Possibly the most
critical issue in designing a garment for any market sector is the speed with
which the new design can hit the retail floor. CAD systems are essential in the
process as they significantly assist trimming design development time. In the
past, programs have been complex and unfriendly. They have delivered high value
and benefits for high volume end-users, however smaller companies have found
them difficult to access as the often proved too expensive. A relatively
inexpensive CAD system has been making in-roads into the Australian maket for
the last four years. Known as Colour Matters Fashion Design
Software, it is distributed by Fashion Matters. It is relatively
unexpensive and easily integrates into an individual company’s key
information technology systems: software, hardware and pheriperals. The
technology is powerful and simple to use. An advantage is that it can be
operated using less expensive hardware that is often required by better known
CAD systems.
Managing director
Mitchell Dobelsky describes it as, “state-of-the-art fashion design
software”. “Our motto is ‘ease of use’. It is extremely
flexible and is 100 per cent compatible with all Windows platforms. It provides
four different modules: prints, weaving, knitting and draping and many of the
functions are enchanced by 3D elements. It’s cost-effective way to
organize your pre-production workplace.”
Dobelsky stresses that
Fashion Matters’ systems are easily linked with overseas factories.
“Designs can be emailed and are received in seconds. Errors in sampling,
production and distribution can almost be removed. Colours can also be
successfully changed within software as it works int true colour 100 per cent of
the time.”
The US-based founder of
Fashion Matters was one of the founders of Primavision. His knowledge is based
on 15 years in a CAD environment as a programmer, marketer and designer. Fashion
Matters has grown its business through word-of-mouth. Dobelsky said:
“Fashion Matters is not a big advertiser. We prefer our money to be spent
on research and development, service and distribution. We have already achieved
40 per cent of Australian market and it is growing. Jeans West, Simon deWinter,
Anthea Crawford, Jump, Cioccolato, and John Brown Hosiery are all among our
customers.”
