GB2238225A - Method of manufacturing a garment - Google Patents

Abstract

The method comprises: a) providing a base garment unit, e.g. for a wedding or evening dress, b) providing a selection of parts which may be attached to the base garment unit, c) selecting a plurality of said parts and detachably attaching them to the base garment unit, d) recording the title of chosen parts and their chosen positions and orientations on the base garment unit, e) removing said plurality of pans from said base garment unit for further use, and, f) from said recording, making a garment as selected in step (c). It is envisaged, therefore, that a customer will enter a shop, try a variety of basic dresses until they find a general style, material and colour which they prefer. A customer can then choose and locate on the base unit a variety of parts which may comprise, for example, ribbons, silk flowers, ribbon flowers, ribbon bows, flower sprays, pearls, diamante, trim, net, lace, foliage and the like, frills, ruffles, sashes, rosettes and trains. The design is then recorded by a drawing for subsequent manufacture. A shop display unit is disclosed (Figs. 3A-D).

Description

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A GARMENT The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a garment.

At the present time, there are basically two ways in which a garment is manufactured, in accordance with a design prepared by a designer for an off-the-peg garment, or in accordance with measurements taken of the proposed garment and the measurements of the proposed wearer in the case of made-to-measure clothes.

The present invention provides according to one aspect, a method of manufacturing a garment comprising: a) providing a base garment unit, b) providing a selection of parts which may be attached to the base garment unit, c) selecting a plurality of said parts and detachably attaching them to the base garment unit, d) recording the title of chosen parts and their chosen positions and orientations on the base garment unit, e) removing said plurality of parts from said base garment unit for further use, and, f) from said recording, making a garment as selected in step (c).

This method of manufacture of the garment is particularly applicable to, for example, wedding dresses and evening dresses in which a customer may be involved in step (a) and (c) and can thereby effectively design their own dress which can thereafter be made up in a factory. Thus, step (c) may be carried out whilst the customer is wearing the base garment and the plurality of parts may be removably attached to the base garment by means of pins. In this way, they may be moved around the garment until they are in the correct position and/or orientation.

A wide variety of parts may be provided so that each dress can be unique, and means may be provided for display and ready selection of the parts.

Recording of the type of chosen parts and their chosen postions and orientations, step (d), may be carried out by means of a drawing, the positions of the chosen parts being indicated on the drawing, and the parts being indicated by reference numbers or letters.

There is preferably provided a range of base garment units of different sizes, different materials, and different colours which, in combination with the parts which are to be attached to the base garment, will provide a very wide range of different types and styles of finished garment.

It is envisaged, therefore, that a customer will enter a shop, try a variety of basic dresses until they find a general style, material and colour which they prefer, a customer can then choose a variety of parts which may comprise, for example, ribbons, silk flowers, ribbon flowers, ribbon bows, flower sprays, pearls, diamante, trim, net, lace, foliage and the like, frills, ruffles, sashes, rosettes.

A preferred method of the apparatus will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a front view of a base dress unit, Figure 2 shows a rear view of the base dress unit of Figure 1, Figures 3A to D show a display unit for displaying parts which may be attached to the base dress unit, Figure 4 shows the base dress unit with selected parts attached, and Figure 5 shows a drawing produced from the customer's choice of base dress unit and parts.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a base dress unit which may form the basis of a wedding dress.

In a retail shop there are provided a variety of base dress units of different basic shapes, sizes, materials and colours.

A customer wishing to buy a wedding dress chooses the particular base dress unit closest to the final dress she requires in the correct size to fit her. She also chooses a desired colour and material.

The base dress units may be hung on the rail 55.

Figures 3A to D show a display unit for displaying parts which may be attached to the base dress unit to, effectively, design a unique wedding dress. Figure 3A shows a front view, Figure 3B and 3C two alternative side views, and Figure 3D shows a detail of the display unit. The display unit 50 comprises a base unit 51, two side units 52,53 which each include shelves 54 and a dress rail 55 between the two side units 52,53. The arrangement of Figure 3C has curtains the size of the two side units.

The variety of parts may be displayed on the shelves 54. The customer, with the assistance of a sales assistant, chooses a variety of parts and these are detachably attached to the base dress unit 10 whilst the customer is wearing it and in front of a mirror so that the customer can gauge the effect of the various parts. It is thus possible for a customer to try a particular part eg a bow and perhaps to reject it if it is not to her taste. The parts which are provided to be attached to the base dress unit include ribbons of various colours, silk flowers, flowers in the form of ribbons, ribbon bows, flower sprays, foliage, various trims, sections of material in the form of diamante lace, net and the like, frills, ruffles, sash, rosettes and different trains.

Figure 4 shows the way in which the base dress unit has been changed in appearance by the addition of selected parts by a customer. There has thus been attached to the base dress unit there has thus been attached to the base dress unit a netted section around the neck, together with a ruff around the neck. There is a ribbon below the neck and a sash around the waist.

There are provided large bows at the hem of the dress and the hem itself is extended by means of lace. The sleeves are also trimmed in lace.

As the parts are connected to the base dress unit by means of pins they can be moved about the dress to the correct position.

When the customer is satisfied with the effect of the base dress unit with the parts attached thereto, the sales assistant produces a drawing showing the parts and their position on the dress. The drawing may be similar to that shown in Figure 5 and as can be seen, the outline of the front and rear of the dress is shown on a preprinted sheet, and there is space on the sheet for details of the particular base dress unit chosen, that is its type material, colour size and position of hemline. The positions of the various parts to be attached is indicated and the parts indicated on the drawings by reference numbers, each part in the display of Figure 3 carrying a particular reference number which indicates both its type and, in some circumstances, its colour.

Thus, for example, 36 is a wide large bow to be tied in the middle of the rear of a sash numbered 53.

The ruffles at the end of the sleeves are numbered 5, which indicates that they are of a white net material.

The ribbon the the bodice is numbered 11, indicating that it is of white ribbon. The net material is numbered 22 on the drawing, which indicates that it is white net and the neck ruffle is indicated as 18 showing that it is a particular style of ruffle. The bows are indicated as 38, which denotes a particular type of bow and the ruffle 41 around the hem is a particular type of ruffle.

The drawing is then passed to the factory where the completed dress is made up utilizing similar components to those in the shop.

In the shop the base dress unit chosen by the customer and the parts are then disassembled, the parts being returned to the rack for reuse and the base dress unit being returned to the display again for reuse.

In this way, a customer can choose exactly the dress she wishes. A problem with dress shops is providing a full range of dresses in all colours, materials and sizes. By the present means, a relatively small number of base dress units can be provided in a variety of colours and styles and materials and then the finished dress can be chosen by the customer by means of adding parts as necessary. The effect can be immediately seen by the customer without the necessity, for example, as in some cases, of choosing a dress from a catalogue or set of drawings which clearly only gives a limited indication as to how that dress will look on a particular customer.

The invention is particularly applicable to the manufacture of bridal dresses and brides maids dresses.

However, it is also applicable to other garments such as evening dresses.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing example.

Claims (3)

1. The present invention provides according to one aspect, a method of manufacturing a garment comprising: a) providing a base garment unit, b) providing a selection of parts which may be attached to the base garment unit, c) selecting a plurality of said parts and detachably attaching them to the base garment unit, d) recording the title of chosen parts and their chosen positions and orientations on the base garment unit, e) removing said plurality of parts from said base garment unit for further use, and, from said recording, making a garment as selected in step (c).

This method of manufacture of the garment is particularly applicable to, for example, wedding dresses and evening dresses in which a customer may be involved in step (a) and (c) and can thereby effectively design their own dress which can thereafter be made up in a factory. Thus, step (c) may be carried out whilst the customer is wearing the base garment and the plurality of parts may be removably attached to the base garment by means of pins. In this way, they may be moved around the garment until they are in the correct position and/or orientation.

A wide variety of parts may be provided so that each dress can be unique, and means may be provided for display and ready selection of the parts.

Recording of the type of chosen parts and their chosen postions and orientations, step (d), may be carried out by means of a drawing, the positions of the chosen parts being indicated on the drawing, and the parts being indicated by reference numbers or letters.

There is preferably provided a range of base garment units of different sizes, different materials, and different colours which, in combination with the parts which are to be attached to the base garment, will provide a very wide range of different types and styles of finished garment.

It is envisaged, therefore, that a customer will enter a shop, try a variety of basic dresses until they find a general style, material and colour which they prefer, a customer can then choose a variety of parts which may comprise, for example, ribbons, silk flowers, ribbon flowers, ribbon bows, flower sprays, pearls, diamante, trim, net, lace, foliage and the like, frills, ruffles, sashes, rosettes.

2. A method of manufacturing a garment as claimed in claim 1 in which step (c) is carried out whilst the base garment unit is worn by a person.

3. A method of manufacturing a garment as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the recording step (d) is carried out by means of a drawing, the positions of the chosen parts being indicated on the drawing and the parts being indicated by reference numbers or letters.