GUIDE TO PREPARING FASHION PORTFOLIO
BY
HARUNA IBRAHIM
FTE : 482
INTRODUCTION
Mahatma Gandhi was once asked by a reporter, “What is your message to the world?” Gandhi
responded by jotting down on a piece of paper: “My life is my message”. Gandhi’s response in the
context of fashion portfolio implies that as a Fashion and Textile Design student/professional, your
‘message’ to the world is your portfolio and literally, your portfolio is your ‘life’. Your portfolio
is a true reflection of who you are and your vision of the world (Careers, n.d.). Your academic
work is not only an assessable item at university but can also be evidence of your design abilities
in the world of work. If you take the time to continuously work on your portfolio throughout your
degree, you will have a more curated and organised set of portfolio works by the time you graduate.
WHAT IS FASHION PORTFOLIO?
The word portfolio literally refers to a case or folder that can be made of cardboard, leather, or
plastic that is used for keeping two dimensional designs and some relatively, small threedimensional artifacts for good presentation and safe keeping. It is in this context that when we
think of portfolio, what comes to mind is nothing, but a large black folder with dusty leather or
cloth covered board, clutched under the arm of a pale-stained artist. This narrative, however, in
the professional and competitive world of art and design, portfolios are highly specialised entities.
And without doubt, you will appreciate that, they are likely to take the form of digitally generated
document rather than dusty folders. A fashion portfolio is a collection of samples that present the
skills, experience, and talent of a fashion designer. It is like a resume for fashion designers.
Your portfolio provides evidence and examples of your accomplishments, skills, and abilities as a
designer. It also demonstrates to others the quality of your previous experience, your professional
growth, and your ability to be successful in your field. It provides insights into who you are as a
designer, your authentic ideas, your design processes, work ethic and personality. A portfolio
should show an employer what you care about, so you can do more of what you are energized and
motivated by. A good portfolio is a narrated story about your key skills as a designer that should
clearly communicate how a project was executed. It should include the process from the brief
through to the research and development, to the final product.
Ultimately, the purpose of your portfolio, is to get an interview or attract new clients. It speaks for
you before you get a chance to speak for yourself.
A typical fashion style portfolio consists of design brief, fashion illustrations, a concept or mood
board with Color and Fabric Swatches Board, flat sketches, cost sheets &CADs or drafting.
Categories of portfolios:
There are three categories of portfolios, and this includes:

an academic portfolio

a professional or industry portfolio

interview portfolio.
Academic portfolio:
will be used to present assignments and design brief. For you graduate portfolio you need to be
more selective and present only the absolute best works which will include photographs of your
designs and graduate collection and any press reviews.
Professional or industry portfolio:
will include press cuttings with press reviews and photographs of collections, fashion stills and
runway shots of your work. If you have been working in the industry, depending on your job, you
probably only have current fashion sketches and technical drawings of designs to present rather
than fashion illustrations.
Interview portfolio:
is for position in industry: your portfolio should be targeted to specific market, customer/client or
company and be consistent throughout, displaying works that would specifically interest the
interviewer while also displaying your talent and skills. It can be presented either in physical form
or as a digital portfolio. An important thing to keep in mind is that interviewers want to see proof
in your portfolio that you will be able to meet task without any doubt. If you are applying for a
position as a designer for a commercial brand, you demonstrate an understanding of that market
and an ability to design [ a product that will sell in that context.
A creative and a well-planned portfolio provides visual evidence of your capabilities expressing
your unique qualities, range of range of demonstrable skills and your expertise in design, creativity
and innovation, technical drawing, illustration, and presentation as well as your technical skills
(pattern drafting, sewing etc.) your portfolio should be constantly updated throughout you studies
and career development.
APPEARANCE/PROCESS /PRESENTING OF PORTFOLIOS
Your portfolio appearance may be taken as a signal of how you feel about you work, a dirty, tatty,
jumble or poorly presented folder gives the impression that you don’t care about it contents and as
result, the interviewer probably won’t either. It is often just as interesting to see the process of
developing a concept as to see its final manifestation. In design disciplines such as product and
furniture design, interior design and fashion it is common to include pages of developmental works
in your portfolio with images of ‘maquettes’ , concept, layout and forms of models or works on
the mannequin to indicate to indicate how an initial idea evolved. In other areas, it is more usual
to include drawings research in books.
TYPES OF PORTFOLIOS
Basically, we have two types of portfolios i.e. digital and physical, both are necessary in
showcasing your design work throughout the recruitment process. For example, you may send
through a PDF ‘taster’ portfolio in response to a job and bring a physical portfolio to the interview.
A ‘taster’ is a small quantity or brief experience of a concept or idea that is send to prospective
employer to have a feel of your creative and design abilities before the actual portfolio is submitted.
Every designer has their own unique specialization they are wanting to showcase. Their type of
specialisation may determine whether a digital or physical portfolio is more appropriate. For
example, if you designed a web page it would be better viewed live on the page itself. If you
designed a piece of clothing, you would want the employer to be able to see it physically to get a
real sense of the texture of the fabric and how the colours look. (How to Prepare a Fashion Design
Portfolio: 13 Steps, n.d.)
For some designers, creating both is ideal, but be sure to develop consistent branding across the
two. When digital and physical portfolios are utilised to each of their strengths, the combination
of the two portfolios can help you stand out to employers.
In the job search and application process, you may be creating your digital PDF portfolio tailored
to the job/company, updating your website or online portfolio hosting website, and ensuring your
social media presence is up to date (e.g. your design related Instagram account). Additionally, you
could be updating your physical portfolio. The content you select for each portfolio or platform
will vary depending on the format, the intended audience and what design skills, experience or
process you would like to showcase.(Agarwal, n.d.)
Digital Portfolios
Digital portfolios are essential in the design industry. A designer is expected to send through a
tailored PDF digital copy of their portfolio in response to a job advertisement at a minimum.
Additionally, sending through a link to an online digital portfolio (own website or portfolio hosting
website) is advantageous.
Benefits of digital portfolios are:

Easily shared, accessed, and distributed.

Interactive experience with instantaneous feedback and reviews

Free or a reduced cost compared to physical portfolios.

Increased ability to easily customise, update and reconfigure.

Promotion of your work 24/7 and increased visibility to employers

No limitations on portability
Digital PDF Portfolio:
PDF portfolios are always tailored to the job or company you are applying for and are your most
crucial job application document. They are versatile in that they can be viewed digitally or be
uploaded onto a portfolio-hosted website e.g.
https://www.google.com/search?q=fashion+portfolio+hosted+websites&rlz=1C1BNSD_enGH9
36GH936&oq=fashion+portfolio+hosted+websites&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i22i29i30.28065j0j7
&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)
ESSENTIALS POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN DEVELOPING DIGITAL PDF
PORTFOLIO/PORTFOLIO-HOSTED WEBSITE
1. A short bio about yourself in an- About section, examples of your work, provide
professional contact details in a- Contact Me section
How to Write a Professional Bio:
The purpose of a professional bio is to tell a story about your past, present, future, and notable
achievements, in a succinct and punchy manner while not sacrificing quality. In writing a
professional bio, it is important to succinctly describe who you are in your right self. By so doing
it is expected that you:

includes your mission, what you are interested in, and words to describe your character or
skill sets.

emphasize your unique selling points. Who you are, what you do and why you do it.

mention any notable experience and achievements (work experience, education, awards,
or other recognitions in the design community)

show you are a real person with personality and are energised by what you do.
Tailor your bio to your audience:

when you are writing, keep your audience in mind. Who are they? What do they care about?
What clients are you trying to attract? What language would they relate too (e.g. plain
informal language?)

can you solve their problems with innovative design solutions? How?
Choose a point of view in writing your bio:

writing in first person gives your bio a more informal and friendly tone. Sometimes a
personal touch could be more interesting and compelling to read (For example, “I am an
innovative, collaborative designer”)

writing in third person gives a more formal and professional tone and is generally used
when someone else is introducing you (For example, “Emily is an innovative, collaborative
designer”)

end with a call to action

prompt your audience with what action to take next. This could be to look over your work
on your website, or to contact you.
1. Navigation
Another important point to consider in the development of digital portfolio or a portfolio-hosted
website is navigation. Navigation is something that needs to be carefully considered for your
digital portfolio. Ensure that whoever enters the site will access every page that you want them to.
At the points of entry – what will your viewer click on first? Second? And so on. It is important
to:

organise a clear navigation route through your work examples.

ensure all links remain updated.

keep mobile versions in mind, your site should work across different screen sizes.

reduce the amount of clicking a visitor has to do. Websites should not be tiresome to
navigate through.

compress images - to shorten their loading time (e.g., do not expect 5MB to upload
quickly)
2. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Maximise your SEO by including certain keywords so more people can find your portfolio online.
Search engines cannot read photos, so it is the metadata (text captioning your images) you include
that will be searched. Minimal keyword rich text to describe project pages and images creates that
metadata you need to be searchable.
3. Passion Projects
Passion projects otherwise known as personal, or side projects are the best way for design
graduates to inject personality into their portfolios. They are creative projects outside your
academic or professional work that give you joy, fuel your creativity and experimentation and give
you confidence in your skills and creative voice. Additionally, they demonstrate your commitment
and motivation for your design specialisation outside your full-time university degree or design
job. Consider entering into design competitions to increase the number of side projects or passion
projects you could showcase in your portfolio. Passion projects can be a great way to distinguish
yourself from other applicants as employers can recognise where graduates have studied based on
the content of their portfolios.
4. Additional tips:

consider including videos and gifs to make people stay longer on your web page.

include links to your social media profiles and any blogs you may have.

test out your online portfolio with people in your network and ask for feedback.

share passion projects and versatility in other design areas.

look into password protecting any content not open to the general public.

check your portfolio content works across all website browsers, Apple and PC computers,
and phone, tablet and computer layouts.
Physical Portfolios
Physical or print portfolios are your chance to become more memorable and stand out to
employers. The sky is the limit in terms of how to form a physical portfolio, from a portfolio book
with a beautiful cover, to a set of cards or a paper infographic. Be careful not to make your physical
portfolio too fiddly and keep the focus on your outstanding design work. Physical portfolios can
be made from plastics, fabrics leather, rubber and paper.
Benefits of physical portfolios:

ability to create lasting impressions on employers through great craftsmanship.

presentation of added depth where people can see, touch, smell, and taste your designs.

a sense of scale. The design or product can be better visualised when physically presented.

visually ideal for interview scenarios where employers can flip through a physical copy.

reduces technology challenges that may arise by solely having your digital portfolio (e.g.
three people huddled around an iPad, or Wi-Fi disconnecting

displays an extra level of care, dedication and investment in your work.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND YOUR PORTFOLIO
Photos included in your portfolio should be of high quality and be focused on clear images of your
projects. These photos will provide a good visual understanding of your project. Unlike you or
your tutors, employers are not familiar with the work and need images that give them the best
understanding of the work. It is essential to consider the following in selection of photography into
your portfolio:

include simple, well edited photos - one clear image of the work is better than 15 close ups
at odd angles.

be selective about including mock-ups of projects - try not to use the same mock-up that
you can see everybody using but comb the internet for better quality and visually appealing
works that will do your project justice.

if you are not confident with a camera, you can seek for tutorials from professionals.

take photos of your process and final through the duration of your course.
Check List for selection of photography into a portfolio.
1.
2.
3.
4.
high resolution image
clear image of work
edited in Photoshop, Lightroom etc.
avoid over cropping images of your work.
TAILORING YOUR PORTFOLIO TO MEET JOB REQUIMENT
Every time you apply for a job it is essential to research the company and tailor the portfolio you
submit based on the role you are applying for. When tailoring your portfolio make sure to:

highlight your strengths considering the position you are applying for.

research the company’s work, approach to design, previous and/or current projects and
select your work(s) that best aligns with what you have discovered.

tailor your portfolio depending on where you are in your career and the narrative you’re
advancing (e.g. a recent university graduate showcases academic work and a mid-level
designer will have no academic work. You may choose to showcase a certain specialization
in order to be a good candidate for a specific role)

consider having a master portfolio where all your portfolio work is in one place. You can
then select work from your master version to create shorter and more tailored versions
when applying for different roles.

reflect on whether your portfolio shows the employer the value you can add to their
company. Do you need to add a personal project to this portfolio to make your work more
relevant to the company?
SUMMARY
Your portfolio should include:
1.
Cover page (1 page) – includes name, professional contact details and a short bio.
2.
Resume (1 page optional) – can be in a separate document.
3.
Contents page (1 page optional)
4.
Examples of work (9 – 15 pages) – 3 to 5 projects, 3 pages per project
5.
Contact page/closing page (1 page)
Your portfolio should demonstrate what your specialisation is e.g. menswear, womenswear,
active wear, etc.

Showcase your diverse skills e.g. knitwear design, draping and patternmaking, textile
design, and illustrative techniques

Include a concept board for each project/series:
 The first piece in a series needs to show research and inspiration, usually in the
form of a collage of various images, shapes, textures, patterns, and colours that
has inspired and led you to create the design. These images can be your own, or
they can be borrowed and referenced. Also in some instances, design process and
development work can help the reader understand the experimentation process.
 Consider including physical artefacts, particularly in a physical portfolio. For
example, fabric swatches should be consistent sizes and not fraying.

Provide insight into your creative process with annotations.

Take high quality images of your garments and make the decision to use a professional
photographer and model. If you do, make sure to credit them in your portfolio.

Demonstrate diversity by demonstrating that you can design collections for fashion houses
with different aesthetics and target markets.

Evidence that you understand the client’s market, customer, aesthetic and visually show
them that you are the right designer for the job.

Present projects from start to finish. You can use some of the ideas below for each project,
but don’t feel like you have to use all of them:
 Inspiration/concept board to show the origin of your ideas and your research
process.
 Ideation/sketches/fabric swatches: to show how your ideas evolve, the design risks
and problem-solving journey.
 Design/fashion technical sketches to demonstrate the design construction details
technically, and to show your competencies using digital design packages such as
Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
 Presentation/fashion Illustrations to enhance visual appeal (hand or digital). These
should indicate color, mood, and provide an understanding of how the fabric will
fall when the garment is on the body.
 Technical/construction specifications to show you know how to write and
communicate garment construction specifications and details.
 Production/images of finished garment to show how designs translated from
inspiration to product.
FASHION PRESENTATIONS IN-TWO DIMENTIONAL FORMS
Presentation in Fashion and Textiles Design is a professional method used to visually display a
design concept in a creative and dynamic format in other to enhancing individual pieces of artwork.
Presentation boards, portfolio, posters, fliers etc. are some techniques of presentation in the field
of fashion and textile design. The concept could be for a fashion range, a fashion mood or theme,
fashion colours, fashion fabrics or fashion promotion.
Individually, sketches can look flat and interesting, but if all the right ingredients are grouped
together in a well-planned layout, the theme will be strong and commercially viable. Designers
and illustrators use many presentation skills to enhance their works. Some forms of fashion
presentation techniques are discussed below.
1. Croquis:
Croquis is a French word used to describe a small rough sketch of figure from which a garment or
clothing range is developed. In fashion design, croquis figure template can be used as a guide when
drawing garments during design development, for technical specifications or for production
purposes. See below example of fashion croquis.
Source: (Fashion Croquis Collection - Google Search, n.d.)
Source: (Fashion Croquis Collection - Google Search, n.d.)
Flats:
Flats are explicit line drawing of garments, drawn to scale using simple, clear lines with no
exaggeration of detail as would find in a more stylizes fashion illustration. They appear in
working drawings, technical drawings, diagrammatic, and specification drawings. All
construction lines such as seams, arts and styling details like pockets, buttons and trims are
represented.
Fashion companies use flats as primary visual source to communicate and liaise with buyers,
clients, pattern makers and sample machinists. Flats are the international fashion language. As part
oof the design process, digital drawings are the most efficient method to communicate designs
from the fashion design studio to production, and to the buyers, merchandisers, and marketing
teams.
Developing computer drawing skills enable one to sketch flats on computers at a faster rate and
become more efficient in the drawing of clothes. Digital drawing packages such as adobe
illustrator, coral draw and AutoCAD are used for drawing flats. Free hand drawings are also
popular among fashion illustrators. See below example of fashion flats.
Source: (Fashion Flats Collection - Google Search, n.d.)
Specs:
Specs in fashion presentation, simple means specification. A Specs sheet or specification sheet is
a document that contains accurately drawn flat with instruction and/ measurement of the clothing
indicated on it. The information in specs is needed to produce garments to the required standard
and design. It informs the basis for binding contract between the fashion house and the client or
the factory that produces the garment. With a large percentage of clothing manufacturing being
outsource offshore, this document must be clear, precise, and self-explanatory. See below
example of fashion specs.
Source: (Garment Drawings Specification - Google Search, n.d.)
CRITIQUING WORK OF ART
Art criticism is an oral or written discussion strategy that seeks to analyzing and evaluate works
of art. The essence of art critiquing is to help students sharpen their persuasive oral and writing
skills as well as improving their information gathering techniques and justification. In critiquing
work of art, particularly a painting, sculpture, or other form of art, we do not approach it as
something that we like or dislike. We view it in a businesslike like manner. For example, does the
artwork represent a particular era, movement, or style? In approaching art criticism, just look at
yourself as a harmless detective that that seeking to improve the quality of work of art by largely
probing into the nitty-gritties and fundamental principles that made up the art. In other words, what
makes art 'art'?
Critiquing clothing items in the fashion design industry is however characterize with a lot of
challenges, because of the dynamic nature of the fashion industry. Nothing is standard in the
fashion industry, and it keeps changing. Unlike art, the fashion industry is heavily business
oriented and centered on hard pressed deadlines and at times mass production. So how can we
critique fashion? But that notwithstanding, we are going to look at the four basic steps in critiquing
an artwork juxtapose clothing items.
The four-basic step in includes:

Look at the obvious

Analyze the artwork.

Decide on an interpretation.

Make a judgment call.
1. LOOK AT THE OBVIOUS
In the course of your daily life, you'll most likely have to provide others with some general
information about yourself, such as your name, address, or school. When critiquing an art piece,
you will be looking for that same type of information about the artist. For example, what is the
name of the piece? What is the name of the artist? What country was he or she from?
What medium did the artist use, such as paint, clay, film, or other type of material?
But in the case of critiquing fashion (clothing), it is important to first and foremost know what you
are critiquing. Looking is not synonymous to knowing. Food cannot be critiqued merely by the
way it looks, so as fashion cannot be critiqued merely by photos. Attending high fashion catwalks
and actually seeing the way the clothes are pieced together and how the clothes flow give a critique
that added detail to appeal to the senses of readers and goes beyond seeing a still picture online
or in a magazine.
2. ANALYZE THE ARTWORK
Next you have to describe the piece of art in terms of its subject matter, color, and style. For
example, if you're looking at a painting, do you see people, a landscape, or an object? Let's say
you see a woman. Is she smiling? Is she frowning? What is she wearing? Is she doing anything?
Check out the color palette, which is a spectrum of colors used by the artist. Sometimes you can
tell from the color during which century the piece was created. Do you see pastels, or do you see
bright colors? Maybe you see more muted tones. In analyzing artwork, you also need to look at
the style. Style refers to a particular type of movement, such as Art Nouveau or Cubism. If the
woman is very realistic, you may want to look at periods prior to 1910. If you sort of see a woman,
but she is made up of cubes, you might suspect that the picture was painted in the 1910s or 1920s
during the Cubist period of art. Cubism A movement in modern art that emphasized the
geometrical depiction of natural forms.
Critically analyzing when critiquing fashion, go beyond “liking” the fashion or “hating” the
fashion. Look at the work critically. Yes, fashion is about trends, but what are the details that
separate the work apart from the trends? The cuts, the colors, the dimensions, the shape, the
placement are all intended for a specific purpose.
3. DECIDE ON AN INTERPRETATION
Now that you have examined the artwork, what does it all mean? Use complete sentences to
interpret what you have already discovered about the work in the first two steps. Develop a good
guess about the meaning of the work. An interpretation explains what you have already observed
and analyzed. You will use your knowledge of art and life to come up with your best guess as to
the interpretation of the artwork. Examples of questions one needs to ask during interpretation are
as follows:

What is the artist trying to say in this work and what makes you think that?

Why did the artist create the work?

What do you think is the meaning and why?

Do you think there are things in this work of art that represent other things e.g. symbols?
What are those things and what do they symbolize?
You will look at the emotions, content, symbols, and allegories to arrive at the best possible
message or meaning of the work.
Similarly, when it comes to critiquing fashion, the third (3rd) step is to be: A aware of the
source inspiration: High fashion lines do not miraculously appear. Designers are often inspired
by something e.g. history, politics and art of certain decade. And the brand embodies the
inspiration to create fashion with a specific aesthetic and purpose. To critically interpret fashion,
you need to be able to relate the fashion to the inspiration. How does the designer’s inspiration
come together with the work?
In a way, fashion is similar to art. Because designers are expressing themselves through the prints,
the fit, style and cut technique. For many high fashion brands, the catwalk is how designers express
and interpret their work through live models walking down a runway. Seeing a fashion product
been on live models is essential to effectively critiquing clothing items and other fashions.
4. MAKE A JUDGMENT CALL
Last, but not least, an art critic needs to make a judgment call. For example, what did you think of
the artwork? In this step you have to go beyond I like it, I love it, or even I hate it.
In making your judgment call, you need to ask yourself if the work was successful. For instance,
did it convey the message the artist or designer intended? Was the composition, color, and line
quality successful in, say, representing Bauhaus, Swiss Design, or Art Nouveau? In art criticism,
judgment is never personal; it is about interpreting the art and whether the art communicates a
message to the audience.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND FASHION
Introduction
Photography among all the media for conveying fashion mentioned, is the most powerful means
of communicating and documenting the latest styles. Photographs that convey present and future
fashions are termed fashion photographs when they are commissioned expressly for that purpose
by a magazine or for inclusion in a designer or company’s catalogue. They do not fall within the
realm of photojournalism, in which shots of a scene are taken on the spur of the moment, nor are
they portraits, which are intended to capture the subject’s identity. Fashion photographs are
conceived from the outset to tell a story.
Brief History of Photography and Fashion
This system of documenting or showing fashion using photographs began in 1909 when the editors
of the American edition of Vogue turned a society magazine into a product concerned with haute
couture for a large potential market not just those with the purchasing power to buy the garments
shown based on a modern idea of fashion as a global phenomenon. Ever since the invention of
photography in 1839, its purpose has been to reproduce reality and to reach a broad audience.
Charles Baudelaire stated that photography would be the death of art, a prediction that happily has
not come to pass: “If photography is allowed to supplement art in some of its functions, art will
soon be displaced or corrupted it altogether. Susan Sontag, however, believed that photography as
an activity for producing and consuming images is the major phenomenon that heralded the advent
of modern society.
How to Photograph Clothing Items for your Online Portfolio Hosting Site
When you intend to photograph clothing items for your ecommerce store or digital portfolio, you
certainly want to get it right. Good quality photographs have the potential to attract potentials
clients whereas bad photographs can let them bounce off your page. Taking photographs on
Clothing is not as tricky as photographing jewelry as you are not only dealing with small and
detailed pieces but also, still need to get your set up right and capture all the details. Below is a
step-by-step guide to preparing your clothing items; setting up your photo studio (even if it is at
home); equipment you will need and product photography.
Step 1: Decide on how you want to display your products
Before starting to take photographs, you need to take a decision on how you would like your
clothing items to be displayed on your digital portfolio (portfolio hosting site) or ecommerce store.
There are three common ways of photographing clothing items, and these includes
 The use of mannequin
When it comes to product photography, displaying a product in a more realistic form such as a
mannequin can be of great value to your customers. Online shoppers are more likely to buy an
item of clothing if they can visualize how, it will look when they wear it. A mannequin will give
your products a realistic human shape without the hassle of finding a model for each photoshoot.
You can remove the background from each photo later for a professional touch. It is always
advisable to avoid the usage of armless (amputated) mannequins unless you are shooting
something strapless. Make sure you use a mannequin that is standing straight-on. Mannequins
designed for brick-and-mortar stores are often standing in unique poses so that they do not all look
the same when standing together. Mannequins can provide added benefits to the overall style and
keep your budget low.
 Hire a model
If you have the budget, hire a model. Models can strike any kind of pose or work with any kind of
angle that flatters your piece of clothing. This will help you create the perfect in-context shot of
your product which you can use on your ecommerce store or portfolio hosting site or on social
media. Live models have the flair to in different styles. But it always important to take note and
avoid poses that will end up covering important style details that may be crucial to attracting client
when shopping online. While using a model can be expensive, the added benefits a professional
can bring to a shoot sometimes outweigh the cost. For example, a professional model will be able
to change their body to compliment the clothing they are modeling, whereas if it were on a
mannequin, you would have to pin the garment for the same effect. A model can also bring natural
movement to the clothing which the buyer can relate to. Also having your model pose in an outdoor
location might suit your brand better than an indoor studio environment. Lifestyle apparel images
are growing in popularity, so it just depends on the overall look and feel you are going for.
 Flat lay photography
Flat lay photography is the easiest and one of the most cost-effective ways to photograph your
clothing items. Flat lay photography works well for shirts, and I have also seen it work for socks
and men trousers. Flat lay photography is however not recommended for ecommerce store,
unless you need a cool visual to share on social media. I think when it comes to product images,
displaying them in a more realistic form is of much more value to your customers.
To take a great flat lay, you will need a large piece of white paper or a white sheet to lay on the
ground. Make sure your products are looking their best, iron your clothes and make sure collars
are in place and buttons are done up. You can give your products an extremely smooth and flat
shape with a piece of cardboard. It is important to consider the ways in which your products are
related to one another. Photos should clearly communicate a common theme, occasion, or color as
to not overwhelm the viewer.
Step: 2 Prepare your clothing photography equipment
Choosing or acquiring a photography equipment do not have to be extremely expensive to
guarantee quality for beginners. Digital cameras are coming down in price and smartphone
cameras are getting better and better.
List of photography equipment you will need:
 Camera
Having the correct camera can make the difference between a professional looking photo or an
amateur one. Mirrorless is by far the best type of camera to photograph clothing due to their newer
technology, studio lighting connectivity, and physical lighter weight when compared to traditional
DSLR cameras, but don’t be fooled into buying one if you don’t need to. Your smartphone can
work just as well.
 Lighting Equipment
For clothing photography, lighting is essential. Potential buyers want to see all the details of the
item, so it is critical to obtain lights which connect well with your camera. It is advisable to select
a light kit which contains three lights, in that, a three-point lighting setup can be implemented (one
key light, one fill light, and a back or hair light). If you decide to use a smartphone for your
photography, then investing in a continuous light kit is the way to go as there is no need to sync
the light to the camera’s shutter. You can also use this type of lighting kit with a mirrorless camera,
but better results are achieved with a traditional studio lighting setup and a wireless trigger.
 Studio Backdrop Kit
Along with lighting, the backdrop is one of the most crucial pieces of equipment required for clean
looking images. Plain white photography backdrop which includes a stand is recommended. The
kit should be approximately 10 x 20 foot as this will allow you to photograph a mannequin at full
length for any longer dresses or garments you may want to display in your portfolio.
 Studio (Wireless) Lighting Trigger
Mirrorless cameras as earlier on been discussed in the previous stage of “Lighting Equipment”
Is a third-party accessory that will communicate between the camera and studio lighting kit to
ensure they ‘go off’ or ‘fire’ at the same time the photo is taken. When you purchase one of these
just make sure the brand you are buying is compatible with the camera brand you plan on using.
 Tripod
Selecting a sturdy tripod is a must for studio photography as it eliminates any unwanted camera
shake caused by hand holding your camera. Aim to get a tripod that extends to roughly your eye
level in height and seek one that has a spirit level as this will come in handy when setting the legs
up.
 Photography toolbox
Having a bag of tricks for your photo shoot is always very handy when preparing your garment
for clothing photography. For instance, using pins to pin back specific folds or labels will save you
copious amounts of time in Photoshop afterward. Clothes pegs are also a great way to gather and
secure excess material at the back of the model or mannequin to reflect a perfect wrinkle-free,
seamless fit. Other items of value include tape measure for checking accuracy when it becomes
necessary and to also position fabric just where you need it, spare batteries for your camera, spare
bulbs for your studio lights and a steam iron to rid any wrinkles.
Step :3 Prepare your clothing products
Preparation is key to a great photo shoot. The time you spent in preparing for a photo shoot will
save you much editing time afterward and even save you time from redoing an entire shoot. It is
advisable that you select the best of your collections and iron or steam them if required. Do this
before hanging everything to ensure no wrinkles are showing. Second, have your photography
toolbox open and have your spare batteries charged, pins, tape measure, spare buttons and all
necessary content of the toolbox are available. If you are going for mannequins, dress your
mannequin with the first item of clothing.
 Look out for those tiny details on your garments.
Check if all the buttons accounted for and buttoned up
If garment has tassels or ties make sure they’re styled neatly and consistently.
Make sure your sleeves are not only folded neatly but folded consistently
Make sure there are no stains on the clothing
Step 4: Set up your photography studio
Your clothing photography studio could be a professional one, or maybe just a spare area in at the
back of your store. It does not really matter as long as you have the right camera and lighting. Set
up your backdrop first. Once that is done, start setting up your lighting and camera. As mentioned
previously a three-point lighting setup is best for clothing photography.
Setting-up three-point lighting:
To start with, set up one light next to your camera and direct it toward the mannequin, this will
form the key light. The second light will act as a fill light and should be positioned at a 45-degree
angle from your mannequin and further away from the first key light. Finally, the remaining light
is position between the mannequin and the backdrop.
Step 5: Check your camera settings
When setting your camera, there are three factors you need to look into and there are as follows:

Aperture

ISO sensitivity and

shutter speed.
Aperture - For clothing photography, it is ideal to shoot at a high f/stop, between f/8 and f/11.
This will help you get a more focused shot on your apparel products.
Shutter speed - Shutter speed refers to how long your shutter will remain open. Ideally, you should
set it around 1/125 when photographing clothing.
ISO sensitivity- When taking photos of clothing, the ideal ISO settings is between 400 and 800.
This will depend on what type of light sources you are using. If you are using artificial lighting,
set your ISO between 600 and 800 instead, allowing you to reduce the noise.
Step 6: Start taking your product photos
In photographing your products, make sure that your camera is stable. Use a tripod. This will give
you crisper and sharper product images. If you do not have a tripod, you can place your camera on
any stable or hard surface. Your mannequin or model should be at the center of your camera frame.
Make it a point that it takes up the majority of your canvas. If you need closer shots, either adjust
your tripod or adjust the optical zoom of your camera. Never use a digital zoom in photographing
your clothing, because it will lower the quality of your product photos due to the cropping of the
image while shooting. Also Set your camera on a 2-second-timer mode. Doing this allows your
camera to re-focus on your subject after pressing the shutter. Never overlook the small details
when you photograph clothing for example, stitching, fabric, tags, zips, buttons and anything else
about your clothing item that you think the customer may want to see before making a purchase.
By including details, you can reduce the number of customer service questions you may receive
and also increase conversion rates because the customer has all the information about the item in
front of them. You can always enable a zoom function that allows your customer to do the
zooming. You should provide a few choice close-ups to show the customer where they should
look.
Step 7: Editing your product photos to increase sales
Once you are done taking photos of your products, it is time to edit your images to make them all
looking consistent for your portfolio hosting site or online store. Your postproduction process
should take into consideration how you want your photos to look. Make sure that you handle the
alignment, white background, cropping, and color correction to ensure consistency.
Step 8: Uploading your product photos to your portfolio hosting site or online shop.
The last thing you need to do is upload your items to your portfolio hosting site or online store and
any marketplace that you are selling on, making sure that you match the image requirements.
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