Check out this short taster (full session available to Live Hub members) with expert Trends Consultant Victoria Brawn of Porter & Brawn and Vic from team Make it in Design as they present High Summer 2024.
This month our members are working on the trend MIAMI BEACH CLUB with a focus on kidswear and already we are seeing some GORGEOUS moodboards taking shape within our private Live Hub community.
Here’s some best practices for creating a directional board to set the scene:
- Include a ‘word wall’ or curate a keyword list. This demonstrates thinking through the process of understanding the trend. This also helps justify the images you include on a moodboard. Consider including a short paragraph to elaborate on the backstory of the trend.
- Consider how you lay your references/images out on the board and try give key images some breathing space. A professional presentation will always be well received and showcase your collection.
- Sometimes images can work a lot smarter for you if you format them with a cleaner look. This will give your images more relevance too. Having fewer key images on the board works better than having lots.
- Tell the story behind the trend succinctly with your images. This will demonstrate confidence in your direction and denotes plenty of collection opportunities i.e., each image gives the impression that your collection will be cohesive but also varied.
- Clients look for an understanding of the trend, the images you choose and how they connect with your designs – doing this will tell the story, shows passion for the direction and authenticity in your approach. Your images should blend with a thematic colour palette which runs throughout your board.
- Use images that have a less contrived/obvious interpretation of the trend i.e., retro 60’s theme – avoid an obvious lift of a psychedelic pattern. Try and find an image that does that role but brings it bang up to date with a more contemporary interpretation. Doing this gives an unexpected twist to the theme.
- There should always be an obvious link between your designs and the image references you have chosen. Make sure each image does a different job. This will bode well for a successful collection.
- When you feel you have completed your directional board ask yourself the question ‘what is it that I am inspired by in each image?’ and ‘how does it influence my design/s?’ This is a good exercise for everyone to do when you are choosing images for a directional board – ask yourself those questions when you start to curate your boards as it will create conversation and justify your work when presenting it to a client.
- Please do share with us @makeitindesign as we’d love to see what you discover!
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