Making an Inspiration Board for your Fashion Line

In order for me to get started on my own project, I have to finish the last bit of projects I have going on. When I first moved down here (Atlanta that is, AYE!) I met a guy in school. A gay guy. (I love gay guys!!) OMG me and Sean argued so bad in class because he thought he was the shit! haha. Anyway, we would go back and forth on whose projects were better. After realizing we had a lot in common, we actually became very close. Even though we cuss each other out every chance we get, it’s really only just passion for our craft that does it. The only reason I mention him is because me and him work together. So you'll hear about him much more. I have my clients that come in and he has his. For his clients that he brings me; he'll design, and I'll sew. So my last 3 projects are one coming from him and 2 coming from me. Let me knock them out the way before we REALLY get started

 I'm going to do my line all while I am doing for his clients as well. I hope it's not too much but we'll see. It doesn't hurt to try.

I bought this book about two years ago called "How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Fashion Design Business" by Janet Engle. It's actually a really good book to read. It helps you every step of the way and also has a CD-Rom that comes with it. She gives you all of the steps. You just have to stick with them. You will learn that I am a bargain shopper. I get it from my dad and I usually don’t like to pay full price for much if I can find it cheaper online. So no, I didn’t pay the full price for this book. I think it’s actually about $60. I only paid $10 on Amazon.com. I mentioned this book because it helped me a lot. All the mistakes I made the first time was also a big help in knowing what NOT to do!

Remember we’re supposed to struggle to the top together?? So let’s struggle!

                First we need to come up with a line which is basically your niche in this market. What you want to do the most. Since I already started my business a while ago and kind of "gave up" on it. I already have a name. It's Affaire Clothing. Affaire, coming from the word "Affair." Not meaning a cheater! Lol, get your mind out of the gutter! But I used to party soooo much. Not as much as I want to anymore, but that might change soon. When I went to think of a name for my company, I just googled the word "party"... and 'affair' came up. You know you always see "All Black Affair" or "Grown and Sexy Affair." Well when I went to buy the name "Affair Clothing" catering to all of the party girls with sexy dresses and jumpsuits, the name had too much going on. So I just added an "E" so there wouldn't be much conflict and purchased that.

Now it's time to get some inspiration.

This could take a long time depending on if you don't already have ideas. Some people don’t get their complete collection just right for months, even years. So keep looking until you are completely inspired. Go to magazines, online forums, and recent trends to get ideas if you are looking for them.

Get a board and take all findings that inspire you and lay them on the board. Don't attach just yet!! Figure out a theme. Whether it's with colors, shapes, buildings, words... WHO CARES! Let it inspire you. It's a process of elimination. When you do start attaching pieces to the board, make sure your board makes sense.

This is our Inspiration Board!

Here are a few examples below