In 2007, BuyCostumes.com started producing our own line of specialty, exclusive costumes. For this task we recruited one of the best children’s costume designers around. Every year I see the new costumes appear on the site and think, “Wow, that’s cool! How did she come up with the idea for that?” Then my mind wonders to what goes on behind the scenes that we as consumers, and even co-workers, don’t know about. Lori Joory, the BuyCostumes.com Head Designer, has so graciously agreed to provide us with some insight!

Designers. How do we come up with ideas and concepts for our great costumes? Before you put the pen to the blank page, a great deal of thought has gone into the process of creating a costume. The business portion is thought through first. Is there a need for this item? What is it replacing? What are the projected sales figures, and is the return on investment worth the effort? What sizes has it historically sold in? Is there demand to warrant the development? As you can see, many of the choices are purely analytical and not in the least bit creative. While it’s nice to idealize that we just sit and draw and be creative geniuses, it couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, the only time that we get to be truly creative, thinking outside of the box ideas, is when we are brainstorming, reading magazines, or shopping and dreaming of what we would really love to be doing if we could do what our creative juices tell us to do!

Lets say that we’re all on the same page: there is a need for this costume. This is when the true fun starts! All the business decisions are in place….and I start to design….a lot of people are involved. When I start to design, I’ll put on my creative cap, plug in my I-Pod, listen to Linkin Park (LOUD) and start sketching. I have stacks of magazines, photos, fabric swatches, style.com on my computer and WWD pulled up on my computer for ideas. Fabric swatches start to fly, things get paired, this idea goes with that…no, wait, it’s better with this! I find that my first thoughts are the purest and most creative; if I start to second guess myself I do not trust my gut instinct. That gut gets developed over time and what we “feel” will be great. I look at history books, look at children’s books for fun ideas for kids, look at color direction, look at hot websites….such as the Oscars for inspiration for great gown ideas, etc. It then all gets disseminated through my brain and onto paper….then it gets drawn digitally. Once I’ve sketched out the designs, our buying team has a look-see and they give their input and what they would like to change. From there, the design is reworked, presented again to the design team, and then finalized. It then goes to our factories and a sample is made, fit and then analyzed. Once we’re good to go….it goes into production!

So, how does one get started? First. You have to be creative and you also have to have a business mind. Do the two come in one package…..yes and no? The business side is a learned skill. Can you teach someone to have style or design ability? Well, an honest answer is you have it or you don’t. For example, I’m horrible at math. I can stare at an algebra problem and it turns into a print or pattern design. I have not a clue how to work it out or even care to! However, some people are brilliant at mathematics and I draw pictures of costumes. (Or save animals. Again, another blog entry)

If there are any of you out there who want to ask me specific questions, shoot me an email. I can be reached at lorij@buyseasons.com. I used to teach fashion design at my alma mater FIDM in Los Angeles. I’d be happy to help those young creative minds! Take care, and remember spooks rule, Lori Joory