Pages: 12

Creativity and innovation are closely intertwined concepts which will be defined and explored in this book, with a specific focus on the context of the fashion business. Fashion has numerous definitions, and in this study it will be confined largely to the clothing and footwear sector. The creative economy has become increasingly important in Western countries, rising to 4.3 million jobs in the UK in 2022, constituting 12.9% of jobs in the UK, having expanded at twice the speed of the UK economy in general during 2011 to 2019 (DCMS, 2022). Designer fashion is considered to be one of nine subsectors of the creative industries by the UK government. Wilson (2009) presciently discussed the growing importance of the creative economy, addressing the potential clash between creativity and commerce and questioning whether the education system was sufficiently prepared at the time for this burgeoning sector. Martin and Wilson (2018:ix) describe creativity as “a universal human capacity”, stating that “commercially motivated interest in creativity has mushroomed, and there is now a global industry dedicated to enhancing, fostering, enabling, and developing creativity in the workplace”. This book largely addresses creativity within the context of being employed within this industry, but may also have relevance for those engaged in being creative as a leisure pursuit.

Pages: 33

This chapter explores a range of sources typically used by fashion creatives to inspire ideas, fashion trends, fashion history, art, contemporary culture, ethnic clothing and technical developments being the main elements. Methods of finding and utilising this information are also assessed, from web searches to directional shopping trips and gallery visits. This chapter demonstrates how the creative process for the same garment can connect from one person to another, and those involved in the process therefore require visual and verbal communication, technical and social skills to collaborate effectively to achieve the tangible representation of conceptual ideas. The potential sources of creative inspiration for fashion design can be from the past (fashion history and art or ethnic styling), present (contemporary culture and competitive intelligence) and/or future (fashion trends and technological developments), which the designer blends in varying proportions to form the ideas for new fashion products to meet the needs of a brand or retailer's target customers.

Pages: 32

This chapter explores current major technical innovations in the fashion business and the potential impact and changes to the industry, garments and consumers alike. Since the industrial revolution (a large part of which was driven by textile invention and innovation), the ways in which fabrics and clothing are mass-manufactured and constructed have changed relatively little. A key area of innovation has been in the development of sustainable, plant-based fibres, as well as dyeing, printing and finishing processes. This chapter examines the contemporary fashion industry with regard to innovative technology and what the future has in store, focusing largely on fabric- and fashion-related innovations: new fibres and raw materials, novel ways of dyeing and finishing textiles, and innovations in clothing design and manufacture. The chapter also includes interviews with technical experts in manufacturing, retailing and digital aspects of the fashion business.

Pages: 35

This chapter assesses established theories on innovation and the ways in which they can be applied in practice. The fashion business has specific modes of operation, such as the necessity for speed in product development and adapting products for differing cultural requirements in a global market, which make this sector differ from others, and calls for adaptation of theories to suit this area of industry. In general, innovation theories are relatively practical in focus, in comparison to those in many other business disciplines. Whilst theories may sometimes seem beneficial only in academic circles, they can often identify patterns and processes of value to industry. The chapter also includes interviews with eminent academics specialising in innovation and discusses a selection of those theories that are most applicable to the development of clothing, to assist in gaining an analytical view of fashion innovation. Established theories such as the New Product Development process, the product life cycle and the diffusion of innovations are explored and applied. A new model is proposed to encapsulate aspects of fashion innovation, setting boundaries which can enhance commerciality.

Pages: 28

This chapter explores the role and structure of the fashion forecasting sector and its integration within the fashion business. The organisation of forecasting consultancies is considered, alongside the distribution of trend information via international fashion and fabric trade fairs. The integration of consumer ideas into companies’ innovation processes is also discussed. Fashion forecasting has evolved from predicting trends based on a centralised source of creativity and innovation to multiple sources of inspiration. The future of forecasting is becoming more challenging with the advent of AI-generated big data and the active role consumers play in creating trends. Trend forecasters can translate these rich sources of market and consumer intelligence into the right fashion trends for an increasingly complex, diverse global marketplace. The chapter covers how fashion forecasting has evolved, long-term and short-term trends, the roles of fashion forecasters, identifying creative opportunities, the in-house design and trend agencies approach, trend agencies as an asset to creativity and innovation and the future of forecasting, and a new era of consumer-driven innovation. This chapter also includes interviews with fashion forecasting experts.

Pages: 33

This chapter will assess the significance of environmental and social sustainability in the contemporary fashion business. Creativity and innovation are central to sustainability in product development, manufacturing and retailing, since developing sustainable concepts can be considered a creative process. In order to create innovative, sustainable ideas, it is essential for designers and other employees in creative roles to learn about sustainability, via their education or through experience in the workplace or leisure interests. Forward-thinking companies provide training and information about sustainability for their workers, offering agency to act sustainably to those involved in product development processes. This chapter will assess the significance of innovation in environmental and social sustainability in the fashion sector, covering the topics of the circular economy, sustainability and innovation in product development, sustainability in clothing manufacture, sustainable innovations in clothing retailing, hire and exchange, and innovations in garment disposal and recycling. Interviews with specialists in sustainability in the fashion business are also included, expressing their views on innovation.

Pages: 30

This chapter explores a variety of innovation sources and processes used in the development of fashion brands and “designer” ready-to-wear collections, discussing how leadership and organisational structure of these differing market levels and recent global events affect creative and innovative processes. Some of the key changes and drivers in this sector, including shifts towards sustainability and digitisation, are examined. Typically, designer brands focus on creating a sense of uniqueness and exclusivity, and as a result create limited production runs. Also known for their higher price points, designer brands look to reflect craftmanship and quality whilst appealing to a target audience that is willing to invest in these core values. The design process, co-creation, fabric selection, the production process, potential uses for AI and innovative business models are also discussed. Interviews with professionals in the branded and ready-to-wear sectors, including London Fashion Week designers, provide personal insights into how creativity and innovation can be applied in practice at this market level.

Pages: 29

This chapter examines creativity and innovation within the mass market sector of the fashion industry, one of the biggest fashion sectors, delivering trend-led products at good value to the masses. Innovation is a constant requirement, driven by fast-moving fashion trends, customer expectations of continual newness, and strong competition. Constraints on creativity and innovation within the mass market are discussed, including team dynamics, production lead times, limited differentiation, customer expectations, fast fashion, sustainability, previous experience and trend shifts. Solutions to innovation constraints can be put in place in terms of the effective development of fabric, fit, design details, co-creation and collaborations with other brands or celebrities. This chapter also explores key differences within the process of creativity and innovation between the mass market and ready-to-wear and branded fashion. Successful innovation often involves a combination of technology adoption, sustainability initiatives and strategies that resonate with the diverse preferences of mass market consumers. By adopting these innovative strategies, mass market fashion brands can differentiate themselves from competitors. Additionally, the various stages in the design process are explored, giving a comprehensive overview and contextualisation of innovation in a real-life context. Interviews with industry experts from the mass market offer current perspectives on innovation issues affecting retailers today.