I distinctly remember when it first caught my eye. I was walking down the sidewalk of a quaint Michigan town. We had just finished our blue moon ice cream (northern midwesterners, I know you know) and were on our way to the boardwalk with the family. There, in the window of one of the boutiques, I saw it. On a mannequin was a beautiful red linen dress. It captured my attention and drew me in – literally. I had to go inside the boutique to get a closer look.
The first impression may have been short, but it was lasting. I ended up buying the very dress I had seen in the window (the only one they had in my size). That was 2017, but I still remember it to this day. I wear the red dress frequently as well.
First impressions matter. They are memorable. Good ones inspire action. They make us want to know more. As a fashion designer, this is good news because you have control over the kind of first impression your garments make. Here are several ways you can make it a good one.
The setting
Before you can decide how to make a good first impression with your designs, you have to know where it will take place. Will your customers first encounter your garments in a boutique hanging on a rack? On a table at a pop-up market? Displayed on a dress form or mannequin? In motion on a runway model? In a box just arrived at their door? The setting changes things.
Some designs look great on a hanger, while others look confusing or unappealing. This is a concept called hanger appeal. You might be able to change the display to suit the garment, but you don’t always have this control over the setting. What you do always have control over is the garment itself.
If your brand is constrained to certain settings, there are certain designs you might want to avoid simply because they don’t show – and thus don’t sell – well. I worked with a wholesale brand that had a fun, draped pencil skirt that tied at the side. It was a clever design, but it only made sense on a body. On a hanger at wholesale markets, it confused buyers. Their first impression of it wasn’t good. It didn’t get many orders as a result.
Another brand I worked with sells exclusively direct-to-consumer. The designer likes to fold the garments in a certain way to fit her packaging. We kept this in mind as we designed and fit each style. It was important to her that the pieces folded easily and looked smooth and neat when they arrived at the customer’s door.
The setting in which your garments are presented influences the first impression. This is not just a consideration for visual merchandising, but for design as well.
Best side forward
As people, we want to show the best side of ourselves when making a first impression. You can literally do this with garments too. It can be with big, noticeable ways like deciding which side an asymmetrical design will face. It can also be through small, technical details. Those tiny, thoughtful details may not stand out to the customer, but are part of a good first impression none the less.
For example, garments typically hang on a rack facing the left of the rack with their left sides facing outwards. (This makes it easy for right-handed people to view. I apologize to those of you who are left-handed. Fashion is rigged against you.) Knowing the direction your garments will hang on a rack, you can place the seams of neck bands or binding on the right side. The seam ends will be buried in the interior of the rack and less noticeable. Then, conversely, place the care labels in the left side seam – the side that faces out – so they are easy to access and view.
In both the big and little design decisions, you can put your garment’s best side forward to make a good first impression.
Neat appearance
Part of this is presentation, part is production, and part is design. It all needs to be tidy. No one wants to make a sloppy first impression.
For a sharp presentation, get out the iron. Not just before the garment gets displayed, but during production as well. I’ve worked with a factory that always irons the hems of each garment after sewing and they always look gorgeous when the bulk order arrives. These were not woven tailoring, they were knit tees. It still made a big difference in how the garments looked right out of the box.
In production, creating a neat appearance involves clipping loose threads and ensuring stitching is even. Overall cutting and sewing quality is a big factor in the final impression as well.
Designing a neat appearance starts with understanding the target audience. Neat and impressive are not concrete concepts. You need to know who you are trying to impress in order to define the terms. Then, showing up thoughtfully shows respect.
I also think that design can contribute to a neat appearance by paying attention to the nuances of fabrics. If you force a fabric into a design it is not suited for, it will look sloppy. Let the fabrics and design work together in your favor to create a positive first impression with less effort.
Eye-catching details
Appearance is the first thing people see. What is in their view? It may not only be the outside of the garment. Depending on the setting, the first impression might include parts of the inside like the inside back neck or waistband.
To really wow your customers, you can design eye-catching construction details that are only seen while the garment is on display, but not while it is being worn. Think premium brand labels, contrast trim in the inside neck, or fun linings.
These details can also be things that surround the garment like hang tags and packaging. These non-garment elements are like accessories for the look. They all work together to create the first impression.
In whatever setting, you get to design how your garments are presented to the world. What first impression do you want to make?