Pattern making is one of the most important parts of developing your collection. The pattern is the first 2D vision of what a garment should look like. If it is not done right the fitting will not be correct and the whole garment, grading, production, and all steps after that will not fit correctly. Yes, pattern making is hard! Believe me, if you think the math involved in costing is difficult, try some pattern making… Choosing the right pattern makers and using a size chart that best fits your brand is something not only necessary but will make the whole difference for your branding in the long term run.
Now, when we are talking about pattern making we are talking about handling a tech sketch with the fabric information to whoever is the manufacturer working on your project. Good pattern makers will tell you “this needs a seam here” or “this needs a zipper there or a stretchy fabric, otherwise it will not work”. They will instruct you and tell you what would be the best construction for your garment, BUT when it is about choosing the fitting of the garment and the size chart used, that is up to you.
Choosing a size chart that fits your brand should not be any rocket science. I know designers want to come up with the best measurements, the best grading rules, and make sure their garments will be perfect for everybody, but we all know that is impossible. Every body is a different body. When you build up your branding and choose the style of your garments, you will know the type of fitting you are going for - is it a loose-fitting like a maxi dress or is it a cocktail kinda dress? Is it trousers or activewear leggings? All these details will determine the style of your garments and will tell you how you want the fitting to look like.
Working on your market research, checking who are your direct competitors and what their size charts are is the main way to pull up an effective and “industry standard” fitting for your garments. No, you do not need to make a copy of their size chart, but when it is about grading and sizes, there is no way you can run away from the basics. Coming up with complicated measurements and creating a whole new size chart never seen before is the way to make things more complicated and less accessible to your customers - and to your pattern maker…
Like I mentioned, no, you do not need to copy another brand’s size chart, but you do want to make sure your fitting is something that will come as an easy understanding to your clients. That is why choosing your size chart and working with the correct pattern makers is one of the first and most important steps of product development. Getting that fit right and making sure your future collections will stick to the same size chart is the way to build not only loyal customers but also consistency to your branding.
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