Alvanon gifts technical fit tools to fashion industry

Leading apparel size and fit expert Alvanon has launched a global initiative called the Fashion Fit Movement to help restore and revitalize technical fashion skills and fashion manufacturing in the fashion hubs of New York City, Europe and Hong Kong.

To this effect, Alvanon will donate its world class technical fit and performance tools and consultancy services to selected apparel design and manufacturing businesses as well as industry associations in New York, London and Hong Kong that are either supporting, rebuilding or focusing on local production capabilities and efforts.

The first to profit from the initiative is the influential Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Fashion Manufacturing Initiative (FMI), an investment fund that offers matching financial grants to select New York City fashion manufacturing businesses. The fund received Alvanon’s AlvaForm technical fit mannequins and AlvaBlock pattern templates, which it awarded to New York city-based pattern service Werkstatt. The high-end fashion pattern maker will use the tools to produce better fitting patterns.

The right fit and size is key

“In our grant application to the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative we noted our need for additional forms in a range of sizes. The business is in a high growth stage with both new clients and employees coming on board. The CFDA’s grant of Alvanon equipment is a perfect match for our current and future needs. The AlvaForms and AlvaBlocks will help us work more efficiently and produce a very accurate fit for different sizes as the business expands,” said Werkstatt founder and owner Tina Schenk.

In view of ever increasing competition and ever faster production cycles, the right sizing and fit becomes all the more important. After all, even the most stylish and elaborate garment will remain on the shelves if size and fit is off. Alvanon president Ed Gribbin had stressed this point in an earlier interview with FashionUnited: “When catching someone’s eye in fashion, fit is the one reason, the one important part of the message.”

Sophisticated engineering tools are key for Gribbin, which is what the Fashion Fit Movement is all about: “Though engineering for most consumer products is very, very sophisticated (think of electronics or cars for example), this is not so in fashion. It should be though as the tools are available and the brands and retailers could really build their customer loyalty by prioritizing the right fit,” he added.

Photo: Werkstatt founder and owner Tina Schenk with an Alvanon AlvaForm fit mannequin