1Retailers ’ Perceptions of the Effects of Garment Complexity on Interest in Customized Patterns

Meshke (1961) theorized that anatomical structure, pattern design, and fabric affect the difficulty of customizing a pattern. The purpose of this study was to determine retailers’perceptions of the effect of these three components on customer interest in patterns customized by computer-aided design systems. A questionnaire was completed by 45 fabric retailers. Retailers were askedfor their perceptions of customers’interest in customized patterns for 13 body structures, 4 levels of design complexity, 10 garment styles, and 10 fabrics of varying complexities. Within-subjects repeated measures MANOVA and simple contrast t-tests were used to analyze the data. Retailers’perceptions were that customers would be significantly more interested in customized patterns for more complex anatomical structu, res, pattern designs, garment styles, and fabrics than for less complex components. The market for customized patterns could be described as women who are of irregular anatomical structures, who are constructing complex pattern designs, and/or who are using complex fabrics. Throughout the history of apparel production problems related to fit and standardization of sizes have existed for producers as well as for consumers (Amster, 1985; Brunn, 1983). Inconsistencies of sizing in ready-to-wear apparel ar