Part 2: Pattern Making and Prototypes: Striving for Perfection

Turning an idea into reality

After receiving our Head Designer’s inspiring collection of designs in our Syrian production factory, another creative step in the process needs to be accomplished, that of pattern-making.

Tabassum sends a TEKPAK for each design in the collection, which is a pack of technical specifications for each design, including a flat sketch of the design, sewing instructions, and the choice of fabric and accessories. However, regardless of how much detail Tabassum conveys about her designs, there still needs to be a talented team of pattern-makers who convert the theoretical design into a series of pattern pieces which, once sewn together, make up the physical garment. Take this flat sketch of the Sahira Dress Top (US, UK) which Tabassum produced:

Our pattern-makers studied the design and produced the patterns which were used to manufacture the end product you can now find online:

 
Each style requires different pattern pieces in different sizes and different proportions. For example, take the Paneled Godet Skirt (US, UK) pictured below from our spring collection. How many separate pieces do you think are sewn together to make the finished product?

 
You may be surprised to know that there are over 20 fabric pieces needed to be sewn together to make it. The pattern-makers’ job is to create these pieces in the right sizes and proportions so that when they are sewn together, the end result is an attractive garment, conforming in its measurements to rigorous company standards. It’s no surprise to learn then, that pattern-making is a highly skilled profession which requires formal training and many years of experience to understand the principles involved in creating perfect patterns.

SHUKR’s pattern-makers work with the flat pattern drafting technique, using well-known computer-aided design programs. Here is one of our pattern-makers working on a new blouse:

 
Creating a Prototype

The pattern-maker starts off by making a sample pattern for the new design. The computer-generated pattern is then printed via a specific oversized printer (over 5 feet wide!), placed on top of the fabric, and then carefully cut out, ready to be sewn.

The sewn prototype garment is then tried on a fit model—a man or woman whose measurements are the commercial measurements for that size. The prototype is analyzed by a select committee of inspectors for its accordance to company sizing standards, aesthetic appearance, functionality, quality of construction, and conformity to Islamic standards of modesty. If any problems in the fit are identified then the whole cycle is repeated again: the pattern-maker amends his original pattern, a new garment is cut and sewn, and then it is tried on the fit model to make sure that the problems have been eliminated and the pattern is now perfect. If problems still remain then we will continue repeating the cycle until we are completely satisfied with the prototype. We normally get it perfected by the second attempt, but there have been cases of repeating the prototype up to 5 times in the quest for perfection!

Lots of work still to go…

The pattern-makers’ work is still not done, however, even once we have agreed upon the pattern for the prototype. Why is this? Because the prototype is still only in one size, normally a size medium. We now have to create the patterns for all the other sizes that SHUKR offers, which range from small up to 3XL. This is done by a complicated technique called grading, also done by computer-aided design. There are certain principles SHUKR uses to transform the size medium prototype into a size small and size large, and from a size large to a size XL, and from XL to 2XL and then 3XL. Once we have all the patterns for the different sizes ready, we will cut and sew another sample, this time in size 2XL, to make sure that the grading has been performed completely accurately. The measurements of the size 2XL are taken to make sure that they conform to company standards.

Off to production…

Having completed the exhaustive process of pattern-making and prototype preparation, we are now ready to enter this new design, along with many completed others, into SHUKR’s monthly production schedule. This, however, is the subject of a future blog post: The Process Part 3: Production. Stay tuned!

~ Anas, Managing Partner

Part 1: The Design Process: It’s Much More than Making Pretty Drawings

Sometimes my collections for SHUKR will start out like this…

…an early morning walk snapping photos of everything that catches my attention. By the way, these aren’t pictures of my neighborhood, but believe me, I wish they were. The beachside is an extremely inspiring place. I suppose that it has a lot to do with all of the negative ions in the atmosphere that make you feel more balanced and recharged, with your senses stimulated, and in contact with your creative side. Since I am constantly working on large collections, I have reached a point where I know exactly what I am looking for when I am out scratching for new ideas. Most people think that designers just sit around and wait for inspiration. Or, the opposite-that they are constantly jet-setting to exotic locations and drawing pretty pictures of clothes, but that’s not true. To come up with ideas at least several months ahead of a new season takes several factors: discipline, for the most part; a business sense; knowledge of apparel construction, design, and art; and, scratching in the best places to have the best ideas-there is no process of osmosis here.

 The research part of the design process includes such activities as short trips, attending fabric fairs, style hunting, museum visits, reading books (and the topics vary greatly), watching films, writing, sketching, looking at graphic designs and prints, studying patterns or testing new ones out, collecting samples of everything, and finally, speaking with customers, co-workers, friends, or family. Once I have finished the research, I bring all of these elements together and look for a common thread to create a cohesive idea. I would say that the least glamourous part of this process, if any part of my job could actually be considered glamourous, would be reviewing past sales reports and other more technical aspects of coming up with new collections-a vitally important aspect of the business of an apparel company.

Once I get the parameters for each collection, I have to decide how can I make my ideas work, given my restrictions and within the context of the company’s style. At this phase of the process, which gets increasingly more intense (and the part that my husband dreads) is when there are many late nights, no weekends, and rattled nerves. But alhumdulillah, he has been a good sport about it and a great source of inspiration and support as well. Usually about the same time, or in the research phase, I have already thought about the colors and fabrics that will be used. If there are any fabrics that we would have to import, then I sometimes have to call or email these companies to inquire about prices and place orders. Although I may have developed a collection with concrete ideas and everything mapped out, this is not to say that things do not get changed at the last minute.

Some common challenges that I encounter could be that the color palette changes, some designs get edited out, the fabrics that I had wanted to use are now not available, or there are designs that can be too time-consuming, too costly, and or too difficult to produce. This can sometimes be very frustrating for a designer. Many times, what I have designed in the beginning can end up being something else by the time it’s up online. What is important, regardless of the ever-changing limitations, is to always make the collections work.

After all the concepts have been sketched out, they have to be presented, reviewed, and later modified. From these approved sketches, I redraw them and turn them into technical drawings with detailed descriptions on how each garment is made and what details it requires. This will be used by the patternmakers to produce the samples and then the production orders.

This is probably the most time-consuming and arduous part of the design process. Throughout the entire design process, nothing is at a standstill. I still have loads of other things to attend to while I am working on a collection: tons of emails, marketing, other projects, and prepping for the next collection. This is where discipline plays a key role, and being able to zone in on my work and focus despite all of the other responsibilities I have to attend to.

Even though there are long periods of working around the clock, deadlines, and sometimes very tedious tasks, I love what I do. From the inception of a collection and especially at the very end, I always find it very interesting to see how the entire collection has transformed and developed throughout this part of the process.

~Tabassum, Head Designer