Creating/ Making Look Books for Designers

[marrimoda]

I am thinking about making a lookbook for a small line of clothing I am designing and I am trying to plan out all the elements and factors involved with this…I’ve got a lot of questions for those who can contribute from experience…so thanks in advance for taking the time.

1. The Photographer:
From talking to people, and reading the threads here…I gather that once I’ve got my design samples, I can hire a photographer (but of course I haven’t got a lot of money right now) or I can work out a “test” with one.

Question: what are the qualities I should look for in a photographer. I know that we have to be able to get one another on some level.

2. The Model:
I can work out the same “test” agreement with a model, right?

Question: What do you look for in a model? She has to fit into my sample garments, but I should think about her height too? What else? Should she look like my target customer (who actually is not a twiggy teen)?


3. Make-up and Hair:
Same “test”/trade agreement?
Question: I suppose we have to use our best judgment on what makeup looks best for my target customer, the clothes, image…Is there anything you’d suggest about this?

4. Location:
Question: on a limited budget (okay non-existent budget) how do you choose? Also if it’s just for a look book, I don’t want a location that is very active anyway right?



Lots of questions eh? Thanks for reading it all and responding…you’re really helping me to understand this process.

 

[marrimoda]

One more question...
Beyond the designers lookbook…getting to work with stylists…

I did not know that stylists create the concepts for magazine editorials, and then sell it to the magazine – I always assumed the magazine hires the stylist to execute a particular idea. So for a designer, particularly an emerging one, it seems important to have good relationships with stylists, if we ever want to get the exposure an editorial can lead to.

Question: How do you recommend that an emerging designer find and cultivate relationships with stylists? Also, are stylists just really going to be interested in bigger name designers (like Prada, I read in an earlier post), rather than smaller/unknown designers?

 

[Lena]

marrimoda, good idea to make a lookbook of your small line, but why should you pay anyone? if you have a digicam, just get a friend, ask her to do her hair and make up in someway that will suit your clothes, find a minimal location (a park, a white wall in your house, the river, anywhere) and shoot your lookbook with her..
if your shoot goes terribly wrong, then try to contact people through some kind of an adv, in your local paper or the web, asking for models/ hair&makeup/stylist/photographer to shoot for test shooting.

you can also ask students out of a photography school (college) because lets face it, the shooting is mainly up to the photographer. you can keep styling to a minimum, when i do my lookbooks, i just use the same 'backdrop' for all my looks, i may 'alter' the hair of the model every three/four shots, but not the background.
Lookbook shots must be minimal, not too busy and realistic, you just want people to see what you do, without too much 'artistic' 'cretive' flair, just the main facts

well, good luck with you

 

[Arturo21]

I agree with what Lena has just said. Oh, and do share this with us once it is complete!! Good luck!

 

[marrimoda]

Thanks -- It will be a while before I do this, but I like to give my ideas time to marinate

I do obviously want these photos to come out as sophisticated and professional as possible (even on zero budget).

What do you think of lookbooks that show the garments on dress forms or mannequins instead of real people? I'm hestitant but open to it.

 

[styleshots]

one word: craigslist!

craigslist is such an awesome resource.. especially in nyc.

i've organized some pretty awesome shoots all for TFP (time/trade for prints) where everyone involved benefits.

you get prints for your lookbook, photographer gets to build portfolio, etc.

try it out.

 

[softgrey]

i think it's much better on a body for the most part...
this way you can see how they hang....
it just brings the clothes to life...

one styling tip...
keep it simple...
if you can manage to find one pair of shoes that works with the whole line....then that could be a way of tying the whole thing together...
at the most i would try to keep footwear to only 3 different styles...

i also agree with lena about trying to find photography students who might be willing to work with you for the experience...
or even some photogrpaher's assistant...

i think you might want one rather editorial image which is in the 'spirit' of your 'style'...
that can be the cover and set the tone or 'mood' of the collection...
giving some idea of what it's about..

but the rest are usually very simple and against a wall or something...
just a tool to show the clothes...
as lena said...

 

[marrimoda]

Alright...helpful ideas. I thought about my friends...but hesitated because those who live nearby are all small like me (small as in not tall). I am thinking about proportion etc. But I suppose I can work around that. I just know its gonna start a war when I leave certain friends out of the modeling!

I'll try Craigslist too... Since you've worked that out before 'Styleshots', I'll give it a go. I was missing the terminology TFP..!

And Softg...good tips...exactly what I was curious about. Ive been trying to figure out what you do about the shoes...I saw someones lookbook the other day...the model had the strangest looking beaded thong shoes and I kept looking at the shoes instead of the outfit and I realized you've gotta be careful about the accessories...

I like the idea of an editorial style shot for the cover...works like a moodboard does in our design portfolios...I hadnt thought to do that.

These are probably easy things for you guys to think of -- I just have done this.
thanks for all the input everyone!

 

[softgrey]

models who are just starting out will also sometimes just work in exchange for clothing just in order to get some images for their books and some experience...


or you could negotiate and editorial rate for the day...
say around $150 plus agency fee...(about 20% on top of that)

 

[Lena]

What do you think of lookbooks that show the garments on dress forms or mannequins instead of real people? I'm hestitant but open to it.

no, no, no.. better try the lookbook on friends, mannequins look stiff and ugly, dont do it

 

[marrimoda]

Thats what I felt! Thanks for backing that up, because I seriously had someone telling me she's doing it and its fine and that I should do that and blah blah blah. Thanks lena

 

[Lena]

bump*
have you done the shoot yet marrimoda?

*pages from a very basic/very modern lookbook >McQueen (homme ss06)<
has been posted at designers&collections, check them out

 

[kyles]

Where can I get good quality digital printing done for look books???!

Hiii
Im interested in getting about 500 or so look books printed and Im having a hard time finding a place I trust. I need a place that is known for good quality digital printing and at not too high of a cost, although quality is more important. I would be using professional photos to comprise the lookbook. Does anyone know a good place in NYC who can do this? THANKS!!

 

[gius]

There's some info about printing for lookbooks near the end of this thread (in Careers & Edu. forumflower:
Building Your Portfolio ... Stylists, Hair/Makeup Artists etc.

 

[educo]

Look in the Garment district there should be printing there. Or go to Mood and check the bulletin board. last time i was there I saw something about printing lookbooks.

 

[kyles]

thank you thank you

 

[declan_steed]

I've had good luck with digital printers who specialize in giclees and fine arts. I use http://www.yellowdogprinting.com/, here in Denver.