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For the latest information about this skill visit Fashion Technology on worldskills.org.

Fashion Technology

Working with fabrics to cut and create clothes for clients from high-end fashion to the latest store designs high street.

Why is this skill important?

The Fashion Technology practitioner creates garments. The technical skills involved include design, pattern construction, cutting, and garment manufacture and finishing.

The practitioner may work in one of several sectors but often they are self-employed and work on commissioned projects or in the retail manufacturing sector or in sampling garments for production. As such they need to have business acumen and strong interpersonal skills when dealing with clients. Excellent customer care and selling skills are important. As some work is often commissioned for important events, the practitioner must understand the needs of the client and be able to offer appropriate expert advice whilst interpreting the vision for the finished project. Customer briefs must be clearly understood and followed accurately.

Fabrics are often expensive, delicate, and easily damaged if handled incorrectly. Given this, the practitioner must be respectful of the raw materials with which they work and apply extensive knowledge of effective sourcing, purchasing, handling, use, and storage of all materials. Sustainability, ethics and budgets are all serious considerations when sourcing materials and selecting sub-contractors.

The design of a garment requires innovation, creativity, artistic talent, and design skills which incorporate aesthetics as well as function and other design practicalities. The practitioner must apply the rules and theory of composition including design elements and principles as well as excellent construction technique. They are often creative and artistic, with a good eye for design and the ability to create pleasing and functional garments, suitable for their purpose. In addition, a thorough knowledge and understanding of specialist equipment and its use is essential. Another requirement is a high level of technical knowledge in patternmaking and construction techniques. Different fabrics will have in various ways regarding design, as well as react in various ways to the manufacturing process and these characteristics must be considered throughout the design, preparation, and production process.

There is a wide range of practice in the fashion sector. Some practitioners produce small ranges for retail outlets or high-class fashion houses or prepare bespoke garments ordered by individual clients. At the other end of the professional spectrum, the practitioner may work in an industrial setting, producing prototypes for mass production. Practice also varies across the world. The fashion industry is truly global: for example, a garment may be designed and prototyped in one country and sub-contracted for manufacture in another.

Wherever employed, it is essential that the practitioner is aware of current and emerging fashions and trends in the fashion industry. Equally important is an awareness of new developments in fabrics and textiles as well as machinery and equipment. Significant damage can be done to a business and its reputation if fashion trends are misread.

Location

Helsinki, Finland

20–23 October 2022

Skill photos on Flickr

Results

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Rank	Medal	Result	Competitor	Country/Region
1.	Gold	776	Qing Dong	China
2.	Silver	764	CHIH-HSUAN MU	Chinese Taipei
3.	Bronze	753	Giyoung Kim	Korea
4.	Medallion for Excellence	732	Lisa Lintschinger	Austria
5.	Medallion for Excellence	723	Devejya .	India
6.	Medallion for Excellence	714	Nisham LIMBU	Hong Kong, China
7.	Medallion for Excellence	713	Nur Izzah Sofiya Mat Khalit	Malaysia
8.	Medallion for Excellence	710	Laurence Racine	Canada
9.	Medallion for Excellence	708	Goh Zi Qi	Singapore
10.	Medallion for Excellence	701	Noémie COLLADO	Belgium
11.		699	Cloé LEMARECHAL	France
12.		691	Misaki Mizukami	Japan
13.		684	VIKTORIYA VECHKANOVA	Kazakhstan
13.		684	Ana María Bernal Morales	Colombia
15.		682	Jenna Maukonen	Finland
16.		662	Niuka Oliveira	Portugal
17.		658	Mireia Sallés	Spain
18.		628	LAMIA NASIF RAISA	Bangladesh
19.		620	Thulubheke Ncanana	South Africa
20.		597	Petrina Ipinge	Namibia