What IS design?

How good clothing design creates loyal customers

Have you ever put on a jacket that was just perfect?  It’s super comfortable, has well thought out pockets, and while you’re not big on outside branding, you love how subtle the logo is on the sleeve.  Maybe you feel like it was made just for you, and now you want to check out the rest of the brand’s line to see if they make a great t-shirt, too.

This is what great design can do for you.  It creates loyal customers who will happily buy from your entire line and then tell all their friends.

What exactly do we mean when we say clothing design? 

A lot of brands consider the prints they use on their garments to be the design.

But prints are only a small part of your design.

When apparel designers talk about design, we’re talking about the whole garment and the experience of wearing it. 

We’re talking about the pockets (there are different types!), the type of vent or slit at the side of a shirt, the type of waistband on shorts or a pant, and how many beltloops to include.

We’re talking about what type of stitching to use, and how we want the design to fit (while this gets into technical design territory, deciding the overall fit is part of the design)

We’re talking about types of trims (buttons, zippers, threads, etc.), a bartack with a contrast color, a new embroidery logo, and what type of pocketing fabric to use.

Just to name a few!

If you’re new to the industry, or not naturally into details, some of these things might sound unimportant.  Why does it matter how many beltloops your pant design has? 

But customers notice these things. 

Sometimes it’s subtle. 

Do you have a pair of pants where you notice your belt slides around when you wear them, and it makes them awkward to wear? This is a beltloop design issue.

Or maybe you have a pair of shorts where it’s hard to slide your phone into the front pocket. Maybe you’ve lost your phone this way or accidently dropped it on the floor. This is a pocket design issue.

Sometimes it’s more obvious. 

Have you ever bought one pair of shorts over another because it had fun printed pocketing?

Considering these small details elevate your product and make it look and feel expensive, even if it’s not. 

Some of these design details cost little to no extra money to manufacture but can be the difference between turning someone into a loyal customer who buys multiples and tells all their friends, or someone who never buys from you again.

Need design help?

Schedule a 30 minute call to discuss your next project. The call is free and there’s no obligation to work together.

Want to learn more?

Read about how the menswear design package can turn your customers into loyal fans.

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