody looking at the fashion industry from the outside sees a lot of creativity and glamour. But behind the glitzy glamor and the creative capabilities lies a tremendous amount of hard work and effort. Those of us who enter the world of fashion entrepreneurship soon realize this. Fashion design does not just start and end at the drawing board. Just like a beautiful monument without plans detailing every minute element, or a race car without an exact engineering drawing, garments cannot move from the concept to the production stage without a tech pack.

What is a tech pack? It is to a fashion designer what a building plan is to an architect – a complete map of the product to be created. A tech pack essentially converts your design from a dreamy concept into a practical piece of clothing that can be produced, in small or large quantities. It tells a garment manufacturer what elements need to be included and where, the type, quality and dimensions of the fabric and other elements

Tunic techpack for a women’s casual wear brand.

A good tech pack consists of a combination of images and measurements, made in such a way that every detail of the garment is captured. It usually consists of:

• The flat sketch of a garment from front and back, with close-ups of the complicated sections
• Details for the stitching, fabric, trims and embellishments. This may include details of the suppliers as well, and can include a swatch of the fabric as well as samples of the embellishments such as lace, buttons, etc.
• Measurements of all the important dimensions including the size of any added portions or cutaways.
• Details of the embroidery, print, patterns and labels to be used.
• Packaging instructions

With a tech pack, a designer need not be present during the entire manufacturing process, and the garment manufacturer can execute production of the sample and final order to specifications. Be sure to include as many details as possible. A good tech pack will help you with grading, pattern making, calculating cost and yield of the material and determine your approximate cost of production.

At times, modifications may be required due to technical constraints in the production process. These changes are incorporated in the tech pack and the new one is used, just as building plans may change marginally when construction is in progress to account for unforeseen obstacles. Keeping the tech pack updated ensures everyone has a clear idea of what needs to be done.

Unlike fashion design concepts, tech packs are purely technical tools with strict guidelines. However, it is essential for any designer to be able to create a tech pack, so that you know the intricacies of the design. This makes it easier for you to guide the factory and ensure that the garment created meets your requirements. You can create a tech pack using tools like Adobe Illustrator, or work with a technical designer like Fuel4Fashion, who will convert your sketches and concepts into production-ready tech packs.

With a tech pack, you are now armed and ready to convert your concepts into a physical garment that the world can wear and flaunt. If you need any help, do get in touch with me at here with your queries.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer, Sourcing and Manufacturing Consultant helping fashion brands to plan, design and develop new collections with small quantity garment manufacturing. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest Instagram

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How to select the perfect fashion brand name in 7 easy steps.

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fashion blog, fashion brand, fashion design, fashion designers, fashion illustrations, fashion label, fashion world, fashionbrands, freelance fashion designer, logo, prints, proto, target audience

As you prepare to launch your own fashion label, you face the challenge of deciding on a brand name. While the fashion world is full of names that are easily recognizable, finding one that fits you and the particular segment of customers you are targeting can be a challenge that many first time fashion entrepreneurs feel overwhelmed with.

Coming up with a name for a fashion brand involves a lengthy process, and is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Here are a few steps that will help you structure that process and hopefully make it easier.

Selecting the perfect brand name and logo for your fashion start-up

Focus on your target audience

A brand should appeal to its target audience. What segment are you looking to appeal to – youthful, sophisticated, urban, and edgy? Your brand name needs to be a reflection of this key trait. This is why sports brands are usually short – Nike, Reebok, Fila, Puma – and so on. Torrid, a brand that focuses on large sizes for teenage girls and younger women, appeals to the romantic predispositions of this audience.

Determine your brand personality

Fashion brands tend to represent the personality of the designer, and it’s not surprising that many brands are the names of their owners themselves – Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan – but if your name is not as easy to roll off the tongue, you’re better off creating one that is a reflection of the personality – like Forever21 appealing to young women. A combination can also work if paired well, either individually or as a mash-up of the two words.

Be Innovative and edgy, but don’t go over the top

Many fashion entrepreneurs are disposed towards creating a brand name that a reflection of current trends or fads by being sharp and memorable, but this can backfire over time if the trends change. Being too edgy can also hurt, as the name loses its shock value over time – FCUK being a prime example, says Steve Manning of branding and naming consultancy Igor.

Watch out for Copyrights

While many find it tempting to use permutations and misspellings of common names, it might misfire if your audience doesn’t know how to spell your name correctly. If people can’t read, pronounce or remember a name it’s definitely the wrong one, so avoid names like Wynd, Phyre, etc. even though they might be tempting. And do check copyright and trademark registries to avoid taking one that already owned by someone else. Using a foreign word might be an interesting way to project your brand, but be sure there’s no one using that brand in the markets you are looking to target.

Simple Tests to Determine the Success of Your Brand Name

Alexandra Watkins, CIO of Eat My Words, a brand creation agency advocates two tests to determine if the brand name will be likely to succeed, which she calls the SMILE and SCRATCH tests. The test to check what qualities your brand name should have is the SMILE Test. Essentially it stands for

Simple – easy to understand

Meaningful – one which your customers easily relate

Imagery – creates a strong visual association

Legs – it should have the ability to stay relevant for a long time

Emotional – builds a bond, entertains, evoke a strong feeling.

The SCRATCH test is one to determine the qualities a brand name should not have. It stands for

Spelling – it should not be complicated to write or remember

Copycat – should not sound like or remind one of a similar brand

Random – one which has no association with the product

Annoying – evoking negativity

Tame – has very feeble associations

Curse of Knowledge – is understood only by insiders

Hard to Pronounce – If they can’t say it, they can’t remember it.

A good brand should be able to pass each of these tests, for it to be memorable.

Make Stakeholders part of the process

Once you’ve drawn up a short list of the brand names you’d like, share them with a small circle of influential people. These include investors, suppliers, your designer, employees and consider their opinion, although you should be the one to make the final decision. This helps you get an outside feel for the brand as well, and makes decision making easier.

Build a suitable image or logo to go with the brand name

The name is one part of the branding process. The logo and color palette that make up the logo are also part of the branding process. A suitable color palette and image will support and enhance the name, make it more memorable and easy to recall.

When we launched our business, the name came out of a simple understanding that we were here to help a fashion brand achieve its goals – hence the fuel that drives fashion brands, or simply put, Fuel4Fashion. The alliteration also helps us in building recall, and it simplifies what we do for our target audience, namely fashion entrepreneurs and growing fashion labels.

Building a brand takes time, and fashion brands require more due to the crowded nature of the market. But with a good brand name that represents the style of the clothes themselves, you are likely to build a stronger brand following and better recall as the years go by.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the freelance fashion design studio for multiple product designing in apparels that caters to start-up fashion labels and growing fashion brands 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.

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Challenges of Creating a Pre-Set Offering for Fashion Design Projects

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apparels, blog, business offerings, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion illustrations, freelance fashion designer, garments, pricing, Virtual Fashion Design Studio

The freelancing space has been getting a lot of attention, and freelancing platforms offer freelancers and buyers the opportunity to get together for projects ranging from a simple logo to creating content and even mobile apps. Freelance fashion designing too has been growing with small and upcoming fashion labels able to connect to hundreds of freelance fashion designers across the globe through platforms like Elance-Odesk, PPH and Guru.

Freelancing platforms have been the intermediaries of such discussions and help create clarity between both sides. However, what happens when a client directly interacts with a freelancer? How does a freelancer determine what is the right price for a project and how do clients ensure they have a clear understanding of what will be delivered, when and in what format? There are numerous variables and any one of them can be misinterpreted, leading to dissatisfaction on one side or the other. Freelancers also face a challenge in trying to regularize the flow of work to ensure they’re not overburdened with multiple deadlines too close to one another.

To some extent, content creators and marketers have found ways to resolve this issue. Many offer standard packages for creating blogs, tweets, FB posts and the like, and a number of agencies offer packages for white papers, website content updates, product descriptions, etc. (E.g. This and this) Others bill clients on the hours of work that would be put in; giving an approximation of the content that would be created in that time. But applying this for freelance fashion design can be tricky. The scope of work varies widely, depending on the kind of garment designs required, the level of detail, the number of garments, and other elements that might be needed such as measurement charts, tech packs and the like. On the whole, it seems impossible.

At Fuel4Fashion, we were determined to give it a try. The result is our new Pricing page that gives clients the opportunity to choose between two models – project and subscription – for their fashion design requirements. With a project based model, you get your work in the best time possible, and different pricing levels give you the various added features that make up the design package. With a subscription based model, you get a few designs every month, based on the fashion design trends for your segment, at a more reasonable cost than getting them all at one go in project form. The latter is a definite advantage if you are a fast fashion (think Zara, H&M) or boutique label that needs new designs at regular intervals to keep the store inventory fresh.

At the start of our engagement, all the relevant details will be taken, before creating the concepts and designs specific to your needs. The designs chosen by you will not be offered to anyone else, and each client will get a set of unique designs that combines current fashion trends with the individual DNA of their fashion label. In return, you are assured of timely delivery, clear deliverables and the best work, at economical rates that make sense for your growing fashion business.

As a fashion business, does this kind of pricing model work for you? Do let us know through your comments below. If you’d like to share any personal insights, write to me here.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the freelance fashion design studio for multiple product designing in apparels that caters to start-up fashion labels and growing fashion brands 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.

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The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015

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apparels, blog, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion illustrations, fashionalert, freelance fashion designer, garments, men's wear, pattern, Trend forecasting 2015, trends, Virtual Fashion Design Studio

Fashion for men has always been about basics and trying to interpret ideas along the current trends. For those who love fashion in its contemporary form, spring trends are easily intended for them. The runway shows and designer collections have a lot to tell on what we would be wearing in days to come, especially about the freshest season of the year. Here are the top spring 2015 trends in menswear!

The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015 – Get sporty

Get sporty: In the last few seasons, the athletic look seems to come straight out of the sports court to the ramp, and the trend has been rampant in both men and women collections. If you love being sporty and look more like a man with a cool quotient, the good news is the new element is everywhere in spring 2015. As for the cues, you can check Carven that has managed to make the baseball tee look more authentic than ever. When buying clothes online, you also need to own one of the caps, which have been used in some collections like that of Umit Benan.

The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015 – Unusual colours

Unusual colours: Pink for a suit? Well, this seems like someone mistook the women trends for spring in menswear! However, you will change the idea once you see the soft pink shade of suit used by Dolce & Gabbana for their spring 2015 collection. That is more like a bold statement that needs a lot of understanding and daring attitude on how to carry off the look without making it look funny.

The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015 -Welcome the spring sandals

Welcome the spring sandals: Most men will agree that spring sandals are comfortable and genuinely easy to carry off, and the look came to the runway at the Fendi collection. It doesn’t get better than wearing a pair of casual tees, shorts and a pair of casual sandals. Black and leather should be the ideal combination, but if you like experimenting, a few of the bold colours in sandals can certainly replace the crocs. Another strong contender is a pair of sneakers, which works effectively a stylish cool statement. Click here to check some fresh sneakers!

The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015 – Get the trench coat

Get the trench coat: For those, who checked the collection of Dries Van Noten for spring 2015, they have one thing to admit- the trench looks perfect for the spring! Yes, you can now wear the spring trench coat like a pro without having worried on the statement. In the sudden spring rain, getting casual and effective with regular dressing ideas doesn’t get bigger and better than this!

The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015 – The statement blazer is back

The statement blazer is back: If you love statement blazer, you should check the Gucci collection for the season. Unabashed and truly macho with a school boy touch, the blazer went for a complete makeover. That’s something we would like to own for the days when there is nothing new to wear, and you can trust this blazer to transport you to style zone.
Start your fashion collection now!

[Images Credit: www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion]

Author: Suzy Walsh is the Editor for The House of Elegance Fashion- a popular and growing fashion blog. She writes for a number of websites and magazines as their chief contributor and guest writer

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the freelance fashion design studio for multiple product designing in apparels that caters to start-up fashion labels and growing fashion brands 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.

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Classic polo look inspired from sportswear – Trend Alert 2015

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apparels, fabric, fashion, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion illustrations, freelance fashion designer, garments, polo collar, polo neck, Virtual Fashion Design Studio

In the 19th and early 20th century, tennis players ordinarily wore long sleeved white buttoned up shirt with flannel trousers and ties. This attire presented problems for the ease of movement during the play and created discomfort to the players. As tennis boomed, so did the demand for appropriate clothing increased. Then came into existence what were known as the polo shirts and thereafter they were being used in all forms of sports soon after their invention.

From being solely used in sportswear, later on the polo look also became an integral part of the classic casual attire for men and women both. They not only provided comfort but were also considered to be stylish amongst the working professionals.

Polo shirts have now become an essential part of the wardrobe of almost every woman as they are comfortable equally trendy. The polo look can be seen to be combined with various forms of clothing that interprets the style of every individual in a unique way.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/EvzIrP, http://goo.gl/XaLr3J , http://goo.gl/0moc2y)

Many celebrities like Taylor Swift and Kate Middleton also used this upcoming trend in their attire and looked fabulous in this simple form of clothing. Kate Middleton on one hand, came up with a professional look in a polo neck while, Lauren Conrad William combined it with a skirt and presented a casual approach.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/1xOofB , http://goo.gl/b8LwSI , http://goo.gl/fFkVVF)

Many designers were seen using the classic polo with various themes and styles in the Spring ready to wear RTW-2015 collection. As Ralph Lauren presented the open collar with a net skirt, making the outfit look elegant, Valentino chose a more textured fabric with a vibrant print for his theme.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/eot5Uo , http://goo.gl/PMrJZa , http://goo.gl/4Zo4F5)

Some designers presented their polo look in various fabrics, sporting a relaxed casual look while others created semi formal silhouettes with the same polo neck.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/uj5cui , http://goo.gl/WrWXNv , http://goo.gl/zofpw1)

This trend though simple, has been influencing and inspiring established as well as budding designers to come up with new and exciting ways to play around with this look. This look has become a classic and classics never change, they just evolve with time. This trend will keep on evolving and will become a part of every woman’s comfort zone.

Don’t forget to get inspired from our other blogs on Trend alert 2015 – Plaids, High Slit Skirts and Pocket dresses .

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the virtual design studio for apparels and surface patterns 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.

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High Slit Skirts and Dresses – Trend alert 2015

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Amanda Seyfried, Amber Heard, Angelina Jolie, apparels, Diane von Furstenberg, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion history, fashion illustrations, freelance fashion designer, Jason Wu, Karolina Kurkova, Michael Kors, Peter Som, prints, surface embroideries, trend forecasting, trends, Virtual Fashion Design Studio

As all the fashion weeks come to an end, they leave behind the various trends for us to watch out for in the coming year. One of the popular trends this year was the high slit skirt. High slit skirts have been a part of an on and off trend that appears every year in different forms to dazzle us.

High slit skirts have become a part of fashion that every woman adores in her wardrobe to show off her feminine side that she contrasts with her professional self.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/9PmYvq , http://goo.gl/E0X1TF , http://goo.gl/QJnBoL)

Amber Heard and Michael Kors collaborated to make this outfit the perfect combination of sophistication and sexiness. Many women were inspired to try the new emerging trend, which was followed by the boom of cotton blend maxi slit skirts on e-commerce sites like Ebay. For the spring 2012 collection, Peter Som predicted an upcoming trend by giving it his own flare of prints that were also a part of the collection.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/Bp4ZhP, http://goo.gl/WevCLV)

Angelina Jolie displayed her elegance and classiness with this plain black slit dress that fitted perfectly to her slender bodice, while Amanda Seyfried contrasted the classics with a psychedelic print texture that suited her perfectly. Karolina Kurkova wore this number that is a signature style of Elie Saab’s femininity and drapes that are prepared for the woman wearing it.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/0gu8fl , http://goo.gl/V9kbcP , http://goo.gl/ZEHV9H)

The high slit trend was also present in many of the Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-To-Wear collections in various forms and styles that showcased the designer’s inspiration. Diane von Furstenberg presented her inspiration in the form of flowing checks, while Altewai Saome and Jay Godfrey presented a more chic style.

(Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/DxaOnt , http://goo.gl/JpqLHe , http://goo.gl/fKecmR)

Jason Wu took the path of metallic shades and showcased a very humble outfit while on the other hand, Just Cavalli made a patchwork art of the flowing fabrics. Stripes’ being one of the other trends was a popular choice for the designers and Altuzarra presented his creativeness by combining it with an off mustard shade that changed the look of the entire outfit.

This trend inspires the designers to present their audience with a way to flaunt their femininity and sensuality with a simple look. The high slit skirts and dresses would become a part of every woman’s wardrobe to parade their style through the numerous choices that the trend is going to offer.

Don’t forget to get inspired from our other blogs on Trend alert 2015 – Plaids, Pocket dresses and Classic polo look .

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the virtual design studio 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.

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A tribute to Oscar de la Renta

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Amal Alamuddin, Amy Adams, apparels, Beyonce, blog, Cameron Diaz, colors, creative, Emma Watson, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion history, fashion illustrations, freelance fashion designer, garments, Oscar de la Renta, Oscar fashion, trends

Born in Santo Domingo in the year of 1932, the fashion world gained a precious gem for its collection, named Oscar de le Renta. He was trained by Cristobal Balenciaga and Antonio del Castillo and worked for Lanvin and Balmain before finally opening his own brand.

Oscar de la Renta became internationally known as one of the couturier who dressed Jacqueline Kennedy and even today, his fashion house continues to dress from film stars to royalty.

Image courtesy : Oscar de la Renta’s Spring/Summer Ready-to-wear 2015 collection

Oscar de la Renta’s 2015 spring/summer ready-to-wear 2015 collection was a complete representation of what Oscar de la Renta stands for. It comprised of feminism, elegance, beauty, seduction, sophistication, ambition, everything that a woman wanted herself to be. Oscar de la Renta captured this essence in each of his garments. As the Oscar de la Renta era ends, we decided to pick out some of his signature designs and pay a tribute to the most adored designer of all times.

Cameron Diaz (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/rZYbDe )

Cameron Diaz flaunted this gold-dusted gown in the Oscars of 2010. The exquisite detailing and the flow of the fabric draped around her felt like it was a part of her. Oscar de la Renta knew exactly how to flourish the features of Diaz on this occasion.

Amy Adams (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/xiKGoN )

Amy Adams wore this stunning Oscar de la Renta number for the Oscars 2013 and took away a lot of breaths. Amy Adams wore this number with elegance and grace that made her seem like a floating angel.

Emma Watson (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/dXJVGC )

For the premiere of her upcoming movie Noah, Emma Watson carried of Oscar de la Renta’s autumn/winter 2014 collection for jaw-dropping effects. The elegant front and the daring low back combination worked well to represent the ambitious feminine women of today’s era.

Beyonce (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/oYAfHS )

For the Vogue shoot 2014 featuring Beyonce, Oscar de la Renta formed this speechless design that would make any women pause and admire the perfection this dress. The waviness of the fabric and layering combined with its colour created an unnatural spell for every woman.

Amal Alamuddin (Photo Credits: http://goo.gl/8Xr7Ns )

The last on our list is the wedding gown of Amal Alamuddin which took place in September 2014 and was exclusively featured in Vogue. The off-shoulder laced gown represented the traditional pattern while also being one of the absolutely stunning designs of the year.

Oscar de la Renta is the name every woman depended on to make them feel beautiful. He fulfilled the dreams and made wishes come true for women all over the world.

Dresses with pockets : Trend alert for 2015

Tags

apparels, blog, colors, creative, design element, fashion blog, Fashion design studio, fashion designers, fashion illustrations, freelance fashion designer, functional wear, garments, pockets, prints, tech pack, trends

The fashion weeks brought us many trends and styles that will be seen in the 2015. As the shows end, they leave us with their interpretations of trends.

One such trend that was seen in abundance was the extensive use of the pockets. Emerging from trousers, this year saw pockets being placed in every form of garment, from dresses to skirts to any casual garment for women.

Photo Credits:Wren-http://goo.gl/MRygWq, Camilla & Marc-http://goo.gl/8s0EWG

In historic times, pockets were tied around the waist, with a string, like a pouch to hold small items like snuff boxes and perfume vials in it. Pockets have now evolved from being an attachment outside the garment, to being sewn inside the garment for convenience. Patch pocket and concealed pockets are the two most common form of pockets seen on the women’s garments. Clothes are normally differentiated according to the pockets it holds. One such example is of multi pocket Cargo pants, which is distinguished by its bagginess and the 6-7 pockets it holds depending on the styling of the garment.

Photo Credits: Alessandra Rich: http://goo.gl/D69VPo, Chloe: http://goo.gl/VsZlUy

Pockets become handy to the working women of today to keep their personal belongings. Now it’s not only required in their formal wear but also for their casuals. Pockets are being presented in skirts, evening gowns, casual dresses etc. to keep their hands free. Pockets are the trend that defines the working women of today, who likes to be feminine but still wants to maintain their professional image at all hours of the day.

Photo Credits: Elie Saab- http://goo.gl/4x3Lf0, Valentin Yudashkin – http://goo.gl/XAPzn7

Photo Credits: Dior- http://goo.gl/PJozee, Maticevski – http://goo.gl/YYT9Zv

Though pockets are of functional use and essential for today’s women, at certain times it is not completely required. This trend should see increasing traction in coming years, inspiring designers with its simplicity and presenting feminism to the working women who are always on the go.

Don’t forget to get inspired from our other blogs on Trend alert 2015 – Plaids , High Slit Skirts and Classic polo look .

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the virtual design studio 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.

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