Three Creative Ways to Get Inspiration for Your Fashion Design Portfolio

The Importance of Inspiration

Inspiration is the key aspect in creating a story about your collection.

Why is the story important?

Answer: The story is what often sells the collection.

-> You have to get buy-in before teams and buyers will actually buy-in, and this is done through storytelling.

-> The story should say why and where the inspiration came from.

-> It should give guidance for the design aesthetic, and it should be relevant to the brand.

-> Marketing uses the designer’s inspiration throughout their marketing messages for the collection. The Sales teams and Marketing’s goal is to get that inspiration to the end customer and not only the buyers of the retail stores. This is done through advertising in magazines, stores, or through events. The communication continues in hangtags, packaging, or in the stores where the clothes are sold.

-> Schools are looking for a cohesive and strong story for a portfolio collection. They want to see the inspiration coming through in the design of the clothes.

3 Ways to Get Inspiration

1. Out and about in nature, architecture, or places you go.
2. Fabrics – go to the fabric store.
3. The Fashion Design Book – look through the book, and something might inspire

you to put together a new design. Try to take out the style details or look only at the silhouettes. While this won’t give you the actual inspiration used to “sell” the story, it can definitely be a source of inspiration to blend different ideas together and create. Can you tell any stories from your inspiration? Get creative and try to start explaining why certain things inspired you to design your items. Be confident when you tell your story! This helps make the story more impactful. And finally, Practice, practice, practice your story before you need to present it!