Outside the Box

In the fashion industry you must stand out in order to succeed. Originality should take a big part in your work.

If you've been reading my blog, you'd know that I'm the kind of person who hates to do things like other people; have to walk my own lane, swim in my own current. Therefore I can't make a design that me or anyone else has seen before. I can't make a bag without some special elements in it, either. It's hard to come up with a new special, never seen before design every time. But I do it every time, and time after time. After years of making bags, sometimes I'm running out of ideas. But then find the right way to go, I come up with something different. So how do I do that?
I have a system in my head, which I also use along with the Puzzle System I came up with (the Puzzle System post, if you haven't read it). I like looking around for ideas. I look at other bags. But not stealing designs of course. I see some detail in a bag and I say to myself: "what if that part was made differently, in other side, longer, bigger, other way around, rounded, shaped differently, this thing come out from here instead, more extreme", and so on and on…
Now that I have a few options, I can play with it. Here comes the Puzzle System. Mix the whole thing up and come up with a new design.

Know some techniques. Once you learn some techniques, you will have the right mind and you will be able to come up with designs that are original enough, much much easier.
Let's take pleats for example. Do you have any idea how many options there are with this technique? There is the regular design where you pleat the bag's body vertically and had a band on the top. Now you have to admit it, you've seen it a hundred times. But think what you could have done with this pleating technique. You can change its direction, its place, its amount, pleat something else that is not the bag's main body… again, the possibilities are endless. You just need to play with it in your head. Train your imagination. And don't be afraid to make something new. People will appreciate your originality, and even learn from you, and "hopefully" will copy you.

Another way to be original is through the fabrics. You see fabrics around, same fabrics you've seen many times. And they're combined together in a combination that is not that original. Popular fabrics tend to be combined in a combination that is too obvious and/or same combination as others. Here you can play with the fabrics. Because even though you're using not so original fabrics, fabrics you see everywhere, you can pull off a wonderful originality.

But how would you know what's original and what's not?
Look around , study your surrounding. Take notes in your head. After a few bags, you'll know yourself if what you're seeing is original.
If you see something that seems original, learn from it and try to think how you would make it differently. Take something original and make another original thing out of it. If some detail is placed somewhere original, place it somewhere even more original. Always find a whole new way to make the design. Don't copy! Make it better, make it yours. Direct yourself toward the best of the best, so people would find it difficult to make a design that's more original than you. Think outside the box. That's very important if you want your work to be different, and by that stand out.

In fashion schools, I must add, they're looking for the most original designs, the most creative, not just the most wearable. Of course in bags, the bags are supposed to be also practical. So watch it, make something creative, but also practical.

It's hard work, but after some time, maybe you'll be in a place where you just must do it the best, and you'll be fresh!