Underlines welcomes Suzy Haber Wakefield to the Underlines team. Suzy has her own consultancy specialising in design, development and sourcing of lingerie, swim and lounge apparel but she has had an exciting and varied career. We are delighted that she is lending her expertise in a regular advice column ‘Suzy Says’.
I have my collection designed and now deciding what my size range will be. I see that so many brands these days start out with a wide range but i’m not sure I can do that. I’m also not sure I know what their grade should be between the sizes should be, if i really need fit models…..
— Caroline S.
Fit and fitting is probably the most important aspect of a clothing range. And especially so the more body-conscious the styles – if the designs don’t fit, your customer won’t likely give it a second chance. Additionally, a poor fit will not only burn your bank account but will as importantly burn your brand’s reputation!
While it’s important to address a variety of customers and be inclusive, it only works if you are doing so with integrity. As long as you have a plan to expand the range, and you are speaking to your current customers to let them know, then better to do a smaller range initially to vet out any issues. We are big believers in the launch and learn strategy. This narrow focus doesn’t mean that you need to concentrate on the small end of the range – you might decide that you want to start with larger sizes first if this is what your brand philosophy is built on.
Regarding fit itself, it breaks into a few parts that are super important, the design on paper is just the first step. At the point that you have landed your idea, it’s imperative that you follow a technical protocol to ensure that it gets made as well as possible. Study constructions that are supportive of your vision, taking into account comfort and fit. And most probably if you have a large span of sizes, then the garment will need to be constructed differently in the larger side of the range – this will allow you to support the changes in the human form (extra flesh, impacts of gravity, etc.).
In conjunction with this, it’s important to spell out in a tech pack exactly what you want and also highlight to your vendor where you need advice. This is where a technical designer is a key advisor on best practices around construction, dimensions around base sizes, and a grade for your product. Next, try it on an industry-standard fit model, this is an investment not to scrimp on within the development process.
We spoke with Bok Goodall about the fit and sizing issues she is facing on developing a new lingerie line, and how she is tackling that. And for even more advice to get you started on your exciting brand journey check out a link to our Brand development workbook.
Please keep your questions coming to us (suzysays@underlinesmagazine.com) – we are here to help…..
