Interpretation and Inspiration in Fashion Design

by Ava Ferrise

Inspiration, by multiple sources, is defined as something that influences and excites--a source of motivation. It is what every designer, no matter what field, searches for when beginning a project. It is everywhere, hidden in books or gardens; cities or paintings; experiences, and the abstract. Individuals decide for themselves what inspires them, and they pick out the details they want to explore. Everyone looks at a “source of motivation”, influence, and excitement with different lenses.

Take Women in a Garden by Impressionist painter Claude Monet as an example. You are standing before it at a museum with two people between you. The person on the right may be interested in the woman in polka dots, thinking she is hurrying after a bird behind the tree. The person on the left of you may have their eyes locked on the girl in the green stripes and imagines her talking about French politics. You, on the other hand, have the liberty as an individual to be taken by whichever part of the painting you please and think whatever you want about what is going on in Monet’s masterpiece.

The latter is where interpretation comes into play. Both the viewer and the creator have the liberty to interpret an object or concept however they want. Different points of view make way for excellent conversation and promote healthy doses of diversity. Fashion designers interpret sources of inspiration in diverse manners. If the inspiration is Women in a Garden, one designer may interpret the color schemes, while another may pay more attention to the patterns on the dresses.

Fashion designers use what inspires them as the root of their collections and creations. From there, mood boards expand the idea and clarify how the designer interprets their source. It helps with color and fabric choice, too.

Explore the world around you. Go to museums and gardens. Don’t just look; observe, examine, and analyze what you are attracted to. Nature is often a huge inspiration to designers and artists. Travel as much as you can. Be inspired by the history, art, and culture of cities old and new. Go to Instagram and Pinterest for ideas and photography. Watch movies and read books to be inspired by the theme or characters. Magazines have plenty of inspiration, and it can be enjoyable to cut out pictures to make a collage.

Whatever you may seek out as the backbone of your design, make sure you are seeing it through your own eyes. Take advice from those you trust, but do not base your designs solely on what others tell you. You, as stated before, can interpret your inspiration for yourself.