Interview With a Designer..

For part of my AD201 project, I have been asked to interview an

industry professional. For this part of the course I interviewed designer

Pamela Thompson who was a former designer at Betsey Johnson and Heatherette

who now runs her very own online tiny frock shop, producing and selling

dresses for dolls that emphasises the styles and accessories from the 1940's to present day.

Pamelas interview and website can be found below:

Enjoy!

www.tinyfrockshop.com

Do you try to send out a message or theme in your clothes?

Yes. I start with a theme and center the styles, color and fabrics around it.

Where do you get your inspiration from for your designs?

Anything and everything. Designers get their inspiration from all different places including: the street, magazines, books, vintage, exhibits, art, movies, the news, nature, cultures, history etc. Your inspiration comes from the elements that affect your thinking and make you feel the need to express your views or thoughts on the subject using clothing as your canvas.
 
What are your hours?

Again it depends. When you work for yourself, you work 24 hours! When you work for a company you can work 9-6 or as late as 9-10…and sometimes weekends. It just depends.
 
The types of fabric/materials you use and why.

It depends on the label I am working for and the category they do. When I worked for Betsey Johnson for instance, she loved using wovens, prints, and bright colors. The higher end the label, the nicer the fabric you typically use (ie silks, cottons, wools). With a cheaper brand you will use more polyester.
 
Where do you see the industry going, in terms of future development?

I hope it turns back the clock a bit and stops with the insane fast fashion. It makes fashion into a commodity rather than an expressive art form. Also I hope we start manufacturing more clothing in the USA again.
 
What advice could you give to me as a budding designer?

Immerse yourself in the fashion through TV and magazines. Fashion is a cycle and if you are very aware of what is trendy now you will begin to see the cycle and understand how it works by the time you finish school. I would also take art classes in high school to help prepare you for drawing and thinking creatively. I used to take a sketchbook to high school every day and practice drawing (not just fashion, but draw anything and everything). By the time I got to college I felt more prepared and a bit ahead of the game. Keep your sketchbooks to refer to and you will see how your design influences change over time.

What is design to you?

Everything! I see design in everything I view. Not just fashion but design in general. I love art, photography, street style, movies etc. All visual elements represent and exhibit design in some way.

How did you get started in the industry?

I never felt like I had a choice. I always wanted to be a designer and decided early on I would succeed at it. I'm not sure why I like it, I just know that I get so many design ideas in my head that I would eventually explode if I didn't find and outlet for them all. It just seemed natural to translate them into fashion. I went to the University of Wisconsin at Madison for 3 years and to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City for one year. The program I was in was perfect because the two schools I attended had an agreement that allowed me to go to university for 3 years and finish my senior year at FIT and receive two degrees; a bachelor of science in fashion design from UW and an associates degree in fashion design from FIT. Personally I feel it is beneficial to go to University for the simple fact that it is a good learning experience, super cool fun, and helps you grow up. There are a number of other Universities that have a program similar to this. If you plan to work in NYC it is helpful to go to fashion trade school here (Parsons, FIT, Pratt etc).

What is the environment like to work in?

Again it depends a lot on where you work. Most design companies have a crazy fast paced environment. What most people don't realize about a piece of clothing is how many people had to collaborate in order to produce it. Unless you are producing a line totally import (where the import vendor handles all of the variables and simply ships you a finished garment) there are a lot elements to juggle. In making just one garment, many people must be involved, from the patternmaker, fabric vendor, marker and grader to the contractors and shippers. All of the people involved are from different companies, in different areas, and all must come together at specific stages of the production of a garment to make it work. Sometimes it is tough to orchestrate all of those involved to do everything timely. That can make the work environment very stressful. Another element of stress comes from the fact that fashion seems to move at such a faster rate than the past. Therefore, clothing lines are generated quicker than ever before. It's not all stress though. I mean, you must remember that we are not saving lives or sending people to the moon. It's just clothing and can be a flaky and fun environment as well.