I love clothes. I love the artistic nature of design – how the combination of different fabrics, textures, colors, and other design elements come together to create something beautiful. As a detail person, I notice the small things. As a store owner and buyer for fifteen years, I’ve come to realize that the details are often the difference between a cheaply made product and a quality product.

Take as an example this beautiful crochet inset on a tunic from Multiples. It adds a handcrafted element to an otherwise ordinary tunic, creating an ethnic feel that helps separate it from less expensive competitors. It is a beautiful detail that will look delicate and pretty on a woman’s arm.

If you examine the picture closely, you can see that the crochet is weighty and not flimsy. Yet another element of quality, the sheer thickness of this crochet makes it clear that corners were not cut in adding this detail.
These types of added design elements divide out the ordinary from the unique. You either won’t find them on less expensive labels, or, when you do, they will seem cheap and mass produced.

The next time you are wandering through your favorite specialty store or boutique, stop to appreciate the details on the clothing you find. They truly are a work of art.