Sizing Up: Fashion Week Reveals New Clothing Design Trends

by Marianne Salina
Fashion School Review Columnist

March 14, 2007

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In the midst of discussions about banning the use of size 0 models, Fashion Week revealed that apparel designers are capable of thinking outside the narrow parameters that have governed the runway for so long. While slender silhouettes still held a discerning presence throughout the week, more voluptuous clothing designs also cascaded down the catwalk, with models showcasing oversized jackets, swing coats and puffed sleeves. With the fashion industry trying on healthier sizes, perhaps this last Fashion Week is testament to the broader spectrum of apparel ideas that designers are capable of producing.

Fashion Design School Offers Shape Perspectives
For those considering a fashion design program, the new perspective on shape and size means that fashion design students will be exploring ways to create clothing for a wider range of body types. Instead of strictly designing clothes for a size 0 template, students will need to consider how their designs will look on various body shapes. Fashion design programs are one of the first places a fresh perspective on clothing size can be addressed. While the industry won't change overnight, when fashion designers begin to experiment with the contours of their designs, perhaps a healthier model will seem more appropriate.

Fashion and Apparel Design Courses Give You Hands-On Experience
Of course all of the fashion panels and lengthy newspaper articles about healthy models won't ever bring the change a concerned public seeks. The real action takes place in fashion design school, where design programs teach students hands-on techniques and theories that make sketches transition into real garments. The future of fashion is truly in the hands of its designers and how they choose to impart their creative vision to the world.

About the Author
Marianne Salina is a freelance writer in Spokane, Washington. She writes about pursuits in education and degree opportunities.

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