Designing Maternity Clothing

Designing and marketing maternity clothing has its challenges but launching a new maternity clothing collection can also be a rewarding choice for your clothing brand.

 You are designing for an audience that definitely wants to look great and be able to go to work in comfortable clothing that fits them during their pregnancy journey, and it’s an audience that is diverse in their needs and wants.

If you know your target customer you are already in a winning position, for instance are you already making garments to be worn in an office environment, for work? Your target customer will want a few key pieces to wear that will look professional, maybe a maternity trouser, crisp white shirt and a stretch jacket styled accordingly.

Alternatively, if you are already supplying to a target audience of under 25, likes casual wear and is street fashion conscious your maternity collection is likely to be a lot more casual and colourful.

As customers choose maternity clothing, they’re adjusting to their rapidly changing bodies and also trying to adjust their budgets to prepare for a new baby. There are a few key things to remember when putting your maternity collection together: 

Comfort: Especially in the later stages of pregnancy, comfort is key.

Practicality: Maternity clothing needs to be designed for the realities of pregnancy – nothing that’s too hard to put on or take off.

Fashion: People will still want to look and feel good while pregnant, and still want to have fun with their wardrobe.

Durability: Customers who are trying to balance their budget with their clothing needs will look for pieces that can hold up to frequent use.

We encourage you to put a survey together and ask your ideal audience about their pregnancy experiences, and you’ll probably hear at least a few complaints about clothing that didn’t fit well. Every pregnant body is different, and the maternity jeans that fit one bump perfectly may fall off of another.

Some pieces, like jersey and casual, are more forgiving, but if your collection includes jeans, trousers, or more formal business wear, you’ll need to work hard at making sure your items are as well-fitted as possible. Your fabric choices are especially important in maternity clothing design, as your clothes will need to be comfortable but supportive.

 

If you would like help with choosing fabrics and the development of a maternity collection get in touch.

 

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