Ultimate guide to fit sessions for your fashion business

If you’re manufacturing your fashion line and want to perfect the fit, you’ll need to be familiar with fit sessions. Fit sessions are super important to get right if you want customers to love your product and be able to easily find their perfect size (and in turn, hello low returns rate!). Fit sessions are used in conjunction with your tech packs (which you can learn about here) and the two things combined help you to get that perfect fit for your products. In this posts, let’s find out what a fit session is and how to run one correctly, to ensure that your fashion garments fit well and look amazing.

What is a fit session?

A fit session is a meeting involving the fit model, a garment technician (like me) and someone from the brand (you!). A fit model is an employee or freelancer who has the measurements of your average customer. The fit model will try on any fit samples from the factory, so you can assess the fit and decide if it is suitable for your customer. During the meeting, fit samples (samples sent from the factory at various stages of development, to check the fit) will be tried on by the fit model. The buyer/designer will comment on the overall styling, fit and quality of any trims or fabrics sent for approval. It is the garment technician's job to make a note of what has been approved and what needs to be changed. This information is recorded on the tech pack and will be sent to the factory so they can work on any amendments, or make the final order if the sample has been approved. 

How do I prepare for a fit session?

You will need to know, or organise the following in advance of the meeting;

• Before the meeting, I would measure the garment, so you can check how it compares to what you have asked for in your tech pack. This will make it easier for you when you come to feeding your comments back to the factory. 

• You will need to book time with your fit model and make sure you have space for them to change, wherever you are holding the meeting

• You will need to bring the sample that needs fitting, as well as any previous samples as they may need to be referred to 

• Tech packs for each of the styles you are fitting. This could either be a printed document or on your computer, whichever you will find it easiest to refer to and make notes on

• Personally, before going into a fit meeting I like to familiarise myself with the situation; things like, which sample we're on, any problems we've been having and how long we have until the item ships, are all useful to know

• If the sample is made from alternative fabric (i.e. not the actual fabric you will be using for bulk) you will need to bring a sample of the actual fabric and any trims, if you have approved them. Note; wherever possible samples should always be in the correct fabric.

• You should bring a tape measure and have enough space on your phone for photos!.

What should I look out for in the fit session?

The purpose of the fit meeting, or 'fits' is to make the garment as close to perfect as possible. Unfortunately, it's not always possible to correct every issue, but the idea is to make sure the garment is suitable for your customer. You're not only looking at the styling to see if it appeals to them, but also at things like the fit and how it feels when it's worn. If it's supposed to be for work can you sit down in it comfortably? If it's meant to be for sports is it stretchy, can you move easily? Is the fabric pulling and creating drag lines? Over time you will develop an eye for detail, but here's some initial things to look out for to start you off;

• Look at it from a customer perspective. If your customer saw this in a shop, would they like it? Would they want to try it on? Does it give the impression it's well made?

• Look at the stitching, is it straight and neat, or is it wobbly and inconsistent?

• Ask the fit model how it feels. Ask them to move around, look out for common problems such as restrictions on moving your arms forward, or things (especially trousers/pants) being uncomfortable when you sit down. 

• If the garment is meant to be fitted, is it saggy anywhere, are there any drag lines (where fabric 'bunches' together)

• Is this the right size for your fit model? If not, change the measurements so it is a good fit.

• How about the length? Is it working for the look of the garment and also in terms of practicality?

• Are all of the components working together, such as styling details, buttons, pockets? Does anything look over the top or out of place? Or do you feel something is missing?

• Can the model get in and out of the garment ok? Is the zip long enough, is it good quality or is it getting stuck? If the garment uses buttons, are there enough, or are there gaps where you can see the model's skin?

Essentially, you are looking for anything that will either affect the performance of the garment (such as zips that get stuck, or seams that are coming apart), or things that will stop your customer from buying it (like it restricts movement, or is uncomfortable to wear). 

How often do I have a fit session?

Here, I would love to write 'as many times as you need to', but unfortunately it's not always that simple. When time planning, I always allow for 4 samples and fit sessions, but aim to only need 3. A first fit, pre-production (sent for final approval before the stock is made) and a shipping sample (sent after the stock is made but before it is shipped so we can check for any issues before it leaves the factory). To reduce the number of clothing samples you’ll need, giving clear instructions to the factory is essential, as they are often unwilling to use common sense or imagination (sounds awful to say but sadly that is often true), so make sure you're very specific about what you want. I’ve heard of some people who aren’t as experienced in fittings and don’t have detailed tech packs needing as many as 9 samples, so putting in some work upfront really does pay.

The other things to consider are how much time do you have and are you paying for samples? If you're a startup or small business, the factory will often charge you for the samples, so you need to decide how important the changes that you'd like to make are vs the cost of an extra sample. In terms of timeframe, if you're asking for extra samples, this may cause a delay to the delivery, so again you will have to assess how critical the changes are vs the delivery date into store is. 

I hope this has given you a few ideas for things to look out for! If you're finding the process a bit overwhelming and are looking for detailed guidance and step by step help with the fashion manufacturing process, you might be interested in The Fashion Startup Online Course, which has a whole module to cover the sample process and another dedicated to working with factories and the process for production. You can learn more about the course by clicking here.

Thanks for reading! Vicki

How to give a designer feedback on their work

If you've been following the blog, you may have seen my post last week on tips for successfully briefing your designer. This week's post covers the next stage, how to effectivly review their work and give feedback. 

Most designers will allow you several rounds of revisions in the price, so it's important to review work effectively to save time and prevent lots of emails backwards and forwards. Most designers will start charging you for changes eventually, some even from the very first round of revisions, which makes it even more crucial to provide as much information as you can to avoid any additional costs. 

Does the range work for your customer + brand?

Before writing your feedback and looking at the deigns in detail, I'd definitely suggest looking at the range as a whole and ask yourself if the overall look and feel work for your customer and brand. Refer back to your target customer and ask yourself;

• Is there a good mix of styles and price points that allow customers to afford to buy something and also save and aspire to own a special piece. 

• Does it meet their needs? For example, if they're looking for workwear is the range office appropriate? If they want to 'wow' at an event, are there some really unique, special pieces? If they're working out, does the range mix style with performance and comfort?

• Is there a good mix of colours. Some designers seem to avoid using black, for a fear of being boring, but black has outsold every other colour, by a long way, in every company I've ever worked with/for

Think about your brand values and ask;

• Does the range fit in with your branding and ethos?

• Will it work well together in a photoshoot, to show on social media?

• Will this look nice in your shop/online store/will your buyers like it?

Are the garments functional?

Again, this part of the thought process involves thinking about your target customer and their needs, but also from a sales perspective. When looking at each design individually, you need to be thinking about the ultimate aim - selling the clothes. You need to make sure that whatever methods you use to sell, you'll have something to talk about, this could be to the press, on social media, on product descriptions and to customers themselves in stores. Of course, the designer will be working hard to give you the best possible designs, but I'd always recommend thoroughly reviewing work that is sent to you, as at the end of the day the designer has a small piece of the puzzle, whereas you have the whole story regarding your sales tactics and future plans. In literal terms, the designer should have covered things such as practical fastenings/openings/design features, but it doesn't hurt for you to take a look. 

Do you like the designs?

You're going to be living and breathing these designs, so it's important that you like them. They may not be your style, if you're not the target customer, but if there's something that bothers you, speak up. It may be something simple, like changing a neckline, or the length of something and the designer will be more than happy to oblige. 

How to approach feedback

There's no need to worry or feel bad about telling the designer you want changes. Everyone has their own opinion and it won't be taken offensively. I would definitely encourage you to give as much detail as possible. For example a vague response like 'colour bits in blue' is really unhelpful and poses a lot of questions; which bits? which designs, all of them? what type of blue, sky, navy, pastel, cobalt? If you have a specific look in mind, you need to go into detail about specifically you mean. Likewise, if you send a photo for reference, explain what it is you like about the photo. For example, it might be the colour, silhouette, fabric, neckline, fit, details, sleeves.....Do you see what I'm saying? Just because something is obvious in your head, doesn't mean it's obvious to the designer. Also be careful with phrases that portray an emotion or opinion, for example saying things like 'make it more fun, stylish, cool'. Cool like easy going? Cool like on trend? Cool like appropriate for hot weather? Think about the words you're using and what it could mean to others. 

How to send the feedback

When I review work, I like to go through step by step. I'll give general comments that apply to the whole body of work and also go through each design and request any changes, clearly and specifically. Bullet points can be great for this. Yes, this will take longer initially to write detailed comments, but it saves you time (and often money) in the long run as you don't have as many emails backwards and forwards and you reduce the amount of revisions. 

I hope this post has given you some tips on how to work with your designer and also an idea of what to consider when reviewing designs. Ready to hire a designer for your next project? I offer a range of services which you can view by clicking here.

5 steps to successfully brief a designer

If you read last weeks post, you should be all clear on what to look out for in a designer you are hiring. The next step to make the most of the designer's talent and to save you time, is to effectively brief the designer. This post is written from a fashion design perspective, but many of the points also relate to other creative services. 

What is a brief? A brief essentially outlines your expectations for the project. It contains definitive information, such as the due date and number of designs required, but it can also include inspiration and a general 'feel' for the collection. 

1. Make your expectations clear

This would include those 'black and white' details such as the number of designs required (and any specific breakdown, e.g. 5 tops, 2 skirts, 3 dresses, etc) and the due date. You could also use this to outline your preferred way of working, for example, some people would rather go from brief to viewing the final range, whereas others would prefer a more collaborative approach. If you have a preference, include this on the brief. In addition, mention if you would like to input your own ideas, for instance if you have images for reference, let the designer know. 

2. Define your customer

In the last post I touched on the importance of knowing your customer and how it is one of the main deciding factors between success or failure. For the designer to do a good job and create designs that will sell, they need to know about your customer. The more detail the better. A simple, 'they like fashion and are aged 20-80' (that's an exact copy of a brief I received once from a client), won't cut it. If you really want to only give the bare minimum at least give some information on your customers lifestyle, shopping preferences and brands they aspire to. 

3. Define your brand aesthetic

What is it that makes your brand unique, why do customers come to you? What is it that you're known (or want to be known) for? What kind of mood/feeling do you want to evoke in your customers? Simply stating 'design something relevant to the seasons trends', isn't specific enough. Every season I look at hundreds, if not thousands of pages of trend information, fashion shows and developments in popular culture and there's so many different directions you can take the trends in. As an example, WGSN, the world leaders in trend forecasting usually have 4-5 trends per market per season and the designer will need to establish which is most relevant for your brand. 

4. do's and don'ts

This refers to things that you would or wouldn't like to see in the range. For example, you might know that short dresses really don't sell for you, so the length should be longer, or you know that jewel tones work really well, so make sure they are included in the range. Essentially - include information about any styling details you really want to see, or don't want. 

5. Know your retail prices

You might be thinking, 'why does the price matter at the design stage, I'll just pick the best design, see what the price is and that will determine my cost price' - please don't do this! You need to have an idea of how much your customer is willing to pay and therefore how much you can afford to pay at cost price. Why? Because if you don't give any indication, the designer will add lots of details to create a really unique piece. However, if you're looking to channel somewhere like Primark and charge £2 ($2.50US) for a t-shirt, chances are you're not going to be able to afford all of those beautiful, expensive, details. 

If you're panicking about the above thinking 'I didn't realise I needed all that before I started designing', don't worry! Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing more insight to help you identify your customer, brand and help you to create a solid plan. If you can't wait to get started, or if you feel you need tailored 1-on-1 help, I do offer consulting sessions which you can learn about here. 

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to leave a message in the comments box below. If there's anything you'd like to see in future posts, just let me know...

5 reasons why you should hire a professional designer

Today I'm going to write about why I would always suggest that my clients hire a professional designer, this is the first of weekly posts every Friday that provide an insight into the fashion industry and help you to start or develop your fashion business. 

First and foremost - what do I mean by a 'professional designer'. Surely anyone with the ability to draw and an eye for style could be considered a professional designer? What I mean by a professional designer, is someone who not only has qualifications and has actively worked in the industry, but someone who is well rounded and has worked in lots of different positions. You'll often find designers, most often those who have worked for a large company, tend to get stuck in one position. This means they never really get the opportunity to see the designs through and learn about the success or failures of each element of the design. Ideally, you're looking for someone who not only has creative flair, but also someone who has been a garment technician and pattern cutter, so they know is is actually possible to make the design they are proposing. Ideally, you also want someone who has negotiated with factories so they understand the cost implications of their actions and a merchandising background helps too, as this ensures the designs have commercial appeal. 

This may seem like a long list, so I thought I'd give some examples of what can happen if your designer doesn't have these skills;

1. The garment can't actually be made by the manufacturer you have. 

For all of these examples I've designed my own 'bad example', as I don't want to name and shame, but my bad examples are based from actual work and scenarios I've seen during my 12 years in industry. In this example, the client was a high street retailer, who wanted a budget friendly children's outfit, inspired by space. This design is great as a high end piece or one off theatre costume, but not to be mass produced. The shoulder detailing here is very unusual and would need to be specially manufactured - as this isn't something available as standard, this would need to be outsourced to a specialist, both adding time and money to the project. An experienced designer would know that a similar look and feel can be achieved, in a way that can be easily manufactured. 

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2. The cost price goes through the roof

In this example, we have two seemingly similar leather skirts. You might even assume that the skirt with the panels is more expensive, thinking the cost to sew it together is more. However, what the designer didn't account for is the fact that leather is a natural material and the size is difficult to predict. Therefore, smaller panels mean more of the leather can be used, thus creating less waste and the supplier doesn't have to buy as much leather. Even on a relatively small order, the savings here can add up to thousands.  

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3. The design is really unwearable

While I admit the quality of the final fit of the garment is down to well managed fit sessions and good communication with the factory, there are things that can be done right from the start. For example, at a first glance this looks like a pretty standard shirt. However on further inspection, it's actually unwearable. The buttonholes are facing the wrong way (you can click on the picture to zoom), meaning that as soon as the wearer sits down or stretches, the fastening will pop right open. The other thing to note, is this is a standard work shirt, made from standard shirting fabric. You'll notice the shirt shape is quite fitted, however, it's impossible to achieve that look in a non-stretch fabric, without having darts. These simple changes make such a huge difference to the fit and functionality of the garment. 

4. The design is unsuitable for the customer

It's all very well creating the most unique, innovative design, but is that really what your customer wants? The temptation for a lot of inexperienced designers is to design the latest runway inspired looks, which can be great, but with the average UK size now being a size 16 (translates to a US size 12), are the majority of the population going to wear a skimpy plunging neckline? Of course some may, but many have practical considerations when buying clothing and body perception also has to be taken into consideration, as well as practicality and occasion. Knowing the customer is the key to success and I'll be going into this further in future blog posts. 

5. The marketing and merchandising is a mess

Amazing - the designs have been brought to life and delivered to you, the next step is to arrange them in store and/or create a marketing campaign. It's no coincidence that successful brands have really cohesive ranges - these have been skilfully curated to ensure that the pieces on offer connect with each other and fit together beautifully as a range. Also in practical terms, the range offers the right mix of variety, including the number of tops vs bottoms. An inexperienced designer may still be able to come up with great looking garments, but they can't stand alone, they must fit into a range and environment that your customers will aspire to shop in. 

While I'll admit, there may be a few hundred pounds/dollars difference in price between a range by a professional designer and an inexperienced designer, however, I do believe this investment is made back. Even just the saving in the leather skirt example would repay the investment 10 times over. 

I hope this has given you some insight and things to consider when hiring a designer, whoever you choose to work with (of course, I'd love it if you chose me!). Next Friday, I'll be continuing this topic and writing about the best way to brief a designer, to get the most from them. Sign up to the mailing list below to receive all of the latest fashion news and tips straight to your inbox. 

If you're looking to start a fashion career or business, I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to get in touch by clicking here, or leave a comment with your biggest struggle and I'll try my best to help you.