A piece of fabric or textile is a very essential component in the whole process of fashion designing. In fact—it is the foundation or basis in which the garment is built. The effective choice of fabric will have a positive impact on the overall product quality and vice versa is true. Jersey fabric is equipped with prime properties like drapey and clingy which have been favored by designers like Claire McCardell (1905—1958), Donna Karan (1948—) and Azzedine Alaïa (1935—2017).
The quality of garment is enhanced by the facile characteristics of fabric or textile such as color, pattern, weight, density and flexibility of the material.
Companies like Jakob Schlaepfer have brilliant textile designers and textile scientists who design fantastic fabric while employing cutting edge technology such as Optoelectronics. They work for luxury brands like Prada, Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs.
Fabric Exhibitions like Première Vision Fabrics give designers opportunities to know the future of fashion—it is also a chance where textile producers showcase their work and promote themselves. Fabrics such as cotton, muslin, crêpe de chine and Lycra have been used to craft gorgeous silhouettes that have changed the history of fashion and clothing.
In other words—textile is the place where art and science meet to push the boundaries of 2D design and forge 3D fashion. Science is when groundbreaking technology is used to simplify the production of textile while art encompasses the visual elements present in a fabric such as patterns, colors and shades.
This is a freaking awesome thing that happened in the fashion world in the past. The Alexander McQueen spring/summer collection in 1999 saw a textile altered while it was already on the catwalk. The piece was a spray painted dress. Two Robots spray-painted black and yellow colors on a statement white dress featuring underskirt of white tulle worn by a model on a revolving circular platform. It was an artistic show that captivated the imaginations of the audience.
A flat piece of cloth is a promising option for creative draping and clinging. Designer can also create anything he/she wants from it. Alaïa was a mastermind fashion designer for crafting figure flattering silhouettes.