My step-by-step process for a design collection

If you are working on adding design collections to your portfolio, chances are you’ve come across many ways in which to build a collection. It’s something I cover a lot in my online coaching (40% off on now) & in my online classes, but I still get asked about it frequently, so I thought I’d break it down for you. Sometimes these steps are interchangeable or not needed if I were working for a client, but this is the typical process:

1. Identify my audience and customer – you should put time into researching this, otherwise you are designing in a void.

2. Identify my market – interiors, gift, fashion, etc.

3. Identify my buyer – spend time researching your ideal buyer, visit their website and check out collections they’ve previously created with other designers.

4. Identify the mood, trend, theme or subject matter & choose my colour palette.

5. Create my motifs. I like to draw everything by hand on loose sheets of paper or in a sketchbook. I them scan them in & manipulate them in Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop.

6. Decide on the size of my collection: mini collection = 6, full collection = up to 12 designs.

7. Create my ‘hero’ designs. These are the designs that will stand out the most in the collection & are what will initially entice a buyer.

8. Create my ‘coordinate’ designs (I believe my US friends call them ‘blender’ designs). These are key as they help fill out the collection & provide more value to a client. The more your designs work together, the better opportunities you have for selling or licensing the collection!

9. Add my designs to professional presentation sheets. Catch a buyers eye by making it simple but creative.

10. Add my designs to mock-ups or photograph them on products. These really help sell the collection & show how they can actually be used.

I hope that helps demystify the process a little! I can provide much more in depth & tailored to you advice in my 1:1 coaching.

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