How AMBAR STUDIO products are made or how the fashion world works
Coming from another field of activity (Architecture and Interior Design), without having a training in fashion, design and clothing production, I learned everything on my own during the almost 3 years since I founded the Ambar Studio brand.
Until I started on this road, I didn’t know that a collection must be thought of more than 1 year before it reaches the store. The fact that you have to anticipate new trends and order materials more than a year in advance, present the collection half a year before the start of the season and then be able to produce the necessary stocks so that the products reach the store 1 month before the start of the new season .
One of the aspects that we, the Ambar Studio team, are proud of is the fact that we produce everything in our workshop.
The design of a collection starts many months before (more precisely 6 months before the launch and one year before it arrives in the store). The collections are launched as follows:
The Autumn – Winter 2020 collection is launched in February 2020.
Its conception began in August – September 2019
1. Chosing the right materials
Twice a year there are Textile and Accessories International Fairs attended by manufacturers from around the world. The best known in Europe are in Paris (Premiere Vision and Texworld), Florence (Pitti Filati) and Milan (Milano Unica). At these fairs are presented the latest trends in fabrics, textures, prints, colors, ecological and technological production that will dictate the next season.
In order to supply us with materials, we participate in the fairs in Paris twice a year.
In September 2019 I ordered the materials for the Autumn Winter 2020 Collection
In February 2020, the materials for the Spring – Summer 2021 Collection.
The orders take place long before the season because the factories must have time to produce the materials, to deliver them to the Atelier in time for them to start the design the collection.
The materials reach us between 2 weeks (if they are part of the permanent collection of the factory and exist in stock) and 3 months (if they are designed especially for us – for example embroidery made especially according to our instructions).
Premiere Vision Paris
Pantone forcasts fot the Spring Summer 2021 Collection
Coated natural silk
Hand made embroideries
Most of the materials we use are custom made for us, in relation to the concept chosen for the new collection.
2. Designing the collection
A collection has between 25 and 60 pieces. Before choosing the outfits that will form the collection, we make thousands of sketches, from which we then decide according to the chosen concept, story we want to tell, the season for which we create, silhouettes, materials.
3. Making the patterns
Being an Architect by profession, I always compared making a dress with making a house. The steps are similar and have both a technical and an aesthetic part. The outfits must be in perfect harmony with the human body and highlight the woman’s personality.
Thus, making patterns is a very important step in designing a product.
We make patterns in full, in vector form, often made to measure.
4. Cutting and assembling the parts
Working with fine materials (silk, tulle, embroidery), all the skins that form an outfit are cut, pleated and sewn by hand.
Zenia dress made of nude gradient tulle with red and is entirely pleated by hand.
The pleats are made at an angle of 30 degrees so as to give the effect of torsion.
Olympia dress is made of hand pleated tulle, navy blue embroidery with hand-sewn pearls and handmade tulle flowers.
5. Fitting and Testing
During the production of a dress, multiple rehearsals take place, until we deciside the final silhouette. From adjusting the pattern according to the fabric and the desired effect, to adjusting the final design along the way.
Intermediate fittings for the Fall – Winter 2020 Collection
6. Manual sewing of applications
We place great emphasis on the design and quality of each product, which is why the vast majority of our dresses have hand-sewn applications.
One of our favorite dresses from the Fall Winter 2020 Collection is the Amber gradient dress, made from hundreds of tulle flowers made and sewn by hand.
The Orelie dress is made of hand-pleated purple tulle, purple tulle flowers, hand-sewn embroidery and navy blue pearls.
We all know that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting areas. For ecological reasons, we seek to use each material in its entirety, so that from the small pieces of embroidery, lace, silk, we make clothing applications, accessories, jewelry.
The Celeste dress made entirely of hand-sewn embroidery
Zefira dress detail. All sequins are sewn by hand
7. Finishing / Final fitting
Many of the final details are sewn by hand.
Before shipment, all dresses are checked and ironed once more.
The natural silk Jacqueline dress has multiple hand-sewn finishes: Shoulder fastening system for the straps on the bra and the silver coin with the Ambar Studio logo.
8. Photographing, editing, catalogs
Every photo and photo shoot tells a story. In less than 3 years since I founded brand, I did dozens of photo shoots.
Every photo shoot requires a lot of preparation beforehand. From choosing the concept / theme so as to highlight the collection as well as possible, when choosing the location, the models, makeup artists and hair stylists, accessories (For each photo shoot we created special accessory)
A collection normally requires 3/4 types of photos:
1. Product photos
2. Lookbook photos
3. Pictorial / editorial photos
4. Runway photos
I will detail in a future article (click on the article with photo sessions) how we do the photo sessions.
9. Presentation at international fairs
As I told in a previous article (link attached to the article word), there are several fashion shows during the year, depending on the profile of each fashion house / collection Ambar Studio currently has 2 collections presented as follows:
- The Eveningwear Collection that we present at Paris Fashion Week. These presentations take place twice a year:
- In February we present the Autumn – Winter Collection
- In September the Spring – Summer Collection
- The Bridal Collection that we present at Barcelona Bridal Week in April, this being the collection for next year.
All presentations of the collections have 2 phases:
- Fashion Show where people from the media, fashion editors, bloggers, celebrities, photographers, buyers are invited – which lasts on average 15-30 minutes and has the role of launching and promoting collections.
The latest Ambar Studio collection was presented at the Behague Palace in Paris (a space that has housed the Romanian Embassy in France since 1939).
- the Showroom immediately following the presentation. It lasts between 3 and 7 days and is organized for buyers (owners of mono or multi-brand stores) and intended for selling of the collections. Here come store owners from around the world and stock up for next season.
The showroom we chose to present the collection is at Westin Vendome in Paris. It is located in the central area of Paris, the Vendome area being the place where all the great designers present their collections (Giambatista Valli, Valentino, etc.).
Showroom appointments with the buyers
10. Promoting the collection
Promoting a collection is as important as producing it. We believe that the best method of promotion is our clients.
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You can follow our collections on our social media pages: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest , in our showroom in Ion Câmpineanu Street 22, Bucharest.
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