[GivenchyHomme]

I cannot get the idea out of my mind that Miuccia Prada said she designed
Miu Miu's S/S 12 Collection in 15 days. I know it's not a new thing for a designer to create a collection so quickly, but my question is why?
They have over 5 months to create a new collection so why do they do everything last minute?

[HeatherAnne]

Miuccia as a head designer for two major labels probably has to possess the ability to spit out a line faster than most, but I've definitely read similar statements by other designers.

Nice to have a thread to bring information on this subject in as we see it, should be a great discussion.

Here's something Azzedine Alaia said on the subject recently:

Quote:

You’ve been showing clothes at your own pace and in your own house for a while now, but this season it seemed especially exclusive, focusing solely on knitwear. Maybe in July I will show other clothes, if I have the time to develop them. I refuse to work in a static rhythm. Why should I sacrifice my creativity to that? That’s not fashion, that’s industrial work. We can hire people to design all day long and then fabricate what they design and sell and sell and sell — but that has nothing to do with fashion, with la mode. And it’s a shame talents are being abused for this. I really don’t understand that. I have to live as well. That’s what life is about: living. Tell me how these designers who work for the major houses can have lives? How can they raise children if they are never home? They are gone for one, sometimes two months, while their children have to go to school. They have husbands, wives, but they can’t live their lives. People need time for that, and talents need time to create something. It’s stupid to ask someone to create eight collections per season. Look what has happened to John Galliano or this poor young guy from Balmain, who is now in a psychiatric hospital. After five or six seasons, he was already broken. Or last year, McQueen — dead. And there are many more that are just so tired. There is a pressure that is mad.

newyorktimes

[Blodeuwedd]

I just saw the documentary Marc Jacobs + Louis Vuitton and it's crazy what Jacobs does. I am deeply impressed at how he can maintain two very distinct visions for each brand and travel non-stop and still have the energy to fuel new designs over and over. Of course there are pieces he mentions he didn't get to finish due to the time constraints. It's a bit mad.

[MimiV]

I've heard that at Chanel the designers start working on a new collection basically every month.

[bento]

Mmmm... technically it probably only takes me 15 actual days, but that doesn't mean I don't start thinking about it a full 12 months or so in advance.

Does that make sense?

-Sam

[Vladita]

I think that timestamp is for RTW. I wonder how long it would take for a couture collection to be completed.

[MimiV]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vladita I think that timestamp is for RTW. I wonder how long it would take for a couture collection to be completed.

When I was talking about Chanel, I meant couture as well .

I don't think the number of days are impressive, I think we need to look at the number of hours, a lot of designers literally work around the clock when a show is on the schedule.

[HeatherAnne]

And one of my favorites, Dries Van Noten, on the matter:

Quote:

He produces womenswear and menswear, and only twice a year—no pre-collections, no resort wear, no home wares, no jeans or perfumes or hotel decors. "Personally, I think there is too much fashion in the world," he says, sitting in his sparsely decorated office overlooking the city harbor on a cold autumn afternoon. "Now you can go on style.com or blogs and there is always another collection launch, cruise, resort, accessories, and on and on and that's a pity. For me it's an overdose."

Quote:

Though Van Noten does only four collections a year, he works incessantly, taking only four or five days of vacation a year.

Quote:

"To go to exhibitions, to talk with people, to think, to research. That is the fantastic part of our job," he says. "For me, the most fun is the trip to create something that I really love. To do four women's collections a year? Forget it. You have two months, three months, click, click, click"—he snaps his fingers—"it has to be done, finished, next. Some designers make their show collection in two weeks. This, I don't like." Instead, Van Noten focuses solely on spring/summer and fall/winter for men and for women and produces an astounding 1,200 designs for women and 800 for men—double the majority of his competitors. "I like to make a lot of clothes!" he says with a laugh. And, Blaszka reports, they sell "very, very well."

Read the whole thing in his thread: http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f60...n-79894-4.html

wallstreetjournal via softgrey

[Ghinzu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeatherAnne Instead, Van Noten focuses solely on spring/summer and fall/winter for men and for women and produces an astounding 1,200 designs for women and 800 for men—double the majority of his competitors. Read more: the Fashion Spot - Reply to Topic http://forums.thefashionspot.com/new...#ixzz1fdvzBtAt

1,200 and 800 designs - are these unique designed pieces (or sketches? or prototypes?) or it's the overall number he sells?

[blondegypsy]

I have designed and produced (RTW) collections in less than 2 weeks before. The RTW collections always seem to come together at the last minute mainly due to all the rest of my time being taken up with couture pieces being ordered in between. Maybe it is like this for all designers??

Having said that though, couture pieces could never be done that quickly. Recently we did a couture gown from french lace that was hand beaded with over 600,000 beads that took 7 of us over 500 hours to complete. There is no way you would produce a collection like that in that space of only a couple weeks!

[superbeautiful]

Every designer has their own time frame. I know for me, I research and look for inspiration until and idea 'clicks' and then I get working. Sometimes that idea comes to me last minute and I create designs overnight and sometimes its sooner. When your a designer like Miuccia Prada who's had years of experience, designing may not necessarily become easier, but the notion of creating a collection and deadlines becomes something you get adjusted to.

Also, each designer has their own speed. I know for me, I can't spend too much time on a look because otherwise, I'll start over thinking it.

[alonsoJonathan]

Quote:

They have over 5 months to create a new collection so why do they do everything last minute?

i dont get this,did she said she did it last minute? yes maybe she did it in 15 days 4 or 3 months before the show.

[matryoshkadoll]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blondegypsy I have designed and produced (RTW) collections in less than 2 weeks before. The RTW collections always seem to come together at the last minute mainly due to all the rest of my time being taken up with couture pieces being ordered in between. Maybe it is like this for all designers?? Having said that though, couture pieces could never be done that quickly. Recently we did a couture gown from french lace that was hand beaded with over 600,000 beads that took 7 of us over 500 hours to complete. There is no way you would produce a collection like that in that space of only a couple weeks!

Indeed. It is rather easy to design ready-to-wear pieces in a short span of time, but Haute Couture requires more intricacy in putting together the pieces.

[Melisande]

When we speak of designing a collection in two weeks, we are referring to what process? From sketches to making all the samples?

[fashionista-ta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melisande When we speak of designing a collection in two weeks, we are referring to what process? From sketches to making all the samples?

I assumed she meant her initial piece of the process, but I don't know if that's clear ...

Wrt Dries, he is concerned with every single part of the process. He designs the stores, and he and his partner source everything in them. It is completely his vision, not just the clothes.

I like what Alaia says ... a very European approach to work. I'd love it if I could go home after putting in a good day's work in the first few hours And I did that when I worked from home on a fixed-price project. Many writers work that way ...

I don't know that it's entirely fair when he draws a straight line from the way the major houses operate to the collapse of several designers.