Before creating a tech pack, the design process moves through several important conceptual and developmental stages. These steps ensure that your final garment is well thought-out, feasible, and aligned with the brand vision.

We have here a clear, structured flow before tech pack creation:

1. Research & Inspiration

This is the foundation stage where ideas are gathered.

• Trend research (fashion forecasts, runway analysis)
• Market research (target audience, competitors)
• Cultural / craft research ( if you need)
• Theme or concept development

👉 Output: Mood direction, concept clarity

2. Mood Board Creation

A visual representation of your concept.

• Colors
• Textures
• Fabrics
• Silhouettes
• Lifestyle imagery

👉 Helps communicate the feel and story of the collection

3. Color Palette Development

• Selection of primary and secondary colors
• Pantone references (if required)
• Seasonal relevance
• Inspirations ( from nature or man-made world)

👉 Ensures consistency across designs

4. Fabric & Material Selection

• Fabric type (cotton, silk, blends, sustainable textiles)
• Surface techniques (embroidery, print, dyeing)
• Trims and accessories (buttons, zippers, lace)

👉 Swatches are usually collected at this stage

5. Silhouette Development

• Rough garment shapes and structures
• Fit direction (loose, structured, tailored, oversized)

👉 Defines how the garment will sit on the body

6. Sketching (Design Development)

• Rough sketches → refined fashion illustrations
• Front and back views
• Style variations

👉 This is where ideas start becoming tangible

7. CAD / Digital Flats (Optional but preferred)

• Clean technical drawings (flats)
• No stylization, only construction clarity

👉 These will later go into the tech pack

8. Measurement & Size Planning

• Decide size range (S, M, L, etc.)
• Base measurements (body + garment specs)

👉 Important for production scaling

9. Prototype Planning (Pre-sampling Thought)

• Decide which designs will go for sampling
• Consider cost, complexity, and feasibility

👉 Filters designs before investing in development

10. Design Finalization

• Final selection of styles
• Confirmation of:
  • Fabric
  • Colors
  • Details
  • Construction elements

👉 This is the last step before tech pack creation

What Comes Next?

After all of this, you move into:

➡️ Tech Pack Creation
(where everything is documented in detail for production)

In One Line Flow

Research → Mood Board → Colors → Fabrics → Silhouettes → Sketches → Flats → Measurements → Prototype Planning → Final Design → Tech Pack

Creative Tasks – Range Development Process

NIFT CE – GEMM COURSE

 Dr Anindita Roy , 9818541252, DesignEducator@gmail.com

Task 1: Trend Forecast Mood Board & Buyer Brief

Scenario: You are a merchandiser at a mid‑tier fashion brand targeting women aged 18–25. The season is Spring/Summer 2026.
Task:

• Research online (WGSN summaries, Pinterest, Instagram, runway recaps) to identify three key trends: one colour palette, one silhouette, and one fabric direction.
• Create a mood board (digital or physical) combining images, fabric swatches (or printed textures), and colour chips.
• Write a one‑page buyer brief that includes: season theme, colour palette, key silhouettes, fabric direction, and target retail price ranges for two categories (e.g., dresses and tops).
  Deliverable: Mood board + written brief.

Guidance Sheet – Task 1: Trend Forecast Mood Board & Buyer Brief

Objective
To practise trend research and translate insights into a creative direction (mood board) and a structured buyer brief – core skills in the pre‑development phase.

Materials Needed

• Access to Pinterest, Instagram, WGSN summaries (or free trend blogs), fashion runway recaps
• Digital tools: Canva, Milanote, PowerPoint, or physical: poster board, magazines, scissors, glue, colour swatches
• Template for buyer brief (provided by instructor or self‑made)

Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1.    Choose a target customer: women aged 18–25, Spring/Summer 2026.

2.    Research online to identify three trends: one colour palette (4‑6 colours), one silhouette (e.g., oversized, A‑line), one fabric direction (e.g., lightweight linen, recycled polyester).

3.    Collect at least 8‑10 images that represent these trends.

4.    Create a mood board: arrange images, colour chips, fabric textures (or printed swatches) neatly.

5.    Write a one‑page buyer brief with these sections:

o   Season theme (e.g., “Digital Bloom”)

o   Colour palette (list primary/secondary colours)

o   Key silhouettes (2‑3 shapes)

o   Fabric direction (2‑3 fabrics)

o   Target retail price ranges for two categories (e.g., dresses $40‑60, tops $20‑35)

6.    Submit mood board (image or photo) + brief as one PDF.

Success Criteria

• Mood board clearly communicates a cohesive theme.
• Trends are specific (not generic) and realistic for SS26.
• Buyer brief is professional, concise, and includes all required sections.

Time Estimate
2‑3 hours (can be split over two sessions)

Assessment Criteria (Rubric)

Example Answer – Task 1: Trend Forecast & Buyer Brief

Research Summary (Behind the Brief)

Target Customer: Women aged 18–25, fashion‑aware, value comfort and self‑expression, active on Instagram and other social media, budget‑conscious but willing to spend on key pieces.

Trend sources: WGSN Spring/Summer 2026 preview, Pinterest “Summer 2026” boards, social media fashion trend reports and  runway reviews .

Identified trends:

• Colour palette: “Digital Lavender” (Pantone 14-3207), “Limpet Shell” (soft sea green), “Navy Blue” (anchor), and “Cream” (neutral).
• Silhouette: Relaxed oversized (boxy tops, wide‑leg pants) and “baby tee” fitted cropped shapes – a contrast of volume and fitted.
• Fabric direction: Lightweight textured linens, recycled polyester mesh (for layering), and soft cotton jersey.

Buyer Brief – Spring/Summer 2026

Brand: Bloom & Co. (mid‑tier, youthful, accessible)
Season: Spring/Summer 2026
Target Customer: Female, 18–25, urban, social media active, values both trendiness and comfort.

1. Season Theme: Digital Bloom – a fusion of Y2K nostalgia and futuristic optimism. Soft digital colours meet tactile, airy fabrics. Think “meet‑me‑at‑the‑rave meets garden party.”

2. Colour Palette:

• Primary: Digital Lavender (Pantone 14-3207)
• Secondary: Limpet Shell (soft green), Navy Blue
• Accent: Cream
• (No harsh brights – focus on washable, dreamy tones.)

3. Key Silhouettes (must‑haves):

• Oversized boxy t‑shirt – dropped shoulder, wide neck, length 26”.
• Wide‑leg pleated short – high waist, 5” inseam, paperbag waist.
• Fitted cropped baby tee – 18” length, ribbed jersey.
• Sheer mesh layering top – long sleeve, mock neck, recycled polyester.

4. Fabric Direction:

• Lightweight linen blend (55% linen / 45% viscose) – for oversized shirts and shorts.
• Recycled polyester mesh (100% rPET) – for layering tops.
• Soft cotton jersey (100% organic cotton, 180 gsm) – for baby tees and dresses.

5. Target Retail Price Ranges (USD):

6. Additional Notes:

• At least 60% of the tops should be in Digital Lavender or Cream.
• All mesh tops must be lined or designed for layering (sheer is acceptable).
• Minimum 50% of fabrics to be recycled or organic.

How This Brief Would Be Used

The merchandiser would share this brief with the design team and sourcing team. 

The design team creates sketches and mood boards based on the silhouettes and colours. 

The sourcing team starts looking for linen blends and recycled mesh meeting the price targets. 

The range architect uses the price ranges and category splits to set SKU (Stock Keeping Unit )counts.

CREATE THE MOODBOARD ON PPT OR CANVA OR ANY OTHER TOOL