5 Questions I Always Ask Before Starting a Fashion Design Project (And Why You Should Too)
5 Things I Always Ask Before Starting a Design Project
When you’ve been freelancing as long as I have, you learn what makes a project flow—and what makes it flop. These are the five questions I always ask before I even open Illustrator.
1. What’s the actual goal of this product?
Is this about sales, brand awareness, or testing a new category? You’d be surprised how many clients don’t know until you ask. But knowing the why makes the how 10x easier—and often reveals smarter solutions than what they originally had in mind.
2. Who’s the end customer?
I want to know everything: where they shop, what they binge-watch, how they wear their clothes. Whether it’s Gen Z snowboarding girls or minimalist professionals in their 40s, this shapes the whole vibe of the project—from silhouettes block and colours.
3. What do you already know is working (or not)?
I always ask clients to show me what they’ve tried—best sellers, duds, near-misses. This saves us both time and avoids reinventing wheels that don’t need to be spun again. Sometimes I think you learn more from the low sales…
4. What’s your timeline—and what’s non-negotiable?
Designing fast is fine (I work in fashion, after all), but there’s a big difference between “we’re tight on time” and “we don’t know what our calendar looks like yet.” I map out key delivery points early so we both stay sane. I have had a few projects where I did not clarify this and that was on me, but each time I still delivered.
5. 💸 What’s the budget and production plan?
Is this for photosamples or straight to SMS? Domestic or overseas? Knowing the budget and factory capabilities upfront helps me design smart—not just pretty. If something won’t translate well to bulk, I won’t waste your time (or money) with it.
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Asking these questions doesn’t just make my job easier—it makes the client relationship smoother and the outcomes stronger. Want to know what I ask after the brief? Stay tuned—I’ve got more tips coming.