Contrary to popular depictions in reality TV, the life of A Fashion designer is often less about dramatic sketches and last-minute creations and more about the intricacies of design development, team collaboration, and client management. Many envision fashion designers working in bustling hubs like Manhattan or Los Angeles, but the reality is that a fashion design career can thrive anywhere, even remotely. Our freelance apparel design agency, KRSTN NDRSN, operates entirely online, proving that creativity and fashion know no geographical boundaries.
To offer a glimpse into the authentic, everyday experience of a fashion designer, and how we operate outside the typical fashion epicenters, here’s a look at a typical workday for the KRSTN NDRSN team, including my own routine.
Morning Rituals of a Fashion Designer
Wake-up Time: My day usually begins around 6:00 am, initiating my morning routine. One of the first and most cherished steps is preparing tea. While the kettle boils, I often gaze out of my kitchen window, observing the awakening wildlife in my wooded surroundings. In warmer seasons, my front porch transforms into a tranquil tea spot where I can observe birds and immerse myself in reading. Winter mornings are spent in my living room, enjoying the backyard wildlife from a cozy vantage point. This peaceful start is crucial for setting a positive tone for a productive day in a fashion design.
Morning Routine Breakdown: A perfect morning revolves around tea, perhaps two or three cups to be precise! Caffeine is definitely a morning companion. Reading often comes first, followed by journaling. Sketching occasionally finds its way into the routine as well. Depending on my disposition, meditation might precede journaling or follow it. Journaling beforehand helps declutter my mind of pending tasks that tend to surface during meditation. While I’ve been less consistent with morning yoga lately, days that start with gentle exercise are undeniably the best for both body and mind, preparing me for the day’s creative demands in a fashion career.
Reading Choices: Nonfiction, particularly self-development books, are my preferred reading material. I often juggle 2-3 books simultaneously, selecting one that resonates with my current needs. Recently, I’ve been revisiting these impactful reads:
- RE-READING– The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday: A constant source of guidance when facing challenging decisions, crucial in the dynamic world of a fashion** business.
- RE-READING – Start with NO…The Negotiating Tools that the Pros Don’t Want You to Know by Jim Camp: Essential for navigating negotiations, a frequent aspect of a fashion designer’s role.
- NEW – Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive, and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath: Relevant for understanding how to make designs and brand messaging memorable in a fashion market.
- NEW – Why Good Sex Matters: Understanding the Neuroscience of Pleasure for a Smarter, Happier, and More Purpose-Filled Life by Nan Wise: Exploring broader aspects of well-being and happiness, important for maintaining balance in a fashion career.
Sketching Tools: While morning sketching isn’t as frequent as it once was, I turn to my iPad and Procreate whenever creativity sparks or I feel the urge to engage that side of my brain. Sometimes it’s playful experimentation with brushes and effects, while other times, it’s purposeful sketching to convey design direction or refine ideas for my team in our fashion projects.
Getting Ready for Work: After my morning rituals, I head upstairs to greet my husband, Jonathan, and our dog, James, who are usually still asleep around 8:30 am. Then it’s teeth brushing, hair styling, and changing out of pajamas. Working in pajamas is reserved for sick days; changing clothes signals my brain to switch into work mode, essential for professional focus in a fashion environment.
Makeup Routine: Makeup application depends on my scheduled calls. For video meetings, I usually apply a light touch – BB cream, mascara, blush, and eyebrow filler to address my naturally sparse eyebrows. Zoom calls necessitate a presentable appearance in the fashion industry, even from home.
Breakfast Habits: Breakfast is infrequent, usually only when I feel unwell and think eating might help. I prefer fasting for the first 6-8 hours of the day, consuming only tea and caffeinated sparkling water. Sometimes I even have two sparkling waters going at once! My thoughtful husband often brings one to my office if he notices I’ve forgotten it in the kitchen, ensuring I stay hydrated and energized throughout my fashion design workday.
Starting the Fashion Design Workday
Transitioning to Work Mode (No Commute): To mentally shift into work mode without a traditional commute, my husband and I take a short drive around our neighborhood. He jokingly attributes it to his energy drink habit, but I simply enjoy the ride and the views of the local farmland. Our dog has recently joined our morning drives, happily tagging along when we open the garage door. This brief outing serves as our ‘commute’ and helps us both transition into our respective workdays, including my fashion design schedule.
Workday Start Time: I usually settle into my desk and begin work between 8:30 and 9:30 am. Starting later than 9:30 is rare, typically only for appointments. Consistency in start time is important for maintaining a structured workday in a fashion career.
First Task of the Day: Emails usually take priority. I focus on quick-win emails first – those that are informational rather than action-oriented. Archiving and filing are done immediately. More task-oriented emails are addressed throughout the day, prioritized based on deadlines and goals in our fashion projects. Delegating tasks to my team is a key part of my morning routine, ensuring efficient workflow. Delegation typically happens during our team stand-up via Slack, ClickUp, or email, depending on urgency and task complexity within our fashion design agency.
Daily Agenda Organization: Organizing my day and preparing for team meetings and stand-ups for both KRSTN NDRSN and iteration, the brand I’m currently developing, are next on the agenda. Each day is unique, requiring constant adjustments. Some days involve fittings or Clo3D sessions for pattern corrections. Afternoons might include client calls or sketch reviews for upcoming collections and projects. I also dedicate time to one-on-one meetings with my team and my business partner, Bridget, my “work-wife.” This varied agenda keeps the work dynamic and engaging in the fashion industry.
Team Collaboration and Communication in Fashion Design
Purpose of Team Stand-ups: Daily Zoom team stand-ups, implemented earlier this year, have significantly boosted our team’s efficiency and effectiveness. Seeing everyone’s faces at the start of the day is a great way to connect and understand work progress. Stand-ups enhance accountability for deadlines, facilitate follow-ups on pending items, and ensure balanced workloads for everyone involved in our fashion design projects.
Stand-up Discussion Topics: I like to begin with a brief personal check-in before diving into work matters. Understanding my team’s overall well-being is important, as personal issues can sometimes require attention alongside work responsibilities. This empathetic approach fosters a supportive team environment in our fashion agency.
Following the personal catch-up, we review our client list, addressing open items and upcoming meetings. Each client is discussed individually, and any pending tasks are delegated to the appropriate team members to maintain forward momentum in our fashion design services.
Note-Taking Practices: We utilize a shared Google Doc to track all working details of open items and pending tasks, ensuring we remain organized and informed about every aspect of each client’s business. This centralized documentation is vital for managing complex fashion design projects.
Task Delegation Methods: ClickUp is our chosen tool for task management and delegation. It effectively reminds the team of their assignments and helps maintain project oversight. Typically, I delegate a task, and the team member adds it to ClickUp, allowing everyone to monitor progress. This system keeps relevant items contained and organized, essential for efficient workflow in a fashion design agency.
Communication Beyond Meetings: Slack is our preferred platform for real-time conversations. While ClickUp alerts can sometimes flood client channels with updates, Slack remains effective for quick communication and flagging urgent matters needing immediate attention. We also use Loom videos for questions requiring more detailed explanations or clarifications, enhancing communication clarity within our remote fashion design team.
Lunch Break and Midday Activities for a Fashion Designer
Typical Lunch Break Time: I usually break my fast with a late lunch around 1 or 2 pm, depending on the day’s schedule. An hour is blocked off in my calendar between 1 and 2 pm to prevent scheduling conflicts. This dedicated lunch window helps maintain consistency. Lunch is often leftovers or a visit to a local juice bar for a healthier and more enjoyable meal, providing a refreshing break during a busy fashion design workday.
Lunch Break Activities: Midday walks on a nearby trail with my husband and dog are a favorite. In cold or rainy weather, I might use the treadmill or do a quick yoga routine indoors. These breaks are crucial for physical and mental rejuvenation during the demanding fashion design process.
Errands During Lunch: Sometimes lunch breaks are used for errands, such as dropping off urgent samples or picking up groceries. I try to mail sample packages directly from my mailbox to avoid post office trips whenever possible, maximizing efficiency during my fashion career.
Client Interactions and Meetings in Fashion Design
Afternoon Client Meetings: Client meetings are primarily scheduled in the afternoon, which accommodates different time zones effectively. This timing works best for our diverse client base in the global fashion industry.
Client Meeting Frequency: Meeting frequency varies based on client preferences. Established clients might have bi-weekly meetings, while others prefer monthly meetings, with most communication handled via email and Loom videos. Flexibility in communication is key to client satisfaction in a fashion design service.
Meeting Format – Virtual vs. In-Person: Zoom is our usual meeting platform due to our global client base. Occasionally, I will meet clients in person, typically in NYC. However, remote collaboration is the norm, reflecting the distributed nature of our team and the modern fashion business landscape.
Core Design and Development Tasks in Fashion
Varied Design and Development Responsibilities: Depending on the project phase, my team and I engage in various design and development tasks, from sketching and creating tech packs to specing samples and fitting garments. I enjoy collaborating with our technical team on pattern adjustments in Clo3D during live sessions. Recently, we tackled an urgent panty grading task as a team, showcasing our collaborative problem-solving in fashion design.
Sketching Process: Before sketching begins, we conduct market research for trends and inspiration. Mood and style boards are then presented to clients to convey our design direction. Client feedback on preferred styles and details is incorporated. Our designer, Jasmine, then generates a wide range of sketch ideas. Providing options is crucial before finalizing designs in a fashion collection.
Team sketch reviews follow, where feedback is provided, and design intent is clarified. I offer sketch edits at this stage, and we narrow down the selections for client presentation. This iterative process ensures design alignment in our fashion projects.
Tech Pack Creation Process: Tech packs demand meticulous attention to detail. Jasmine typically initiates the process, adding sketches, construction details, bill of materials, and specs. Given their critical accuracy, I review tech packs twice – once after completion and again the next morning with fresh eyes – before sending them to the factory. Thorough tech packs are essential for precise manufacturing in a fashion production.
Sample Specing Process: Sample packages usually arrive in the afternoon. We have a structured system for reviewing prototypes at different stages. Initially, samples are assessed by Jasmine or Riley for mistakes and spec tolerances. Rigorous sample review is a cornerstone of quality control in fashion design.
Following initial assessment, samples are distributed for fitting. We conduct many in-house fittings on myself, Riley, or Jasmine to ensure commercial viability. Our expertise in design and fit allows us to identify key fitting aspects and ensure garment comfort and aesthetics. Having a team of fit models readily available is invaluable. Receiving new samples is always exciting, a tangible step in bringing fashion designs to life.
Zoom fittings are then conducted, with detailed notes and comments on fit changes, measurements, and construction details provided to the factory. Recorded fittings allow for later review and identification of further refinements. Detailed fitting feedback is crucial for iterative sample development in fashion design.
Pattern revisions, often in Clo3D, are made to finalize changes. Tech pack comments are updated in Backbone to ensure all specs and pattern adjustments are clearly documented. The revised tech pack is then sent to the supplier, and we await the next sample round. This cyclical process of sampling and refinement is central to fashion product development.
Garment Fitting Process: Zoom meetings are held with the entire team for fittings, with one or two members taking detailed notes. Fittings are recorded for later review. After fittings, styles are distributed among the team for pattern adjustments, tech pack revisions, and comment additions to ensure clarity for factory partners. Collaborative fitting and documentation are essential for accurate garment production in fashion.
Winding Down the Fashion Design Workday
End of Workday Time: “Never?” is often the humorous reply. My husband and dog often think I overwork! Disconnecting is challenging because there’s always more to do. I aim to wrap up by 6 pm, but depending on the season and workload, I might work until 8 or 9 pm to finalize tasks and communicate with our overseas team. Maintaining work-life balance is a continuous effort in a fashion career.
Preparing for the Next Day: I quickly review my calendar for upcoming meetings, especially early morning calls with factories. A quick glance at our daily stand-up Google Doc helps tie up any loose ends and prepare for the next day’s priorities in fashion design.
Daily Cycle in Fashion Design: Every day is unique, dictated by client needs and project development stages. This variability is what makes the work consistently engaging. I genuinely love every aspect of the design and development process. Returning to a role focused solely on sketching would be unfulfilling; the breadth of responsibilities keeps the fashion design career stimulating and rewarding.
