Connecting CreativityCost AnalysisIf a seam in the back of a jacket can save 20 per cent in the fabric lay, is it
worth doing? Questions of this type represent the difficult but necessary
mediation between the defining characteristics of the original idea and the
demands of reality. Cost analysis is a challenge to the designer since it requires
him/her to devise ingenious solutions and should be regarded as a spur to
the creative process, not an impediment.
Production OpportunitiesAlthough most of our products are manufactured in Italy, we are conscious
that in the future there will be a proliferation of opportunities for high-quality
production in other parts of the world. Information on new manufacturing
and finishing techniques and special processes is part of the research described
above, and can stimulate new products, but we must be circumspect
regarding, for example potential bottlenecks and other damaging production
problems. When we embark on new projects in production, we must verify
our willingness and ability to train, and the investment which that entails.
MarketingCreating for sale is different from creating for creation’s sake. At MaxMara,
the product is rigorously defined in relation to the retail concept. There are
over 600 MaxMara stores and our organization regards the selling phase as
integral to the project. The visual merchandizing and display of proposed
products, their coordination and communication are a vital part of the design
activity.
AdvertisingThe importance of creating in this field is obvious, but more than anywhere
else it must be exercised with a view to consistency since our objective is
that the product should be immediately recognizable and associated with an
absolute, possibly unique, identity. In my experience, the most successful
advertising campaigns are those resulting from a very close collaboration
between designers, photographers, and those such as stylists who, from an
external perspective can add to this a story, an element of conceived reality.