What is a database?
A database is an organized collection of data. The data is typically organized based on a particular subject or multiple subjects.
What is a fashion database?
A “fashion database” is one that collects, organizes, and displays information regarding apparel, shoes, and/or fashion accessories. It may possibly include information regarding fabrics, textile fibers, machinery, trimming components (hangers, buttons, sewing threads, hangtags, labels), etc. An industry specific database may include information about service providers in addition to products.
How to manage a database?
Typically a fashion database will utilize some sort of management system. Database management systems are computer software applications that interact with the user, other applications, and the database itself to capture and analyze the data. A general-purpose DBMS is designed to allow the definition, creation, querying, update, and administration of databases.
Apparel Search can be considered a fashion industry database because the site collects and displays information on the subject of our industry. However, as of April 2015, the site does not utilize a typical database management system. Our systems and processes will most likely change in the future. To see one of company sites that does use a database system (as of 2015), you can view the Clothing Industry Directory website.
Well-known DBMSs include MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase and IBM DB2. A database is not generally portable across different DBMSs, but different DBMS can interoperate by using standards such as SQL and ODBC or JDBC to allow a single application to work with more than one DBMS. Database management systems are often classified according to the database model that they support; the most popular database systems since the 1980s have all supported the relational model as represented by the SQL language. Sometimes a DBMS is loosely referred to as a 'database'.
Below are a few resources that we think use databases to collect fashion industry information and resources:
https://www.fitnyc.edu/index.php (student access only)
https://libguides.library.kent.edu/c.php?g=278129
https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/
You can also check the clothing manufactures database page for additional examples.
If you are aware of more educational information on this subject, please let us know so that we can update this page.
Thank you for using the Apparel Search website.