Ready to Wear
An insight to how we make our ready to wear collection
Attention to Detail
In a world where convenience and instant gratification reigns, we took a conscious decision to take a step back and reflect on our core brand ideals. As a brand, we are focused on slow and sustainable fashion and we have decided to take the step to release all our ready-to-wear products on the basis of small production runs. The decision to work closely with our workshop in Buckinghamshire to produce in small quantities was an easy one as it allows us to meet our customer demand with minimal waste - allowing us to focus our time and energy on the things you, our customer, want to see!
Made to Last
We pride our ready to wear collection on celebrating British craftmanship and so we consciously source all our fabrics, linings and buttons from British suppliers. Therefore, when you purchase something from the Acre & Row ready to wear range you are buying into something we have designed, sampled and produced all locally.
Check out the step by step process below that each of our ready to wear garments go through from conception to completion.
Ready to Wear - A 9 Step Process
1. Design
Every product begins life as a sketch. This allows us to decide what type of silhouette we want to create, the details on the garment and how we can translate this when we draft the pattern.
2. Pattern Drafting
The pattern drafting is essentially the blueprint of the garment. We carefully draw each element of the clothing piece by piece, ensuring it is in proportion and in balance. A garment can have as many as 30 separate pieces which all come together seamlessly to create the final product.
3. Toile
Once we have created the pattern we cut it on fabric and stitch it - taking the design from 2D to 3D. The toile allows us to see whether the silhouette, measurements or overall balance is how we envisaged. It is made up in a plain cotton fabric with no trimmings or lining. We can then make any adjustments accordingly.
4. Re-Draft Pattern
We then go back to the drawing board and adjust the existing pattern. This process is repeated with the toiling until we are happy with the final result. For our UJ001 this was done many times before our first sample was even made.
5. Sampling
Once we are happy with the pattern we then produce a sample in a fabric we have in mind - this allows us to see how certain fabrics handle, drape and look with the silhouette designed. The sample is made as close to the final product as possible - including trimmings, lining, pockets etc.
6. More Sampling
Once the sample is made we then test it. This means we wear the garment as much as possible to see how it handles. We then take note of anything we feel could be improved, not only on the overall aesthetic but also the feel and comfort.
7. Final Sampling
After all the adjustments have been made again, we send it into our workshop for a final sample. This sample will be the closest example of what our final product will look like. We still test this final sample and wear it, get friends of ours to wear it and ask for general feedback. We always want to make sure that we put out the best version of our product!
8. Grading
Once we are sure the final sample meets our expectations of comfort and feel, we then begin the process of grading our final pattern. This means we create a final pattern for the jacket in each size that we will offer, ready for production.
9. Production
After grading, we then go into production at our British factory. All of our ready to wear is made on a pre-order basis to ensure we meet our customer demand and minimise waste. Once completed, all our garments undergo a final check before being sent out to our customers.
READY TO WEAR COLLECTION