Fashion Incubator » Quality http://www.fashion-incubator.com How to start a clothing line or run the one you have, better. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:36:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Everyone should do things my way http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/everyone-should-do-things-my-way/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/everyone-should-do-things-my-way/#comments Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:07:02 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=10357 my way. It is not because I think I'm right. It is not because I think I know the best way to do things. It is not because I think I know the only way to do things. It is not because I think other people's opinions do not matter. It is not because I think others don't know anything. It is not because I think others are incompetent. People are missing the point. It is a paradox. If you can get everyone to do the same thing the same way, it creates the opportunity for creativity and problem solving. Isn't that what you want? Freedom to do it your way -which is presumably better? If everyone has been doing things in competing ways all this time and it hasn't produced consistent results for everyone, how will continuing to do that improve anything? Follow me:]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/everyone-should-do-things-my-way/feed/ 10 Deconstructing a sewing class http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/deconstructing-a-sewing-class/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/deconstructing-a-sewing-class/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 21:41:55 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=10022 mentioned on Saturday that I was taking a class for home sewers for research purposes. My idea being, one can forget what people don't know. Gaining insight to what people don't know can only help me explain better to anyone regardless of skill. Continuing with where I left off (see the comments to the previous entry), our instructor (Leslie) started with a list of what she called the seven deadly sins of a home-made garment. I'm not going to list those specifically because that's how she derives income but suffice to say I agree for the most part. Leslie's list of sins spanned three categories. 1. Design 2. Pattern 3. Execution Note: she didn't sort them like this, this is how I analyzed the various types of sewing sins she identified. The list in this context -spanning design through execution- was a bit unexpected in the context of my role as a product development person. On our end, the three areas are mostly separate with accountability for each clearly defined -not one person in charge of it. Leslie's format differed because home stitchers are whole garment makers from project inception and planning, through execution (and of course, they're also fitting to the individual rather than a fit profile) so it stands to reason the sins wouldn't be separated by function or the separate individuals who do those jobs. Here's one example I would categorize as design: what Leslie described as badly designed bust darts (falling within a prescribed circumference range). In many cases, this can be a design element; there are reasons a designer may want X effect and it is mostly not appropriate for a pattern maker to question design elements with a designer (can get you in hot water) unless it's a new designer (DE) who actively solicits one's help.]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/deconstructing-a-sewing-class/feed/ 52 The difference between crap and quality http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/the-difference-between-crap-and-quality/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/the-difference-between-crap-and-quality/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 21:35:05 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=9740 the previous post, for the last five days. My draft is 11 pages long in 10 pt. font with skinny margins. I think it has defeated me. All in an attempt to get to my closing argument. Defeated, I think I will start with that and hope for the best. It is annoying to hear trash talk about "cheap" clothes and from every quarter. I include people who sew for pleasure, to custom clothiers to manufacturers of all sizes. Even in that community, there's an identifiable pattern. The smaller or newer the operation, the more they talk trash. Here are my reasons why you should stop -other than that it identifies you as a wannabe- because is is unbecoming, unkind and gratuitously insults other people. Some of whom you hope will do business with you.
  1. On one hand we pat ourselves on the back that we can make stuff ourselves so we aren't stuck with having to buy cheap crappy stuff. Yay for us, we score one point.
  2. People who don't buy our stuff but buy stuff we think is cheap and crappy should subtract one point.
  3. We also pat ourselves on the back that we can sew stuff so we aren't stuck with having to pay higher prices for the good stuff because we can just copy it. More yay and another point for us.
  4. People who aren't as good as we are because they can't or don't sew, score another minus point.
Now, heard are constant complaints that consumers don't want to pay the price of our stuff, some of it custom made (that some of us make, score another point if you do) yet at the same time, producers get upset when consumers buy other stuff that costs the same or more than our stuff. So which is it? People are too cheap if they don't buy your stuff so if they have the money to buy someone else's more expensive stuff, they're stupid? Stupid or cheap are the only options? It seems more likely that the customer doesn't agree the product represents the same value (so you should do something about that) but saying consumers are stupid or cheap isn't going to win them over. Chances are excellent that the customer in question isn't even your market so why would you worry about it?]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/the-difference-between-crap-and-quality/feed/ 26 Pop quiz: Quality versus Crap pt.2 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-quality-versus-crap-pt-2/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-quality-versus-crap-pt-2/#comments Wed, 13 Jul 2011 22:07:45 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=9733 Monday's pop quiz was very educational. The correct answer is "insufficient data" but not for the reasons that it seems many people selected it (judging from comments but even that isn't conclusive). The final score (as of this writing) was 45% which falls short of the 50% challenge but I made the donation (to Accion, a micro lender) anyway. Yesterday. Before the challenge ended. Insufficient data is the correct response because quality means adhering to a standard -whatever that standard may be. Since no specifications were provided for either product, there was no way to know whether either met its specification. However, it seemed many people selected "insufficient data" because they thought the silk gown was crap and not finding it within themselves to vote for the paper gown chose what amounted to a default "none of the above". Quality is the wrong question- it's value. Consider these comments in the context that any votes for or against either product means a value judgment absent the specifications (upon which quality is determined) was made:
M said: The dress is crap... The $3 gown appears well made and highly functional... A said: I voted for the paper gown. It has lots of cool features... S said: I would have to say the "paper gown" will do what it was designed to do, but the silk dress might not.
Some people who responded closer to the intent of the pop quiz said:]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-quality-versus-crap-pt-2/feed/ 16 Pop quiz: Quality versus Crap http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-quality-versus-crap/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-quality-versus-crap/#comments Mon, 11 Jul 2011 23:12:56 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=9722 quality_vs_crapI will donate $250 to a not for profit agency if 50 or more percent of you know what quality means. I should qualify that since about 30% of visitors are engineers, scientists or others coming from related disciplines. Specifically, this abjectly crude and completely unscientific survey below is intended for non-technical designer types. So, for non-technical designer types, which of these two items is higher quality? Your choices are A: the disposable paper gown which costs less than $3 each when purchased by the case (50 count) and B: a "custom couture" silk wedding dress with a base cost of $1,399 not including shipping. You can also select insufficient data and lastly, there's a check box if you're an engineer or related professional who is not qualified to vote (so your objections are duly noted).]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-quality-versus-crap/feed/ 16 Lies designers tell 2 -the luxury edition http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/lies-designers-tell-2-the-luxury-edition/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/lies-designers-tell-2-the-luxury-edition/#comments Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:05:45 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=8954 themselves about luxury or even, top tier brands they aspire to compete with. Specifically, many entrepreneurs think that if they can source the same trappings and quality of the world's leading luxury brands -you know, the pretty custom hardware, custom fabrics loomed with one's trademarked logo down to fancy hand stitching- they can charge equivalent or slightly less than Vuitton, Versaci or whomever and laugh all the way to the bank. I would guess there are more people who believe this is true than there are people who don't. I get it, you're not seeing what you envision in the marketplace so you think the problem is that it doesn't exist. The problem is not that there isn't product for retailers to buy. The problem is that you're shopping in the wrong place. Contrary to all opinion, buyers have an enormous variety of products to choose from. The stark reality is that buyers buy what will sell for them. If you're not seeing product to fill what you perceive to be a hole in a retailer's merchandising mix, it's because they can't support it. It doesn't move for them. If anything, retailers have so many quality products to choose from that it is difficult to decide which to buy. Amid the uncertainty and constraints of cash flow, they select known branded merchandise with a track record of sell through. Miracle wrote previously:
Now if you’re a DE who feels like a retailer is missing out by not buying your line, you better have a high sell-through to back it up. If you have a great product but it moves slowly, the retailer’s dollar is tied up in it (low turnover) so you’re missing the point. One of the challenges that many retailers face is that the greatest product is often not the best selling product. Likewise, what sells the best is not the product they would have preferred to push but it sells so that’s where their money goes. As a retailer, one of the biggest heartbreaks is a wonderful brand that you can’t get people to buy at full retail.
]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/lies-designers-tell-2-the-luxury-edition/feed/ 3 Product review: Soma sparkle pajamas http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/product-review-soma-sparkle-pajamas/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/product-review-soma-sparkle-pajamas/#comments Mon, 27 Dec 2010 21:59:21 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=8246 sparkle_jammiesBoy, it's tough easing back into work life amid holiday upheaval, no? I thought to do it with a good old fashioned product review. This item was a gift from my SIL, a pajama set from Soma Intimates (from the same folks as Chicos & WHBM) and since I'm mostly pleased with the construction and patterning of it and you all have said it is instructional to know product strengths, I thought to detail some of that here. Unfortunately as per my usual, I have to open with irrelevant comments of things that annoy me (there are two points) or I can't even get to the review part of it. The first annoying thing is the product line name, namely "Soma". Now, it's good I got these as a gift because I never ever would have walked into a store called Soma considering its literary association. You know, Brave New World and all that. I mean, it would be horridly creepy if they also sold bracelets there, know what I mean? I'm sure you're shuddering just like I am (I'm reliving the experience). Or passing the soma if you've got the good stuff. But yeah, I get it. Soma is close enough to somnolent or somnolence to suggest sleepwear but then -get this- they had other stuff in that Soma store (we went the day after to get a gift for someone else) that leads me to believe that sleeping per se was not wholly what shoppers are intended to have in mind. Maybe Soma is closer to VS for older ladies who've given up on being racy. You know, ladies like me. The second thing that annoys me is they had to name every style. Do not do that. Soma, Chicos and big name brands can do that but please don't start. It is very annoying. Style numbers are best especially if you're a little guy. I feel like an idiot having to ask for "cool nights digi bloom", "make the cut crop" or "cool nights mod dot reese" (seriously, I didn't make this up. Numbers are really nice, they're short and sweet.]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/product-review-soma-sparkle-pajamas/feed/ 7 If your sales aren’t as good as your product http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/if-your-sales-arent-as-good-as-your-product/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/if-your-sales-arent-as-good-as-your-product/#comments Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:06:11 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=7553 notices mentions the item could be perfectly professional with the addition of a bit of fusible, top stitching or a spot of strategic pressing. Worse, the party involved is usually frustrated they're not making headway and think they need a sure-fire sales strategy or sales reps to bring it in but in most cases, that's cart before the horse. So that's what I want to do in this new series. I want volunteers to submit their projects for review. It will be kind, not the sort of meanness or cattiness you see on Project Runway, no critiquing someone's taste or style. You can remain anonymous. I would say that preference will be given to parties willing to remake the item with the suggested corrections but nobody has taken me up on the offer when I've made it before so it's silly that I throw in the caveat but I will anyway. I need volunteers. Email me photos of product shots if you're interested. I'm especially interested in people who think their products are great or nearly perfect already. Most of the people I'm thinking of have a lot of experience or education, maybe that's why they don't ask? Alternatively, if I don't get any volunteers, I would like some advice as to what I should say to people who are seeking sales advice when their products are not ready for the marketplace.]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/if-your-sales-arent-as-good-as-your-product/feed/ 17 How to sew faster pt.4 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/how-to-sew-faster-pt-4/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/how-to-sew-faster-pt-4/#comments Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:21:58 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=6446 How to sew faster pt. 1, Debby posted an interesting comment I can use to explain why a given tool (aka "machine") is not going to solve your sewing problems. She says: I am curious that you say that scissors, or shears, are more accurate than a rotary cutter. I always considered a rotary cutter more accurate because they don’t lift the fabric up off the table and don’t leave a jagged edge like shears can. And you can usually go around curves better with a rotary cutter. She's not wrong. Upgrade your equipment and it will let you do whatever you're doing faster but there is a gap between what you expect to happen and what actually can:
  • Better Machine = better result (what people expect)
  • Better Machine = faster result (what really happens)
In part two of how to sew faster, I explain that sewing faster relies on a combination of Method, Man, Machine and Materials. In this case, rotary cutters are "machines" that will cut faster. However, relying on machine as the singular strategy to cutting faster amounts to a trade off; sacrificing results to get greater speed. It's not necessary to make this trade off. Change your method -the machine is secondary- and you can have greater speed and better results.]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/how-to-sew-faster-pt-4/feed/ 3 Pop Quiz: Why do knits get larger pt.3 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-why-do-knits-get-larger-pt-3/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-why-do-knits-get-larger-pt-3/#comments Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:36:44 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=6400 selvage_bumps Above you can see the photo Kay sent me of damaged knits Stuart described in comments from part one (also see part two). Stuart said: Cheaper quality polyester or polyamide micro fibers also expand when warmed and don’t return to their original length on cooling. Simply sitting in the back of a delivery truck in the sun for a few hours can literally destroy a synthetic when under tension on a roll. You can tell it’s happened when you see puckers every few inches closer to the selvage and it takes stretching the roll to alleviate the puckers (ie; selvage length is different to center length) … you can save the roll only by allowing it to relax and discard the section on each selvage and the first 10 meters or so of the roll (any part that’s puckered after relaxing) – This happens way more than you think it does. Avoid cheap fabrics! Kay says she knew the fabric was defective when she bought it last year but intended to use it for practice garments knowing she'd need to trim off the selvages. These selvages are very dramatic, looking more like scalloped edging than anything. This is something to keep in mind if you buy fabrics with prices that seem to good to be true. Thanks Kay!]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-why-do-knits-get-larger-pt-3/feed/ 0