Comments on: Technical designer qualifications

By: Mari

Mari — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 22:56:53 +0000

Hello All,

I have worked as a TD for 5 years, and have developed a spec system that results in a 90-95% approvable garment sample in every garment category I have ever worked on. That being said, if I have done my job correctly, the departments around me—have no idea, why this is happening. A good TD will be required to:
reinterpret design sketches to match the agreed upon fit- based upon fitness for end use, of course
make adjustments to the base fit as needed depending upon end use considerations
communicate the designer’s (revised) needs to the pattermaker (this means you need to speak fluent patternmaker

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 22:15:33 +0000

Hi Colleen. I’m assuming you’ve got all of the appropriate TD books -or maybe I should post a list of what those are? That’s an idea… Anyway, culling through those should give you ideas plus a survey of what other universities are offering in the way of course material coupled with feedback from employers hiring TDs.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:00:47 +0000

Hi Colleen,

Looking back on my own experience, I could have benefitted hugely from more exposure to graded specs, the principles of grading in general, and troubleshooting fit problems on a model. These are the skills I use most often in my job, ones I was pretty unprepared to use after completing my BFA.

Upon graduating, I had never even heard of a Technical Designer, let alone had any concept of what the actual business of fashion looked like. Blame that on a fine arts school that produces “Designers” with no suggestions of how they’ll eventually procure jobs.

Best of luck with your studies!

By: Colleen

Colleen — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:35:04 +0000

I am currently working on my MFA. My ultimate goal is to teach fashion design/technical design. I have taught fashion design at a university, but needed my advances degree. I want my thesis to involve TD. I am not sure in what direction?
* Explore the future of fashion designer vs technical designer.
* Explore the skill sets needed to be taught in a university program to produce competent TDs.
I am hoping for some input as to what direction would best benefit future fashion students.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:05:53 +0000

From what I can tell of Fastfit is that it is a packaged solution, best suited for companies that don't have the staffing or acumen to design and implement a visual data sharing system. Likewise, suited for folks that don't have 3d CAD software programs (optitex etc). I also agree it's not a pdm/plm. Fwiw, I think this one is the best, especially for technical support staff.

By: Dilys

Dilys — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:07:09 +0000

Hi Annanee,

Sorry about abbreviated your name. Mea Culpa!

I know big companies are marching towards PLM, and I haven’t really deal with PLM on day to day bases yet, but I have used it on and off. It is somewhat similar to PDM, with a few more bells and whistles, like auto called out of out of tolerance spec and etc.

Actually, my current employer is implementing PLM, and also test piloting the Fastfit360 with one of the branch band. We will see how it goes. As for the fit modeling, I believed we are using a form, and the forms would be the same all over the world. Of course that does not take away the life fit model fit sessions. After all, the from cannot tell us if the armhole is uncomfortable, or the across back is tight, and rigid, or the crotch is cutting in, and etc. No form can take away the nuance of fit from a good fit model.

Thank you for the info though!

Thanks

Dilys

By: Annanee

Annanee — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 17:50:01 +0000

Hi everyone, pls note this gentle reminder, i am addressed as annanee ( sounds like anne marie)

Hi Dilys,
Of all of the systems I’ve evaluated so far, Fast Fit 360 , is that with Roxy Starr?
I found it to be the most visually workable and I actually started to introduce that program to my company as a innovation tool which could save the company lots of $$ in shipping, fitting, etc costs.
i was able to visualize the fit problems and could imagine myself writing the comments based on the visuals. of course you’d still need to use a model but a good mannequin could work as long as she was close to the real model. i imagined working with the off shore offices (who i intended to have the same system) and guiding their hands on corrections.

i don’t know what the pit falls are as I have never used it but i will ask around.
i do feel the communications could be clearer for the oso to see the problems up close.

What i do want to share is that it is not a PLM system, which is what all of the bigger companies are striving for. A Plm system gives them metrics and statistics and fast fit does not…?

Still, I vote for fast fit 360 as a very viable and strong tool for “TD’s to communicate with”. If this tool could eventually capture the metrics, it will be strong competition for the rest of the plm systems.

If there is anything you don’t u/stand pls ask. i tend to abbreviate a lot lately!
anw

By: Dilys

Dilys — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:07:35 +0000

HI Anna,

Nice to see someone as experienced as you are with the TD profession.

I have a question, what do you think about the Fastfit360 program? We are in the midst of trying to implement something like this. Have you tried this, how does it work in real life? What are the pitfalls that we should be looking out for?

Any information is appreciated. Thanks

Dilys

By: Alison Cummins

Alison Cummins — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:44:03 +0000

Six years, six months and ten days!

By: Annanee

Annanee — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:02:40 +0000

This is a wonderful blog spot and apologize for finding this so late in the game. 3 years of blog posts, wow!
Every conversation on the role of TD’s is valid and certainly within my scope of experience.
i started out in the HS of Fashion Industries where I learned to sew and make patterns. On to F.I.T. where i contnued I developed specializations. i was in the first graduating class at FIT who earned a BFA in fashion design. My stronger points in draping led me to my first role as an asst designer draper.
moved to Macy’s corp buying where I was a technical designer and after fittings, learned how to communicate , what i call, “pattern making by mail” That’s what a TD is.
in my 28 years of working in the industry as Lead TD roles, I’ve had the pleasure to travel all over the world: East Asia, South America, Europe. I worked with the pattern makers in these factories to establish our fits. i got first hand view of how they operated on software pattern making systems. I evaluated and shared pattern making techniques with vendors all over the world, troubleshooting as a TD.
My newest role now includes helping the TD teams implement of PLM systems. i have been through two different systems and so far, my opinion is : there is no perfect system that can deliver what it promises. It is still in the early stages.

I have recently left my position for the same reasons some of you have described. “Stupid people in power making stupid decisions, and my team getting left with the task of cleaning up the mess.
This time I said no thanks, you do it! LOL felt really good after 28 years!

i am now on a quest to share my knowledge and experience with the upcoming technical designers of tomorrow. Just wondering what forum I should use to create a training ground.
I’m open to starting a solutions network forum…ask and you shall receive expert advise. just wondering who could be interested and what forum i should use.

My expertise is in tailored Jkts, denim, dresses, knits, sweaters, grade rules, POM’s and now PLM.
Reach out to me if you need to ask about solutions.

Eric’s list was spot on and thank you Kathleen for this blog spot going on now for actually 4 years!
best anw