LibGuides: Fashion: Websites

Fashion websites

Clothing design elements

Basic Color Theory for Fashion Designers - Makers Valley
Makers Valley explains the basics of colour theory and 6 different types of colour schemes to help you understand designing with colour.
Color in Dress - LoveToKnow
LoveToKnow breaks down how colour works and explains how different colours can have an effect on the way people perceive different types of clothing.
Color encyclopedia - ColorHexa
This encyclopedia gives you the ability to play around with different colours to blend them and get you sorting out your colour choices.
Color trends and palettes - COLOURlovers
A place for you to share and view colours and palettes with many different users around the world.
Color wheel - Color schemes - Adobe Color CC
An interactive colour wheel to help you choose the shades and colours that you want to explore.
Color Wheel - Canva
Canva has created an interactive colour wheel which lets you see what colours work together. Alongside the wheel, it also explains a little bit about colour theory.
A pre-pantone guide to colors
Informs you about colour and colour development over the years.

25 + Australian Fashion Designers you Should Know about
Finder.com.au has compiled a list of current fashion designers from Australia that you should know about right now. Included on this website is also an A-Z of Australian fashion designers and information about brands that are made in Australia.
Australian fashion directory - World Fashion
This website displays the many different fashion houses, designers, companies and other fashion related industries.
Discovering and supporting pioneers in contemporary fashion - Not Just a Label
This website considers many aspects of fashion including designers, collections and features.

Europeana fashion portal
A collection of fashion items that can be explored from 30 different European private and public institutions.
Google arts and culture project
Google Arts and Culture Project brings together arts and different cultures related to fashion from over 40 different institutions.
Kyoto Costume Institute
The Kyoto Costume Institute provides inspiration and research about clothing and dress history. The Institute has access to digital archives of photos to view what they have in the collection.
Victoria and Albert Museum - Fashion Collection
The Victoria and Albert Museum have a collection of Fashion resources. You can search the collections to view photos of clothing.
Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology
The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology are a highly recognised museum. The institute provide a comprehensive online collection that allows you to find photos of clothing based on all different decades.

Fashion design - Hamstech
A blog by the Hamstech Institute of Creative Education that specifically looks at Fashion Design.
Fashion Finishing School
Fashion Finishing School is the place to get your creative juices flowing and be inspired. It can help you to gain understanding in all the areas of fashion design.
The secret journey of a fashion piece - Part 1: Creativity and design - Business of Fashion
This article from The Business of Fashion looks at the journey of fashion items from the beginning to the finish.
Starting a collection: How to develop your fashion designs - Maker's Row Blog
This Maker's Row blog follows the process to help you begin your project or garment creation with this easy to follow step by step instruction post.

Fashion drawing and illustration in the 20th century
An article from the Victoria and Albert Museum that showcases fashion drawing and illustration in the 20th century.
Fashion illustrations - NYPL
The New York Public Library collection of fashion illustrations that date back to the 1950's. This is sure to give you some inspiration and get you thinking.
I Draw Fashion
I Draw Fashion gives you the tools to start your design journey in fashion. This website provides tutorials, books and courses in the art of fashion drawing.
Pratt Institute libraries fashion plate
The Fashion Plate Collection consists of hand-colored fashion plates from the French periodical La Gazette du Bon Ton (considered the most influential fashion magazine during its existence from 1912 to 1925) and its American edition, La Gazette du Bon Genre.

Fashion feasibility
This resource from NM State University guides you through how to do lines in the drawing process.
Silhouettes and signals - Final Fashion
This article looks at the process for drawing silhouettes for the fashion field.

How to create a mood board and get your creative juices flowing - Design School
Canva explains how to create a mood board for your design.
How to create mood boards - Creatively Daring Blog
Another handy resource to help guide you through the process of creating a mood board for your designs.
How to create a fashion mood board - MasterClass
MasterClass steps through the process from what a mood board is through to tips for creating a mood board.
How to create a mood board - Australian Academy of Fashion Design
Australian Academy of Fashion Design gives you tips on the best places to start when designing your mood board for your collection.

These are links to tutorials about using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.

Fibres and fabrics

These standards focus on the requirements for labelling of clothing, the names of fibres (both man-made and natural) and fibre content labelling.

* To register, access and download Australian Standards, refer to our Techstreet database help guide.

Glossary of textile terms
A list of definitions for textiles.

Be inspired to create - TextileArtist.org
Textile Artist will inspire you to be creative and consider different fibres.
Textile Toolbox
Textile Toolbox gives you inspiration to be creative with different designs.

Advanced Fibres and Textiles - CSIRO
Focuses on the CSIRO research and technology related to fibres and fashion.
Laundry care guide for apparel and textiles
An interesting source that give you information on labelling and care instructions.
Learn about cotton
Talks about cotton and includes information about fitness and wellness and sustainability.

Sterns Textiles
A designer and supplier of textiles and materials based in Melbourne.
Synthetic and natural textile manufacturing in Australia
An IBISWorld industry report that focuses on fibre manufacturing and all the major players.

International Wool Textile Organisation
The International Wool Textile Organisation is a global authority for standards in the Wool Textile industry and Wool trade.
The Woolmark Company
Woolmark Company are a globally recognised authority for the wool industry.

Fashion design

Australian Dress Register
The Australian Dress Register is a collaborative, online project about dress with Australian provenance. This includes men's, women's and children's clothing ranging from the special occasion to the everyday. Museums and private collectors are encouraged to research their garments and share the stories and photographs while the information is still available and within living memory.
Australian fashion and textiles - NGV Collection
The National Gallery of Victoria's collection of Australian Fashion Textile items showcases items of fashion designed primarily in Australia and allows you to search by artist.
Clothing - National Museum of Australia
This National Museum of Australia resource is another avenue of inspiration and creative places to look at background for you design.
200 years of Australian Fashion
This webiste discusses how the design of fashion in Australia has evolved over the last 200 years.

Indigenous fashion showed off in Kununurra amid big dreams for emerging scene
This ABC News article presents how indigenous fashion is emerging in the Kimberley region of Australia.
Designs by Stolen Generations survivor and her daughter feature at Australian Fashion Week
This article highlights an Indigenous fashion design who's work was showcased at Australian Fashion Week 2023.

Encyclopedia of fashion
The encyclopedia of fashion looks at fashion from the historical perspective including ancient history and modern history.
Haute couture - Heilbrunn timeline of art history - Met
The Met Gallery in the UK provides links to essays about Haute Couture design and further reading suggestions.
Heilbrunn timeline of art history - The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met provides a timeline of art history with essays, works of art and chronologies.
International fashion and textiles - NGV Collection
The focus of this collection from the National Gallery of Victoria is on international fashion textiles.
Collections - Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum has created a group of collections on a number of subjects. From ancient Chinese ceramics to Alexander McQueen evening dresses, take an incredible journey through 5000 years of human creativity with our online collections.
Vintage Fashion Guild
The focus of the Vintage Fashion Guild purely focuses on all aspects of vintage fashion looks.

From upcycled burqas to traditional embroidery, Afghan women are sewing new lives in Australia
This article reflects on a personal experience about using the burqa as a means of protesting and delves into how fashion can be used as a means of protest.

Pattern making

Basics of pattern making - Fibre2Fashion
Provides a basic background of patternmaking.
The Cutting Class
Presents articles that talk about cutting and garment production.
How-To pattern making techniques - BurdaStyle
Tools and how to videos from Burda Style that show you different techniques for sewing.
Pattern making basics - Isn't That Sew
Provides information of patternmaking basics for you to be able to complete sewing techniques.

Choose the correct pattern size - Threads
Threads presents a guide on how to choose the correct pattern sizing and measurements.
What is Pattern Grading in the Fashion/Garment Industry?
Techpacker looks at the history of pattern grading and explains different methods of pattern grading.

AccuMark tips - Gerber Technology
YouTube playlist that give you tips on using Gerber software.
News - Gerber Technology
News from Gerber Technologies.

Manufacturing

Apparel manufacturing glossary
A glossary of fashion terms that you will come across in your studies and beyond into the workplace.
Coats Industrial
Coats is the leading thread company in the world. The company also focuses on technology.
Garment manufacturer directory - Australia
A list of garment manufacturers in Australia. You can also view many other manufacturers of different aspects for the fashion industry.
How to decide on a clothing manufacturer
An article that gives you tips on how to select a clothing garment manufacturer.
How-to - WeConnectFashion
This website gives you expert tips and advice on how to start up and continue to grow your fashion business.
Manufacturing resources - Startup Fashion
Explains how to start up manufacturing within your fashion business.
Online Clothing Study
A website that publishes articles about many different aspects of the fashion industry including apparel manufacturing, technology used in the industry and events and trade fairs.

Australian Standards - Seam Types

These standards focus on the requirements for seams when manufacturing garments in Australia.

* To register, access and download Australian Standards, refer to our Techstreet database help guide.

Apparel technical bulletins (American & Efird)
A group of guides that give you advice on the manufacturing of apparel.
The Sewing Dictionary
The sewing dictionary is a handy dictionary that gives you definitions to many different terms.
Techniques in sewing for garment making and construction
A how to website focusing on the construction of garments.
How-to videos by Threads Magazine:
How to videos created by Threads to guide you through different steps of manufacturing your garments.
Sewing - University of Fashion
Shows you how to learn the art of sewing through how to videos.

Sourcing Journal
The Sourcing Journal is a resource that looks at many different aspect of the fashion industry and publishes many articles from experts in the industry.

High fashion meets maker manufacturing - Institute for the Future
An article that looks at the future of manufacturing in the garment industry.
A Melburnian Asked ChatGPT To Design Miss Universe-Style Costumes for Melbourne Suburbs – With Interesting Results
This article is an interview with a designer who used ChatGPT to design outfits for Melbourne suburbs.

Menswear

Igee Okafor
A destination for lifestyle enthusiasts to learn, and create all round conversation about Menswear and Culture.
Joey London
A blog dedicated to menswear and style.
Man of Many
Looks at trends and all aspects related to menswear and men's style and life.
Man of Style
Man of style is a premium fashion, lifestyle and travel website for all parts of men's style and life.
Notoriously Dapper
Body positive men's fashion blog and style guide
Oh Anthonio
Menswear and personal style by Anthony Urbano
A Poor Man's Millions
An inspirational blog for menswear dedicated to knowledge and lifestyle.
Scout Sixteen
New York City men's fashion and lifestyle blog by Justin Livingston
Style Girlfriend
Guys' style, from a girl's perspective
Valet.
Men's style, grooming, living, shopping and how to guides
What My Boyfriend Wore
A dandy's diary about all things dapper

History of menswear - The Costume Gallery
Provides an interesting look at fashion throughout the years and decades.
Fashion, style and history - Epochs Menswear
Epochs is a collection of short essays about menswear. It is interested in culture and the social history that surrounds clothing.
A visual history: 600 years of menswear
A history of men's style and fashion over 600 years.

Custom bespoke menswear made in America - Articles of Style
Articles of Style aims to make it easier for guys to be fashionable and stylish.
Men's fashion basics - Fashion advice for beginner - FashionBeans
A website dedicated to men who are just starting out with fashion or those who are just beginning to style for men.
Men's Fashion Post
Men's Fashion Post is a menswear and lifestyle magazine that aims to inspire design for men's fashion and style.
Men's fashion trends - FashionBeans
This source looks particularly at the trends currently occurring in menswear and style.
Men's fashion trends and style advice - The Trend Spotter
A blog that looks at different menswear trends from the catwalk and many other sources.
Mens style and fashion - Esquire
A menswear and lifestyle trend website who give tips and advice.
Menswear news, photos and videos - Vogue
A dedicated page to all things related to the style and lifestyle of men and fashion from Vogue.

2020 worldwide men's clothing stores report
A report that considers all the industry trends and forecasts and demographic data.
2020 worldwide men's and boys' clothing wholesales report
The current men's and boy's clothing wholesale market and demographic data and trends.
Men's and boys' wear manufacturing in Australia
An IBISWorld report that focuses on menswear and boys wear manufacturing in Australia, highlighting the major players within the industry.
Menswear - The Business of Fashion
The Business of Fashion's menswear articles and other items, including podcasts.
MR: The Menswear industry's magazine
A menswear magazine that focuses on innovative ideas and trends.
Present tense: A look at menswear growth
An article which looks at the growth of menswear and fashion over the years.

Calibre
A men's clothing store that has the latest fashion and styles.
Fashion in London - Culture Trip
Culture Trip's focus particularly on fashion trends from London, England.
Song for the Mute
Shows the current menswear trends and collections.
Strateas Carlucci
Current: Men's Transit S/S 18
Tom Ford
Current menswear label and style by menswear designer Tom Ford.

WWD: Menswear news
Provides current news that is happening in menswear fashion

Professional practice and industry issues

As branding evolves, what's a logo worth
This article from the Business of Fashion looks at the importance of the logo of fashion companies and how they have evolved over the years.
Fashion branding secrets from 14 industry experts
Considers fashion branding through the eyes of fashion industry experts.
Luxury fashion brands shift budgets to digital - Business Insider
Looks at how luxury brands are shifting their focus from advertising via normal means to digital means.
Marketing and PR - Startup Fashion
A website dedicated to helping you start up and market your fashion business. It can be tailored to suit what your looking for.

The inside view - Graduate Fashion Week
This is the place to go to get the inside view about the fashion industry from the experts.
Graduate jobs and internships in Australia
Allows you to connect with different industries to get jobs or internships after you graduate.
Trade fairs Australia - Apparel, fashion, textiles, jewellery
Allows you to search for different fashion industry expos around Australia and around the world.
UBM Fashion - International trade fairs
This allows you to find fashion events around the world.

Business Victoria
Business Victoria is a government body that gives you information about running a business and gives updates on what is happening related to business in the state of Victoria.
Creative Victoria
Creative Victoria is the government body related to the creative industries. They support the industry with grants and incentives and showcase the industry to the state.
Digital Pulse - Disruption, innovation and industry change
Digital Pulse by PWC looks at how technology is impacting upon businesses as it constantly changes.
Interviews with entrepreneurs
These are interviews that have been conducted with CEOs of organisations that have had a major amount of success.
National Innovation and Science Agenda
This Australian government resource looks at how the government is working with industry to innovate and make the Australian industries the best in the world.

Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Australian Legislation)
This is the official Australian Government Legislation document for the Modern Slavery Act 2018.
Modern Slavery Register
The Australian Government and the Australian Border Force has created a register of Entities that have reported their Modern Slavery Status to the Australian Border Force. You are able to view the organisation's Modern Slavery Statement in PDF format.
It allows for businesses to provide their statement as well.
Modern Slavery - News and Resources - Australian Border Force
The Australian Border Force have compiled information and resources about Modern Slavery and the Modern Slavery Act 2018.
Protect, Respect and Remedy : A Framework for Business and Human Rights : Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises, John Ruggie
This is the framework that informs the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights document. This link will take you to a link to download the report from the UN Digital Library.
Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights - United Nations Human Rights
This highly useful resource is a set of guidelines created by the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commission. These principles are based on a framework that was also developed by the UN.
Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act 2018 - Guidance for Reporting Entities
The Home Affairs Department has put together a guide that explains what Modern Slavery is and the guidelines that entities need to follow if they report their Modern Slavery status to the Australian Government.

Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA)
This resource is a directory is a progressive directory that aims to connect industry members and provides information on a range of services in the fashion industry.
CFMEU- Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA)
CFMEU Manufacturing is the union that supports the fashion, textile and footwear industry in Victoria.
Well Made Clothes
Well Made Clothes is a website that connects many different sustainable fashion businesses to provide them with the opportunity to sell their product while also providing information about the fashion industry.
Ragtrader
Ragtrader is a magazine that started in Australia in 1972 and provides local news and analysis that affect the industry in Australia.

BoF - The Business of Fashion
The goal of the Business of Fashion is to build fashion’s global membership community to open, inform and connect the industry.
FashionNetwork - The World's Fashion Business News
Focused on the UK fashion industry, it considers news and articles in all aspects in the industry including business, retail and catwalks just to name a few.
Fashion United
Fashion United is a website that networks fashion industry professionals with news, trade statistics and more from the industry around the world.
M. Recht Accessories - Australian Clothing Industry Supplier, Distributor and Wholesaler
M. Recht Accessories are a distributor of all things needed for the creation of the latest fashion items and industry supplies.

Arts Law Centre of Australia - Information Hub
The Arts Law Centre of Australia provides resources including information sheets, E-Books and other useful resources to ensure you have the correct information about legal rights and empowering the arts and creative industry.
Designs - Intellectual Property (IP) Australia
The designs section of Intellectual Property Australia looks at the process to gaining intellectual property rights and what it all means.
The Fashion Law
The Fashion Law is dedicated to providing unbiased views on legal and business aspects of the fashion industry that is changing at a highly rapid pace.
Protect your creativity: Analysing a fashion start-up's IP strategy - Intellectual Property (IP) Australia
A case study that looks at a fashion start up and explain how to protect your rights.
Protecting your design
This info sheet explains how you can protect your rights for your design.

2020 worldwide women's clothing stores industry and market report
This report looks at market reports, industry trends and demographic data for the women's clothing retail industry.
Clothing retailing in Australia
This IBISWorld report looks at the clothing retail industry currently in Australia.
Department stores in Australia
This IBISWorld report looks at department stores in Australia including all the current trends.
Emerging markets - Business of Fashion
Emerging markets looks at different emerging aspects of the fashion industry, it also includes podcasts.
Online shopping in Australia
This IBISWorld report looks at the major players in the online shopping industry and all the current trends.
Succeeding in tomorrow's global fashion market - McKinsey & Company
McKinsey and Company look at the emerging trends going forward in the fashion industry.

Fashion news - Australian Financial Review
The Australian Financial Review's dedicated section to stories in the fashion and style industry.
Fashion news - Inside Retail Australia
Inside Retail Australia's blog relating to news with the fashion industry.
Fashion - WWD
WWD's fashion section that gives you the latest news and information dedicated to the fashion industry.

10 do’s and don’ts to piecing together a quality fashion portfolio
Fashion Design Solutions describes what you should do when sourcing products related to your design.
27 design portfolios you need to see for inspiration
Provides inspiration and examples of designing your portfolio for your designs.
Top creatives’ advice for grads on putting together a portfolio
This article gives you great advice on preparing your portfolio when you are ready to graduate and get out into the fashion world.
Portfolio development
Provides advice on creating the perfect portfolio of your work.
How to create a fashion design portfolio for a job interview
This resources guides you through suggested things needed to create the perfect portfolio for your next job interview.
Fashion designer portfolio tips for your next job in fashion
This website consider the two main types of fashion portfolios. It provides information on how to best display your portfolio to get you that job.

The State of Fashion 2023
This report by the Business of Fashion and McKinsey and Company is produced each year to give an overview about the happenings in the fashion industry.

Wearable technology news - ScienceDaily
ScienceDaily presents the news on all the emerging wearable technologies that impact the industry.

The sartoralist
The sartoralist provides you with daily inspiration and gives you what is currently on trend.

Sustainability

Designing sustainable fashion - Business Victoria
Guidelines from Business Victoria about designing sustainably.
Sustainable fashion explained - Compare Ethics
This resource explains sustainable fashion in more detail.
The Conversation topic - Sustainable Fashion
This resource shows articles related to sustainable fashion.

A-Z glossary of sustainable fibres
Defines fibres used in sustainable fashion.
Shop ethical - Your ethical consumer guide
A website dedicated to shopping ethical and sustainable.
Gen Z, the ethical fashion generation - Fashions Finest
Fashions Finest looks specially at Generation Z and how this generation is becoming more ethical in their fashion choices.
As cheap as humanly possible – Consumer behaviour and ethical consumption in a fast fashion world - QUT
This links to 2 papers written by Tara Stringer, Associate Professor Alice Payne and Professor Gary Mortimer from QUT. These papers look at ethical fashion consumption.

Forced labor and child trafficking in India's garment sector - Asia Foundation
An article discussing forced child labor in India.
Garment workers - Conditions, statistics, challenges and research - WIEGO
Provides an overview of garment workers and the conditions they work in.
Myanmar's textile workers pay the price for Australia's fast fashion addiction - ABC News Australia
An ABC News article which discusses fashion workers in Myanmar and the effect that fast fashion in Australia is having on their conditions.
Fashion workers’ rights - Oxfam Australia
Oxfam Australia provides reports on workers rights within the fashion industry.
Workers’ rights in the clothing industry and what consumers can do - Ethical Consumer
Ethical Consumer looks at how COVID has affected the industry and the rights of workers.
Inhumane working conditions - Sustain Your Style
Sustain Your Style considers the inhumane conditions working conditions of garment workers.

How the Australian fashion industry plans to become more sustainable - ABC News
This article discusses how the fashion industry plans to combat clothing waste.
Big W and David Jones pledge cash to tackle waste, as rest of fashion industry told to follow
This article discusses proposals to put levies on the industry and it highlights how much fashion is contributing to global landfill each year.

Clean Clothes Campaign
Clean Clothes Campaign's mission is to advocate on behalf of workers and their conditions. It brings together trade unions who cover many diverse interests.
Ethical Clothing Australia
Ethical Clothing Australia is an accredited body who work together with the local textile industry to ensure that their supply chain is legal and compliant.
Fair Wear Foundation
The Fair Wear Foundation an organisation who support workers advocating for their rights while working in garment production.
Fashion Revolution
Fashion Revolution is an organisation who is made up of people who work in different parts of the fashion who are promoting cultural changes within the industry.
Labour Behind the Label
Labour Behind the Label raise awareness and actively promote action from the consumer to get changes to occur in the industry.
Responsibility in Fashion
Responsibility in Fashion is a not-for-profit organisation who is working to push fashion and government organisations to make them more conscious of ethical and sustainable practices.
Australian Fashion Council
Australian Fashion Council is a not-for-profit organisation who promote growth in the fashion industry including nurturing fashion businesses and promoting ethical choices.

4 years after Rana Plaza tragedy, what's changed for Bangladeshi garment workers?
This article discusses the Rana Plaza tragedy 4 years after the event. It questions whether this tragedy led to changes for the workers in the factories there.
Bangladesh police charge 41 with murder over Rana Plaza collapse
The New York Times article summaries the charges that were bought against those who were involved in this unfortunate tragedy.
Rana Plaza - Clean Clothes Campaign
This campaign by the Clean Clothes Campaign highlighted the Rana Plaza tragedy and what the impacts of this tragedy.
Rana Plaza - world news - The Guardian
The Guardian newspaper has a feed to discuss things that are happening around the Rana Plaza tragedy.

2019 ethical fashion report
Examines 114 fashion companies, awarding each a grade from A to F based on their labour rights management systems.
Changing fashion (WWF, 2017)
Wide scope of the global fashion industry, with emphasis on innovative sustainability measures.
Dirty fashion (Changing Markets, 2017)
Shows the environmental and health impact of the ever expanding viscose industry.
Fashion futures 2025
Global scenarios for a sustainable fashion industry.
Follow the thread
Highlights the importance of supply chain transparency.
Pulse of the fashion industry report (Global Fashion Agenda, 2017)
Analysis of the social and environmental footprint of the global fashion industry.
Timeout for fast fashion (Greenpeace, 2016)
Quick, accessible summary of the trappings of fast fashion through timelines, graphs and statistics.
10 years of ethical fashion report - What's changed in 10 years?
This special edition Baptist World Aid report on ethical fashion takes a look at the fashion industry and considers if anything has changed over the last 10 years.

Travelling textiles: A sustainability roadmap of natural fibre garments
A roadmap that looks the supply chain of sustainable garment design and fibres.