Ask the Designer: Where Does Your Inspiration Come From?

Inspiration can literally come from anywhere, be it family, music, or a crack in the sidewalk. There are no restraints as to what someone can draw from to turn a mere thought into a reality. In fact, fashion design is all about great inspirations. Today's designs are everything from elaborate drawings in a sketchbook to creative photoshopping. But the designers behind them wouldn't be where they are without getting a jumpstart from someone (or something).

So, we asked some of our favorite fashion designers about their inspirations and were surprised by what got them started. Are you looking in the right places to get your career off the ground? See if your inspiration matches up to theirs as we Ask the Designer: Where Does Your Inspiration Come From?

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"We started designing because no one was making clothing we wanted to wear. We have an opinion on how clothing should look and fit and we have a passion for it."

"Growing up my family was in the fashion business and our matriarch was a seamstress. This installed a passion that has driven me throughout my career.

"I grew up in the era of Michael Jackson. His amazing outfits inspired me to find a way to express my creativity through fashion. I was also influenced by what Dapper Dan from Harlem was doing for high-end streetwear. I now enjoy constructing garments on the sewing machine and seeing the end results of my designs."

"Carine Roitfeld's art direction on the Gucci campaign in 2002 is something that stands out (the one with the G shaved into the womans pubic hair) as inspiration.

"I think several things stimulated my desire to become a designer. First, I grew up with a father who used to work in the textile industry, and a mother who was fond of art. I think that I wanted to mix the two influences!

"For as long as I can remember, I always knew I wanted to do my own thing. I worked retail for years doing visual merchandising and at the end of the day, I was just never satisfied. I could never settle into doing that my entire life. Literally, my girlfriend gave me a book called 'One Month To Live' and it changed my life. As cheesy as that sounds, it's really true. You get one life to live, why not try to live out your dream?"

"I was always very interested in dressing well. My grandfather wore a Southwick suit everyday of his life, but I never thought of design as a career until I read Ralph Lauren's book."

"I started designing because I'm a DJ and every time I have a gig around the world, many people come to see me and dance to my music, so I liked to show them a bit of my roots. I'm inspired by my friends: supermodel Lea T and singer/visual artist Devendra Banhart. These are the people who inspire me."

"Well, I'm a graphic designer, I can't really attribute the beginning of my studies/involvement in the field to anyone or anything in particular, more just being interested in particular things such as: Nike sneakers, Nintendo/Sony Playstation, sports merchandise, cartoons, graffiti and lettering, (and of course) the internet.

"My interest in clothing and branding probably kicked off when I was in the third grade and begged my mum to buy me a pair of $109 (AUD) Nike Cross Trainers because I'd seen the sixth graders wear them. After that, and throughout the remainder of my childhood, I just remember always being really aware of branded clothing. From then, it led to other things like cars, sports equipment, and the like."

"Design to me didn't come naturally, nor is it something I always knew I wanted to do. I've always been an aesthetic person, extremely picky about details, but that it would translate into designing clothes was never a given. I'm the guy who just happened to be at the right place at the right time. I worked in the industry for almost 12 years before I started to actually design. It kind of crept up on me until I realized 'I could do that better myself.'

"Since I come from the back door so to speak, first working with production, buying, sourcing, and product development rather than deciding on the aesthetics, once I sunk my teeth into the creative side of things, I knew all the parameters that were needed, and what works.

"I think what drove me in the beginning, and still does, is the feeling that I need to prove myself to myself. Lacking a formal design education will always be my Achilles heel, but also my greatest asset. I can't draw worth shit, but the rest is easy. I can envision a garment in every detail, how it sits, the drape, the color, nuances in fabrications and so on. And after all, the only thing important is that I can convey this vision to the manufacturer or the design team in a clear way.

"The feeling of 'when will they realize I'm just bluffing my way through this, what the fuck do I know about anything anyway?' is an emotion I share with anyone involved in creative work, and it's good, 'cause it keeps you on your toes. The second you're not riddled by anxiety's dark horses over your next collection, it's game over."

Maxwell Osborne: "For me, designing arose as a mistake. Nothing was planned on my end. I've always been a fan of what designers do—never something I planned to do myself. It came about when I was working retail for Tommy Hilfiger and really started to look at the construction of garments when it was slow at the store. That lead to an internship at a clothing brand where I took the opportunity to get in the door and continued to run with it. Mentors brought me under their wings and slowly taught me how to turn thoughts and sketches into reality. I thank them! Oh, and thank you, Tommy!"

Dao-Yi Chow: "Music was my entry point into fashion. I grew up in the MTV generation and the idea of style and how it shaped the viewers perspective of the artists. Hip Hop specifically placed extreme value on presentation and being original, exclusive, and aspirational. I wanted to be able to recreate those moments that I saw in the videos and capture the energy from the music."