baker miller is obsessed with fit.
All our dresses are made with you in mind. We pay meticulous attention to every design and construction detail, from seams, waistbands, pockets, and lengths. We do several rounds of fit testing for each garment to ensure our garments meet our high expectations of quality and fit.
We have previously discussed the integral role of our fit model in the design and development process. When fit testing, our model tries on our samples and provides comments about fit, comfort, and movement. Many corrections are small - ½ inch here or ¼ inch there – but they significantly impacted the fit and look of our garment.
We did several rounds of sampling, with our model trying our garments on each time before we felt that the fit and the fabric were perfect and ready for production.
Here are a few photos of our fantastic fit model from different sessions. She is such a valuable part of our team!
Fit models work very much behind the scenes. It is an invaluable segment of the fashion industry. We'll go into further detail about fit models and what happens in a fit session.
What is a fit model?
First and foremost, a fit model is not a fashion model. They do not have to be thin like a fashion model you see on the runway or in a magazine. A person is selected to work as a fit model primarily on criteria that meet the desired body measurement and proportions of the designer or manufacturer. They meet specific height, bust-waist-hip, arm, leg, shoulder width, and other measurement requirements. For baker miller, we made sure our model's body reflects our customers' bodies.
The fit model is almost like a live mannequin that tests garments to ensure accurate cuts and proportions. They help designers and technical designers identify fit, comfort, and movement problems.
Types and categories of fit models
There are a variety of fit models, including Misses, Maternity, Athletic, Plus, Petite, Petite Plus, Swim, Intimates, Junior, Tall, Big & Tall, etc. Fit models work both freelance and through modeling agencies.
Fit modeling requirements
A good fit model should be physically proportionate and knowledgeable about a garment's fit and construction.
They must be able to give accurate and helpful feedback to the designers and technical teams. They know if something feels a fraction of an inch off and have the technical vocabulary needed to express what's wrong with the cut of a sleeve, the slope of the shoulders, or the drop of a neckline. This feedback helps technical teams write fit comments and correct the pattern correctly.
Fit models must keep their measurements in check and stay the same size. If they do and maintain good posture (stand straight, and be still as possible, as slouching can change the fit of a garment), many models can work for years. A fit model's career is considerably longer than a fashion model's. Some fit models are 18, and others are in their 60s. It's an industry you can be in for a very long time.
What happens in a fit session?
A fit session is a meeting with the design and technical teams to assess a collection's fit. Fit sessions should focus mainly on the fit of the garment rather than design details. However, design issues can arise, especially when seeing the garment on a live body for the first time. Design changes can be incorporated in subsequent samples.
Our sessions start at the top with each garment and work our way down. We talk about how each garment feels — if it's too small or big, where it is off, and how the fabric feels. The technical designer will cut or safety-pin changes that need to be made.
A technical team member takes notes of the changes that need to be made. Once the session is done, the tech pack is updated, so the development team stays on top of revisions. The garment patterns are also adjusted according to the notes taken at the meeting.