How To Design Clothes: A Guide to Los Angeles Indie Fashion

If you’re a determined indie fashion designer looking to break into the fashion industry, it’s often an overwhelming and daunting task to learn how to design clothes from scratch.

Learning how to design clothes isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. Some independent fashion designers will experience different ups and downs, setbacks, and breakthroughs.

With that in mind, let’s set out to help emerging fashion designers start their own clothing line.

Nailing Down Your Goals: Finding Inspiration

Firstly, you need an idea.

It doesn’t need to be grandiose or all-encompassing; what are you setting out to do? Craft stylish denim wear? Create stunning bridal dresses? Make a concerted effort to map out your ideas, goals, and how you plan to accomplish them. As you’ll soon see, brainstorming and pondering short and long-term goals is essential for starting a clothing line.

Also, consider what you want to do with your end product. Do you want to sell your small clothing line to a specialty store? A high-end boutique? Online?

You can even commission garments to show off in the latest L.A. fashion art show. Try to think of different ways your designs could impact the real world.

At The Evans Group, the creative team partakes in comprehensive fashion mood board sessions. These sessions aim to nail down the nuance of an independent fashion designer’s clothing line.

What feeling is the indie fashion designer looking for? These fashion mood board sessions are in-depth exercises in visualization, imagination, and proactivity.

How To Design Clothes: Fashion Design Sketches

After your ideas have solidified in your mind’s eye, it’s time to take abstract thoughts and put them on paper. The best way to do this is through a workable fashion sketch.

Also known as a croquis, this drawing is one of the most tried and true methods of taking ideas and turning them into a reality. By sketching your intended patterns, garments, and apparel, you will be able to bring ideas to life.

Along with fashion mood boards, TEG plays a significant role in the fashion design process, especially with a croquis.

Work With Fashion Design Professionals

Second, it’s time to use a team of design professionals that help you use your initial designs to create great garments.

The Los Angeles Pattern Maker: Finding the Perfect Fit

After going through the essential planning processes to start your own clothing collection, it’s critical to partner up with someone. Someone who can get your product ready in a myriad of ways. They are invaluable resources.

Working with an accomplished pattern maker experienced in CAD software is arguably one of your most important steps when designing clothes.

A pattern maker is a professional who uses sourced fabric to measure, trace, cut, and fit your clothing designs to models and mannequins. Pattern makers are essential at L.A. clothing manufacturers. They use prints, colors, and measurements to essentially craft the perfect garment from a tech pack.

Textile Workers: Using the Tools of the Trade to Design Clothes

Likewise, textile workers who have a keen eye for detail are the reason your indie fashion comes to fruition. Without them, your style or design will never see the light of day, let alone a runway at New York Fashion Week.

At TEG, countless seamstresses, tailors, and other essential personnel fill the clothing manufacturing studio to help create a finished product from your detailed designs.

Additionally, Jennifer Evans hires local Los Angeles textile workers on larger clothing orders that need an extra helping hand. Skill, hard work, and experience: the textile worker is the backbone of any fashion brand.

How To Design Your Own Clothing With The Evans Group

The team at TEG uses combined decades of experience in the fashion industry to show new fashion designers how to design clothes. More than that, experts in each department allow indie fashion designers to take the reins on many design processes.

In the heart of Downtown L.A.’s Arts District, TEG has set up a haven for both emerging and established designers. Are you looking to make waves in the fashion industry? TEG has an arsenal of state-of-the-art equipment, talented designers, and a dedication toward ethical and sustainable practices.

Design Clothes, Create Trends

So, next time you’re wondering how to design clothes and if you’re capable of meeting your goals, the answer is an emphatic ‘yes.’ With TEG, designers of all stripes work in an environment that engenders creativity autonomy, expression, and individuality.

With these resources acting as a robust network to fulfill your creative dreams, the next thing you know, your own clothing line could start setting trends.