Selling images to be used in textile designs

[AnneWynne]

I have been kicking around the idea of printing some of my images on silk scarves. One of the options I could follow is not getting into the production of scarves, but selling the designs to a fashion house/scarf producer.

Does anyone have any idea where I would start with this?

Firstly, how would I price my image for commercial use in a textile? Limited run or unlimited use license? And seeing how easy it is to get a variety of color variations with the design (playing with the hue sliders in Photoshop), do I address this issue in the pricing?

Secondly, would it be best for me to seek out and approach design houses on my own, or would I do better if I had an agent?

Does anyone know anyone I could talk to who knows about marketing designs to the fashion industry?

TIA,
Anne

[lonni]

Hi Anne

I dont want to sound disparaging but i dont think that is an idea that will work. I have some friends who are textile designers and what you described above is just not how the industry works.

Firstly textile designers are mostly illustrators, beceause the majority of textiles are patterns, thats what the industry wants, so i can tell you fairy certainly that you will get many many knock backs and they might not be too polite about it.

All fashion houses and textile design places have their own desighners on staff, and they work seasons ahead, one of my friends is currently working on spring 2015 designs right now.

Secondly i have not seen photograph on a silk scarfe since teh 80's so i am betting its a product with a niche market, which would narrow down the people you approach drasticly.

If you were to aproach some one it would have to be in person, with your portfolio and an introduction letter explaining why you would be ideal to supply images for their company. You would need to demonstrate how you fit in the industry and with their company specifically. Study the company before hand and go in dressed accordingly, the devil wears prada is a little over the top but the fashion industry does have its stereotypes and predjudices.

As for pricing i am unsure about this, freelance textile designers licence their images to the company and depending on how big the company is it might be a limited or exclusice license, it works simmilar to the stock images licenses.

Designers working for a company dont get paid for their designs individually as they are employed to do it, and teh design isnt all thers as they often work in teams, 4 or more. They work with trend forecasters, the garment designers, head designers, marketing people etc.

If it was me i would suggest looking at getting them made. Dye sublimation (the process of transferring images to fabric and other substrates) is pretty easy and cheap these days. The images is prited using an ink jet with special ink on to special paper then it is presseed and heated onto the fabric. Teh heat turns teh ink to gas and the presure puches it in to the fabric.

You can ask any print shop or even buy a little machine your self, they are easy to use and some secind hand ones are cheap. To do it yoru self you will need and printer, the ink, paper, the dye sub machine adn silk, which shold be easy to source.

Hope the information helps and good luck.

[AnneWynne]

Great tips. Thanks for your thorough reply.

[Jim Poor]

I think Lonni missed the part about the sort of images you want to put on the scarves. Their more pattern than photo by the time you get them finished, and they are beautiful.

You should drop a sample in this thread.

I wish I had more good info for you, but that's totally out of my experience.

[AnneWynne]

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

I think Lonni missed the part about the sort of images you want to put on the scarves. Their more pattern than photo by the time you get them finished, and they are beautiful.

You should drop a sample in this thread.

I wish I had more good info for you, but that's totally out of my experience.

Thanks for the supportive words Jim.
You are right, I should probably post a sample image. It does not look at all like one expects when one hears "photograph". So, without further ado: