Helpful Books for Fashion Design
Since becoming a Fashion Design student at the Fashion Institute of South Florida, I’ve been exposed to a couple of books so far in varying areas of fashion design that have been really helpful for me. There are SO MANY books out there that I thought I would share the ones that my school has recommended to us and that I ACTUALLY enjoy looking through and find helpful. I’m going to review, link and share those books with you! The list that I am going to share are well-known books in the industry with some being a must-own, ranging from Sewing to Draping to Patternmaking .
What’s even better is, in my opinion, they are written clearly, with photos and with a lot of detail so you won’t want to rip your hair out trying to figure out what they mean. Some even come with DVD’s for an extra visual boost. I find that with trying and testing techniques especially when it comes to sewing, there are so many ways to do things and you can truly do whatever works best for you. But for me, I like to know the “right” way, the technical way, and the way techniques would be taught in a university setting. That’s where I tend to lean more towards books for reference over YouTube.
Let’s get started!
A Guide to Fashion Sewing (5th Edition)
by Connie Amaden-Crawford
I really love this book and I didn’t even scratch the surface using it for my sewing classes. This is a great book for all different kinds of techniques from basic seam finishes to darts, facings, identifying fabrics, sewing terms and tailoring. This book also comes with a DVD that is PC and Mac compatible for those of us who need to really see it visually. There is so much to learn from this book and is so well rounded for learning all the skills necessary to sew anything you want.
I got the used and paperback option for $75
Fashion Design Course (2nd Edition)
by Steven Faerm
I read this book cover to cover just for pure enjoyment. I really wanted to understand fabric types and when they are most commonly used but this book goes way beyond that. It’s a practical book that gives a brief overview of the history of fashion but quickly moves onto conceptual ideas, design foundations, how to put together a mood board and developing a story, how to find inspiration, being aware of trends and how to be prepared for working in professional world. This is a book that you can keep coming back to as you evolve within the fashion world and I can see myself reading this over and over again.
Available in Paperback for $24
Patternmaking for Fashion Design (5th Edition)
by Helen Joseph Armstrong
I actually feel like this book is like the Holy Grail for patternmaking. I’ve seen earlier editions in schools in fashion companies that I’ve worked for and it comes highly recommended by a lot of designers. It’s great for beginners as it covers everything from drafting basic pattern sets to dart manipulation to knits to menswear, swimwear it literally has it all! It also goes through terminology and has blank spaces for you to write in your own measurements along with quizzes at the end of each chapter to really test your knowledge!
I bought paperback for $40
Integrating Draping, Drafting & Drawing
by Bina Abling & Kathleen Maggio
Draping is another form of patternmaking and is a 3D process. Some prefer this technique over flat patternmaking because it gives a little more freedom to design with your hands and also allows the designer to really see the design come to life before their eyes. The images are really great in this book and it will start you off with really getting to know your dress form and how to take its measurements. All forms of draping is covered from bodice to sleeves to collars and dresses and will help you understand how to transfer your design onto pattern paper. Draping feels like an artist painting or a sculptor sculpting. It’s so hands-on and you really have to practice over and over until your hands know how to move the fabric. This book provides great visuals to guide you along your draping journey.
$50-$60 depending on if purchased used or bought.
The Fashion Designer Survival Guide
By Mary Gehlhar
This is the book with everything you need to know about starting and running your own fashion business. This is definitely the business book you should read in my opinion first so you really know what is ahead of you if you want to run your own company. Being a designer you have to be the creative and the entrepreneur (at least in the beginning) but even later on you have to understand the business side of your company and this book will walk you through that step by step. It covers legal advice, investors and funding, production and manufacturing partners, trends, marketing and sales and licensing I mean the list can go on! What I love about this book is the little excerpts they include from existing designers about their own advice and “what they wish they knew” when they first started. I will say this book aligns more with your business running at full-scale and production partners are needed, but don’t let that deter you. For me, I know I will just start out being a one-woman show but eventually (and hopefully) the business will grow to a place where I won’t be able to do it all and I need to have these practices already in place so it’s a smooth transition. Highly valuable read and also a book that you can keep coming back to over the years.
I bought it paperback for $12
