ABSTRACT
Patternmakers are the technical backbone to the clothing manufacturing process and as such require a solid mastery of the technique. This can be ensured with proper training and experience, yet in Kenya little has been done to ascertain the levels of qualification of patternmakers in the fashion industry and whether these have any relationship with actual practices. This study adopted a descriptive research design to assess the relationship between the patternmakers‟ professional qualifications and pattern making practices within fashion houses in Nairobi. Specific objectives of the study were to: describe the patternmakers‟ demographic profile, describe the categories of clothes produced in the fashion houses, determine types of pattern making practices, assess patternmakers‟ professional qualification, and to establish the relationship between patternmakers‟ professional qualification and patternmaking practices. The study was based on a conceptual framework of education and training with labour market outcomes contextualized within fashion design. The target population was all patternmakers in the fashion houses within Nairobi. Sampling unit was one patternmaker per fashion house using criterion based sampling to reach a total of 44 patternmakers. Structured questionnaires were used to collect the data from each patternmaker. Statistical Package for Social Sciences aided in data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize variables related to demographic characteristics, categories of clothes, patternmaking practices and levels of professional qualification. Chi-square (χ²) with an alpha level set at 0.05 was used to establish the relationship between professional qualification and the patternmaking practices. The results revealed that the majority of the patternmakers (90.9%) were below 45 years, and had tertiary education and above. Most were female (76%) and more than half of them (69.7%) were earning below 40,000 Kenya shillings per month. All of the fashion houses made dresses; pattern drafting was the most frequently used method of patternmaking, followed by freehand cutting while CADD was the least used. Majority of these patternmakers had at least a diploma or a degree. More than half of the respondents had less than 10 years of experience in patternmaking. There appeared to be a significant relationship between patternmakers‟ training background and use of pattern drafting method (χ² (8, n = 33)
= 20.573, p < 0.008). Patternmakers with higher levels of training tended to frequently use pattern drafting. Also, there was a statistically significant relationship between patternmakers‟ years of experience and use of pattern drafting as a method (χ² (6, n = 33) = 13.265, p = 0.039). Majority of the patternmakers (90.9%) with less than 5 years experience frequently used pattern drafting. It was however clear that besides the training undertaken, experience had contributed more to the improvement of skills. This study therefore recommends that, men should be sensitized to take up pattern making jobs, patternmakers should be versatile enough to make a wide range of clothing, patternmakers should upgrade their knowledge in patternmaking so as to be at par with technological development, curricula developed for fashion design courses should include all pattern making methods and training opportunities should be availed to those already in the job market. For further research, it was recommended that a research should be conducted on those with several years of working experience in order to gain deeper insight into the profession, research should be conducted on patternmakers in the garment industry, the Micro and Small enterprises sector to establish their qualification and methods of patternmaking used and a similar study should be conducted in other towns outside Nairobi to provide better picture of the fashion industry in terms of patternmaking across Kenya.
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background Information
Fashion house is a term used to refer to companies that deal with the creation of exclusive custom fitted clothing (Carr & Pomeroy, 1992). These are made to order for specific customers and are usually of high quality fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish. Fashion design unlike some other areas of design demands a specific framework for fashion research (Skjold ,2008). This is why according to Rust (2007), it is important that research in fashion design be rooted in the specific practice that characterize the profession.
The design process in fashion includes all facts of the process undertaken in advance of perceiving, constructing and marketing fashion (Au, 2004). The process of designing a garment often involves three major steps. First, the design which is often in form of a sketch or done by draping fabric on a model or dress stand is developed. The second step is pattern making which comes after a specific design has been established. This is done by a professional pattern maker. Finally, the finished garment is sewn in the fashion fabric (Bray, 2003).
Pattern making is one of the key areas characterizing fashion design and is a bridge between the design and final garment. Pattern making is the art of manipulating and shaping a flat piece of fabric to conform to one or more curves of the human figure (Bhati, 2016). Patterns can be made by drafting on paper, „free hand cutting‟ (drafting directly on the fabric), modeling/draping on a body form, computer aided
design and drafting (CADD) and reverse engineering. Each pattern making method being particularly adapted to making certain types of garments.
A patternmaker creates patterns that are used to cut out fabric in order to make a complete garment. Patternmakers can work at industrial level; work with designers in fashion houses or as freelancers. Patternmakers serve as the backbone or skeleton of the fashion industry since the patterns they create are very important to produce the final garment (Fashion Schools, 2011). Pattern making in the industrial set up is a highly developed technical skill, requiring precision in the drafting and development process (Bhati, 2016). If fabric is not cut precisely, quality of finished garment can be seriously damaged resulting in great loss on the respective companies (Centre for Research and Policy Making [CRPM], 2005).
Fasanella (2005) asserts that a good patternmaker should have a solid background in designing for manufacture. Rei Kawakubo is one of the most influential fashion designers (Fury, 2017). She often gives her patternmakers written clues and instructions which they translate and make into a toile. Most often, she expects her patternmakers to bring out different design ideas out of her clues (Thurman, 2005). Patternmakers must therefore be very versatile in order to cope with the demands of their type of work.
The large number and variety of styles produced in the fashion industry; influenced by sociological, ethnic and ergonomic factors, as well as the periodic fashion changes; demands from today‟s designer and pattern maker a greater degree of versatility. This includes knowledge of bridal wear; bias cut garments, cowl drapery and boned
bodices, of jacket development, various trouser constructions, lingerie, beachwear and maternity wear (Stanley, 1991). Skills in patternmaking can be learnt through specialized courses or by doing an apprenticeship/on-the-job training (Pritchard, 2013). Patternmakers can take up certificate, diploma or degree courses to learn the skills.
In their study, Forster and Ampong, (2012) established a mismatch between patternmaking methods taught in Ghanaian universities and those practiced in small scale garment industries. In Kenya, some study of pattern making is included in all the fashion design courses offered at various levels. These include government trade test, artisan, craft, and diploma and degree courses. The range of skills taught at the different levels is however not all inclusive.
Isika (2014), in her study found out that real fabric draping was not prescribed in most of the curricula in Kenyan public institutions offering fashion design courses. The same study revealed that fashion designers did use real fabric draping as a patternmaking method. Her study though focused on draping as a patternmaking method, highlighted that there is a disconnect between what is taught in the institutions and what is actually in practice. A good patternmaker should be all rounded and able to use a variety of the basic patternmaking methods. This research therefore looked into the professional qualification of the patternmakers and the methods of pattern making they used.
Problem Statement
There are no strict academic requirements for entry into the pattern making profession. Patternmaking in most developed countries is highly advanced with several learning institutions offering such courses. In Kenya however, despite efforts to have both formal and vocational training in fashion design, there exists a mismatch between training and practice. There is no clear picture of the qualifications of patternmakers, the different methods practiced and why they use these methods.
New entrants in the pattern making profession may continue to struggle not knowing which patternmaking method would be economically viable or even what to expect in the labour market. Besides, institutions offering pattern making related courses may continue to provide training that is not in line with the labour market needs.
