Development: Sampling

What are Samples?

Samples are Garments produced to test a Design.

Once the initial pattern is drafted, it’s time to test the aesthetic, fit and function of the design. This is done by sewing one garment, a Fit Sample, from the pattern with the intended fabric. During a fitting session, the designer will comment on any necessary alterations or changes to the aesthetic, fit and function. These alterations are noted and reflected in the final pattern.

When the sample looks, fits and functions per the designer’s intended final vision, we consider this a Final Approved Sample (FAS).

Typically, the FAS is achieved after 2-to-3 rounds of revision. During the process, we save each subsequent piece as an Archival Sample. By working with archival samples, we cross check our work and confirm if the alterations to the garment have achieved the desired outcome.

Who produces samples for Rule DD?

Meet Ramon and Martha.

We’ve hand-picked some of the most skilled and collaborative partners in the Los Angeles area to support our team. Working directly with our tight-knit network ensures that our contractors are properly respected, and maintains an inherent level of sustainability.

Meet more of Our Community!

Development: Fitting Sessions

Fitting Sessions

A critical lOOK AT SAMPLES FOR FIT AND FUNCTION.

A fitting session is the first time you’ll see your garment in motion, which is so much more exciting than seeing it flat on a dress form or mannequin.

Either in our DTLA studio or over a Zoom call, our clients can expect to have a hands-on look at the sample for overall aesthetic, fit and function. In this the stage, we analysis the sample as it compares to the original idea and beyond. Feedback is encouraged and we revisit the original notes, sketches, reference photos and garments together to ensure your vision is achieved.

We happily accommodate remote fittings for designers based outside of Southern California, but they will require some extra tools. We provide our clients with a remote fitting kit including a tape measure, safety pins, chalk pencils, and other goodies! Besides our remote fitting kit, you’ll need a fit model based in your city (maybe it’s you)! We also recommend having a second set of eyes and hands to assist you with the fitting session.

Summer Leilani

one of over 50 models in the

Matchbook Models database

Finding Fit Models

Matchbook Models is our latest endeavor in building the ideal client experience.

Whether you’re seeking a body to try out your sample, extended, or speciality sizes, or a fresh face for your next e-commerce or look-book photography shoot, we’ve got a match for you.

Our models can provide professional feedback on fit across your function, fit and aesthetic goals, as well as physically display your collection for the consumer lens.

An all-inclusive collection of models who are ready for fittings and photoshoots, Matchbook Models connects your brand with models of all ages, genders, and body types for fit test and marketing purposes.

To best understand our work, read more about Full Service Process.

Development: Pattern Drafting

Pattern Drafting

Creating a 2-d guide for 3-d clothing.

Pattern Drafting is the art of typography for the body. This initial phase of Development is where the magic truly happens, where the sketches of your styles become a legible document that can be turned into clothing. Our Development Manager, Abby Fetke, uses her steady hand and calculated precision to translate the desired garment onto the flat lay of pattern paper.

Every cut, seam, dart, fold, and even drape of the final garment is precisely planned on paper. As your style moves through sampling and fitting, the pattern pieces will be edited as needed to match the changes and alterations necessary to achieve the perfect product.

These final paper patterns are then translated to digital copies. All patterns are accompanied by their pattern card; the pattern card details pieces, cut numbers, seam allowances, and sewing notes as needed. Below is an example of pattern pieces for an in-progress project!

To best understand our work, read more about Full Service Process.

Design: Collection Review

Collection Review

Sketches, mood boards, & reference garments

In this final stage of Design, we hold a comprehensive review of each style, and your collection as a whole. We take a look at your sketches, mood boards, and reference garments - anything you feel is necessary to aid our team in capturing your vision. During this conversation, we apply our developing understanding of your brand to further review the desired aesthetic of the collection.

This phase includes a complete Style Spec Sheet. We go through each garment to determine how it looks, fits and functions. The Collection Review may overlap with your Material Review, as we cover questions about the fabrics, trims, and finishing for each piece in the collection.

The Collection Review is also where we establish your sample size and host conversations about your brand’s custom size chart. Size charts aren’t one size fits all, and standardized sizing can be complicated, but Rule DD has award-winning industry experience with work in inclusive sizing. We always encourage the brands we work with to first-and-foremost consider their unique customer base when making decisions about sizes. You know your customers best, and we are here to help you design the perfect product and fit with them in mind.

To best understand our work, read more about Full Service Process.

Design: Material Review

Material Review

vendor info, Material specs, labels & tags

The Design process continues by onboarding all necessary information about your brand’s chosen materials. Just like the Brand Review, this phase is driven by conversation between you and our team.

This stage looks different for every brand we work with. Some brands have their own vendor connections and materials already in mind; their version of the Material Review stage involves our team documenting the specifics of those existing materials and vendor information.

Material Sourcing services

We offer material sourcing services for those designers and brands who may need more specialized assistance. Material sourcing conversations overlap with the Collection Review. During your Collection Review, we’ll take careful notes on what textures, fibers, and functions you’re looking for in each material. From there, a member of our team begins connecting with our vendor contacts to find the perfect array of swatches and samples for you to choose from.

Labels & Tags

This element of your Material Review is more fun than you might think. Labels and tags are how you make a first and lasting impression on your customers. Labels offer a little “hello” - plus all they’ll need to know about your product, like the fiber content, care instructions, size and place of origin (can you say Made in LA!).

We offer a curated selection of labels and tags to help you make the right choices for your brand. We keep the sizes simple so you can focus on customizations and branding.

We are happy to service specialized orders for an additional cost - like this hangtag made with plantable wildflower seed paper for our in-house clothing brand Barbra Lorain.

After a quick chat with our Research Coordinator Zel, you’ll receive mock-ups of your brand’s labels and tags!

To best understand our work, read more about Full Service Process.

Design: Brand Review

Brand Review

Inspiration, MISSIONS & More…

Our Design process begins with a conversation to help us learn how to approach your brand, with as much context as possible. To review your existing brand elements, we first onboard your logo and other supporting brand assets. This conversation ensures we understand both your overall brand aesthetic and how you intend to visually communicate your unique message.

This stage is also our introduction to your brand’s mission statement and core values. These assets can come from the root of inspiration, driving personal passions, or what matters most to your customers. Each brand is as unique as their designs, and by establishing a main brand priority we are able to re-visit this foundation and refine the direction as needed. Identifying and establishing your brand’s mission and values is how we ensure your products are aligned with your beliefs from conception through delivery.

Another key element of our brand review is familiarizing our team with your brand’s customers and target audience. This helps guide our process and influence elements of design. You know your audience best, and that relationship is what helps us produce the perfect product.

A closing piece to this review is hearing what existing brands you feel are comparable to yours. Even the most standout designers have peers, and knowing what you aspire yours to be helps us contextualize and scale your collection’s development. When making a list of comparable and contrasting brands, a few good starting points to consider are scale, consumer audience, marketing style, and retail platform.

This is Morgan! She is our Studio Manager and one of the first faces you’ll meet when you connect with us.

To best understand our work, read more about Full Service Process.

Slow Fashion

A Glimpse of the DTLA Garment District.

What is Slow Fashion?

Slow fashion is a conscious approach to apparel production, through thoughtful AND intentional design CHOICES that consider all elements of supply chain AND PROCESS.

Slow fashion is a broad term to capture a rejection of fast fashion principles and a conscious effort to achieve more sustainable industry practices. For Rule DD, slow fashion means a return to thoughtful design and focus on quality through small-batch domestic production.

How does Rule DD practice slow fashion?

We value honest and transparent work practices, traceability throughout our supply chains, and quantified progress across deliverables.

Rule DD is rooted in small-batch production and conscious choices which provide scaffolding needed for an intentional approach to apparel. Our work is founded in exploring sustainable materials and production practices, as well as a commitment to continued learning.

We are consistently working to evolve our practices, as we believe that sustainability is achieved through a constant state of growth and measured improvement. By following our Good, Better, Best model, we are able to re-evaluate our own methodologies through metered goal setting, transparency, and reflection.

What are Rule DD’s Essential Principles?

CRAFTSMANSHIP 

The pursuit of quality drives our entire process. Thorough planning and communication support our clients and their collections. By treating each style with careful consideration, we cherish the inherent value of each garment and the work relative to its existence. Consistency and careful attention to detail promotes our mutual success. By focusing exclusively on small-batch production orders, we aim to consistently deliver quality respective to each individual piece.

COACHING 

We believe in continued learning and lively conversation. We are always looking to expand on our knowledge of innovative materials and production practices, and want to actively share with our clients via informed resources. By exercising transparent and honest work practices, we aim to actively include and educate our clients on design, development, and small-batch domestic apparel production. With a focus on sustaining research and quantifying measurable progress over time, we learn from our collective efforts with intention and integrity. 

COMMUNITY 

We celebrate connection throughout our whole community. Whether working hands-on with our extensive network of talented contractors, facilitating collaborations across client brands, or simply enjoying daily engagements with our team members. Including varied, expert voices during each step of our process is important to us. This means that our sample makers offer feedback on initial patterns, and our production partners review samples to ensure efficiency. 

Read more about Our Values.

Grading & Marking

Eddy Montoya grading a pattern.

What is Marking?

Marking is planning the optimal arrangement of pattern pieces to minimize material waste.

Markers have to consider more than just spacing. Marking involves careful attention to all aspects of the material too, like the shrinkage and width of the fabric. This ensures that when the pieces are cut and sewn everything fits together just right.

What is Grading?

Grading is the process of expanding a base pattern into smaller or larger sized garments.

Creating sizes is more nuanced than you might think. The pattern has to be adjusted to maintain proportionality as you increase or decrease in size. Grading creates sizes through proportional formulas, which ensures that the garment has the same shape and fit in all sizes.

what about pattern alterations?

Grading is different than altering a pattern. Altering a pattern is a similar process, but changes aspects of a pattern without numeric proportionality. This process does not create the same garment in a larger or smaller size, but creates a new pattern in a more customized size.

For example, you might expand the waist or bust measurement of a garment, but keep the sleeve length or shoulder width the same.

You can read about the History of Standardized Sizing on our Digital Zine: Extra Measures!

Who grades for Rule DD?

Meet Eddy mONTOYA AND HIS FAMILY.

We’ve hand-picked some of the most skilled and collaborative partners in the Los Angeles area to support our team. Working directly with our tight-knit network ensures that our contractors are properly respected, and maintains an inherent level of sustainability.

Meet more of Our Community!

Small-Batch Production

What is Small-Batch Production?

Small-batch production refers to any order of 500 units per style (UPS), or less.

Our production coordination services start with a minimum order quantity (MOQ) of 25 UPS. There are price breaks at 50, 100, 200, and 400 UPS. Restrictions for maximum number of sizes and colors vary across tiers.

Why produce in small-batches?

SMALL BATCHES ENSURE LESS WASTE AND ENABLE MORE CONSCIOUS DESIGN.

Rule DD is rooted in small-batch production and conscious choices. We proudly manufacture all of our garments in downtown Los Angeles, and source materials from local vendors whenever possible. We are committed to providing quality over quantity through intentional choices.

Larger brands work with order quantities in the thousands, often over producing and generating more waste. By working with small-batches and lower MOQs, we uplift boutique brands by only producing what they need.

Who produces our small-batches?

Meet edgar and francisco.

We’ve hand-picked some of the most skilled and collaborative partners in the Los Angeles area to support our team. Working directly with our tight-knit network ensures that our contractors are properly respected, and maintains an inherent level of sustainability.

Meet more of Our Community!

Boutique

What defines Boutique?

Boutique can refer to any establishment that is small, sophisticated, and specialized.

While you might be most familiar with boutique as a name for a small shop that sells fashionable accessories and clothes, boutique is a term for more than just retail stores. 

What makes Rule Design & Development a boutique apparel studio?

We define our community and services as boutique because we are an intimate & skilled team THAT IS committed to working with small business owners and their brands 

All of our work is curated with a careful eye and an acute attention to detail. We strive to provide a personalized experience for each of our clients and love the intimate minutiae of every design. From helping you pick which buttons, to stitching the fine print on your labels, we aim to deliver a sophisticated and seamless experience.

Rule DD is rooted in small-batch production and conscious choices. We proudly manufacture all of our garments in downtown Los Angeles, and source materials from local vendors whenever possible. We are committed to providing quality over quantity by knitting creativity with expertise, sharing informed resources, and engaging in community involvement.

Cutter

What is a Cutter?

a CUTTER SPECIALIZES IN spreading, resting, and cutting the fabric BEFORE sewing begin.

This work is done with a careful eye, a steady hand, and years of practice.

Who cuts for Rule DD?

mEET vICTOR.

We’ve hand-picked some of the most skilled and collaborative partners in the Los Angeles area to support our team. Working directly with our tight-knit network ensures that our contractors are properly respected, and maintains an inherent level of sustainability.

Meet more of Our Community!

Samples

What are Samples?

Samples are Garments produced to test a Design.

Once the pattern has been drafted, it’s time to test the design’s aesthetic, fit and function. This is done by sewing one garment, a Fit Sample, from the pattern with the intended fabric. During a fitting session, the designer will comment on any necessary alterations or changes to the aesthetic, fit, or function. These alterations are noted and reflected in the final pattern.

When the sample looks, fits, and functions per the designer’s intended vision, we consider this a Final Approved Sample (FAS).

Typically, the FAS is achieved after two sessions of revisions. During the process, we save each sample as an Archival Sample. By working with archival samples, we can cross check our work and confirm if the alterations to the garment have achived the desired outcome.

Who produces samples for Rule DD?

Meet Ramon and Martha.

We’ve hand-picked some of the most skilled and collaborative partners in the Los Angeles area to support our team. Working directly with our tight-knit network ensures that our contractors are properly respected, and maintains an inherent level of sustainability.

Meet more of Our Community!