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A Designer Meltdown
By admins | August 20, 2009
Flickr image via Evil Erin
One of our writers, a designer, would like to share the following rant regarding her employer with you. That’s the great thing about having a blog you can vicariously and anonymously get out all of your frustrations without fear of repercussions. Advice or support would be greatly appreciated. Enjoy…
“Shut the fuck up! No really, shut the fuck up, it’s my design!” That’s what I’ve wanted to scream all day long. From one meeting to the next, my brain is just screaming, and if I wasn’t so pissed I would be crying by now!
For the last few weeks I have been laboring over a knit tops line for my company. Anyone who works for a large apparel company knows that creative freedom is often nixed right from the start. After countless meetings, where the VP of Design and Design Director gave specific trend direction and a color card that I MUST follow, I was instructed to develop a line that would be “innovative” and “pop” on the retail floor. And of course, most importantly, sell, sell, sell!!! Now, I’m sure you all can see this train wreck coming from a mile away, i.e. the fact that “innovative”, and “sell” rarely seem to coincide in the apparel industry.
After endless and sweltering (why can’t NYC offices keep the A/C on after 7pm) late nights slaving away on this line, things are finally coming together. The line is certainly “innovative” and the whole team is totally excited about it. Then suddenly, I’m called into yet another day of meetings. Rather then spending my time creatively (say, finishing my line) I’m forced into meetings with our production and sourcing teams. I’m engaged in mind-numbing discussions of how to meet our margins and accommodate lower price points. By 1:30, with no lunch break in sight, I’m deliriously fantasizing about using the Production Manager’s head as a pin cushion and strangling our Operations Director with my measuring tape. Over the next few days I get instructions from everybody and their brother (literally) on how we cannot design anything remotely costly. And what does that mean you ask? No elaborate trims, high-tech printing, embellishments, complex patterns, hand stitching, excess cutting, costly dyes, new fabric development, and the list goes on and on. For the next few days, my team and I are in a mad and slightly hysterical rush to redo all our work, while following the extensive list of regulations and revised budget plans.
The day quickly came to present the knit line for final approval, before moving into development. Can you guess what happened? Yes, shocking, the line was deemed “not innovative”, “plain”, and “too basic”; hmmm, gee, I wonder why that could be? Yes, it was plain and of course it was not my most innovative. Yes, the line could be better, but my hands were tied. Part of being a designer for a large mid-tier line is creating something desirable and creative within budget. However, the massive amount of bullshit happens when the heads of design/merchandising are expecting Alexander Wang quality at Banana Republic prices. But here is my biggest problem with this, why the hell can’t everybody get on the same freaking page! Why can’t the design heads just sit in on the production meetings and hear from the heads of the company that we can NOT afford to be using cashmere or adding hand-knotted embroidery? Would that be so hard?
So instead, we all go round and round, redesigning the same line over and over. Until one day the deadline has passed and what ever is approved gets rushed to production. At this point the designers are burnt out; it’s been months of drama, and nobody has the energy left to fight over a boat neck sweater. So, for all you fashionistas out there who are sick of boring merchandise in the stores, and for anyone who has ever bemoaned the constant sameness of our retailers, have some mercy. Because for every “blah” item you see, know there was a designer who once had a better plan for it, but she lost the fight. And she’s really fucking pissed off about it too!
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Topics: fashion industry, rant | 6 Comments » 
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August 20th, 2009 at 1:24 am
woah. THAT is a lot of pent up rage.! but sadly enough, i can totally relate to what she has to say. these bosses from hell hardly realise the pain and effort that goes into the design and expect it to be moulded to their likings at the drop of a hat! outrageous i say! my heart felt sympathies to miss pissed-off-beyond-imagination.
ps: i shouldnt be sayin this, but it was hilarious read :D
August 20th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Thanks for the insight. I mean sometimes I do get angry that things seem kind of blah and now I have a reason. This is kind of the reason I like smaller labels because normally they can take more of a risk.
August 20th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Um this is so my life! I actually wrote about a very similar dilemma in your forum and have concluded there is no solution, just start drinking more! ;-)
August 20th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve thought the exact same thing. Between our design director, and our sales team, there’s always somebody I want to just slap across the face and yell “Make up your mind already! Think it all the way through, and then either give me some clear direction, or let me do my own thing!”
August 23rd, 2009 at 12:43 am
Ohhhh – been there! And don’t forget the “buyer’s” – all frustrated designers (”I like this bodice, but with THAT skirt – oh and change the collar & then I’ll take 500 dozen” – gee thanks, it’s no longer even my design!).
August 23rd, 2009 at 9:54 am
Fashionmonger- So true and yes its ok to find it funny. If we can’t laugh we’d have to cry.
Mikelle- Yes, smaller labels definitely do not have the kind of red-tape and bureaucracy that keeps creativity down. Too bad we can’t all have our own indie lines!
Fash Guru- Yes, actually your post did inspire our writer. Because as you sure know, it’s a too common problem.
Nikki-Well said! Perhaps every design department needs that as its logo. We can make t-shirts, although they’d probably get reworked as well!
Heather- So true, and don’t forget, “and for half the price!”