The September issue of The Styleapple Juggernaut is now available, Here is an excerpt:

It's Fashion week in New York City. A time for the fashion industry to enjoy all the fruits produced from fashion designers who have worked around the clock to create collections they hope will invite rave reviews from critics and spectators alike.  For that reason We've dedicated this issue to all of our fashion designers in the Styleapple network.  Read the complete issue here.

Fashion Illustration by Camille Wilkinson

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I know as a design professional, finding the right designer to do a specific job can be time consuming and somewhat difficult, much less trying to find one when you're outside the design industry and not familiar with design at all. I've created the "Hire A Designer" series to help clients find the right designer by giving them some valuable tips on what to look for when hiring for their next big project.

I will be selecting design professionals from within the Styleapple design network to participate in this series and present what they feel are the top 10 most important things to look for when hiring a designer.

This week I've managed to secure Camille Wilkinson to discuss what she feels are the ten most important things to consider when hiring a fashion designer. Camille Wilkinson has worked in the fashion industry for over 25 years and has created a reputation for working with some of the top brands in the industry. I have had the chance to work with Camille and found her to be both professional and very creative. You can see some of her design work on Styleapple.

The designer tips in this series will be introduced on Branded Designers but the complete list will be posted on the Styleapple "Hire A Designer" pages where clients are submitting quote requests to the Styleapple Network.

Here is a briefing of Camille's Top 10...

POINT 1. From the first online (or offline) portfolio to the last portfolio you sift through, ask yourself: Which one blew you out of your socks?

POINT 2. Those portfolios that knock your socks off are where to start your follow-up.

POINT 3. What made them catch your eye, hold your breath, and call in the rest of your team to see what you see. If you know what you need, seeing what fits the bill should be easy. The plus of looking, is if you find something more, something je ne sais pas (I don't know what), but when you see it - wow - you know it.

It might be good to know what kind of environment they best design in... It is not just a passing curiosity to know how a designer thrives best. And aside from the physical environment, what is the computer environment or OS (operating system) - along with the programs - that made their work pop. Genius may also have its source in the tools used.

POINT 4. A good portfolio contains - like manners - a designer's best foot forward, their best work, their best representation of all of what they can do as a designer. And like manners, it's not a façade, it's not a put-on, it's in fact the super powers that they have cultivated throughout their career to the point where they are now: Now, ‘You Are Here'. So no worries, they should be able to back up what ever they have presented. That is to say, they should be able to apply all their talents and skills to whatever you may challenge them with.

POINT 5. Check and balance your initial awe of pretty pictures with sound design process practicalities. If you don't see it in the portfolio, and you still want to investigate what the designer is capable of, let this be one question in your first line of defense upon interviewing:

QUESTION #1. Are you capable of detailing your designs in a tech pack?
You should also ask:
QUESTION #2. Are you capable of leading fit meetings for your designs?
And since you are on this track, ask this:
QUESTION #3. Are you knowledgeable of fabric types, constructions, knitting qualities, and gauges?

Yes, you need to get technical with a prospective designer, to know the perimeters of their skills. Even if you have departments who this work is delegated to, a designer must know how to communicate with them to get their designs to the next stage. 

See the complete list here>>

If you are interested in writing a top 10 for your discipline in design. Feel free to leave a comment or contact me directly at calvin [at] styleapple [dot] com

Are You Looking To Hire A Designer? 

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I've been on a mission searching for fashion designers  or  fashion design companies who use their blogs to effectively promote their businesses.   This list will inevitably grow, so if you'd like to be included send me your link.

The Smashing Blog - All Things New and Smashing From the Front Lines of The indie Fashion Revolution. This blog spotlights young fashion designers and also have some great interviews of up and coming designers. The smashing darling website is also a great place to sell your new collections; great for young fashion designers.

Independent Fashion Bloggers -  A Fashion community made up of fashion design bloggers and pros  sharing ideas and growing their businesses. A growing resource of information for young  fashion designers or anyone in the fashion industry.

Fashion Incubator - Lessons from the sustainable factory floor.   Definitely a great resource for fashion designers, pattern makers or any fashion professional looking for advice from freelancing to billing clients to pattern making tutorials. 

Jack + Bill - Jack + Bill is a public relations agency dedicated to identifying, branding and publicizing emerging fashion talent.   I need to do a bit more research on them to get more details on how they business, but seem to have a genuine interest in growing young fashion designers.

Final Fashion -  fashion and fiction.  Danielle Meder is a fashion blogger/fashion illustrator who's work I've admired for a while.  Great blog. Very talented illustrator.

Truegrey - Adventures in Fashion Design & Illustration.   Megan Thomas is a fashion blogger/fashion designer who uses the blogosphere to effectively promote her design and illustration projects.

StyleBubble -Fashion blog.  What I like about this blog is how fun it is. The author, Susie is very creative and gives her reader a reason to keep coming back to see what's new whether it be a cool fashion trip she took or simple an outfit that she put together.

Compai - Compai is a crafty, green design studio dedicated to creative projects that employ recycled materials.

Fashion Design Blog - A Collection of Fashion Designers and Design Boutiques blogging and showcases their collections.

Jennyvi Dizon Couture - A custom bridal and eveningwear fashion design label effectively utilizing their blog to promote their business.

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