Club Row Creations :: Made to Order

We had a phone call from Jane who is a fashion designer for the film industry and has worked on many high profile films in the past.

Jane - “Can you help me we have been waiting for a sample from our supplier and they keep letting me down?”

Mo – “Yes of course Jane, what’s the problem?

Jane – “Ridley Scott wants 200 bespoke made to order hooded sweatshirts to give to the crew of his latest film Robin Hood, we have already had a pattern made, it’s a special shape and style to reflect the period of the film”

Mo – “Ok lets have the patterns, colour references for the sweat jackets, and image for the embroidered badge”

Mo makes a quick phone call to the UK factory and they confirm that the job can be completed in 3 – 4 weeks.

Step 1 Sorting out the fabric, trimmings and sample
Mo visits the factory in Leicester and also visits the fabric knitters and dyers to give them the colour references for the sweat jacket fabric and the contrast lining. The fabric quality is chosen which is a heavyweight 320gsm knitted fleece 70% cotton 30% polyester and the lining, 180gsm single jersey. Sample lengths of both were taken so that samples can be made and lab dips ordered (small fabric swatches dyed to the correct shade for approval before the bulk fabric is dyed).

Next stop is the trimmings supplier, a YKK antique finish brass zip with matching eyelets was selected and then back to the factory for a meeting with the pattern cutter just to make sure everything is clear and no problems are foreseen.

Mo arrives back in London late but manages to order the embroidery disk for the Robin Hood Badge.

Step 2 Sample and Embroidery Approval
The initial sample arrives in a couple of days for make up and fabric quality (the fabric still needs to be dyed so stock colours were used just to speed things up). After measuring and checking the sample it goes straight over to the embroiderers and the embroidery is added to Ridley’s Jacket.

Mo takes the made up garment to Jane and she sets up a meeting with Ridley who is absolutely delighted with his jacket and loves the antique brass zip and the cape flap on the back. A few minor adjustments were requested which will be amended on the pre production sample.

Step 3 Dying the Fabric and Ordering the Trimmings
The fabric is then knitted and dyed and arrives at the factory just over a week later. The antique finish brass zips and matching eyelets have also arrived and a final pre-production sample is now ready to produce.

Step 4 Final Pre-Production Sample is Produced
A sample left front panel is cut and sent for embroidery. Because the jacket is lined, the embroidery is applied to the panel before make up so that the stitches on the reverse of the panel are not visible once the lining is attached. The completed sample is sent to Jane and final approval is confirmed.

Step 5 Production Commences and Final Delivery Date is Confirmed
The fabric is cut and panels sent for embroidery. Mo creates a template for each jacket size to ensure that the embroidery is correctly positioned. The panels are embroidered in two days and are then send back to the factory for make up.

Step 6 Garments Delivered
Less than two weeks later the jackets are all made and ready for despatch.

The film production of Robin Hood has finished and some of the crew are back in the USA so deliveries are split between the Production company in the UK and Universal Pictures in California.

Because all the production took place in the UK, there was a saving in time of about four weeks; face-to-face meetings made all comments more easily understood and amendments more accurately interpreted.

Custom Clothing
Lead time from order confirmation to delivered garments would usually be around 3 – 4 weeks, but we would always allow an additional 2 weeks to cover any amendments to spec and unexpected delays that can occur.