Comments on: Dumbing Down American Design, Part 1

By: Required Reading | Style Sample Magazine.com

Required Reading | Style Sample Magazine.com — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:04:40 +0000

[…] “Has our quest for convenience forever altered fashion?” Dumbing down American design (Part 1) […]

By: Amy DuFault

Amy DuFault — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:21:42 +0000

Celeste and The Q (a.k.a Amanda :), what also needs to happens is that once the designer’s understand fit, they can then focus on unique styles.
Sure we want quality but we also want pretty.
So many designers are doing the same styles which leads me to believe either they’re artistically drained or copying.
This is coming from a writer as well as a buyer’s mouth mind you.
Thanks for leaving comments!

By: The Q

The Q — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:06:30 +0000

BRAVO! Fashion needs to get back to its roots as an art, as opposed to a business. I’m not totally idealistic–I realize there has to be mass production at some level, but if the last century has taught us anything it should be QUALITY TRUMPS QUANTITY 99% of the time.

By: Celeste Lilore

Celeste Lilore — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:27:20 +0000

Amy. thank you for so eloquently featuring how important fit is to garment construction. It is something we work hard to get right especially in clean, simple, enduring styles. It is our opinion that sustainable style starts here. We are grateful for the mention as it helps validate our work!

By: Amy DuFault

Amy DuFault — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:39:49 +0000

Back to the basics and to a time where there was quality and yes Elly D, pride in one’s work.
From the pattern makers to the designers to the retailers, there needs to be a connection to the fabric and to the design.
Without that, the disconnect is what will drive design away from us.

By: Elly D.

Elly D. — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:09:16 +0000

It’s important to have someone like Cathy Hoyrn who known where designers should be and the responsibility to their own true selves in their art. These people realize that the shoppers deserve better than what they are getting whether they know it or not.
My mother used to work in a sweat shop ages ago and there were rules as to how many stitches to an inch. There were people who actually had the job to double check work done. If it wasn’t perfect it was sent back to the stitcher. These women made blouses and were paid piece work. They had pride in their work. I think that is what is missing today PRIDE.

By: Elizabeth Rangel

Elizabeth Rangel — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:25:41 +0000

This article was a breath of fresh air as I move forward in my eco-designing business endeavors. Thanks so much for your insight and clear writing!

By: Sara Ost

Sara Ost — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 19:36:33 +0000

Julianne, thank you for stopping by and taking the time to share your experience and insights. Keep us posted on your class!

By: Julianne Applegate

Julianne Applegate — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 19:16:57 +0000

Thank you for tackling this topic. Everything in this article is spot on. I was lucky enough to interview at Werkstatt just after graduation (long ago). I was blown away by their design and their craft. Like the students they mentioned, I did not have the “solid foundation” needed to be effective in their workroom. Since then, I have worked in design studios where we sampled in house and then transitioned to sampling over seas. It was heartbreaking to let go of development. More and more technical designers were required and we had less and less control on the final product. There is nothing like taking fabric in your hands and shaping it. I now have my own collection and I make all of the first samples myself. There is no substitute for seeing a collection come together! I am planning to teach a class to the general public about designing from scratch for a custom fit. The response to the idea has been enormous. People know that want better clothes that fit them, but they have no idea where to start. What everyone knew one hundred years ago is now a lost art. I think it is important for designers to bring design back to the public and back home.