How to Create Innovations in the Fashion Industry

Hello Everyone,

Fashion designers create new unique clothing or design new functions and qualities for existing clothing depending on the social needs.

The designer determines the main tasks of the design project at first and then selects the design method. This design method should help in finding the best and the shortest way to the problem solution.

There is a fairly large number of methods for generating new ideas. For example, the similarity method, when design or technology of a new costume is created on the basis of an existing solution in historical costumes, architecture, art objects, or the environment; the bionic method, based on the analysis of natural objects and the use of bionic forms, colors, textures, mechanics of movement, and so on for design of new forms of clothing, textile patterns, fabric texture; the method of splitting a problem and successive approximation, in which a complex problem is decomposed into its components, and then a chain of particular problems is sequentially solved; the method of morphological analysis proposed by Fritz Zwicky; the brainstorming method, when a large number of different ideas must be generated in a short period of time; and many other methods.

There is a methodology that can help to develop inventive thinking [1], to overcome psychological inertia, and to find the best solution to an inventive problem in the most efficient way - this is TRIZ or Theory of Inventive Problem Solving.

This system of innovative thinking was created by the Soviet scientist and inventor Genrich Altshuller in 1946. The methodology is based on the analysis of patents and the history of technology development. Currently, TRIZ is actively used for solving various technical problems as well as tasks from other areas such as business, medicine, education, etc. Unfortunately, TRIZ methodology is hardly ever used in the Fashion industry.

TRIZ shows the direction of thought by identifying and resolving contradictions in a given task. TRIZ methods can be used at any design stage. Moreover, the use of TRIZ does not exclude the use of any other design methods, but helps to find the best methods for solving a particular problem.

Have a look at the below except from the e-textbook "TRIZ: Fashion Innovation" by V. Petrov and H. Solodkina.

Problem 1.2. A corset

Problem conditions

From time to time, the "hourglass" silhouette becomes fashionable. Women want to be seen with slim waists. However, not every woman has a slender waist at any age.

A corset was invented for molding a figure into an "hourglass" silhouette. A corset pulls the body around the waist and gives the impression that a woman has a smaller waist and an hourglass figure. However, the internal organs are compressed in a tight corset, and this adversely affects woman health.

How can this problem be solved?

Problem analysis

Let's define the Superficial Contradiction, a contradiction between the need and the possibility of its satisfaction:

Superficial Contradiction

SC: A

SC: Women want to be seen with smaller waists (A), but do not always physically have a slim waist.

Let's reveal the Contradiction of Requirements when improvement of one parameter comes along with an unacceptable deterioration of the other parameter.

Contradiction of Requirements (CR)

CR: А – anti-B

CR: A woman can demonstrate a slim waist (A) by wearing a tight corset. However, a corset compresses the internal organs of a woman and harms her health (anti-B).

Let’s formulate the Ideal Final Result.

Ideal Final Result (IFR)

IFR: A, B

IFR: Women demonstrate smaller waists (A) but do not harm their health (B).

Let's define the Contradiction of Properties by deepening contradictions further. We need to find contradictory properties that must satisfy both IFR requirements.

Contradiction of Properties (CP)

CP: P→A, anti-P→B

CP: The waist size should be reduced (P) to demonstrate a smaller waist (A), and should not be reduced (anti-P) so that not to compress the internal organs and not to harm the health (B).

Analysis of CR and CP

Let’s identify, what CR requirement is mandatory (it can't change) and what CR requirement is not mandatory (it can change).

A mandatory requirement is do not harm the health.

It means that we can change a requirement to demonstrate a smaller waist.

Let's analyze CP requirements.

According to the CR analysis, the waist size should not be reduced in order to not harm the health.

It is also necessary to find out why the use of a corset is harmful to the health (Fig. 1).



Fig. 1. The impact of a corset

In the past, corsets were made of dense fabric. Boning channels (casing) were stitched on the corset surface. Wale, iron or wood bones were inserted into each channel. That is why the corset construction was very rigid (Fig. 2).



Fig. 2. Corset

Resolution of CP features

Modern fashion designers look for a solution to a difficult task: how to create the desired "hourglass" silhouette and not to harm a woman's health.

The opposite (contradictory) features can be separated:

• in space;
• in time;
• in structure;
• by condition.

Separation in structure.

Development of new materials and technologies helps fashion designers to find a solution.

1. Elastic textiles can be used in order to make the corset structure less rigid.

The ideal corset is a corset that does not exist, but its function is fulfilled. The ideal corset does not reduce the physical size of the waist (does not harm health). It creates the effect of a slim waist.

2. An illusion of a slim waist can be achieved with the use of visual effects:

2.1. The illusion of contrast is used, which means that small objects look even smaller next to large objects. For example, a waist looks slimmer if a dress has a wide skirt. (Fig. 3).

2.2. A smaller waist illusion can be created with backlight and a stage background.

A fabric insertion of contrasting color can be used in a garment as a center front panel. This insertion should narrow at the waistline (Fig. 4).



Fig. 3. The illusion of contrast

Separation in space.

A fabric insertion of contrasting color can be used in a garment as a center front panel. This insertion should narrow at the waistline (Fig.4).



Fig. 4. The dress center front panel in contrasting color

Separation in time.

Dynamic changes, such as appearance of a full waist at first, and then a slim waist after, can be used for a stage performance. This effect can be achieved by using inflatable clothes, clothes made from memory shape material, and by applying an illusion of light and color.

Separation by condition.

A small waist or a full waist can be created when needed using all the above methods.

Separation in system.

Parts of a garment or all clothing are made as needed in a particular place, at the right time, according to the relevant condition (Fig. 5).



Fig. 5. The corset with the contrast insertion

If you want to learn more about the TRIZ methodology and its application in the Fashion industry for various problem solving, read the e-textbook "TRIZ: Fashion Innovation".

Sources:

1. Петров Владимир. Талантливое мышление: ТРИЗ [б. м.]: Издательские решения, 2018. – 280 с. – ISBN 978-5-4493-5785-4 (In Russian) [Petrov Vladimir. Talantlivoye myshleniye: TRIZ]

2. V. Petrov, H. Solodkina. TRIZ: Fashion Innovation, Toronto: EAS, 2021 – 118 p.: il., ISBN 978-1-989052-12-9