So You Want to Be a Fashion Designer?

Two summers ago, I took a design course at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. That summer, I happened to be interning with two designers (with one designer, the collection I worked on ended up in Vogue, while the other has appeared in W, i-D, and Muse). The only thing I knew about fashion was that it was prejudiced against 5'6", 150 ibs, big-boobed people like me and I spent a lot of time in high school designing things that could be worn by all body types. So, I could draw... and that was it. Through my internship, I learned how to swatch fabric (still my favoritest thing to do) and saw how the industry worked. With the FIT class, I actually learned how to design.

I took the Drawing and Illustration I class, taught by Anna Kiper, a former designer for Calvin Klein and currently a freelance designer and professor. Besides me, there was only one other girl who wasn't an FIT student/prospective student. She was an art student. I, as a Medieval and Renaissance Studies major, was the odd one out. (But this summer, Joan Rivers thought my major was totally cool, so you can all suck it.) Everyone else had either gotten in to the full time program (which is very difficult), or was directed by admissions to take this class as a remedial course and reapply in the fall.

We learned how to do draw the fashion figure (a horrible abomination--9 heads tall instead of the realistic 6 1/2-7, completely out of proportion but supposedly, when drawn on 11"X14" paper, 1/5 of the size of the actual garment. Whatever.); how to draw a 3/4 view face and figure; how to do fashion research; how to swatch; and how to render tweed, twill, herringbone, and checks.

Click the image for the rest of the gallery!

The first project was to do a 60s bathing suit line. When my professor said 60s, she meant those impractical cut-out bathing suits that have stumbled their way back into style. I was all, "Hells no" and decided to do something with a mix of early 60s Jackie Kennedy and late 60s Italian hippies.

The second project had a bit more freedom. We were to draw the figure in 3/4 view in an evening gown: the only requirements were that the dress had a bustier and a mermaid gown (i.e. a small train.) I, of course, went the Alfons Mucha route, because really, he's just the best. (This image was my inspiration.)

The final project was known as the Chanel Suiting Project. Basically, pretend you have complete control of the House of Chanel for a season. What are you going to design? We had to do a blouse, pants, a skirt, a jacket, and a coat. This project was meant to instill in us the joys of merchandising-- that is, making sure that all pieces in your collection go together both visually and physically. This was actually my favorite thing after swatching. We also learned how to render texture. I am not really a fan of Chanel (for reasons I will explain in a later post), but I remembcombine those late Edwardian designs with her love for military uniforms and got something that was both very Chanel and very yours truly. For that project, I swatched a salmon silk charmeuse for the blouse and skirt lining; a pink, turquoise, gold, and brown tweed for the jacket and skirt; a luxurious brown wool for the coat; and purple felt for the trim.

If you are interested in design, I highly recommend taking a class at your local state university, whether it's FIT or a less famous school. The classes are very cheap (as a resident of New York state, my FIT class was a pittance at about $300 for three weeks) and the quality is excellent. I stupidly transferred the credit for this class from FIT to Vassar, but I hope that, if I go for a second degree at FIT, I can transfer the credit back.

I worked nearby FIT this summer. Every time I passed by, I couldn't help but feel a ping of regret. Who knows, maybe someday...

P.S. As I hope you can see, I can actually draw faces. When I did the bathing suit project, I was all, "Oh, well the faces don't matter as much as the clothing." Wha wha. I was wrong. But really, I can draw people!

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Do you have an art or design project you want to exhibit? E-mail me at cecholst [at] vassar.edu.

Isabel Toledo: Fashion from the Inside Out

Some designers think in color; others think in story; still others think about the customer. But Isabel Toledo is one of those rare designers who thinks in fabric. Toledo's almost 30-year career has spanned far and wide, from her own independent label and a stint at Ann Klein in the 90s to, most recently of course, designing Michelle Obama's inauguration dress.

The exhibit is brilliantly curated by the inimitable Valerie Steele and Patricia Mears. (Dr. Steele is the foremost fashion historian. I'm kind of obsessed with her.) They know what the museum goer wants to see: Mrs. Obama's dress. It's smack in the center of the first room you walk into, along with a timeline of Ms. Toledo's career and an exhibit case featuring some of the designer's sketchbooks. The main exhibition room is arranged into several sections, each highlighting a hallmark of Toledo's style: Origami; Suspension; Liquid Architecture; Shadow; Manipulated Surfaces; and Organic Geometry.

First things first: The Dress. When I first entered the museum, I thought to myself, "Eh, I won't get too excited about it. EventhoughmymostfavoritepersonintheworldtodayohmyGod wore it to the inauguration, I didn't like it on her all that much." I entered the gallery. I saw it. And started grinning like a fool. The dress looks much better in person (though I still maintain that it looks better on the mannequin than it did on her), and the design is deceptively simple. It serves as a prelude to the inventiveness that is to come.

Toledo is a skilled seamstress and, as mentioned above, the exhibit focuses on her craftsmanship. But what I noticed was her willingness to play with gender. Included in the exhibit are plenty of sheer lace dresses, a "Pubic Hair" bikini (it has to be seen to be believed), a creature made of ropes and pulleys known as the "Hermaphrodite Dress," and something known as a "Man Bra." No flat-chested woman could ever pull it off. Toledo also seems drawn to certain shapes, most notably kimonos, doublets, and their military counterparts. Perhaps it's because of the strong geometric features that define those clothes, or perhaps it comes from a deeper desire to create clothing that will encircle and protect the wearer.

Isabel Toledo: Fashion from the Inside Out cements Toledo's reputation as a conceptual designer. The museum helpfully provides simple flat patterns to some of the more miraculous pieces, but good luck trying to figure them out. Isabel Toledo is a genius and we are lucky to have such a talented and intelligent American designer.

Can't make it to New York to see the real thing? Check out the virtual exhibit.

All images taken from the virtual exhibit. Isabel Toledo: Fashion from the Inside Out will be at The Museum at FIT until September 26, 2009. The Museum at FIT is located at 27th Street and 7th Ave, Tues-Fri Noon- 8PM, Saturday 10AM- 5 PM. Closed Sundays, Mondays, and legal holidays. Free admission.