It is time to get back to what you all love the most: hands-on fittings and seeing your final products. As I said in my prior blog post, let’s move into size check run. This step is no rocket science, but it is an important step to make sure your garments are fitting perfectly and you are ready for production.
Once the size check run is done we are almost ready to start production. Your photoshoot will, most likely, be after a size check run, because you can use the samples produced here for your photoshoot. Regardless of using these samples for your shoot or not, all of these samples and expenses should be mentioned on your budget so far and, here is where you will see if your grading is 100% good to go.
Remember the previous post INSIDE THE FASHION INDUSTRY - Digitizing & Grading? If you read this previous step, you will have a pretty good understanding of what grading is and why it is important to make sure the sizes are all correct. That is the main goal of the size check run.
Let’s break down the size check run steps.
1. Ordering all fabrics and supplies
Ok, if the size check run is the moment where you will be creating samples in each size and fitting them all, you should have this expense listed on your budget. At this point, you should have actual prices and not only estimates.
Yes, the size check run is expensive. Producing size check run samples should be a little cheaper than producing your first samples, but still, it is expensive. Just think about it, if you are testing sizes XS, S, L, and XL, that is 4 sizes, 4 samples, and 4 fitting models (one in each size). Plus fit models agencies normally charge an hour minimum. Plus all materials.
The materials are one of the most important things here. Especially because fabrics can take up to three weeks delivery (if vendors have everything in stock). So, to avoid any delays on your timeline, you need to make sure that you will have all supplies for your size check run.
2. Ordering plot outs in all sizes
Let me pull you back to our last blog post INSIDE THE FASHION INDUSTRY - Digitizing & Grading. Do you remember what a plot-out is? If so, amazing! If not, here is a quick explanation.
Plot-outs: the print of your pattern in a specific size.
So, to create your size check run, you need to order plot-outs in all sizes you will be producing because you obviously want to make sure each size is fitting perfectly.
3. Creating samples in all sizes
As I said, the size check run can be expensive. That is one of the reasons you might want to use these samples for your photoshoot as well.
Since you are creating a sample in each size, possibly each colorway, you can use this later on for the photoshoot and sample sale. But the main goal here is to make sure you have perfect samples to fit.
4. Fitting
Let’s circle back to when I said that you will need a model in each size and model agencies normally charge for an hour minimum. So make sure you will take the most advantage of this time, try every single style, take a lot of pictures and confirm that each garment fits perfectly.
Side note: before hiring your fit models, check each model's measurements, compare them to your size chart and make sure they are all within your size chart numbers. That is the main point of the fitting.
As I said, the size check run is no rocket science and it is obviously very hands-on. Here is when you will see your final garments and how they fit, that is why it needs to be done, tested, and approved before moving into production markers. Speaking of the next step: production markers.
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