Sarah Hoops | Apparel Design & Consulting

Product development that moves the needle

 Level-up your apparel brand with design and industry expertise, 

bring in production partners with communication that fosters trust,

 and attract admiring customers who’ll become evangelists for your brand.

From my 10+ years experience in apparel product development, fit evaluation and construction, I support you to: 

  • communicate details of your design visually with fashion flat illustrations

  • deliver detailed measurements, excellent fit, and comfort and mobility through tech packs, fitting support, and pattern making

  • make ordering easy by creating sales documents to connect with stockists and customers

  • black and white line drawing of technical details of garment and words calling out design elements

    Fashion Flats

    These digital technical illustrations of multiple views of your garment communicate important design elements visually. They are created in vector format to remain editable for the files to be used and updated throughout development.

  • swim top sample with pinned fit alterations on a dress form

    Sample Fitting

    The most important element of pre-production development, I offer sample fitting expertise, tech pack and sketch revisions for subsequent improvements, and delivery of pattern alterations either via paper & post or digitized DXF files.

  • lines indicating back panel of pant pattern with original markings and lines and notes showing cutting pattern alterations and design element placement

    Pattern Alterations

    The blueprint of your garment, the cutting pattern is a treasure trove of details that affect the drape, construction, and fit of your garment. I can’t overstate the importance of a pattern’s accuracy and consideration of the body that will eventually move within it. This sets a product apart and is one of the crucial elements of long-lasting and high-quality product development.

  • a cropped screen shot of an instructional page including photos, lines and notes, and illustrations giving instructions to manufacturer about details of garment fit

    Sample Evaluation

    Pre-production sample-making allows the design team and manufacturing team to demonstrate each other’s understanding and expression of a product’s details. This is a point where many decisions made in the design stage become tangible, allowing us to evaluate what is working, and if needed, adjust to optimize every aspect of the product.

  • incomplete screen shot collage of technical documents for garment manufacture

    Tech Packs

    Tech packs hold the whole recipe for your product: illustrations with construction callouts and style details supply the manufacturer with technical details, bill of materials tracks sourcing and pricing information, sample measurements and tolerances are the framework for your brand’s fit and the quality assurance vehicle for development and production alike.

  • screen shot of apparel line sheet in InDesign layout

    Line Sheets

    Line sheets simply answer your stockists' questions about MOQs, items available, pricing, and lead times in a format that gives them immediate access to your inventory. Every touchpoint with a buyer, whether the end customer or a retailer, is an opportunity to communicate your brand’s values and promises, and line sheet has this opportunity, too.

  • black and white line drawing of garment blueprint

    Patternmaking

    This is the step that creates the blueprint to make your design a tangible product. Using a combination of drafting, draping, and digitizing software, every cut, curve, and construction element on the two-dimensional cutting pattern refines your product at a foundational level and offers lasting access to your work.

Menu of Services:

  • Tech packs communicate details for manufacturers while retaining details of development to ensure integrity to the designer’s vision and repeatability and reliable quality of styles.

    Fashion flats - digital technical illustrations of front and back views in vector format give you editable files for use throughout development, plus a round of revision ensures the unique elements of your styles are communicated

    Tech pack - illustrations with construction callouts and style details supply the manufacturer with technical details, bill of materials tracks sourcing and pricing information, sample measurements and tolerances are the framework for your brand’s fit and the quality assurance vehicle for development and production alike. A round of revision before export to sample makers ensures the unique elements of your styles are communicated accurately

  • Pre-production fittings bring a first draft of a design into a repeatable, well-fitting, comfortable and mobility-supporting style.

    Fitting - includes two rounds of sample fitting expertise, tech pack and sketch revisions for subsequent improvements, and delivery of pattern alterations either via paper & post or digitized DXF files

    Graded Measurements - grade rules communicate the way fit will be maintained consistently across your range of production sizing

    Pattern Making & Digitizing - in pattern making, I use digitizing and drawing software to mark every cut, curve, and construction element on the two-dimensional blueprint for creating your product to reduce your time to market, level-up your product from the inside out, and provide lasting access to your work

  • Connect stockists with your brand through sales documents that make buying easy.

    Order Forms - give wholesale stockists the opportunity to connect your product to their favorite customers by giving them the opportunity to order your product for their shop

    Line Sheets - simply answer your stockists' questions about MOQs, items available, pricing, and lead times in a format that gives them immediate access to your inventory

    Look Books - showcase your stylized product photography and brand mission along with MOQs, availability, pricing, and lead times to strengthen

Refine your designs to capture your customer’s values. Improve comfort, ease of movement, and longevity of your product. The guidance I provide works harder for you and your buyers alike.

  • "Due to her enthusiasm, keen attention to detail and artistic ability, I would not hesitate in offering Sarah a work placement."

    Ann Ceprynski of Boden Womenswear

  • “THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING SWIMSUIT EVER!!!!! Such amazing work. I almost cried when I tried it on. I have 7 pieces of swimwear now that I absolutely love.”

    — Emma Osowski of SH the Label swimwear

  • “Her ability to navigate challenges with ease is truly impressive.”

    — Stacie Renner-Turnbull of University of Nebraska-Lincoln

  • “You have done such an amazing job with designing and precision and just everything….. I can’t thank you enough.”

    — Emma Osowski of SH the Label swimwear

  • "Her ability to tackle challenges with creativity and professionalism sets her apart."

    — Stacie Renner-Turnbull of University of Nebraska-Lincoln

  • "She willingly tackles new processes when she recognizes they might provide the desired design solution... [She] pays attention to details, but does not lose sight of the whole concept when working on a project."

    — Wendy Weiss, Professor Emeritus | Department of Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Brands I’ve worked with: