Barbara is a Senior Patternmaker with over 30 years experience in the fashion industry and a Masters Degree in Pattern Technology.  In 1994, she commenced a research project in the areas of block construction and advanced grading methods.  By researching and experiencing Pattern and Block construction methods from around the globe she has been able to develop a successful method of block development for all types of the average female body.   The ICCON technology she has developed has been implemented into many large and small companies such as Myer Grace Bros, KMart, Target, Sussan, Sportsgirl, Sportscraft, S&R Fashions, Solo Voyager and Scanlan & Theodore.

The courses are:

1) Towards Patternmaking as a Source of Competitive Advantage

2) Patternmaking Excellence for Fashion Industry Professionals

You will need to have studied or worked in this field to enroll in the courses, it is fantastic for those working as Patternmakers, Graders, Garment Technitions, Machinist, Quality Assurance, Product Developers & Designers.  I feel that as we are all working together in our respective roles, we do need to understand the very core of the product we are working with.  Helping these professionals to understand pattern and garment construction will reduce the overall time spent in developing and fitting a style – therefore saving money.

I feel that the overall aim of this course and the ICCON Technology is to construct blocks and garments that will fit the highest possible percentage of the market.  Once the Patternmaker understands how to use these blocks successfully, it is possible to produce more patterns that fit with minimal alterations  first or second go.

I have been using this technology in my current job at a Melbourne Designer Label, which I consider to be extremely innovative and up to date in the design room technologies.  It has been fantastic to be able to implement what I have been learning while I am at work to maximize what I have learned.  I can’t wait to start the second course!!

Central St Martins in London, UK is one of the world’s top fashion schools.  They offer short courses in addition to their main courses.  There are many to choose from in all subjects, including design, drawing, patternmaking, marketing and computers.

The course I chose was called Fashion Sketchbook, which took you through the sketchbook development stages.  The main class time was spent learning how to draw the figure correctly from a live model, and how to interpret this into a fashion figure.  We went back to the foundations of design and as you can see by my loose illustrations on the folio page - they are not fashion designs yet.  They are the conceptual stages of shapes, textures and colours used to manipulate the shape of the body.  I am still developing my skills and what I learned in that course has had a huge impact on my perception of design.

Click the link below to find out more about short courses at Central St Martins:

http://courses.csm.arts.ac.uk/MetaArea.asp?ma=1