Graphic Design for Fashion

Graphic Design for Fashion
Jay Hess and Simone Pasztorer
2010
Laurence King Publishing

The source is an international survey of graphic design, showing a broad range of examples that have been referenced for credibility. The publication provides the context surrounding the work - Collective dialogue about the relationship of graphic and fashion designers.

The publication looks at:

Branding

Invitations

Lookbooks 

Packaging

'Fashion becomes a unique playground for designers for experimentation in the commercial world.' - Due to the nature of fashion

'Increased sense of creative potential when the graphic design studio is commissioned by the fashion industry.'

'Fashion is also grounded in commercial realities'

'The creative freedom involved in working with the fashion industry has made the relationship highly desirable for graphic designers. The cyclical fashion seasons provide consistent opportunity for reinvention and rarely produce less than spectacular results. The freedom often directly influences the broader practice of the design studio.'

The introduction suggests that the evolving nature of fashion compliments graphic designers by giving them the freedom for experimentation and ambiguity in a commercial context. This is where I can relate postmodern graphic design practice to the commercial world as it is appropriate for the nature of the task.

Branding

'The conscious management of the public perception of, and personal identification with a fashion label.'

'Branding is considered a promise, an experience and a memory'

Consumer's are bombarded with branding every day. 

Acne Art Department - Acne Studios

Since 1998 Acne have 'become synonymous with effortless style and sophistication'
-Serif typeface

ACNE = Ambition to Create Novel Expression

The statement refers to the less desirable skin condition - 'potentially insurmountable obstacle for the image-conscious fashion industry' however the branding is so successful that according to a survey in Stockholm uni, the majority of them associated ACNE with jeans not skin problems.

To achieve this

-'find a balance between artistic inclinations and commercial realities'
-Consistent communication - Typeface
-Don't lose sight of brand ideals
-

Art Director - Daniel Carlsten

• 'The fashion industry is sensitive to visual communication and understands and values its importance in order to create and develop a look, a feel or a brand'

• 'We are creating fashion, in the sense that graphic design and art direction are an integral part of fashion.'

• 'It's always a mix of ideas. It's fascinating when something ordinary is presented in an unexpected way or in an unexpected context. Not in an attempt to be weird, but in the success of being surprisingly relevant.'

• 'There is never an opportunity for us to explain to each and every customer why things look a certain way. For them, it just does, and they have to like the result in order to want it' - Page 18

ACNE Paper (p19) - Seasonal fashion magazine showcasing ACNE's visual communication

• Initial purpose to promote the brand aesthetic and act as a moodboard showcase of the creative inspiration each season.
• Printed on various coated and uncoated stocks
• Intimate and direct content
• Impression of viewing a personal portfolio

http://magpile.com/acne-paper/about/

'Each issue of Acne Paper is created around one key idea – a timeless theme that in various ways touches all those working in the creative fields regardless of age, cultural background or social status. In an eclectic yet coherent mix of portrait, fashion and art photography as well as interviews, memoirs and prose the editorial narrative aims to unite artistic minds of all generations'

Used to promote ACNE Studio's inspiration and conceptual development rather than specific products and services. - Provides a style guide

Distinct and consistent typographic treatment:

Consistent use of serif typeface
Thin to heavy weight
Why are these typefaces used all the time?

Shopping bags used to reference each collection - reinforcing the brand

Maximising every opportunity by customising the wrapping tissue:

This can help to inform my practical response to my essay.

Art director, ACNE Paper, Jonas Jansson:

'There is incredible freedom and enormous trust' as they have been able to treat ACNE Studios like it was their own brand and have done things they would like to see as consumers.
- Seeing themselves as customers strengthens the departments ability to distil the brand values with increased precision. 

The relationship between fashion and graphic design is inspiring due to the nature of both practices lending each other a creative platform for experimentation and innovative branding solutions. Cyclical fashion seasons provide consistent opportunity for reinvention

Review of the book on Creative Review
https://www.creativereview.co.uk/fashionably-graphic/

These quotes can be used to support/argue with references from the book.

'Fashion is more than a garment hanging on a rail in isolation. The brand message needs to reflect what the fashion label is really offering beyond a single purchase.'

Dazed Digital: How important is graphic design in shaping the perceptions of a fashion label?

Jay Hess: I doubt a piece of clothing has ever been bought because of the swing tag, but attention to these details can influence the broader perception of the brand. After the success of their first season, Jimine Ha from Deeva-Ha was invited to become a member of the GAR--DE collective. I don't think this kind of thing is a coincidence; these innovations highlight the need for visual communication to be completely integrated with the collections. Fashion is more than a garment hanging on a rail in isolation. The brand message needs to reflect what the fashion label is really offering beyond a single purchase.

DD: What are the recurring themes and ideas which reveal themselves in your book?

Jay Hess: Creativity is ultimately very subjective. We explored the intimate creative relationship between two people – the graphic designer and fashion designer – rather than layers of management. The immediacy of this close relationship is a big advantage when trying something new, you don’t need to convince a whole boardroom. Pushing beyond surface decoration is also extremely important because fashion designers aren’t willing to settle for a simple font, they want a concept that will contribute to the narrative of their brand. The work by Mevis and van Deursen for Viktor & Rolf is a perfect example. They are able to abstract the catwalk presentation without giving anything away. The end result is a 'complete' message that reaches beyond the single event.

DD: Do you think a fashion audience expect something specific?

Jay Hess: There is a heightened visual consciousness that needs to be satisfied. I think the fashion audience always demands something new and unexpected, from the fashion designer all the way through to the graphic communication or the message will become unclear or insincere. BLESS and Manuel Raeder have perfected this balance where the traditional lines of responsibility have been blurred. Raeder reconfigures the previous season lookbook into a t-shirt for each new collection. More than simply giving form to the content, he is active in creating new content for BLESS.

DD: Graphic design for fashion is known for being luxurious and experimental – do you think the recent changes in the economy has affected this?

Jay Hess: Luxurious and experimental indeed, but to be honest this is almost always achieved on relatively modest budgets. The economy has forced a new level of austerity over the industry, which isn’t surprising and seems to draw out more innovative solutions. While the size of some projects has undoubtedly been scaled down, the challenge remains to make the most out of what is still available.

Thorbjørn Ankerstjerne produced invitations for Blaak out of standard wire mesh, the clever typographic treatment by Artless is applied to plain corrugated cardboard boxes for Issey Miyake, Roanne Adams packaged living Airplants into tetrahedrons for the sustainable womenswear label Bodkin. Well-considered, basic materials are immediately elevated.

This article has taught me nothing that i already didnt know. There are no therotists so its shit






Dazed interviewed Jay Hess about the publication
http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/8848/1/graphic-design-for-fashion

Fashion is more than a garment hanging on a rail in isolation. The brand message needs to reflect what the fashion label is really offering beyond a single purchase.

The publication highlights Peter Saville - Autumn/Winter 1986/87 look book for Yohji Yamamoto as a defining moment of fashion communication.

Furhter info: http://www.aboud-creative.com/APR08_collaborations.pdf - Erika Kawalek

Can fashion design push graphic design? 

Does fashion design 

Commercial fashion's influence on graphic design

How fashion influences the development graphic design

• Typography
• Branding
• Creative, experimental process

Graphic design's influence on the branding of commercial fashion labels.

Relationship - graphic and fashion
Experimental processes - Reflect the brand/style/collection - Look books
Appropriate because Always in circulation - New trends


Branding
Typography