90
Unit 1 Apparel and Fashion
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
The largest concentration of garment
factories is in California. On the West coast,
Los Angeles is the headquarters for the
garment industry. The state of New York
has hundreds of factories that produce
garments. The leading manufacturers have
design and marketing offi ces there, too.
In addition, small garment factories are
located throughout the United States.
The Structure of Apparel
Companies
Apparel production companies have
various departments or divisions. Each of
these divisions has certain responsibilities
that lead to shipment of garments to retail
stores. The typical departments include
and are responsible for:
• Research and merchandising
• Design and product development
• Production
• Sales and marketing
Research and Merchandising
Apparel production begins with research. A fi rm’s staff tries to forecast
what their customers will buy. Their goal is to have the right products, at the
right price, at the right time so the company will be profi table.
Apparel designers interpret current trends and create sketches and sample
designs. These become a part of a merchandising plan—the producer’s plans
for creating a line of designs for a given season. There are four production sea-
sons: Spring, Summer, Fall I, and Fall II (Winter). Producers show the sample
designs to retail buyers who then make their selections.
The selected designs are prepared for production. An apparel worker cre-
ates the master patterns in standard sizes for the design. Fabrics, fasteners,
thread, and trims are ordered. The cutting and sewing typically begins about
six months before the clothes appear in retail stores. The trend in recent years,
however, is to reduce this time to four months.
Design and Product Development
In design and product development, new products are imagined. Fashion
designers create the designs and ideas for new clothes and accessories. They
may specialize in women’s, men’s, or children’s clothing. Others specialize
further in certain types of garments such as men’s coats, women’s dresses, or
children’s sleepwear. Some may choose to specialize in an accessory such as
shoes, hats, or handbags.
A fashion designer is the fi rst person involved in making a garment. The
fi rst step is an idea. The designer makes sketches until he or she fi nds one
4-4 Advanced textile
technology courses
could lead to a career
in research and
development.