Interview with Fashion Designer Daniel Vosovic of Fashion Inside Out + Book Giveaway

Craft & Design

danielvbook_coverphoto.jpg
Fashion Inside Out: Daniel V’s Guide to How Style Happens from Inspiration to Runway and Beyond by Daniel Vosovic
Pre-Order on Amazon ($19.77, available Oct 28th)
Daniel Vosovic’s Web Site
Daniel Vosovic’s Project Runway Blog

I think most of you know by now how much of a Project Runway junkie I am. My favorite season has to be Season 2, since that’s how I’ve come to know over the years Diana Eng and Chloe Dao. Now, I am extra excited to get a chance to talk to another Project Runway Season 2 alum, fashion designer Daniel Vosovic. Daniel’s got a brand new fashion book due out next Tuesday, October 28th aptly titled, Fashion Inside Out: Daniel V’s Guide to How Style Happens from Inspiration to Runway and Beyond. First off, the book is beautifully designed with gorgeous photography. Yet, it’s more than just a book to look through — it’s really a comprehensive guide on how to create your own fashions — from inspiration and design, to the technical process of pattern-making and sewing, and finally selling your work to a client and taking it down the runway. Interspersed in the book are Q&A’s from industry professionals too. I love the many tips that Daniel adds throughout the book from drawing croquis to great pressing techniques for various fabrics. My favorite section if I had to choose, is “The Execution: Creating a Garment” where he discusses the “rub-off” technique — a way to create patterns for your garment with out having to start from scratch. You’ll also learn a lot about draping, something I’ve been interested in knowing more about for a long time. I could go on and on about this book but you’ll just need to see it for yourself! There’s really never been such a fashion design book like this before. It’s an inspirational guide + reference book that will help any crafty fashionista take their design and sewing skills to the next level.
One lucky CRAFT reader will get a copy of Daniel’s new book! Just leave a comment to this post and tell us why you need this book. Please make sure your email address is in the email form field (not comment body) so we can contact you if you win. All comments will be closed by Noon PST on Saturday, October 25th. The lucky winners will be announced on Sunday evening on the CRAFT blog. Good luck!
Now, let’s find out more about Daniel Vosovic in our CRAFT interview!
Natalie: Your new book, Fashion Inside Out, is one of the most comprehensive books on the fashion design process I’ve ever read. What was the inspiration behind writing it?
Daniel: A huge inspiration was the fact that I had never seen anything else like it on bookshelves… anywhere. Having gone through years of structured design education, I was taught many things by many different designers and professors, but a lot of my education focused more on technique, rather than how to harness an actual idea and growing it from there. Without getting too philosophical, I wanted to provoke people into creating something solely from an idea’s conception, or at least showing them how I do it.
Natalie: How do you find inspiration before you design a collection?
Daniel: I have to sort of turn a visual and mental valve in my head on and off. I wish I could wander around month after month simply spitting ideas out left and right, or scribbling in my notebook, but eventually I reach a time in the design process where I need to “shut it off” and focus on moving the design forward.
Natalie: If you could narrow it down to two, what in your opinion are the key sewing or production techniques that every aspiring designer should know?
Daniel: Knowing how to alter/check your own patterns for necessary alterations: armhole ease, cap adjustment, twisting seams, etc. Also, knowing how to use a seam ripper properly – I couldn’t live without mine when I first began haha!
Natalie: How would you describe your experience being on Project Runway?
Daniel: Exhausting but fruitful. If anything, at least I can sit down 30 years from now and have amazing memories documented of a very intense experience in my life.
Natalie: Are there any new or upcoming projects you are working on that you can share with us?
Daniel: Aside from working on this book since June 2007 and heading out on a national book tour, launching a successful clothing line for over 150 NYLO Hotels that consists of sleek men’s and women’s separates as well as a handbag & luggage line, the continued groundwork of my own label (launching soon!), the occasional dress for young Hollywood, collaborating with different TV shows like Lipstick Jungle, weekly blogs on bravotv.com and of course the obligatory dress for a family member or friend in need… no, that’s about it. :)
I’m just anxious to get back into a design room and get this book in your hands already!
And now, Daniel answers questions from CRAFT readers:
Kristine: What did you find was the most difficult part of marketing yourself and your work?
Daniel: Self-promotion is undoubtedly a needed part of being a designer in today’s industry. Yes, there are those designers who are more in the mainstream’s eye, but even those behind the scenes must exude confidence in their work at all times. It is hard to always be happy or supportive of ALL of your work, but personally, I’ve tried to choose an array of projects that I love and feel proud to support, showcasing finished products that I know represent me as a designer.
Celiana: Are there any past trends making a comeback now that you hate (or don’t particularly love?) When that happens, how do you bring yourself to incorporate that trend into your designs if the trend itself does not really inspire you?
Daniel: My ultimate hatred in street wear comes in the form of cut-off tights, ESPECIALLY when they’re worn as pants with just a top thrown on. 1) Most women would (or shouldn’t) wear garments that cut them off at the calf, which usually makes them look quite stumpy 2) Most women wouldn’t go out of the house in just a pair of panties, which essentially is what all of us have to look at when a girl is walking in front of us because there is no support for her derriere! Great – now I’m getting all heated!
Fontgoddess: What are your thoughts on balancing the creative [DIY] with the curatorial [choosing pieces made/designed by others] aspects of fashion? How do you think they mesh for a person interested in creating their own style and fashion in their personal wardrobe?
Daniel: Great question. My personal style consists of low and high-end pieces: t-shirts from Uniqlo and jackets from Marc Jacobs, and I think that’s how more and more people today are dressing. Even the die-hard fashionistas rarely wear one designer head to toe, day after day, and instead opt to mix-n-match to make their look a bit more personal. If you’re having trouble finding, say a skirt with some personality to it for the price you want to pay, than opt to give it a try on your own sewing machine, and I guarantee that it will make those 2-year old shoes you can’t afford to upgrade just yet, look a lot more special; What’s the point of designing something if it’s not going to be new or improved upon?
Fontgoddess: High fashion frequently seems either unattainable or impractical for much of the population. How do you, as a fashion designer, balance the fantastical fashion that inspires and the practical fashion that a person can wear in their daily life? How do you see others in your industry dealing with that balance?
Daniel: It’s definitely an important balance in a designer’s career: balancing aspirational designs with those that can be worn on a regular basis. This becomes logistically easier as a designer’s collection grows, as they’re able to offer a wider range of designs to better encapsulate all of their client’s needs. Also, secondary lines or capsule collections have become huge cash cows for designers, allowing them to reach a much larger demographic while still keeping the integrity of their main collection. However, that being said, there is definitely a time and place when that happens. For where I am in my own career, I don’t have the capabilities, or the desire, to provide something for everyone. A designer must know their strengths and capitalize on them, get the designs out there and hopefully people will find them soon enough. One doesn’t go to the GAP for a cocktail dress the same way most people don’t go to Vuitton for undershirts.

50 thoughts on “Interview with Fashion Designer Daniel Vosovic of Fashion Inside Out + Book Giveaway

  1. melanie says:

    I am also a huge Project Runway fan. I am so thrilled to hear about that new upcoming book this is so exciting! I’ve been wanting to make my own clothes designs forever, but I don’t know how! That’s why I need this book. That would be so much more exciting that using a commercial pattern.

  2. tess says:

    I’m getting married next year, and I’m planning on making my own dress. I’m a novice sewist, so I need all the help and tips I can get to make my dress special (in the good way, not the patronizing way you sometimes hear about when someone doesn’t quite know how to complement you). I don’t want to simply follow a pattern, I want to personalize it without spending a fortune, so that’s why I need this book!

  3. aschlott says:

    I love project runway and also a novice at the sewing. This book would really be a huge help!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. Marsha says:

    I need this book because I am totally ignorant about clothing design and construction and would love to know about these things so I can make clothing myself!

  5. Katrina Perkosky says:

    This is the book I’ve been searching for! Daniel V. has always been one of my favorite PR designers (and he’s not too bad to look at either!), and the experience, skill and style he’ll bring to his book will be amazing, I’m sure. I’ve creating some of my own garmens for years, but with this book I’ll be able to break out of my fashion ruts and rework my design process and aesthtic. Thanks, Daniel!

  6. wendyloohoo says:

    I am a huge PR fan so of course I have been waiting for this post. Additionally while I admit to be somewhat fashion challenged at times I am generally the go to person in my family when others have questions. I do my best to help them and well to be honest this book will help many people and not just me should I win. And while I am being honest I love to win free stuff :) On the crafting front I can always use the help and inspiration and this book will help me with that I have no doubt of that.

  7. Lisa says:

    i am a huge PR fan and a decent sewer from patterns. i need this book to help me understand both making my own patterns and how to alter them. inspiration never hurt, either!

  8. wendyloohoo says:

    I am a huge PR fan so of course I have been waiting for this post. Additionally while I admit to be somewhat fashion challenged at times I am generally the go to person in my family when others have questions. I do my best to help them and well to be honest this book will help many people and not just me should I win. And while I am being honest I love to win free stuff :) On the crafting front I can always use the help and inspiration and this book will help me with that I have no doubt of that.

  9. mzpakman says:

    Hi there! I need this book to get to the next level in my creativity and construction skills. My mom taught me how to sew from patterns when I was a kid, and since then I’ve been hacking together original designs – it’s time for me to learn some new, real, practical skills. And Daniel’s right – there’s no other book like this out there right now.

  10. Kristine says:

    At the age of 10, my great grandmother taught me how to make patterns and sew my own clothes. I am now 30 and I’ve started my own craft business where sewing is 90% of the job. I love it!! I couldn’t ask for anything more!! But I would love to win the Daniel V. book because I love fashion and I enjoy hearing how people got their start and turned their passion into a career! This book would help me with my own designs, inspire new ideas and teach me innovative methods. I think Daniel V. is so inspirational and I love Project Runway. That show gives talented people a place to thrive and live out their dreams!

  11. Wendy says:

    I need this book because creative inspiration + pretty pictures = magic.

  12. L_Fett says:

    I have to agree that Season 2 was my favorite also. Not only were the personalities so dynamic, but there were so many unique designers. I would love the book! I just received my first sewing machine as a gift from my husband. We were married this June. My goal is to be able to be proficient on my machine and be able to design/sew unique clothing. I’m getting better! Daniel seems so down to earth and knowledgable. I’d love to hear more from him.

  13. Rebecca says:

    I love to draw, I love to sew (still kind of a newbie), yet I have a lot of difficulty translating my sketches into anything that remotely resembles what I originally had intended to make. When it comes down to it I always end up making the same old boat neck shirt. Its seriously like the only thing I know how to do, and the only thing I feel comfortable doing. I’m hoping to win this book so I can gain the knowledge and confidence that I need in order to start turning my sketches into my own personal wardrobe.

  14. Lorene says:

    As an art student pursuing a BFA in sculpture, I am constantly on the search for new sources of inspiration and new ways to save money. I often use craft-based techniques in my work – knitting, sewing, weaving, etc., and hope to have a career in textile design someday. Daniel’s new book seems to explain exactly what I’m trying to do – translate an idea or concept into wearable (or, in my case, sometimes not so wearable!) art. Because I see the worlds of fine art, craft, design, and fashion as entwined, I think that Daniel’s book would help me approach my art from a more structural (yet still creative) perspective that I might not find in traditional art instructional literature. And to have the book free, well, that would be swell.

  15. Yetta says:

    This book will help me explore my creative side. Being a SAHM means I don’t have a lot of time for myself. I’d love to take classes and learn to design and sew garments but just don’t have the time. As a result, I try to read about designs. It obviously doesn’t hurt that I am PR junkie. On PR nights, kids must be in bed by 8:59.

  16. camilla says:

    Well, I suppose I don’t need this book because I won’t die without it, but I really really want it. I’ve been making my own clothes for years now and I’ve been following Daniel V’s career and just love his work.
    horsefleshpress@yahoo.com

  17. Juliana says:

    This book, should I win it, would actually then be gifted to my sister, a designer who is constantly aspiring to produce her designs. She could use some inspiration, motivation and practical advice right now…I love her and she will love this book! She also digs Daniel V and TOTALLY digs Project Runway!

  18. Naomi says:

    I love hearing about what inspires others. I’ve never made clothes so I am especially curious about the ins and outs of fashion.

  19. Sharon Sews says:

    I also thought season two was the best – such great personalities and fabulous designs. Although I’ve been sewing for many years, there still so much more to be gleamed from someone as talented as Daniel V. A fashion design book that provides both inspiration and technique is one that I need!

  20. Sharon Sews says:

    I also thought season two was the best – such great personalities and fabulous designs. Although I’ve been sewing for many years, there still so much more to be gleamed from someone as talented as Daniel V. A fashion design book that provides both inspiration and technique is one that I need!

  21. Nancy says:

    I love Project Runway, and I think this book would be great inspiration. I’ve wanted to get more into sewing and I think this book would do it.

  22. cait says:

    i need this book because.. daniel vosovic + fashion = INSPIRATION! :)
    cait

  23. cait says:

    i need this book because.. daniel vosovic + fashion = INSPIRATION! :)
    cait

  24. betsyann says:

    I love making clothes. but know so little about how it all really works. I’d love to have an understanding of the process. I think it’d make it much more fun.

  25. betsyann says:

    I’m really enjoying cutting things apart and sewing them back together, but I don’t have a good understanding of the mechanics of it all.
    Your comment system sure is screwy tonight. :)

  26. betsyann says:

    I’m really enjoying cutting things apart and sewing them back together, but I don’t have a good understanding of the mechanics of it all.
    Your comment system sure is screwy tonight. :)

  27. betsyann says:

    I’m really enjoying cutting things apart and sewing them back together, but I don’t have a good understanding of the mechanics of it all.
    Your comment system sure is screwy tonight. :)

  28. betsyann says:

    I’ve bene trying and trying, even though the comment feature is clearly not working. Does that make me deserve it?
    I’ve been really enjoying cutting things up and putting them back together, but I’d love to understand the mechanics of clothing. It sounds like this book would help.

  29. betsyann says:

    I’ve bene trying and trying, even though the comment feature is clearly not working. Does that make me deserve it?
    I’ve been really enjoying cutting things up and putting them back together, but I’d love to understand the mechanics of clothing. It sounds like this book would help.

  30. Victor says:

    I’ve loved Daniel V since he first appeared on Project Runway.
    As a boy thinking about a future in fashion design, I think that this book would be a great reference for my journey into the field.
    It would be really valuable to know about the steps in the whole process and the terminology all in one book. :)

  31. Victor says:

    I’ve loved Daniel V since he first appeared on Project Runway.
    As a boy thinking about a future in fashion design, I think that this book would be a great reference for my journey into the field.
    It would be really valuable to know about the steps in the whole process and the terminology all in one book. :)

  32. shannel says:

    I have love love loved D.V. since way back in season two and would love love love to have his book! The book sounds fantastic, I love how relatable and down to earth he is, and it’s probably the perfect thing to lift me from a somewhat sad sewing slump. Plus I have a birthday coming up and this would be a wonderful gift from CRAFTZINE to me :)

  33. Nina says:

    Like everyone else I am also a huge PR fan…and Daniel was one of my favorite designers in the competition.
    But the real reason I need this book is that I am a self-taught seamstress and aspiring clothing designer who is absolutely obsessed with clothing construction. It would be wonderful to learn about another designer’s process…and hopefully gain information that may put me one step closer towards my goal of becoming a succesful independent clothing designer.

  34. Shannel says:

    I have love love loved D.V. since way back in season two and would love love love to have his book! The book sounds fantastic, I love how relatable and down to earth he is, and it’s probably the perfect thing to lift me from a somewhat sad sewing slump. Plus I have a birthday coming up and this would be a wonderful gift from CRAFTZINE to me :)

  35. lauren says:

    I’m not much of a fashion guru, but I’ve been trying to be a little more daring this year. Mostly I try out inventive fashions on my mom who is a little more bold. I’d love to have this book to inspire and maybe even motivate me to try some new, exciting looks.

  36. JP says:

    Hello! Great blog and thank you for the opportunity to win this book. I love to design clothing and would appreciate the opportunity to learn from Daniel’s experiences.

  37. 愛麗嘉?!! says:

    I’m aspiring to create my own garments. At the moment I make small adjustments to thrift store finds, but it’s becoming challenging to do much more on my own. I have so many ideas in my head, it’s just a matter of learning the skills for execution.
    I also love Project Runway and must say that Daniel is a very talented designer, with a personality I loved from the start!

  38. 愛麗嘉?!! says:

    I’m aspiring to create my own garments. At the moment I make small adjustments to thrift store finds, but it’s becoming challenging to do much more on my own. I have so many ideas in my head, it’s just a matter of learning the skills for execution.
    I also love Project Runway and must say that Daniel is a very talented designer, with a personality I loved from the start!

  39. Thien-Kim says:

    This book is going to be great eye candy!

  40. nance moore says:

    I have so much fabric and clothing waiting to be refashioned into great new outfits — I just need some directions and help and how to do it.

  41. mariel says:

    I would love to win a copy because I can not get this books locally. I admire this young man very much. Very creative!

  42. Tiffany says:

    I am a recent Project Runway addict (from 1/3rd of the way into this past season). I love what I’ve read/seen about Daniel (although not on the show itself). I am also a recent sewing/embroidery/etc. addict. Thirdly, as a crafter/creator of art/crafts in general I find myself very inspired by other artists/designers/whomever and their artistic proccess, their stories, their tips, etc. It sounds like this book combined many of the things I love, inspiration, reference, personal/professional context of the author. Passion for something really shines through and reflects on the artist. I am a full-time college student and would love to get this book! :)

  43. Katt says:

    Simply, I adore Daniel and I believe that where I am now as a SCAD college student currently studying Fashion as my major, this book would help me tremendously to incorporate the non-technical aspects of the craft. I intend to make this my career, so a professional viewpoint from the industry would be an amazing asset. (That and my little sister wants to see me on project runway someday :D).

  44. Kristen Rask says:

    I love Project Runway and totally agree that Season 2 was amazing! Daniel was one of my favorites and knew that guy would go far. I can’t wait to check out his book!

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