Let’s admit it: it’s quite common for fashion designers to struggle with finding inspiration. Now that plenty of innovative designs are out there, finding ideas that haven’t been done before can be challenging.
You can get out of this rut by mixing external sources of inspiration. A study on dressmaking practices revealed that fashion designers get inspired by multiple sources. These include things like people, photos, artworks, materials, structures, and even silhouettes. They even combine these sources of inspiration to become more creative during their design process.
So if you’re searching for an idea for your next fashion project, the following activities may help:
Watch documentaries about fashion designers
Sometimes, all you need to do is watch the industry pros to get an idea for your next project. You can watch fashion documentaries of your favorite designers to learn how they look for inspiration. Take “The First Monday in May.” This film shows the journey of Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton as he sought inspiration for his China: Through the Looking Glass fashion exhibition in 2015. You can also watch “Dior and I” to see how Raf Simmons handled his first haute couture collected under the Christian Dior House in just eight weeks.
Spend time looking at paintings and other works of art
Fashion designers also look at works of art to get an idea for their next collection. As an example, Vivienne Westwood found inspiration from the rococo painting Daphnis and Chloe by François Boucher. These paintings inspired her to feature romantic fabrics, like herringbone and Princes of Wales plaid, in her Fall/Winter collection in 2021. Likewise, you can add a unique element to your next collection by using fabrics or patterns that you can see in paintings.
Seek inspiration from your favorite fashion icons
You may also find a muse for your fashion project by looking at pictures of various fashion icons. Celebrities often set the most popular trends among consumers, making celebrity fashion a good source of inspiration all year round. For example, you can forego using floral themes for spring/summer collections. Instead, take inspiration from celebrities like Jordyn Woods. She wears a figure-flattering, long-sleeved dress for the spring. You can also copy the style of Nicky Hilton, who uses springtime to play with classic patterns like gingham.
Create a mood board for your fashion project
Mood boards can also help you organize your ideas and draw inspiration for your next fashion project. You can put together a collage of images, texts, colors, illustrations, and even fabrics. Doing so can help you build a solid collection of references for brainstorming. The components of your mood board can also inspire you to think outside the box and create a connection between the various materials and images. That way, you can stay focused to more efficiently and effectively come up with new project ideas.
The process of creating your next best fashion idea shouldn't be too challenging, especially if you know where to look! By seeking multiple sources of inspiration, you can come up with fashion projects that have never been done before.
By: Aurora Marie Greyson, Contributing Writer