If you found me (Kathleen Fasanella) and Fashion-Incubator via the New York Times, welcome! And welcome even if you didn’t and just happened to fall in here somehow.
The purpose of Fashion-Incubator is speaking frankly about how to produce a line of sewn products. We do it all from soup to nuts. Not shake-n-bake cake-mix manufacturing at arm’s length but how to launch a fair trade and sustainable clothing line, even including the minutia of how to sew properly, wresting the best engineered methods from history. An affirmation of our mission, at least 50% of our visitors are from the world’s largest brands who use the material as a tool to do their jobs better. In addition to the 2,000 pages of material on this site, we also mentor and welcome anyone who cares to join our proprietary forum. Fashion-Incubator is considered to be the most valuable piece of internet real estate in its class.
Obligatory introduction dispensed with, a bit of context is required for one quote attributed to me in the NYT article Plus-Size Wars:
“We know pretty well what a size 6 woman will look like if she edges up to a 10; her bustline might increase an inch,” Fasanella said.
This should read:
…“We know pretty well what a size 6 woman will look like if she edges up to a 10; her bustline might increase an inch PER SIZE,” Fasanella said…
If you’re interested in learning more about the worsening of fit and sizing in ready to wear apparel over the past fifteen years, I love you already. Sit right here [pats sofa] and I’ll make you a cup of tea. While you’re waiting, catch up on why vanity sizing is a myth in addition to the many other articles I’ve written on fit and sizing.
Thanks for coming, I hope you’ll visit more frequently.
It is my distinct pleasure to announce that one of our forum members Valerie Mayen (Yellow Cake Shop), has been selected as a contestant for the upcoming season of Project Runway.
Above is a photo of Cindy Dishmey, Kit Marlowe and Valerie Mayen (left to right). This photo was taken at the farmer’s market November 2009 in Las Cruces NM when they’d come to take my production pattern making class. And if you’re wondering, yes, Valerie was a pleasure to teach and a gifted student. I believe she also took classes with my colleague Heather Menzies, another reputable pattern maker in the industry.
The list of this season’s contestants is posted here… Ohmiword! Looking over the list, I see that we have two more this season! Another frequent contributor to our site is Kristin Haskins Simms (most notably in this thread). The last PR contestant has participated on Fashion-Incubator regularly but used a pseudonym. As such, it’s not appropriate that I disclose their identity. Well how cool is that? F-I has three contestants this season! After five years, I guess we’re doing something right in the way of nurturing emerging design talent.
Congratulations Valerie, Kristen and Anon, we’ll be watching your progress closely. Make us proud and break a leg!
With money so tight, I thought it would be a good idea to mention the upcoming SPESA tradeshow now so you can put it into your budget for next year. It takes place in Atlanta GA May 18-20, 2010. Even if your needs are not immediate, you might want to make it a priority to attend because it is only held once every three years. In the olden days we had the Bobbin Show; at that time it was the largest trade show in the world. It was one of those events that everybody attended and for more than just business with parties every night (people still talk about the YKK parties) and meeting with people you’ve only talked to over the phone for the past year. Many of us still miss it. But, it’s time to move on and create new traditions.
SPESA (Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas) is the only sourcing show for production related equipment, services and products in North America. I couldn’t even begin to estimate how many entries I’ve written based on interviews and information I picked up at the show in 2007. Want to know about machines and see them in operation -or even use them? check. Looking for odd ball supplies you know surely exist but can’t name? check. Looking for a contractor? check. Want to try the gamut of CAD software on the market? check. Looking for dress forms? It’ll all be there. America’s 21st will be there with a demonstration of a lean sewing cell. You have got to see one in operation, it’s not believable otherwise. Plus, many of us will be there. I think about 30 of us showed up last time (we had a great time), we should try to double that figure next year. I don’t say that idly. Suppliers won’t be responsive until they see we’re an appreciable segment of the market, organized and most of all, that we share information with each other both good and bad.
Yesterday I received word that a technical textile show (Techtextil 2010) will be held concurrently with SPESA. This is an unparalleled opportunity to have all of your interfacing and technical fabric questions answered once and for all. And of course, the fusing and pressing equipment will be there too.
I don’t think you can register for the show yet but if you plan to go, definitely let the rest of us know and we’ll update you when registration opens (attendance is likely free, it usually is). You can RSVP in the forum or on Facebook. If your business isn’t officially underway yet, this is not an insurmountable problem. Enough of us are going that we can get you badges with advance notice. Speaking of, you don’t need to worry about credentials at this show as much as you do at the wholesale apparel market shows. Pretty much anybody can get in; they’re happy to have your warm body there because let’s face it, it’s not a big draw unless you’re really into that kind of thing.
I look forward to meeting many of you there! And while I’m thinking of it, I’m having custom lapel pins designed for Fashion-Incubator members so you can more easily find kindred on the trade show floor. I will likely also give some to vendors who have been friendly to small businesses. Or maybe I’ll make up table tents they can put in their booths so you can be guaranteed of a warm reception. More information on the lapel pins will be posted to the forum when they become available.
A cautionary story of labor and greed, Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags follows the decline of the once-robust apparel manufacturing industry in the U.S., while chronicling the industry’s relationship with unions and government. From the “Garmento” to the seamstress, from the designer to the marketing maven, from the small businessman to the financier, Schmatta offers a firsthand account of how the industry helped generations of Americans march out of poverty and right into the golden age of the American middle class. But while Schmatta reminds us of the early days of the garment industry and its heyday, it also probes its troubling decline, which has occurred largely within the last 30 years. In 1965, 95% of American clothing was made in the U.S.A.; by 2009, only 5% is manufactured here.
I wish I could see it but I don’t have HBO. Maybe someone will tell us more about it tomorrow.
I apologize for not posting this sooner coming on the heels of my previous entry because you’ve already missed one class but it can be repeated if there is sufficient interest.
I’ve written quite a bit about technical packages but it never seems to be enough. Luckily, StyleFile is providing free web based classes on how to make a tech pack. You can download the schedule (pdf) for June or make note of the classes as follows (links below are to past F-I entries as a topic refresher):
June 5: 10:00am PST & 2:00pm PST
How to create a pattern card (cutter’s must) with a discussion on style and pattern numbers.
June 9: 10:00am PST & 2:00pm PST
How to use & manage technical drawings to prevent miscommunication
June 11: 10:00am PST & 2:00pm PST
How to create a bill of materials (BOM)
June 15: 10:00am PST & 2:00pm PST
How to create a costing sheet
June 17: 10:00am PST & 2:00pm PST
How to create and manage cut tickets
While all of these topics have been discussed on F-I in sometimes excruciating detail, it will be nice to get a live demonstration. If you’re interested in these free classes, email Gina to sign up.
Sounds dramatic doesn’t it? Bye-bye Fashion-Incubator. It was fun while it lasted. Truth be told, I have to change my business model and get into something else. Am I happy? No, not one bit. I’m a bit resentful, nearly 30 years of work in the toilet. The reason for the change is it is likely the Design Piracy Prohibition Act is going to become law. If it does, F-I is history. So whether you believe it yet or not, I won’t be around to say “I told you so” -as though I’d get any pleasure out of it anyway. Consumers and enthusiasts will also be paying the price. Consumers will spend lots more money on clothes and enthusiasts won’t have any patterns since those designs need to be registered too and there won’t be domestic fabric if all the manufacturers go under.
It is apparent people are not taking the matter of the Design Piracy Prohibition Act seriously; the detrimental effects I mentioned before when I started the petition. If this law passes, I have to remove Fashion-Incubator from the internet; there won’t be any need for it and I cannot afford a law suit if my advice enables someone to commit what will be a “crime”. None of this is new, I first brought it to your attention two years ago. If CPSIA was an amputation, the Design Piracy Prohibition Act is a beheading.
Not all large businesses support this law; the largest industry group, the venerable American Apparel and Footwear Association is likewise opposed. They’ve created an automated widget where you can automatically email your legislators. Kevin Burke (CEO of the AAFA) says the bill’s passage is likely because legislators haven’t heard opposition from individual businesses.
First, read Kevin’s memo he sent to AAFA members. It includes the names and phone numbers of the most important people to contact, talking points and what to do. As you should have seen with the CPSIA fiasco, it’s impossible to change a law once it’s passed. It is within your hands to prevent your own pending bankruptcy.
Send emails. Sign the petition. That’s two more things you can do right now. I have over 5,000 daily visitors and I only got 1,300 signatures on my petition? You know, I could see it if this were just about me but it’s not. It’s about saving yourself. I suggest you also hold your suppliers and collaborators accountable. I will have all my site sponsors and advertisers get involved. If we die, they do too. I suggest emailing this to your suppliers with the handy “email to a friend” button at the close of the entry.
I just spoke to Eric Garduno on the House Judiciary Committee. He seemed interested in talking to me and said it is helpful to have the comments written. His e-mail is eric.garduno@mail.house.gov . I told him of our group and the large opposition and he said to please mail in your comments!
If that isn’t enough to convince you, here are some comments from small designers like you:
Elizabeth: Independent designers are everywhere and this is just a reaction by big fashion to undermine their rising popularity
Jana: Protect all of us, not just the elite!
JM: This Act is clearly in favor of multi million dollar brands, please don’t use legislation to try to squash your competition! It’s hard enough for small designers to finance production let alone have a lawyer on retainer.
Jessica: This will kill my small business and put people out of work across the U.S. Is this is a good idea, especially in this economic downturn? The CFDA is an exclusive club of celebrity designers who [produce offshore and] do not care one bit for the average American’s job or family. The president of the CFDA herself, Diane von Furstenberg, has been caught red-handed committing design piracy. This act will do NOTHING to stop a handful of ultra-wealthy celebrity designers from stealing the “little guys” ideas – but it WILL stop us “little guys” from making an honest living for our families.
Leslie: As a custom clothier, this law would not allow my clientele, who cannot find clothing that fits, to have clothing custom made for them! Costs of clothing will be out of reach for everyday people.
Charis: This is insane. How will people afford the major name brand styles? It would be impossible!
Debbie: It would be death to the clothing industry and a field day for lawyers!
Pamela: I’m fortunate, I can sew. But if this law passes, I might have to make my own patterns, too. And if it’s more difficult to get affordable designs (including patterns), even more fabric stores will close –so where will I get fabric to sew with? This is a bad law.
Charli: Once again, Big Business killing the Small.
Esther: If this bill is passed it will only be beneficial to the bootlegging big wigs who proposed it!
Lisa: As an independent knitwear designer, I’ve already had 4 of my designs ’stolen’ and I have no way to prove it. Also, a number of times, I have seen designs that look just like mine when I KNOW I created something myself and there’s no way someone else could have seen it! The design process is too serendipitous to be ‘quantifiable’ Please don’t pass this bill.
Read Kevin’s memo. Send emails. Sign the petition. If this law passes, I will have to remove this site from the internet. I can’t afford the liability. And just so you know, I detest, loathe, publishing entries like this. My site traffic drops quite a bit because no one wants to read bad news. At this point, I have nothing to lose. So my site traffic drops for a week, that’s better than forever.
I’ve made no secret that I love StyleFile for creating technical packages and managing your production from soup to nuts so I’m very pleased Patternworks is now offering a fully functional 30 day trial of the program. To take advantage of this free offer, select “solutions” from the website or contact Gina to request your fully functional copy of the software. There’s also several videos on site which you can view singly or download for viewing at your leisure. Not mentioned on site is a tremendous resource, the wiki. The wiki is the place to learn how to set up and operate the program.
Increasingly, a PDM/PLM program is a necessity to manage your production, particularly if you outsource work to others or provide services yourself. I’ve written about many PDM/PLM features (and StyleFile specifically) in What is a Bill of Materials (BOM), What is a tech pack and Giving instructions to a pattern grader. PDM software is practically a necessity these days if you’re using a sewing contractor because your technical package complete with sewing specs defines the absolute requirements of your product which in effect becomes the sewing contract. But sewing is only a small part of it. You and/or your pattern service and sewing contractor can use it to manage patterns, textile testing, grading, inventory; all facets of the production process. The neat thing about StyleFile is it’s designed to be used by manufacturers and service providers.
As I’ve also said repeatedly, one of the only positive outcomes of CPSIA is that children’s wear designers will adopt more standard practices to become the definition of professionalism in the industry due to the CPSIA tracking label requirements. The first program to be fully compliant with CPSIA, tracking and labeling is built in as is the issuance of GCC certificates. There’s no cost to try it so check it out. If anything, it will show you how you’ll need to manage your operation more professionally even if you do it manually.
If you buy:
StyleFile is the least expensive software by far. It’s so inexpensive I hesitate to mention the price (@ $2,000) lest you think it’s not as robust as comparable programs ($10,000 minimum). “Suspiciously cheap” comes to mind (I don’t know about you but if something doesn’t cost much, I worry it’s not any good). Implementation is faster and easier too. You won’t have to pay thousands for training or take weeks to learn it and roll it out. In short, you don’t have to settle for a lower functioning product because of price. It is better than the other programs on the market and while originally intended for small to medium sized firms, it scales (really). And no, I don’t make any money if you buy it. In fact, I like the program so much I ran their ads on site for free. Okay not free, I billed them a token $12 because it’d be a tremendous loss if this product had to be abandoned if it didn’t take off. Plus, a lot of you need impetus to streamline and this is the tool to do it.
I should have posted this two weeks ago; I’ve been in denial. It seems so surreal; between CPSIA, Proposition 65 and now the Design Piracy Prohibition Act, there seems to be nothing less than a full scale war against the apparel industry. Have you forgotten about the Design Piracy Prohibition Act? Well, it’s been resurrected and presented to Congress (HR 2196). It’s nothing short of a bold power grab to protect wealthy socialite designers at the expense of independent designers, putting over 90% of them out of business. Consider this scenario of what will happen if this bill is passed:
Your name is getting out there, picking up more doors everyday and your accounts love you. Now that your fabric samples have arrived, you’re inspired and happily sketching your new styles. This is sure to be your best collection ever! So then you reach for the phone to schedule a slot to have your patterns and samples made. But on the other end, the pattern maker or sewing contractor refuses to work with you. Your heart sinks through the floor, why? You’ve got an established relationship, you’re a great customer with regular work and steady pay but still, no one will take your contracts. In fact, they’re shutting down themselves.
Why no one will take your work:
Let’s say we help you produce this line, you sell it and make your pile crumbs. Then -thanks to the influence of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA, membership by invitation only) and Congress- somebody can come out of the woodwork and claim it is their design, they own it and now you owe them. If they registered the design and you didn’t know it, this could be perfectly legal. Of course you didn’t copy them but it won’t matter. The fact that society designers have been copying nameless unknown independent designers for years doesn’t even register. Even Diane Von Furstenberg, the leading champion of this bill recently got caught doing it. Because you don’t have any money, this party will sue everyone in your production and retail chain. That means pattern makers, contractors and the stores who bought your stuff. So in the interests of avoiding law suits, any service provider is going to require you prove you own it. It’s even worse for retail buyers who face potential criminal prosecution for dealing in pirated goods. Everybody who helps you or buys from you is going to require you to prove ownership of your concept before they’ll have anything to do with it. If wealthy society designers like Diane Von Furstenberg have their way, this could become an unfortunate reality. Paradoxically, CFDA is telling Congress they’re protecting you.
You think you (or we) won’t be sued in today’s era of lawsuit happy plaintiffs? Have you ever heard of a patent troll? A patent troll is someone who enforces patents they have no intention of manufacturing, against alleged infringers. It’s somebody who makes a living filing legal papers, they don’t actually make anything. In this climate, you think there won’t be fashion copyright design trolls? Right, and the fashion industry is one big family working happily together amid resounding choruses of Kumbaya. Good grief, there are churchestattletaling on other churches to state health departments over competing bake sales! If the morally superior are ratting each out over cup cakes, you think they won’t over caftans? Folks, this is going to get ugly. The CFDA, living in happy-land as they are, deny this will happen saying similar laws haven’t encouraged law suits in France or Japan yet neither of those two nations have culture as law suit happy as the United States.
It’s been two years since I last wrote of this and I couldn’t imagine it’d go anywhere considering how it so obviously favors the wealthy and famous at the expense of designers barely eking out a living but this thing has grown legs; if H.R. 2196 becomes law, it is certain to kill what’s left of the industry except for wealthy socialite fashion designers with in-house legal departments. In one fell swoop, this law will put over 90% of us out of business. Even me. Fashion-Incubator will become an artifact, who will need it? You all will have to speak out. Congress has been misled, they think they are helping you!
The cost of doing business has just gone up astronomically. You’ll have to hire a lawyer, pay for searches through a design database of all existing design registrations. You thought a trademark or logo search was bad? I have no doubt there’s over 10,000 clothing designs out there for every logo. This will cost a fortune. But, you’ll have to do it if you want to stay in business. And those of us left standing will have to have our own lawyers to check up on you and draw up contracts and buy more insurance, our prices will double if not triple. Somehow I don’t think consumers will be happy. Assuming we could afford to shop at Neiman’s and Nordstrom’s, few society designers cut anything larger than a size 12 and I for one am not thrilled at the prospect of mini-skirts, navel grazing tops, tepid/garish colors of whatever constitutes the fashion trends dictated by elite designers.
Even with proof of registration in hand, you will have to produce your registered design exactly as sketched. No design changes or iterations in process are allowed, otherwise you’ll have to start over and re-register a new design. Forget shortening that sleeve, changing the shape of that neckline or tapering the pant leg of that prototype. So what if it ends up looking lame and you have to start all over? That will be the new cost of doing business. Gee, how long will it take to get a line to market?
You know what the worst part is? A law professor specializing in Intellectual property told me that the standard for determining the innovation of a given design is not based on expert opinion. No no, the legal definition is based on the opinion of a non-expert, what the average Joe thinks looks similar. In other words, someone like your significant other who doesn’t even notice you’ve cut or colored your hair or are wearing a new outfit and yet they’re supposed to be the judge of a sleeve design detail? WHAT?! The average person just doesn’t notice that much* and no contractor will stake the viability of their business of what constitutes a copy if the litmus test is determined by John Q Public. So, every designer would need paper. Good luck finding a contractor otherwise.
I ran a poll two years ago when it was known as H.R. 2033, explaining what all of this meant. I’ll rerun it again below. At this writing, over 86% are opposed to this legislation and fewer than 2% of you believe this law will protect you even if it passes.
Rather than drone on, I’ve parsed this entry into two parts. In the second portion, you’ll read how the head of CFDA, none other than Diane Von Furstenberg herself and the key proponent of this law was recently caught knocking off an independent designer. In the meantime, sign the petition to register your opposition to this bill that will surely ring the death knell of what’s left of domestic manufacturing. More lurid explanation of how this law will affect your business is here.
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*The average person doesn’t notice that much. Test your powers of observation by watching this video. Count the number of times the people wearing white shirts pass the basketball. Do not count the number of passes from people wearing black shirts. I’ll post the answer later on in comments.
I’m working with the casting department for Project Runway Season 7 which is casting now and will be shooting this summer (Season 6 is finally slated to air later in the year!), and we’re trying to get the word out to savvy fashion communities like yours. Portfolio submissions are due April 24th (so time is of the essence) and the application can be downloaded here. It’s going to be a great season and we’d love to get your readers involved, this is an amazing opportunity for indie designers to WORK IT OUT!
PROJECT RUNWAY SEASON 7 IS CASTING NOW!!!
Do you have what it takes to be the next hot fashion designer? Always dreamed of showing your work on the runways of New York City’s Fashion Week? This is your opportunity! We are casting now, so contact us immediately before you miss out on the chance of a lifetime.
Details:
Must be 21 or older.
Project Runway will be having auditions in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City and Seattle. If you can travel to one of these locations for a scheduled appointment, submit the the application (pdf) and include all of the requested particulars (a personal video is one).
Good luck, maybe one of you will be the next star of Project Runway. Wouldn’t that be fun?
A rally has been planned to protest Congressional stonewalling over CPSIA, taking place in Washington DC on April 1st. Your presence is requested. The is the brainchild of Rick Woldenberg who says:
I am pleased to announce that on April 1 there will finally be an opportunity to go to Capitol Hill to tell Congress directly about the terrible impact of the CPSIA on our lives and businesses. Having been repeatedly denied the opportunity to explore the issues created by the CPSIA in public hearings by both the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Small Business since December, we have elected to organize our own rally and open hearings for this purpose. This unprecedented event is a true demonstration of democracy at work – the People will not be denied their say in this vitally important matter. The date – April Fool’s Day – is ironic but the open hearing and rally are quite real and will be held on time with a full slate of speakers and a wide range of participants. This event will include support from numerous trade organizations and is expected to feature remarks by Members of Congress as well as scientists and representatives of various organizations affected by the legislation such as small businesses, libraries, charities and thrift stores. This event will also be open to the media.
Jennifer (Chapter One Organics) will be representing the Fashion-Incubator contingency but she’s going to need help so please contact her by email or phone at 312-860-1186 to volunteer or mention your participation. There are several ways you can signal your intent to join the event. You can leave a comment here, be sure to click “Notify me of followup comments via e-mail” under the comment box to be notified of updates. There’s the Facebook page, CPSIA-Ning and I’ve also created a thread in the forum (open to the public). A central planning site listing all activities and committees in charge of logistics (like accommodations) isn’t live yet but the URL is Amend the CPSIA (bookmark and check back later for content). However it is you sign up to come, be sure to drop Jennifer a mention so we can get a head count of F-I participants. Feel free to road trip and bring the kids to witness democracy in action. This event will be big, and include members of Congress!
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