I have been doing commission work for... well, it seems all my professional life as a costumer! Most of my independent costume design work is done with a contract for a stipend to design and produce the costumes. It was part of my job to figure out what was needed and to make it happen. It's not much different than any commissioned art piece--I talk with the customer, find out what they need, and then make it happen. Just one costume at a time...
Over the last couple of years, I've been doing a lot more commission work for individuals that want a specific variation on one of the products they've
seen in my shop, or they are looking for a specific item and they can't really find it for sale on the market. I've made 1980s ladies velour vests, wired lace ruffs, and vests for the groom in bridal parties. I've been hired by friends for my costume construction skills, and even made capes for drag queens!
But my latest piece was made for a performer who completely fits my style: a juggler in a cabaret act.
This client found the listing in my Etsy shop for my "Ringmaster Vest". It was very earthy in tone, with a swallowtail back--a very unusual piece fit for a specific look or need. But when you're looking for a costume for your act, my work can fit the bill...
He wanted to know if I could make him a similar vest in different colors. I said I could, quoted him a price and made a listing on Etsy. When he purchased it, I went to work.
I gathered fabrics that I thought were indicative of what he was thinking, scanned in a photograph of them, and sent him the update. We had conversed about his situation and the style he desired over email previously, so I was pretty sure I was moving in the right direction. After some feedback, I gave him a rendering using the fabrics I'd swatched so he could visualize the vest more specifically with a bit more of a guide rather than words... With his okay, I started assembling the vest.
And here's the finished product! I had to modify the pattern I was already using for my Ringmaster vest to incorporate more fabric choices and make it a smaller size. I also used rhinestones to enhance the fabric motifs and decorate the collar. So it wasn't an exact duplicate of the Ringmaster vest by any means, and that took a bit of coordinating and adjusting, but in the end I think the piece is incredibly effective.
I may end up doing more commission work in the future, but I have to really evaluate the price structure. I'm learning that I have a tendency to underestimate the time investment in my projects... I guess I never really learned to get over my eyes being bigger than my stomach... Which could be dangerous in the future, so I have to be diligent.
Do any of you do commission work? Do you use a specific form/format/method/system for engaging in commission work with clients? Do you have policies that facilitate the process for you? Do you use contracts or rely upon email agreements? Do you have set prices, or do they vary depending on parts of the artistic process? I'd really be curious to know. I have not found a formulaic "structure" for the process myself, but I don't ever make anything until they've paid me first. I spend a lot of time going back and forth in discussion prior to even starting, but I think that's better than finding out after-the-fact that what you've made isn't what the client wanted. Being a costumer, I find that the artistic side of the process isn't my problem--it's the business side! Go figure!! Haha!!
I plan on taking a "catalog" of my commissioned works and other costuming items with me to the fairs and festivals so potential clients can peruse possibilities. Anything "outside the box" of my catalog would need to be hammered out, of course. But I think it might be a good tool to have on hand to facilitate future sales and work. We'll see if it's effective or not--I haven't done my first fair yet, so it's all theoretical at this point!
Until next time, Live Life With Relish!
Comments
Corey, I loved seeing your vest and getting an idea of what went on behind the finished product. It is beautiful! I do lots of custom work. I make wire wrapped jewelry and metal clay jewelry, and my husband cuts cabochons and scads of opals. We carry the gemstones along and offer the the clients an opportunity to design with me by looking at the completed pieces and deciding if they like this or that part better, which type of metal, plain or more decorated styles. They seem to like doing this and it has certainly made me develop my abilities! Right now I'm working on several pieces where the client provided the stones from trips, etc and I'm making them into wearable keepsakes. You have a specialized market for sure, but I'm thinking that descriminating shoppers will really enjoy having you do some custom work for them. Have fun!
There are two that I'm using... I have an iPad--I'm not sure if they can be used for iPhone or Android or not, but they're called "Alarmed" and "ChargeTime". Haven't fully explored them, but they seem to be what I'm looking for... : )
Really beautiful work Corey!
You mention you have a timer app to track the time invested in your projects. Do you mind sharing the name of the app? I'm looking into them myself and there are so many to choose from.
Thanks!
Beautiful work Corey - I hope your client always values the time and effort that went into it!
I do bespoke work quite a lot - I do jewellery like Karole so its easier to quote on that most of the time. My biggest problems come when customers keep changing their minds which really increases the time spent on a piece. In these cases (after talking with lots of people here!) I've added a note to my website for those times that says
Quotes for bespoke items include the initial design and one change plus the construction and materials of the item and delivery. Further changes to the design once construction has started, may incur additional charges.
A quality constructed garment is not a throw away. I still have saved my best work from my college days. Not that I will ever wear them but they were made too well to be thrown out or given to Good Will. Maybe someday I will have an artsy granddaughter who will want them because they are vintage. lol People keep old clothes from 100 years ago, there is no reason there aren't people out there who want a special piece for special events. I have seen people selling clothes at Renessance (sp) festivals and they have booths and seemed to do well. At one time I thought that could be fun to do. That could be an area for you, too.
Corey, I do have a litlle handout, that I give to my clients when they ask about Custom work/repair work.
I post an Artisan Statement in the booth, a little blurb about me/the business and why I do it, what I do, etc. They usually check this out, as they are perusing, and then if they want more information, such as my costs etc I can give them my rate chart. I have a first hour consult free policy, after that, I charge em! I have found that some clients will change their mind several times, if they can do it for free, but when they have to pay for it, they behave better- these are usually Bridezillas!
I've realized that the best way to get my name out there is to do art fairs and festivals because it's so much better for people to actually *see* my stuff. I'm hoping that I can create wearable art that is as valued to my client as a painting or a fine photographic print is to collectors of those genres.
My journey into the fair and festival world is slow, but I'm slowly gathering all the things I need to do it--I have a good tent, display mechanisms, and my very first street fair scheduled for the end of June... Wish me luck! My garments are going to have to be my "high end" pieces (and I may not end up taking most of them except to classier festivals if I can actually get juried in--haven't applied to any yet), but I'm making lace chokers and such for the bulk of what I'm offering. You can see those on my Etsy site, too.
Thanks again for your kind words! I, too, lament the sad culture that fashion has created for itself in order to sell more stuff... Unsustainable to be sure. But with the upswing in the interest in sewing, I'm hoping my work will be interesting to some. I guess I'll find out soon enough! : )
Corey what a fantastic job you did on that vest! The dagged edge collar was done perfectly. Getting all those points to look so even and flat is not an easy job. I used to be a Home Ec teacher so I know about clothing construction. Years ago I went with a clothing class to the old JL HUdson store in Detroit before it was torn down (boo). We were told to go to all the floors and look at price tags and check out the sewing job of the garments. Even way back in the 70's I was shocked that there were pieces that cost $300. I think your vest is very reasonable (I looked at your Etsey link). I would think that if you hung a few pieces of your clothing line up on the back wall of your tent you could get more comission work.
Where did you learn clothing construction? I think fine clothing construction is a lost art. If people knew what they used to do when constructing clothes they would be surprised, however, in light of the fact that people ditch their clothes as soon as the styles change they probably don't want to pay much for everyday items. If we could hold a simple blouse made in China up next to a blouse made long ago for Bloomingdales you could really see what was missing.
Nice work!
OH, Karole, that sounds like an awesome client!!! Haha!!! Kudos to you!! And I admire your ability to break down different parts of your process and assign different rates--I've done something similar with some of the contract work I've done for some of my clients, and it works out well. I think my problem is in the actual estimating step, because inevitably I've either vastly underestimated or vastly underestimated... Working on the clock in various theatre costume shops (where estimating time per task isn't necessarily part of the job) hasn't allowed me to develop the skills required to predict my labor very well! Haha! But I'll get there. I now have a timer app on my iPad that'll help me keep track of time on my different projects. And I think I'll learn REALLY quickly. : )
Do you find that there are people interested in your skills at art fairs and festivals? Do you get many clients that way? Do you bring a cost breakdown of what you charge with you to your booth?
And am I asking about something that is "verboten" at art fairs? Surely artists find commission clients at these events--isn't that part of the draw to participate, in general?
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