Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2010. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-52). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Catherine Black, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Dept. of Textiles and Consumer Sciences. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 23, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.M.S.)--University of Waikato, 2009. / Title from PDF cover (viewed August 31, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 161-174)

Success in fashion design is important both in its own right and because it has positive influences on the culture of a country and because of the favourable ramifications it can have across many unrelated industries. This dissertation investigates the Australian fashion design industry and asks whether there is a place for a semi-autonomous industry regulator of the kind found in other countries. France is a natural choice as a model because on the one hand it has the most success and enjoys the highest prestige in international fashion design, and on the other it has a well-developed support and accreditation structure, the Federation Francaise de la Couture, du Fret-a-Porter des Couturiers et des Createurs de Mode. The Federation oversees the whole process, promoting and protecting innovation in the industry and laying down the criteria used in fashion accreditation. These observations led to the question, if a parallel fashion designers' organization were introduced in Australia, what are the chances it would be suitable and effective? To answer this question, interviews were conducted in Australia and in three European countries. The major systematic enquiry was based on a sample of 48 local industry people in key positions in media, commerce and education, who were encouraged to describe and evaluate the industry and to supply answers to a systematic survey document. Candour was promoted by the anonymity of the survey process. The major outcome in terms of evaluation of the industry was that for historical and structural reasons Australian fashion design is not characterized by a high volume of original work. Consequently it is not having much impact internationally and the upper echelons are not providing the basis for downward diffusion of ideas. If the standard (French) classification were applied to Australia, the bulk of the labels would be categorized at the lower end of the scale. The informants provided a strong consensus regarding the nature of the shortfalls including the undue emphasis given to derivative design, the lack of special support for young talent and the low priority given to the synergy between art and high quality craftsmanship. There was agreement that Australian fashion designers should not focus on product just for local consumers, because fashion in clothing is not central to the minds of the average Australian as it is for example in European countries. Fashion designers might be wise to exploit the position of Australia on the edge of the Asian subcontinent and the pool of potential design talent from other countries within the Australian population. By drawing from the new aesthetics emerging in Australia's pluralistic society, designers could easily be at the cutting edge internationally. They might showcase their work at overseas venues, although not necessarily, in the first instance, in countries like France. Although a full-scale federation-type organization might fail for want of a solid innovative industry upon which it might be based, a limited version of such a controlling body could well succeed. Its task would he to steer new directions in education which develops a pool of creative talent through master classes which focus on understanding original design, the importance of the manual aspect in design and the mechanisms of, and rewards stemming from diffusion. Sponsorship should be granted to endeavours by a collective of such talent to showcase designs abroad. Government funds should be redirected away from the promotion of a generic product to a fashion-designing paradigm emphasizing 'designer handwriting' as the value-added aspect. In addition to exploring these issues, this dissertation provides reflections on the nature of the design process and suggests ways in which fashion design and fashion design education might move to revitalize the industry.

Success in fashion design is important both in its own right and because it has positive influences on the culture of a country and because of the favourable ramifications it can have across many unrelated industries. This dissertation investigates the Australian fashion design industry and asks whether there is a place for a semi-autonomous industry regulator of the kind found in other countries. France is a natural choice as a model because on the one hand it has the most success and enjoys the highest prestige in international fashion design, and on the other it has a well-developed support and accreditation structure, the Federation Francaise de la Couture, du Fret-a-Porter des Couturiers et des Createurs de Mode. The Federation oversees the whole process, promoting and protecting innovation in the industry and laying down the criteria used in fashion accreditation. These observations led to the question, if a parallel fashion designers' organization were introduced in Australia, what are the chances it would be suitable and effective? To answer this question, interviews were conducted in Australia and in three European countries. The major systematic enquiry was based on a sample of 48 local industry people in key positions in media, commerce and education, who were encouraged to describe and evaluate the industry and to supply answers to a systematic survey document. Candour was promoted by the anonymity of the survey process. The major outcome in terms of evaluation of the industry was that for historical and structural reasons Australian fashion design is not characterized by a high volume of original work. Consequently it is not having much impact internationally and the upper echelons are not providing the basis for downward diffusion of ideas. If the standard (French) classification were applied to Australia, the bulk of the labels would be categorized at the lower end of the scale. The informants provided a strong consensus regarding the nature of the shortfalls including the undue emphasis given to derivative design, the lack of special support for young talent and the low priority given to the synergy between art and high quality craftsmanship. There was agreement that Australian fashion designers should not focus on product just for local consumers, because fashion in clothing is not central to the minds of the average Australian as it is for example in European countries. Fashion designers might be wise to exploit the position of Australia on the edge of the Asian subcontinent and the pool of potential design talent from other countries within the Australian population. By drawing from the new aesthetics emerging in Australia's pluralistic society, designers could easily be at the cutting edge internationally. They might showcase their work at overseas venues, although not necessarily, in the first instance, in countries like France. Although a full-scale federation-type organization might fail for want of a solid innovative industry upon which it might be based, a limited version of such a controlling body could well succeed. Its task would he to steer new directions in education which develops a pool of creative talent through master classes which focus on understanding original design, the importance of the manual aspect in design and the mechanisms of, and rewards stemming from diffusion. Sponsorship should be granted to endeavours by a collective of such talent to showcase designs abroad. Government funds should be redirected away from the promotion of a generic product to a fashion-designing paradigm emphasizing 'designer handwriting' as the value-added aspect. In addition to exploring these issues, this dissertation provides reflections on the nature of the design process and suggests ways in which fashion design and fashion design education might move to revitalize the industry.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007.

No description available.

The purpose of this explorative field study using elements of case study design was to understand how DIY (Do It Yourself) fashion designers learn to engage in entrepreneurship. DIY fashion designers in this study refers to designers who personally design and make each garment without relying on manufacturers. These fashion designers all have design skills, but as they transition from designer to designer-entrepreneur with existing skills, they realize an additional set of skills is needed. To understand why they started the business and how they learned the skills necessary to maintain this dual role, the researcher interviewed 20 designer-entrepreneurs with different levels of experience: novice (3-5 years), middle-level (6-10 years), and seasoned (11 plus years). A selected literature review was conducted to shed light on the work of other researchers related to fashion entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship, and adult learning. The researcher used a qualitative methodology to explore how the designer-entrepreneurs learned and what they learned to maintain their dual role. A purposeful sample was drawn from a group of designer-entrepreneurs with different educational backgrounds and professional experiences. Data were collected through individual interviews followed by two focus group discussions. Data were examined to understand why certain DIY fashion designers chose to become designer-entrepreneurs, what challenges they faced in the dual role, how and what they learned, and which learning strategies they used. All designer-entrepreneurs in this study indicated that the motivation for becoming a designer-entrepreneur was to address their inner needs, which required both intrinsic reward and extrinsic validation. An overwhelming majority of them stated that most of the challenges stemmed from the entrepreneurial half of their dual role because they lacked the information needed to sustain it. All designer-entrepreneurs in this study learned through experiential and self-directed learning. A majority of them indicated that their main learning strategies consisted of finding or forming social networks for their design and business needs and developing their own learning habits. Based on these findings, the researcher made recommendations for educators teaching fashion or entrepreneurship and for current designer-entrepreneurs.

No description available.

A fundamental change in the global and textile industries took place on 1 January 2005, when the global quantitative quotas were abolished. International retail buyers are now able to reduce the number of their international suppliers, and can act on a preference to buy from suppliers anywhere in the world, offering the cheapest price on international orders. South Africa had been experiencing growth in cheaper imports, mostly at the lower end of the market, since 1994 when the political arena in South Africa changed, resulting in a reduction of its tariffs faster than the World Trade Organisation required. The post-2005 environment has seen a rapid increase in imports into South Africa, predominantly from Asia. This has resulted in numerous South African firms in the clothing and textile industries having to reduce their labour, outsource part of their production, or close down altogether, due to their inability to compete with their Asian counterparts. One area of the clothing and textile industries in South Africa that has the potential to assist in the sustainability of these industries is the development and growth of South African design content. Relatively new to South Africa is the growth in and recognition of South African fashion designers entering the market, which has resulted in the heightened visibility and activity of numerous inter-related industries, all servicing South African fashion, such as: model agencies, hair-stylists, make-up artists, the fashion media, fashion events and private boutiques. This study explores the experiences of and problems faced by South African designers in producing garments, meeting the price demanded by consumers, and being competitive in the current context of the local market that is dominated by the major retail chains. However, as this research paper will show, numerous South African designers are managing in different ways to succeed and in so doing, have created viable and successful design operations in a very competitive industry. The participants interviewed for this study are all independent designers and successful in their own right. Some have been in the industry for many years, while others are establishing their names and brands in the marketplace. All these designers manufacture from their own atelier (studio) or factory, thereby retaining production control. As and when the need arises, some outsource part of their production to CMTs (cutmake- and-trim specialists) or home-based workers. Many of the designers sell within both the formal and informal economy, some sell their products through their own boutiques while others sell through private boutiques. A common theme of these designers' success is that they grew their business gradually, learning incrementally about the business of fashion and how to maintain control over their cash-flows while slowly growing their visibility in the market. In the interviews, the designers reflected on the importance of customer relations, the importance of Fashion Weeks for promoting their products, as well as the importance of finding reliable suppliers. A common difficulty experienced by the designers is that of finding the correct balance between creativity and commercial success. The study concludes with some recommendations for the promotion and sustainability of South African design content, such as development of co-operative ventures or small clusters of designers working together and creating economies of scale in order to wield greater influence in the value chain. Another important recommendation made is that of designers finding suitable business partners, so that while the designers focus on creative work, their partner drives the commercial and marketing arm of the operation. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006