Fashion Design Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Fashion Design facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is a 'pull' in fashion styling for photo shoots? → A collection of clothing and accessories gathered from designers or stores for a shoot
2. Which Japanese designer is known for deconstructed, avant-garde clothing under the Comme des Garçons label? → Rei Kawakubo
3. What is an 'outfit repeat' in celebrity fashion culture? → Wearing a previously photographed outfit publicly a second time
4. Scale in fashion design refers to: → The size of a design element relative to the human body
5. In color theory for fashion, 'value' refers to: → The lightness or darkness of a color
6. In the late 1980s, this was the only color to wear denim. What color could you produce from last year's blue jeans if you couldn't afford them? → Acid-washed
7. Saturation of a color describes its: → Intensity or purity
8. The punk fashion movement of the late 1970s was heavily influenced by which British designer's provocative clothing? → Vivienne Westwood
9. What is 'private label' merchandise in fashion retail? → Products designed and branded exclusively for a specific retailer
10. What is the purpose of a dress form (mannequin) in fashion design? → To serve as a three-dimensional body stand-in for fitting, draping, and design development
11. What is 'flat-felled seam' most commonly used for? → Durable garments like jeans and work shirts where strong, flat seams are required
12. Texture as a design element refers to: → The surface quality of a fabric
13. Denim fabric is traditionally dyed with which natural dye? → Indigo
14. Which American designer is associated with the polo shirt and the Polo brand? → Ralph Lauren
15. A curved line in a garment design typically conveys a sense of: → Softness and movement
16. Which designer's 'trapeze line' collection in 1958 marked a significant departure from the fitted New Look silhouette? → Yves Saint Laurent
17. The design elements are guides that show us how to mix design principles. → False
18. What does cutting fabric 'on the bias' mean? → Cutting at a 45-degree angle to both the warp and weft grain lines
19. What distinguishes a 'woven' fabric from a 'knit' fabric in terms of construction? → Wovens use two sets of interlaced threads; knits use interlocking loops
20. When making a sway back adjustment on a back bodice pattern, what change is typically made? → Remove a horizontal wedge at the back waistline to reduce the center back length
21. The annual Met Gala benefits the Costume Institute of which museum? → The Metropolitan Museum of Art
22. The 'straight grain' of a fabric is also referred to as the: → Lengthwise grain or warp grain
23. What is 'GSM' in fabric measurement? → Grams per Square Meter
24. What are 'selvedge denim' jeans prized for among denim enthusiasts? → They have a tightly woven self-finishing edge from old shuttle looms
25. Which fabric is created by interlocking loops of yarn rather than weaving? → Knit
26. What is 'influencer marketing' in the context of fashion promotion? → Partnering with social media personalities to promote products to their followers
27. Coco Chanel is best known for liberating women from which restrictive garment? → The corset
28. When the size relationship between a collar and the overall garment feels correct, the designer has achieved good: → Proportion
29. Which Italian fashion house is symbolized by an interlocking double-G logo? → Gucci
30. Which designer founded the house known for the Damier and Monogram canvas luggage in 1854? → Louis Vuitton