This PatternMaker Just Finished Reading Fashion Design Course By Steven Faerm

I've just got finished reading Fashion Design Course by Steven Faerm,  the BFA Director of New Yorks Fashion Design at Parsons The New School For Design.  As a patternmaker / aspiring designer and someone who has already read quite a few books on the fashion industry I hadn't actually realized how informative and insightful this book would be.  And when I got it in the mail,  between it's saturation with pictures and it's apparent thinness,  I felt it would just be a fun read about things I'd already read about fashion design.

I was dead wrong!

Where can I start?  Yes,  there is a lot of pictures,  but once you read the deceptively small amount of text that comes with them Steven Faerm shares a wealth of key advice and tips in so many areas:

- how to find,  use,  and combine different sources of inspiration
- the intricate chemistry and importance of preparing color and fabric stories
- the key purpose and creation of mood/inspiration boards for your collections and how to put them together
- how to easily develop numerous looks for a single cohesive collection
- how to compose your collection to maintain viewers' interest and why collections should include a selection of day to evening wear
- how and why to create a 'one stop shopping' element in your collection
- demystifies the incorporation of important marketability in your collection
- how to choose, use and combine textiles for a collection in unique,  imaginative and appropriate ways
- ideas regarding the interpretation of chosen inspiritions
- how to create a focus collection that isn't redundant
- and so much more

And the images and layout which clearly demonstrates the information provided in the text is very professional and very cool:

Although a few things, (a very few) were in it that I've read before, (and previously only very lightly covered in a fairly uninformative way),  Just about everything in this book is new,  in depth information for me and as for the small size,  what Steven Faerm has done was outline many, many ways to learn more about each aspect of the elements that go into designing a fashion collection.  He's also explained why each of these elements are so important in fashion design so that any aspiring designer will have a clear understanding of their creative responsibilities and exactly what they have to do to meet them.

If you're serious about fashion design,  you have to get this book. Following the assignments given in the book,  it's truly a surprisingly outstanding crash course in fashion design.  If you're an aspiring designer,  or you are already a designer,  you should read this book,  you should read this book,  you should read this book.  The only thing missing that could get you hired is the networking opportunities.

The one thing I would have liked to see in this book however,  is discussion of fashion design theory regarding the art and science of using proportion, and more discussion and illustration of design styling dealing with garment components (as in types of sleeves,  skirts,  necklines,  hem finishes,  style lines etc, etc).  That's why the bulk is missing,  but hey,  for that I can always get the book The Fashion Designer's Directory of Shape and Style: Over 500 Mix-And-Match Elements for Creative Clothing Design.  I just need to get either that book on patternmaking for lingerie or Chunman's book on patternmaking,  the portfolio skills one.  Because as a patternmaker first,  I need to specialize in what I'm doing here.  I've got to get a book on draping for patternmaking too.  I'm going to get Connie Amaden Crawford's book for that.


If you're interested in my digital pattern making service (at $35 per garment pattern) contact me at stylistwithacause@gmail.com or on my FaceBook page "Fashion Patternmaking And Design"

Want more information on the industry and online schools?  Check out my site at:
Budget Online Fashion Design Schools and Resources

Want to find some cool eco-friendly fabrics and more check out my resource page at:

The Eco-Friendly Fashion Designer's Resource Page

If you would just like to order basic pattern blocks for bodice,  torso,  coat/jacket or skirt you can place an order for the size and kind you need here at  my fiverr gig Patternmaker 78, where I will draft a basic digital bodice or skirt pattern block in the size you require for $5