Start by saving any and all images that speak to you for any reason whatsoever. Build Your AestheticĪs you pore through references and research ( start with Shutterstock for over 600 million inspiration pieces!), your collection’s mood and concept will naturally begin to emerge. Whatever the case may be, clarity in purpose will help you choose the right type and mix of imagery. Is it purely inspirational and for your own brainstorming? Will it be used as a pitch deck for partners and buyers? Or maybe it’s a concept board to show to a private client. Start by thinking through the purpose of your fashion mood board. With so many potential business uses, it’s worth getting your fashion mood board right! Here are the 10 most important tips to keep in mind as you make your mood board. Visualize window dressings and other merchandising decisions (if selling in stores)ġ0 Best Practices for Creating a Fashion Mood Board.Drive the design of your runway, props, and backdrop (if presenting in a show).

Share concepts and get approval from clients (if creating bespoke pieces).

Inform the marketing and branding materials surrounding your fashion line.

Communicate your collection’s style to potential buyers, retailers, and manufacturers.

Keep your team of designers aligned around the same vision.

Source the right textiles, trim, and other materials.

By crystallizing your artistic vision into a format that anyone can understand, a well-made mood board will serve you at every stage of the fashion business cycle.įrom small businesses to established fashion houses, mood boards can help: You’ve surely experienced that “a-ha” moment that comes from working through messy ideas and identifying the creative thread that unites them all.īut, fashion mood boards are important far beyond the inspiration phase. Then check out our fashion mood board examples to inspire you.Īs a fashion design professional, you already know that mood boards are an essential step to building out new collections. Read on to learn why fashion mood boards are so important and what to consider as you create your own. And, communicating that big idea early and effectively is the most important step to bringing your vision to life-which is where fashion mood boards come in! Whether you’re hand-stitching custom apparel or designing trendy accessories for online retail, every new fashion collection starts in the same place-with an idea. Make any necessary changes to your mood board to accommodate the feedback, or communicate why you have made certain choices.Are your fashion mood boards as powerful as they could be? Explore 10 best practices (with examples!) to visualize your ideas and communicate your vision.

Get feedback – Feedback will come from your potential client, production, or creative team.

Explain why you have chosen the images – This is not the case for every image, but try to add some text as to why you have chosen a specific image, color, or font.

That means if you have hundreds of images and ideas, you can keep them all together and structured.

Do not limit yourself – Online or digital mood boards are great because you have limitless space, or just about, to gather and organize ideas.

Images will help you to fine-tune your ideas, and to share your ideas with others. Find images, colors, and videos that tie into your ideas.

Add visual elements – Now the fun part.

For example, a wedding coordinator doing a forest wedding would find text like shabby chic or boho chic.

The text has its place everywhere – Collect some descriptive text of the creative project you are undertaking.That is the beauty of a digital mood board. Choose your directions – Even though in this section you need to choose what direction you want your project to go in, you do not need to limit yourself.

Layout your goals – Keep yourself and your team focused on what the final outcome will be.Digital mood boards allow you to create your own unique layout and direction in a few easy steps. Creating your own mood board using an online template is easy.

Free mood board template fashion