In product, they call it the design process. Problem framing. Research and understanding, analyzing data. Wireframes and user flows, prototyping and usability testing, iterating based on testing. Final hand-off, ship.

In fashion, culturally listening is our market research. We look to the runways and the streets for inspiration. Both shape what trends emerge for upcoming seasons. We analyze across runway collections, document our findings, and make a detailed shopping report from our trips to Tokyo, Paris, Seoul, and Amsterdam.

We start with fabric and it sets the stage for the entire season. You get inspired by how it moves, feels, and drapes. We balance proven performance with newness - safe bets alongside a couple wild cards.

For me, construction tells you everything. It’s what separates a fabric that looks expensive from one that isn’t, regardless of price. Price is always a constraint, and constraints always shape the decision.

It’s not blindly chosen either. Fabric meetings with suppliers take hours, and sometimes days. We order sample yardage and test it. If it doesn't work out, we switch mid-process or fall back on a proven fabric to hit the deadline.

For our Spring collection, we chose a new Turkish denim wash house. Upon receiving our first protos, we were shocked. The quality was not to our standard. I suggested we choose the competing Turkish wash house that produced better samples. The creative director agreed, and we pivoted mid-season to reallocate an entire capsule.

We were 1.5 weeks out from proto review. Sales and merch were sitting in to see the collection.

That was just 12 out of 120 styles in the denim collection alone.

We hit the deadline.

Proto review went well.