There is no denying the visual beauty of fashion’s patterns and prints, but they offer so much more, including wonderful opportunities for storytelling and self-expression. Illustrative design brings added purpose to these patterns, encouraging designers and fashion enthusiasts to express themselves through the power of fashion.
Through surface pattern design, creatives can bring their unique visions to vast audiences, elevating garments and textiles through geometrics, florals, and other beautiful imagery. This is an amazing opportunity in the quickly expanding fashion industry, with many visionaries fascinated by the nuances of fabric print design.
Interested in leveraging the power of illustrative design as you play with evocative patterns and prints? Get ready for an exciting journey that incorporates captivating visual elements alongside cultural traditions and cutting-edge trends.
There’s a lot to learn about printed textile design, especially in the context of digital fashion illustration. Keep reading to discover the most impactful fashion illustration techniques, especially as they relate to iconic fashion prints and patterns. We will also reveal how to design fabric prints, and where to find inspiration when creating evocative fashion illustrations.
The Role of Illustrative Design in Fashion
It is difficult to understand the nuanced interplay of fashion and illustrative design without first understanding the core concept of design, which shapes the entire fashion industry. The International Council of Design refers to design as a “formalized discipline” and a practice that focuses on the “interaction between a person — a ‘user’— and the man-made environment, taking into account aesthetic, functional, contextual, cultural and societal considerations.”
Design determines how people interact with a variety of everyday objects, including everything from electronic devices to furniture and, of course, the clothing we wear or notice others wearing. Meanwhile, fashion historian Alistair O’Neill regards fashion as a “cultural and social phenomenon, driven by the desire for the new” but acknowledges that this concept also references a global industry, “invested in anticipating what we wear and how we wish to appear to others.”
Fashion design blends these two concepts to form the art and science of creating visually compelling styles that meet functional needs but also reflect trends and cultural values. This encompasses the entire process of conceptualizing garments and bringing distinct visions to life through fabric selection and pattern creation.
What Is Illustrative Design in Fashion?
The illustrative design harnesses creative opportunities to solve defined problems. Although this practice is heavily associated with illustration and holds much in common with graphic design, it also has a powerful role to play in the fashion world, where illustrations allow designers to present their original ideas through software or on paper. Often referred to as fashion illustration, the main goal as BBC Lifesize points out, is for fashion trailblazers to “communicate their design ideas in visual form.”
Many mediums and techniques provide visually compelling representations of ideas that will eventually become tangible garments or accessories. BBC highlights the “quick drawing of the human form” known as the croquis, which aims to replicate the body shape of the person who will one day wear the garment in question. Technical illustrations address the practicalities of these garments, revealing how they will appear from multiple angles and how they will fit the wearer.
Why Patterns and Prints Matter in Fashion
Illustrative design allows fashion leaders to conceptualize original patterns and prints and reveal how these will influence the overall look and style of each garment. Unique patterns and prints can add visual interest to any piece, evoking a variety of powerful emotions or even representing distinct cultural traditions.
Designers can push boundaries by playing with patterns, which have the power to set otherwise ordinary garments apart. Although there are various ways to distinguish styles, such as using different textures or tailoring, patterns remain one of the most expressive and creative elements in fashion design.
Types of Patterns and Prints in Fashion
A wide range of patterns and prints reflect different moods, trends, and cultural traditions, drawing on distinct shapes, lines or colors to produce a dizzying array of visual effects. Fashion designers also play heavily with contrast and sizing, scaling patterns up or down depending on how bold or subtle they want these to appear. Repetition also matters as this can deliver a sense of continuity, further elevated by the overall rhythm of flow of a given design. These elements join forces to create the following evocative patterns:
Geometric and Abstract Patterns
Heavily precise and clearly structured, geometric patterns feature easy-to-distinguish shapes such as squares, rectangles, triangles, or even hexagons. Although these are often repeated to spark a symmetrical and orderly appearance, designers may play with asymmetry to achieve a bolder and more memorable effect. Concepts such as the Fibonacci sequence are heavily used to form aesthetically pleasing designs that drive harmony and visual balance.
Abstract patterns, although frequently incorporating geometric elements, tend to be less predictable and instead bring a sense of spontaneity to the forefront. These may lean into surreal aesthetics and are therefore frequently found in avant-garde styles.
Floral and Nature-Inspired Prints
Some of the most visually appealing prints draw their inspiration from the natural world. These beautiful and often intricate designs tend to capture a vintage or old-world appeal, although contemporary possibilities are abundant. A deep dive from the journal Applied Researches in Technics, Technologies and Education explains that “by applying geometric principles to traditional floral designs, designers can create a fresh interpretation of this motif that offers something new and distinctive.”
Cultural and Historical Influences
Within the familiar categories highlighted above, several cultural traditions offer inspiration and help connect fashion enthusiasts to their heritage. Paisley, for example, appeared hundreds of years ago in Persian textiles, perhaps reflecting the pomegranate as a symbol of fertility. It rose to prominence with the introduction of the Kashmir shawl but saw a resurgence during the 1960s and 1970s — and remains a popular pattern to this day.
The Process of Creating Patterns and Prints
Patterns and prints call for exceptional creativity, along with a high level of technical skill. They must be carefully selected according to consumer demand and market trends but should also reflect the designer’s creative vision. Designers must also consider seasonal and cultural elements, often using mood boards and designated themes to create inspired and cohesive collections.
The Role of Fashion Illustrators
Capable of capturing specific moods or emotions through evocative images, fashion illustrators often rely on inspiration or thematic guidelines from designers, design directors, or design managers to understand the essence of eventual prints or patterns. From there, illustrators can explore the various applications that can evoke desired feelings, often through quick sketches that allow them to unleash their creativity.
Illustrators may experiment with scale or contrast to determine which patterns are most visually resonant, and which are most relevant to the overarching theme. Eventually, however, they must narrow down these ideas or motifs, remaining mindful of fashion print trends while still focusing on a desired message or ambiance. Illustrative design provides a framework for accomplishing this, connecting the exploratory phases of fashion design with the practicalities of production.
Digital Tools in Pattern Design
While many fashion illustrators prefer the tangible practice of sketching on paper, digital tools have a powerful role to play in pattern design. For instance, digital sketching may offer enhanced control over certain patterns and can be completed using familiar programs or applications such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator. Some designers and illustrators enjoy sketching on tablets, which may enable easier editing. Advocates believe that digital strategies could potentially limit waste in fashion design.
Another advantage of digital solutions? Streamlined processes for creating repeated structures, which determine how the design will eventually flow across the fabric. Digital tools can make it easier to test repeated structures and determine how they will function under a variety of conditions. Built-in tools automatically replicate adjusted patterns, freeing fashion illustrators from time-consuming and painstaking manual processes that might otherwise prevent them from fully embracing experimentation.
Trends in Fashion Prints and Patterns
The concept of the “fashion trend” references the tendency of different styles or concepts to shift in popularity over time. Cyclical patterns often influence trends, particularly due to consumer nostalgia. However, social movements and priorities also strongly shape the prevailing styles of each era.
In recent years, we have seen a shift away from the largely minimalist styles that dominated during the 2010s, with fashion enthusiasts showing a greater willingness to experiment with bold aesthetics. Other recent trends in fashion textile design have been shaped by ethical concerns and the ongoing discourse on sustainability in fashion.
Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Prints
Sustainable fashion aims to limit waste while still allowing individuals to express themselves through the power of personal style. While we’ve mentioned the potential to limit waste through digital design strategies, eco-friendly prints are often dictated by the sustainable fabrics on which they are featured.
Materials such as linen, wool, hemp, and even recycled polyester have much to offer, but they do not always accommodate all patterns or colors with the ease of their resource-intensive counterparts. Beyond this, industry leaders emphasize the need for intentionality, and specifically, a shift away from fast fashion.
Bold, Maximalist Prints
Often described with the phrase “more is more,” maximalism offers, as costume designer Machine Dazzle tells NPR network KUOW, the opportunity for entertainment, promising confidence through chaos. “It’s taking all of this chaos and giving it an order.” This can be quite freeing for designers, illustrators and the everyday individuals they hope to desire. It involves “giving yourself permission to take up space and be seen for who you truly are.”
Customization and Personalization
Since the Industrial Revolution and the mass production of clothing, fashion enthusiasts have craved a more personalized take on their style, in which they enjoy a greater say over how their clothes fit, feel, and appear, while remaining true to overarching trends or cultural movements. Today’s more customized approach to textile pattern design blends the curated beauty of bespoke style with the cost-effective realities of mass production. This increasingly involves digital tools, which allow consumers to select patterns based on their favorite colors or fabrics.
Case Studies: Successful Use of Illustrative Design in Fashion
Many real-world success stories reveal how illustrative design can elevate the use of prints and patterns in the fashion industry. These case studies particularly demonstrate what is possible when creatives feel empowered to highlight their unique ideas through textile pattern design.
Versace and Baroque Patterns
Known for its opulent patterns, Versace has long made extensive use of gorgeous and highly intricate Baroque imagery, including distinct swirls and other eye-catching motifs. Founder Gianni Versace collected paintings and was fascinated by Baroque artwork. This most notably inspired the designer’s fall/winter collection in 1992, which paired Baroque opulence with modern vibes. These patterns were heavily researched, revealing the ability of historical insights to influence contemporary fashion.
Liberty of London’s Iconic Floral Prints
Liberty of London reveals the hidden power of intricate florals with stunning prints that stand out because they are so detailed and precise. Drawing inspiration from the natural world, these lovely prints have a distinctly English appearance, with designers and illustrators pairing real-world floral imagery with creative abstractions to arrive at patterns that feel both traditional and fresh. This lends Liberty of London a distinct brand identity and reveals the value of local inspiration in fashion textile design.
Tips for Aspiring Illustrative Designers in Fashion
Intrigued by the creative possibilities of illustrative design? As a fashion illustrator, you have the power to bring fascinating ideas to life. To succeed in this niche, you will need to develop a variety of artistic and even technological skills. It takes time to learn how to design fabric prints and can be even more difficult to develop a signature style. Follow these tips to get started:
Fundamentals of Illustration
While digital tools can enhance fashion illustration and pattern development (as we will discuss in more detail below), illustration fundamentals remain crucial in this field. At minimum, illustrators must be able to sketch the human form. This calls for a thorough understanding of human anatomy and proportions, although quick sketching techniques are also valuable for capturing innovative concepts at a moment’s notice.
Shading techniques allow fashion illustrators to depict a variety of textures so that various fabrics or materials are accurately conveyed. Finally, color theory ensures that illustrative designers select palettes capable of creating the right mood or atmosphere.
Learning Digital Design Tools
Given the increased reliance on software solutions such as Adobe Illustrator for streamlining time-consuming pattern editing processes, it is now more important than ever for illustrative designers to embrace these technologies. This does not necessarily mean abandoning traditional techniques, but it can be helpful to supplement these with more efficient digital solutions from time to time. Future illustrative designers should be prepared to experiment with several design tools, including not only Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator but also CorelDRAW and Clo 3D, among others.
Collaborating With Fashion Designers
Fashion is a wonderfully collaborative field, with illustrative designers typically teaming up with other fashion professionals to bring meaningful concepts to life. As we have discussed, the illustrative process is often shaped by fashion directors or managers, who provide insight about market trends and even technological opportunities.
You must networkwith other designers in the fashion industry as these collaborators can provide a wealth of inspiration. Don’t be afraid to exchange ideas or discuss industry trends. With a spirit of mutual respect, the entire design community can provide much-needed support and encouragement while unleashing new creative possibilities.
Discover the Possibilities of Illustrative Design in Fashion and Beyond
Whether you envision a career in fashion, graphic design, or other creative fields, you can learn so much as you study illustrative design with Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD). Our Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustrative Design encourages students to adopt an illustrative approach while embracing creative ideas. This program is available online and in-person, but all students can expect immersive instruction and practical support. Reach out today to learn more.
