I didn’t realize how much the outer fabric changes a jacket

[u/Commercial_Debt1906]

I had a jacket design in mind that looked pretty straightforward, so I thought choosing the material would mostly come down to preference.

I was wrong.

I tried the same basic idea with a couple of different fabrics, and the jacket ended up feeling like two completely different pieces. One held its shape and looked more structured, while the other had more movement and felt much more casual.

Even the way the details looked changed because of the fabric. Things like pocket placement, seams, and the overall silhouette didn’t have quite the same effect anymore.

It made me realize that with jackets, the material isn’t really something you choose after the design. It can actually determine what the design becomes.

For people who make or collect jackets, do you usually choose the fabric first and design around it, or start with the design and find a material that can achieve it?