How Bespoke In The Face Of Challenges Find A New Way To Work - Essay Example

? HOW BESPOKEIN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES FIND A NEW WAY TO WORK by Presented to SYNOPSIS This article explores the conflict that is between bespoke tailoring and the internet marketing in the UK. It does this in order to analyze the place for the traditional technique in fashion design. Further it supports the need to retain traditional skills in bespoke tailoring, justified as an affordable luxury by a consumer. In addition the article analyses how the traditional bespoke, has considered incorporating the new computerized technology. By doing so, the fashion industry could possibly determine the outcome of tailoring in future. This could be done through: emphasis on contemporary fashion or in the vast technological development, in order for bespoke to be widely available. The paper concludes by considering strategies that are realistic to sustain the accessibility, growth and development of mass marketing. INTRODUCTION Tailoring began in the nineteenth century as a result of the fashion of first coats. The coats required laborers that were skilled, to sew together the cut pieces of cloth by hand. ‘Tailor’ comes from the French word ‘Tailler’ that means ‘to cut’. On the other hand, ‘bespoke’ means to tell. Originally the customers told (bespoke) the tailor their exact suit specifications. Paying attention to detail and fit, the clients were guided by the tailor on cloth choice and cut. With the arrival of ready made fashion bespoke fashion declined gradually in popularity. Evidently, the bespoke’s techniques are recurrent in the trends of fashion. Bespoke tailors come up with designs that flatter, refines and accentuates human form. Special attention is given y quality, detail, and excellence in production. It takes up to forty hours of production to produce a bespoke suit on Savile row a London’s tailoring industry. Most of the work at bespoke industry is mostly done by hands. While making a suit, more than hundred stitches are made on the inside the jacket that fastened the padding. Canvassing is also done for tailored shape to be maintained. Considering the attention and time invested to detail while creating a bespoke suit, the costs are justifiable. It is cheaper, compared to a ready to wear garments. Similar services are provided by couture industry however, the customer pays for a tailored suit at the same time purchasing the glamour of the name o the designer. Bespoke tailoring is moderately priced. In addition, with the increase in coucher prices, many customers realized the convenience of bespoke tailoring. According to Timothy Everest a Savile Row Tailor, women preferred men tailors to haute couture. He further states that bespoke trousers are cheaper in British. (De La Haye, 1997) Savile Row tailors at Hawkes and Gieves can produce a suit that costs up to ?1400. However, there are many small bespoke businesses in the UK that offer affordable prices. In the year 2010, Raymond Andrews, a gent’s bespoke tailor advertised a three piece suit at ?400. Contrary a wool jacket from Yves Winter was sold at ?3174. Modern tailoring originated in the nineteenth century. By then men’s tunics had become short and close to the body in a fitting manner. Since then, the tailoring method of making the fabric to fit the body evolved and still in existence to date. Throughout the centuries that followed, skills developed along with the fashion’s demands. Continuously, the current three piece suit has been reworked. Slowly it evolved from tunic in the fourteenth century, to frock coat in the seventeenth century and in mid-nineteenth century classic form. In the nineteenth century bespoke tailoring became famous and maintained the popularity before being taken over by ready-to-wear in the 1950’s. Through several revivals, the world has recognized its richness in heritage and craft. This is evident in the wardrobes of the respectable Victorian male interpretation, to the attractiveness of Edward VIII and stars in Hollywood. Its’ existing representation is attributed to awesome tailors like Richard James and Oswald Boating. THE FASHION OF BESPOKE Bespoke tailoring has been designed, promoted and worn by various fashionable personalities and designers in the 1950’s.in the 1960’s there was a need to improve in the designing due to the changes experienced in the changes experienced in the fashion. Tommy Nutter led the move backed by stylish personalities like: Cilla Black, Twiggy and Bianca Jagger. This was done with intention of bringing together a new exciting energy and high fashion to the business. The increase in popularity of informal clothing in the 1970’s, served as a hindrance to the fashionable look of tailoring. It continued until 1980’s when the advent of the power of dressing developed in significance. Power dressing represented the glamour of the rich yuppies of 1980’s. On the other hand, affluence and spirit were represented by fitted jackets, tailored, short skirts and padded shoulders. During the same year, there was an increase in experiments at British schools of art. There was a radical force in design and tailoring, spearheaded by john Flett and John Galliano. The two graduate designers literary transformed tailoring by changing sleeves into trousers and jackets to coats. The year 1900-2000’s, experienced interest renewal in the traditional tailoring techniques in fashions of designers. Owen Gaster, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Oswald Boateng are just but a few designers who popularized it. Consequently, there was a decline in casual clothing as consumers appreciated, and became aware of the heritage and luxury in bespoke tailoring. Furthermore, the technology used in bespoke had to be considered in the creation of formal clothes by designers. For example in2009, designers such as Marc Jacobs of Louis Vuitton required the knowledge of tradition canvassing and padding. It was aimed at achieving an aesthetic look of a padded shoulder that was huge. According to the managing director of Anderson and Sheppard, a great interest had been created for the high quality suits of the Savile Row tailoring. (Harris, 1998) The phrase in fashion by late 1990’s was about the new technology. it is noted that many university students of fashion in the UK, go for a combination cut of traditional and modern technology as a design reference. The continued use of the new technology largely affected both bespoke tailoring and bespoke. A significant use of computerized technology has been embraced by manufactures to produce a tailoring with mass markets. Computerized technology enhanced communication between a design base in Leeds that was small and larger factories overseas. Evidently, the computer technology has made the fashion industry to advance. Designers have appreciated it as an important part of their work. Earlier on the technology was viewed as a hindrance to work. Lectra is a perfect example of a company that has continued to update its Computer Aided Design (CAD). For instance in order to remain competitive, Assyst in 2009 together with Human Solutions Company (in Germany) developed their interest in 3D body scanning market.3D body scanning system functions by scanning a body, to produce series of body sizes that are exact from which distinctive patterns are made. The need to develop garments that fit many sizes led to the introduction of the system into the tailoring market. Production Life Cycle Management (PLM) is also used in mass production.PLM systems efficiently enables work flow in production cycle to be put together. The flow of the work consists of: graded patterns lay plans, costing etc. Slowly the Computer Aided Device system entered the industry of bespoke tailoring. Gives and Hawkes declared that they were not ready take any manufacture aided by the computer to there classrooms. There work was done by hands, (Harris, 1998). When further questioned on Computer Aided Manufacturing, they explained that direct onto a fabric lay planning was done and stored till the demise of the customer. During an educational tour by Huddersfield University to Gieves and Hawkes, Lecture Irene Spink had her own observation; patterns for individual customers were drafted manually. In the workrooms traditional method were used without applying computerized technology, (Irene Spink 2010). Anthropometric measurements technology could perhaps be beneficial to bespoke industry. It refers to the science and technology in reference to specific body measurements. There has been a dramatic change in human figures in the last forty years. This has been accelerated by the changes in lifestyle, diet and exercises. Manufacturers have also made their own changes according to suppliers’ specifications. A problem that could arise is that, there might be a difference in the interpretation of size specifications by individual manufactures. America has also carried out global research about body sizing, through its Alvanon INC Company. At a seminar in 2010, President of Alvainsight (a division of Alvanon INC), Ed Gribbin, explained how a consumer‘s emotional connection with sizing can be complex. In addition the president states that 20 percent of fitting could be difficult but the rest depends on how it’s communicated, (Gribbin, 2010). Until recently, bespoke was the only place where perfect fitting garments could possibly be produced. However, this could be changed by new computerized systems of anthropometry and programmes of virtual reality. With the application of the new systems and programmes, the traditional bespoke would faced a direct attack. Initially the technology was introduced in Milton Keynes, London and Sheffield by Levi stores. Customer’s specific measurements were entered into a computer, which selected jeans from 300 pairs with different sizes, for fitting options for the consumer. Once fit and style have been decided on, the computer sent the information to Belgium and made according to customers specifications. It was then delivered within 21 days. This programme promoted bespoke industry on mass production. That way it provided tailoring and personal clothing at a more economical rate in comparison with the traditional industries. In using this kind of a system, bespoke’ garments would be purchased through the internet. In so doing, the industry of tailoring could change greatly. The challenge lies with the customer having confidence in the use of bespoke internet services. Once established, companies will make use of promoting the idea as a pleasurable product. As a result of technological advancement, mass manufacturers are in position to produce garments equivalent to the standards of bespoke. Because of the emerging problems, the traditional bespoke could be given a second thought. With the new technology taking over, few people have skills in cutting a pattern manually. COCLUSION The enormous revival of bespoke tailoring as a fashion has made designers to explore the skill of bespoke traditions, both in the UK and worldwide. This has led to the revival of interest in traditional technology. Arguably this technique is giving a direction to fashion. Vivienne supported this argument for she did not value the need to search for new (Holgate, 1998). The future of this industry relies partly on current emphasis on look or through technological development. There are also recent attempts to make bespoke more attractive through various publications. An example is that of Saville row in 2010. It is celebrated as a fashion that cannot be replaced,(Sherwood 2010). The conflict in bespoke industry is about traditional, new skills and development. It is clear that businesses that deal with fashion have to develop alongside technology. Often the business has to struggle with changing the minds that stick to the original working procedures. Bespoke industry focuses on manual, tricks that are technical to hide the human body. Through manipulation of a fabric, human form can be altered and enhanced. Even though mass manufacturing has been advanced by technological advancement, it cannot be compared to the craft, heritage and the luxury in bespoke. This conflict eventually promotes the traditional technique as being cool and exciting product based on craft. BIBILIOGRAPHY Aldrish W.(2002). Pattern cutting for women’s tailored Jackets, Oxford. Blackwell De La Haye. A.(1997). The cutting Edge 50 years of British fashion. London: V and A publication. Harris. S. (1998). Is there a place in tomorrows fashion industry for Saville Row bespoke tailoring?, unpublished : University of Huddersfield Dissertation. Holgate. M. (1998). the Prime of Miss Vivienne Westwood, London: vogue. Sherwood. J. (2010). Saville Row: the Master Tailors of British bespoke, London :Thames and Hudson Walker. R. (1988). The Saville Row story, London : Multimedia Books Ltd Wilcox. C. (2004). Vivienne Westwood, London: V and A publications. Spink, Irene. (2010). Senior lecturer in Fashion,University of Huddersfield, University of Huddersfield: interviewed by Kelvin Almond . Read More