Classes are divided in different areas to achieve a good understanding of the beachwear market and collection plan structure, design, pattern making and sewing techniques.

Beachwear market and collection plan

In the first stage and through several store visits, students will get a good grasp of:

• different collection plan structures and depth of a collection structure depending the retail channel.
• retail price range we find in the market from low cost concept to luxury brand.
• different patterns, cups and sizes that the market offers.
• colour palette we usually find in a beachwear collection and the essential colours you must have.

After this field study, students have acquired a timely and accurate knowledge of this market, enabling them to build a suitable retail concept leading to their own collection plan for a capsule collection of beachwear.

Fabric, fibres, printing techniques and components

This second stage will provide students with a thorough knowledge of the fibres, fabric composition, fabric stretchability, lining and, of course, all the different printing techniques used in the beachwear industry. It enables them to accurately identify a target consumer that matches their collection plan, while also taking into account other details like price point, timing …etc.

Students produce their own print at the IED printing centre, using techniques that are taught in this stage. Furthermore, students learn about the main components necessary in this industry: cup, mould, foam, wire, underwire…etc

Concept, design and drawing of the capsule collection

During this third stage students share with a professional beachwear designer the most important steps in the development of a beachwear or swimwear collection.

Each student designs one item based on a previously defined suitable retail concept (every way of designing this collection can be included: collage, digital tools, manual drawing ….) and must include fabric and trim swatches. Students produce one technical specification sheet in order to be able, in the next stage, to create their own pattern.

Pattern design and dressmaking

This stage involves learning pattern-making skills needed to produce swimwear clothes and working with the pattern of an existing bra to get the perfect fit.

Students deal with basic patterns focusing on the different type of bras (with cup, wire, foam, etc), but also functional swimsuit, shaped swimsuits and brief.

They also learn how to manage the elasticity of the fabric depending on the pattern you they to achieve, with a particular focus on lining, as it is an important component for functional beachwear.

During this part students create a pattern of their own design and learn to extract patterns from existing beachwear garment or drawings or pictures.

Confection sewing sample – fitting correction & improvements

How to use the industrial sewing equipment found in swimwear production.

During this stage, students sew the pattern they created in the previous stage.

Fitting session: test the sample on real people and decide on, assisted by the group and teacher, the improvements and pattern changes required.

Book + Photo Shooting

To produce the final “dossier” they have been building over these 4 weeks and in order to express and capture all the steps of the process, students have the opportunity to do a photo shoot with a model and with their chosen photo styling (including still lives or others resources)

The last day of class there is the final presentation and review of the portfolio with all the teachers.