Last month’s article you read about the way consumers perceive recycled materials.
And you got tips on which product aspects are important for which type of consumer group.
But what kind of design does the consumer want?
Wouldn't it be a good idea to ask the consumer?
A conscious designer who is working directly with consumers, who she prefers to call fashion wearers, is Hasmik Matevosyan. I wanted to know why she is working this way and how she does it.
And you got tips on which product aspects are important for which type of consumer group.
But what kind of design does the consumer want?
Wouldn't it be a good idea to ask the consumer?
A conscious designer who is working directly with consumers, who she prefers to call fashion wearers, is Hasmik Matevosyan. I wanted to know why she is working this way and how she does it.
How does your way of working differ from other fashion designers?
Most of the designers create based on a way they have learned during their education, meaning designing based on an own vision, forecasted trends, a color pallet and shapes. I design based on physical and psychological needs of the fashion wearer. Next to this I keep a dialogue with the wearers after that the clothes are sold. I ask for feedback that will help me to make the next collections even better.
What do you want to accomplish with your company?
I want people to feel more beautiful, protected and loved when wearing the clothes I have designed. My aim is to create favorite clothes from sustainable materials in an ethical way. Next to this I also hope to obtain new knowledge I have not received at the art academy, which I then can teach to other designers.
A great designer is not someone who designs products she or he is missing, but someone who has a dialogue with the people he or she is designing for. The most important skill is to be able to correctly and fully translate the information obtained out of this dialogue into products that cover a lot of needs. This way a designer makes sure that what she or he has created, becomes one of the favorite products of the user.
How are you going to create products in collaboration with the customer?
2 Years ago I have developed a new design system that makes a balance between fashion and sustainability possible. Before something can be produced and used, it has to be thought of, it has to be designed. This is why I have developed this system for the designers at the first place. It can work perfectly in theory, what I am doing this year is testing it in practice. All the information I gain from the mistakes, are being used to fine-tune the system.
I have the project Clothes Relationships, in which I interview people about the reasons why they choose and wear the clothes that they do. This way I receive a lot of information about what happens with clothes after they are purchased. After all, we design clothes that will be worn, not only that will be sold. By understanding what a fashion wearer is facing when actually wearing the clothes, I obtain information that I take into account when making new clothes.
Next to this I post questions on Facebook. Social Media is a great way to start a dialogue.
Your way of designing is more common in other design areas, what did you learn from them?
Most of the other design areas take the users much more into account than fashion. Think of Urban design, where the cities are being designed in a way that makes the experience and the usability of the cities better… but also Webdesign, Interior design. Another good example is Industrial Design where everything is being calculated to make sure that the designed products will cover the needs of the users.
A very important aspect of designing, in my opinion, is making sure not to harm. Not to harm the environment, not to harm all the colleagues that made it possible to actually have fabrics and not to harm the wearers by the use of hazardous chemicals used in the products. Adding value will come from experience year by year.
How do you design with the wearer in mind? Please leave a comment.
Most of the designers create based on a way they have learned during their education, meaning designing based on an own vision, forecasted trends, a color pallet and shapes. I design based on physical and psychological needs of the fashion wearer. Next to this I keep a dialogue with the wearers after that the clothes are sold. I ask for feedback that will help me to make the next collections even better.
What do you want to accomplish with your company?
I want people to feel more beautiful, protected and loved when wearing the clothes I have designed. My aim is to create favorite clothes from sustainable materials in an ethical way. Next to this I also hope to obtain new knowledge I have not received at the art academy, which I then can teach to other designers.
A great designer is not someone who designs products she or he is missing, but someone who has a dialogue with the people he or she is designing for. The most important skill is to be able to correctly and fully translate the information obtained out of this dialogue into products that cover a lot of needs. This way a designer makes sure that what she or he has created, becomes one of the favorite products of the user.
How are you going to create products in collaboration with the customer?
2 Years ago I have developed a new design system that makes a balance between fashion and sustainability possible. Before something can be produced and used, it has to be thought of, it has to be designed. This is why I have developed this system for the designers at the first place. It can work perfectly in theory, what I am doing this year is testing it in practice. All the information I gain from the mistakes, are being used to fine-tune the system.
I have the project Clothes Relationships, in which I interview people about the reasons why they choose and wear the clothes that they do. This way I receive a lot of information about what happens with clothes after they are purchased. After all, we design clothes that will be worn, not only that will be sold. By understanding what a fashion wearer is facing when actually wearing the clothes, I obtain information that I take into account when making new clothes.
Next to this I post questions on Facebook. Social Media is a great way to start a dialogue.
Your way of designing is more common in other design areas, what did you learn from them?
Most of the other design areas take the users much more into account than fashion. Think of Urban design, where the cities are being designed in a way that makes the experience and the usability of the cities better… but also Webdesign, Interior design. Another good example is Industrial Design where everything is being calculated to make sure that the designed products will cover the needs of the users.
A very important aspect of designing, in my opinion, is making sure not to harm. Not to harm the environment, not to harm all the colleagues that made it possible to actually have fabrics and not to harm the wearers by the use of hazardous chemicals used in the products. Adding value will come from experience year by year.
How do you design with the wearer in mind? Please leave a comment.
Do you want to know more about designing in collaboration with the fashion wearer?
Currently Hasmik is writing a book about it! You can buy it now at:
http://hasmikmatevosyan.com/crowdfunding/
Currently Hasmik is writing a book about it! You can buy it now at:
http://hasmikmatevosyan.com/crowdfunding/