2016/2017 - COUTURE COLLECTION (p.118) Couture Do`s & Don`ts by Bowie Wong (p

Couture Do`s & Don`ts

By Bowie Wong

In my last article, you got to know a little bit about me, who I am and what I do. But enough about me, now let’s get down to the business of what I can offer you, dear readers. As the ultimate height to reach within the world of fashion, it is no surprise that the realm of couture comes with its own set of rules. As a couturier, there are a lot of things you need to do and there are also things that you need to be wary of. If you look up a description of couture or haute couture on the Internet, you will be presented with all the official guidelines. But the truth is that the world changes constantly and so as a couturier you are constantly forced to create your own interpretation of couture and redefine the guidelines because at the end of the day, you can only do your best while remaining true to who you are as a designer first and foremost. So for all of you on your own paths of creativity, I have compiled my personal list of do’s and don’ts that I have learned on my journey as a couturier.

DO`s

1) Do understand who you are as a person and your style as a designer. This is the most difficult point of all, which is why it is the first thing you must do before embarking upon your creative journey. Instead of trying to define whether you are good enough, find your point of difference and make it your strength. Once you are comfortable with your limitations and understand the market that you will be working within, you can allow your creativity to flow. Now it is time to put these concepts into physical form and do some sampling. Create your sample at least ten times and learn from the form it takes each time. Watch the evolution of your creation and creative process. It is important to spend this time to understand yourself and your process even if you think you already do, because you are changing and evolving every day. 2) Do consider if you are financially capable to create couture. It is important to realize that it is a prerequisite that the materials used and the fabric that goes into each garment has to be of luxuriously high quality. This is usually achieved through time consuming manipulation (embroidery/beading/dying/hand stitching); having fabric made exclusively by a manufacturer for your brand; or through the use of special machinery. Each of these processes means that no one else can have what you have and your creations will truly be one-off luxury pieces. But it all comes at a cost. This is the reason that you have to take finance seriously and make it one of your most important considerations at every step of the process. 3) Do know how to market your brand. No one is going to know about all your hard work if you don’t know how to market it. Couture is an exclusive market so you need to confidently promote your brand’s point of difference clearly, without being too weird or too ordinary. You need to be able to define and create a signature look that cannot be mass-marketed, for couture is very personal compared to marketing prêta-porter. Ask yourself if you can separate your style from the other designers in the market. People should see your style and recognize that it is now filling a gap that was missing in the market. All photos “Alexander J.E. Bradley” By Bowie Wong

DON`Ts

1) Don’t have idle hands. As a creator, you can’t afford to be precious. You have to put yourself into your pieces and throw yourself into the process, even if it means getting pin-pricked, scratched or the fact that you can’t wear hand lotion for fear of getting the fabric dirty! During this process, it is also important to not count how many hours you work. Creativity doesn’t work to a 9-5 schedule and it can’t be restricted by time. Don’t feel bad if the pieces don’t end up how you originally set out to create them, because every step you go through, you are also growing as a designer. Remember that as a creator who is truly dedicated to your craft, you don’t have to answer to anyone but yourself. 2) Don’t look at technology while you work. Switch off your phone, turn off all social media and remove yourself from any other distractions during your creative time. Personally, I don’t have a phone line or Internet connection inside my atelier. As a creator you should always be able to feel your style and let it evolve naturally. Inspiration shouldn’t come from a magazine, newspaper, Internet search engine or even from other designers, you should be inspired by yourself and your own work. Natural energy is the key here, for the passion and inspiration I feel for each one of my designs then encourages me to evolve my pieces and my creative processes. 3) Don’t feel bad if people attack you about your financial situation. Sometimes people are curious about how we survive and earn our living as couturiers or are even jealous about it. But let me put it this way, a couturier is a bit like an Olympian. We do what we love and we do what we do, and that defines who we are. A lot of people question how a sportsperson can finance their career, even when they are not competing at the Olympics. For designers, presenting at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week is like going to the Olympics for professional sportspeople – it’s about the achievement in itself of getting to that point, it’s not about winning any prize. Until you actually reach that level of attending to the Olympics or Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, people will be inclined to look down on you and they will underestimate you. But the lesson here is to not listen to them. As long as you don’t give up on yourself, nobody else can tell you to.

Next time, I’ll take you behind-the-scenes of my transformation from designer to couturier and give you some insights into how to survive as a couturier in the world of fashion.