Design development elements As already discussed, research is guided through a set of required elements or components, which you must consider and gather information for: components such as shape and structure, texture and colour, and historical influences, for example. It is these elements that now become essential in developing your ideas into garment shapes and details, determining fabric qualities, the use of colour and print, and the creative direction that the collection is ultimately going to take. There is perhaps also an order that you should begin to consider these elements in as part of the design process. By exploring all of them, you will achieve a greater and more in-depth understanding of your collection and the concept that you have developed. Design elements · Silhouette · Proportion and line · Function · Details · Colour · Fabric · Print and embellishment · Historic references · Contemporary trends · Market, levels and genres in fashion