Stefano talked with us about the two different sides of the fashion industry. Although fashion is the trends, quality, details, and uniqueness of the clothes, fashion also is broken into atelier and industry. Atelier is the haute couture of the fashion industry, this is the side that very distinct pieces are seen as they are hand made and made to measure. Industry side is also known as the prêt-a-porter or ready-to-wear mass market.
Fashion shows are very important in this industry because no one has seen the collection yet. This is to show the collection in a way so that no one can copy ahead of time. With haute couture, the same people that produce the show produce the garment you choose to buy. This is very different from the ready-to-wear collections.
After the fashion show, orders from buyers are taken. Patterns and directions are sent to outside factories where they are produced for the stores. During this change of hands, a lot of information can be lost or misinterpreted. Italians are very good at keeping open communication because of a tradition they have. In the past, Italian designers were born from a production company such as a factory, so they understand both sides of the situation.
To fashion students, what he was saying was simple and clear-cut. He didn’t make anything complicated, but instead he put a different spin on it than we are used to. We are fashion business majors and we learn about the marketing and buying end of fashion. It was interesting and nice to hear about fashion from instead a designer’s perspective. He left us with advice of not being afraid of the future, but instead be in the present. To me this is very valuable, I have always tried to focus on the present and enjoy where I am when I am there. That is something I encourage everyone to do with their lives.
