Fashion Insider Fashion, Form and Function by Giuseppe Grazioli
We all know that fashion is all about “how it looks,” but designing fashion can be as much about “how it functions.” I always smile when a client brings me a sample of beautiful upholstery fabric and describes the gown they'd like me to design for them with it. Fabrics are building materials, and if the wrong material is chosen, the client could end up being the one wearing the house of cards. As a costume designer, I know that a wardrobe malfunction can be disastrous to a performance, no matter ‘how good it looks' when the curtain goes up. If it isn't still in place (in all the right places) when that curtain comes down, I have failed my client. Tutus for example, are made up of several different layers of material. Those that the audience sees aren't necessarily the ones that touch the dancer's skin. We as design professionals have to understand
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how the material is going to be used. Will it be worn and stretched daily? Will it need to be cleaned repeatedly? Will it need to be adjustable for different wearers? Does it have to maintain its shape for years to come? Take care to choose the right fabric for the desired look. A cheap looking fabric will make the most elegant design look cheap. Certain fabrics behave in certain ways, and not all lend themselves to draping or stretching the way a garment needs to in order to look appropriate and elegant. The right fabric, in the right weight and content, in the right color and dimension, are as important to the piece as the actual pattern for the garment. Clothes are an extension of ourselves, and they are important in putting forth the intended impression. It is sometimes difficult to remain appropriate to the occasion, while still making a unique personal statement. A material that is too stiff can actually make the person wearing it appear stiff. A garment that is too sheer can also make unintended implications. Observers may infer a loud print means a loud personality. Choosing the right material for the occasion is important to make sure we're making the same impression when the evening ends, as we did when the curtain went up.