Lesson 3: Principle of Fashion Design

Principle of Fashion Design:

The primary purpose of wearing clothes is for cover, e.g. to keep warm, modesty. Nowadays, people wear different clothes for various occasions and identities. They also choose clothes by following their aesthetic sense and therefore the fashion trend.

According to Oxford English Dictionary (2009), one of the definition of “Fashion” is “popular styles of clothes, hair etc. at a particular time and place”. Essentially, it means a method that's up-to-date, it influences what people wear and the way they appear. Changes that happen within the apparel industry is followed by people everywhere on all levels of society. Fashion carries prominent social significance and impact on human behavior.

Apart from analyzing the present fashion trend, fashion designers need to understand the fashion design principles for creating aesthetic values. The design should also meet the requirements of the target group / occasion and be ready to express the individuality and creativity of the designer. Cultural and social changes affect the fashion trend and how people perceive aesthetic values and related design principles. What is considered to be beautiful one year may not be considered the same way a few years later.

1. Aesthetic Values: 

Beauty may be a quality that provides pleasure to the sense. It creates a positive emotional reaction within the viewer. Most psychologists believe beauty and aesthetic are essential to human life.
The principles of aesthetic constitute a crucial a part of the Aesthetic Values required in fashion design, which also are the determinants of the effect of any designs. Aesthetic value and aesthetic judgment both play important roles within the success of any designs. These two aspects help to guage any designs objectively. they're usually determinants that help evaluate the viability of any design work. Designers might not be consciously conscious of these principles while they're performing on their designs but when something is wrong with a design, they're ready to work on the issues to form the planning perfect and harmonious by taking under consideration the principles of proportion, balance, rhythm, radiation, gradation, emphasis, contrast, harmony, unity, repetition and scale.

A. Proportion:

Proportion is the comparative relationships between distances, sizes, amounts, degrees and parts. It are often applied to one-dimensional lines, two-dimensional shapes or three-dimensional forms. Spatial characteristics have little meaning except when they are compared to something else; hence, the main idea of proportion is “in relation to”. Sometimes, one a part of a body could seem to be “well proportioned” but if its size or shape is inconsistent with the remainder of the figure, the whole figure still seems to be “out of proportion”.

Basically, proportion in fashion design is that the size relationship of every of the interior spaces within a garment to at least one another and to the entire design. The most beautiful application of proportion seems to possess a small deviation, a magic touch that defies precise analysis. The most pleasing proportions are those that are unequal. The following example is a sleeve which is so large that it overwhelms the rest of the dress. In this case, the dress is said to be “out of proportion” or disproportionate. Part of an outfit that's too small can also be disproportionate.

"Out of Proportion"

Golden mean is that the standard proportion rule out design, especially in classic collection design. Nevertheless, creative fashion is about breaking rules, following Punk or sometimes Gunge’s element during which case the balance of proportion is usually deliberately ignored.

Many beautiful clothes are designed supported the golden mean but it's not the sole thanks to achieve a way of beauty in proportion. One perception of beauty springs from an informed sense that the linear and spatial relationships are right for every other from an inventive mastery rather than exclusively from a mathematically precise equation. However, relationships slightly off exact ratios are often more interesting to the viewer. actually , designs wholly by formulae are rarely found.

(B) Balance:

Balance is how the interior spaces of a shape work together. The surface of a design could also be choppy by structural lines, trims, fabric patterns, textures or colors. Balance also refers to “visual weight” in design. A garment must be balanced to be visually pleasing.

Balance are often symmetrical or asymmetrical:

(i) Formal Balance

Formal balance is symmetrical. Its design details are divided equally to make a centered balance. In other words, each side are an equivalent , just like the way how we've two arms and two legs. A symmetrical garment design must have precisely the same details in only an equivalent place on each side . Formal balance is that the easiest and therefore the most rational thanks to achieve stability. 

(ii) Informal Balance

Informal balance is asymmetrical. Its design details are divided unequally from the middle . It are able to do a more dramatic and interesting effect through an imbalance of visual impact. Its composition is different arrangements on all sides . it's often achieved with diagonal line and off-centered closings.

(C) Rhythm:

In fashion design, rhythm is that the flow of lines, shapes, textures and hues of garment. The flow should gently carry the eyes from one area of the garment to a different . When all the lines of an outfit work well together, a way of rhythm is clear .

The use of rhythm is vital in achieving pleasing effects. Rhythm in design results repeating lines and masses. These repetitions can be either of uniform size or of decreasing or increasing size. Referring to the sample shown below, the rhythmic patterns can be generated by superimposing scales. Clearly, rhythm can create a powerful effect, whether it is achieved by the repetition of regular features, by motifs on printed fabrics or by a gradual change of size or color.

(D) Radiation:

Radiation is that the use of design lines that diffuse from a pivotal point. Based upon the sunburst effect, the eyes move from the central point of the sunburst to the outer area of the design. The following blouse demonstrates the effect. That is, the viewer is firstly attracted to the center, then to the outer edges of the blouse.

(E) Gradation:

Gradation is that the use of one color, shape, size, design detail and motif. These principles featured in any gradating pattern are often done from the darkest to the lightest tone or from the littlest to the most important size, imparting a rhythmic progression. The eyes automatically move from looking at the darkest to looking at the lightest tones, or vice versa, thereby the whole item is attended.

(F) Emphasis:

Emphasis is a center of interest that draws attention to the focal point of a garment. This center of interest must create more visual attraction than the other design elements and will be associated with the general structure of the garment while the remaining elements must support this center of interest by echoing its design impact.

(G) Contrast:

Contrast is the use of different colors, textures and shapes. It is one among the foremost powerful design principles, causing the eyes to re-evaluate the importance of 1 area of focus against another. 

(H) Harmony:

Harmony is that the pleasing arrangement of all parts of a garment. It is not the exact opposite of contrast but it does imply similarity than differences in areas such as the use of colors or textures that blends well with one another. 

(I) Unity:

The repetition of a design element throughout a garment creates a way of unity. Conversely, the use of too many motifs in one garment is distracting and discordant. When a garment has unity, separate and individual parts work together to make an entire . A feeling of togetherness and oneness are achieved.

Unity

(J) Repetition:

Repetition is that the repeated use of certain design elements, details or trims during a garment. A feature could be repeated either regularly or irregularly. This multiple effect might be wont to unify a design.

In fact, repetition is a sense of movement. Repetition is necessary in creating interest in a design and carrying out the central theme. Repetition in design can be achieved by the repetition of shapes, lines and colors. For instance, the repetition of pleats, gathers, tucks or buttons creates rhythm in the form of lines and shapes. The dominant line, shape, color or detail of a garment might be repeated elsewhere with variation.

(K) Scale:

The term ‘scale’ refers to the connection between a garment and its design details. A sense of harmony should be found within the design elements within the entire design, with the planning elements not being out of scale like being either too large or too small or either being too bright or too dark. 

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