新的设计前沿
Western wear — in particular men’s western workwear — wasn’t something Tess Richardson had given much thought to in the past. 这一切都在2023年夏天改变了，当时365滚球官网 服装、纺织品及设计 一名学生在加州尔湾的Boot Barn完成了实习.
来自安多弗的大四学生, Minnesota, Richardson’s previous design experience mostly focused on clothing for herself or her friends. The Boot Barn internship pushed her outside her comfort zone and allowed her to grow as a designer.
“学习为新消费者设计是一项挑战，”她说. “I was designing for someone who was very much not myself but, in the end, I really enjoyed it. The hardest part was learning to design within this box while still being creative.”
作为服装设计实习生, 理查森的任务是设计三个概念——一件衬衫, 靴子谷仓的兄弟和儿子的独家品牌夹克和背心. Utilizing a road map provided by Boot Barn’s fashion buyers that included preferred concepts, colors, 每个项目的价格点和发布日期, Richardson set out to design pieces that would appeal to a rugged western man.
和她的主管一起工作, 高级男装设计师James Webster, Richardson created and refined concepts until the pair landed on a final design.
“It was a conversation, building off of each other of what the design could be,” she said. “The first designs I came to him with are very different than what we ended up with. I came up with ideas but was also looking at what had been done in the past so that it would fit the brand. 我们会一起解决问题来改进设计.”
理查森的两个设计被选中投入生产. In fall 2024, Boot Barn will release Richardson’s reversible Sherpa jacket that includes military, vintage inspired pockets with color blocking and a vest made from the same materials with different pockets for workwear.
运用课堂知识
一旦她的设计被选中，理查森就开始着手制作技术包. A tech pack is a blueprint for the garment and contains all the technical specifications and design details needed for manufacturers to produce the final product. Each sheet of the tech pack includes various drawings of the design showing closeup images of different aspects.
“The directions can get messed up just written out so it’s important to have both and make sure the drawing looks like exactly what you want,” she said. “我在这上面花了很多时间. 我学到了很多.”
She also met with the technical designers who make the patterns for the design and completed bill of materials sheets that included the specific materials for each design, 包括拉链样式和纽扣.
当她不忙于她的特殊设计时, 理查森参加了与供应商的会议, went to fit sessions with models and learned what other departments at the company did, 包括店面布局.
“Store layouts was my favorite because it was the most informative of how far Boot Barn has come in their rebranding and how much they have expanded as a company,” she said. 了解整个公司是件好事. 对于他们和我的实习，我只有好话要说.”
虽然实习只有七周, Richardson was able to put her skills and knowledge gained in the classroom into practice.
“It was really rewarding to know that what I have been working towards is applicable in the workplace,” she said. “我在Adobe Illustrator上学得更快了，还学到了更多的工具, but the fact that I could jump in on the first day and start sketching on Adobe was really important to me. 我想这绝对是我准备最充分的地方.”
而Richardson则在实习期间加强了自己的设计技能, 她最大的收获是学习如何解释她的概念.
“我必须学习很多关于如何谈论我的工作的知识，”她说. “I typically am not good at sharing why I did that, why that’s there and what it means. So, meeting with my manager about my designs for the first time, I didn’t know what to say. As we met more, I was able to justify my designs and talk about and present them.”
发现U (I)
Richardson originally enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, 2021年的威斯康星州, but had difficulty making friends and getting involved due to COVID-19 restrictions. She began looking at other options but struggled to find a university that offered transfer scholarships. A friend mentioned that they were transferring to a school in Idaho, so she investigated the options. 伊利诺伊大学是唯一一所提供服装的学校, 纺织和设计项目和转学奖学金.
“When I came here Chelsey (Lewallen) and Sonya (Meyer) gave me a tour with Trevor (White) and I got to see all the studio space and the work from the students. 和切尔西和索尼娅聊天, to see their excitement for their students is what really sold me on the college,” she said. “They will help you do whatever you’re passionate about and they are going to be passionate about it with you.”
一到学校，理查森就立刻参与进来. 她加入了Kappa Kappa Gamma, CALS大使, the Apparel, Textiles and Design Club and Phi Upsilon Omicron National Honors Society. She has also participated in two undergraduate research projects focused on knitting machines.
“这里的机会太棒了，”她说. “Your professors are going to support you in whatever endeavor you want to take on and your peers are going to support you too. 在一所小大学里, it’s a gift to know your professors and have them know your name and be willing to meet with you and support you.”
Richardson will graduate in May 2024 and her experience with Boot Barn has opened her eyes to a wider variety of career paths.
“今年夏天过后，我对男装有了更多的兴趣，”她说. “I think it’s interesting to design for someone that is completely not yourself. 我在设计的时候不考虑自己, I’m thinking about a very specific person and that’s what really pushes you creatively. 因为大多数时候你的消费者并不是你自己.”
