Although there are no formal educational or certification requirements to become a fashion designer, that doesn't mean the job is easy. To become a fashion designer, you need a combination of drawing, sewing, and design skills, as well as knowledge of the fashion industry and a great deal of patience. You should also build a good portfolio and sharpen your knowledge of business and finance in general.
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Part 1 of 5: Sharpen Your Fashion Designing Skills
Step 1. Develop your skills
Successful fashion designers have a variety of skills, including drawing, the ability to choose colors and textures, the ability to visualize concepts in three dimensions, as well as mechanical skills including sewing and cutting various types of materials.
- Get some sewing training if you haven't learned it well before. The ability to sew complex fabrics in challenging situations will be a career support, but it will take practice. For many people, sewing is a skill that is not easy to learn.
- Understand how the fabric moves, falls, breathes, reacts when worn, etc. In-depth knowledge of fabrics is very important to be used properly in designing clothes. You should also know where the materials can be obtained.
- Learn about the fashion designers who have been in this world, not only about who they are, but also their background, the characteristics of their designs, the education they went through, and where they studied. This knowledge supports your own abilities because you can borrow and develop their ideas.
- Learn how to create a flow plan and product types. Improve your ability to spot trends through media, price comparisons and exhibitions.
- Start developing skills from an early age. Be prepared to devote hours to perfecting a skill. If you are planning a career in this field, a little practice every day will gradually give you a deeper understanding of fashion. Trying to do it all at once may discourage you.
Step 2. Learn more
If possible, we recommend that you take a diploma or degree in fashion or another program related to fashion. You'll learn a lot, gain excellent initial contact, and have many opportunities to exhibit your work in a more supportive environment (though you should still be prepared for criticism! Do one (or both) of the following:
- Take an education to earn a degree in fashion design. Generally the program is completed within three or four years. FIDM and Parsons are two of the most famous design schools in the United States. You will learn drawing, color and composition, pattern making, and arranging fabrics. In addition to learning these practical skills, you will also work with fashion experts who may become important contacts that will be useful in the future, they can also provide advice and input on your work directly from their own experience.
- Sign up for an internship. If you're not in the mood for formal education or if you think real-world experience is more beneficial, look for an internship at a fashion company. You'll need an awesome portfolio to sign up for and be ready to start from the ground up as interns are usually given trivial jobs like preparing drinks. Again, the network built from internships will be of great help as you pursue a career in fashion, and working with fashion industry professionals will provide the opportunity to learn skills directly from the experts.
Part 2 of 5: Pursue the Type of Design You're Interested in
Step 1. Decide what area of design is your main interest
You'll likely have to start from the ground up, but you should still have a goal in mind about the design that you'll develop over the course of your career. Do you tend to be interested in couture, ready-to-wear, sports/casual wear, mass apparel products, or specialty markets such as eco-friendly clothing? Each has advantages and disadvantages that you need to study before making a final decision. Within these key areas, you will also need to decide on some areas of concentration. You may initially try several areas, but don't get too distracted as it's better to perfect your designs in one area and experiment only when you've established yourself in the fashion industry. For example:
- Women's daily wear, women's evening wear
- Men's daily wear, men's evening wear
- Boys' clothes and/or girls' clothes; teen clothes
- Sports wear/casual wear
- Knitwear
- Outfits for outdoor activities, adventures, outerwear
- bridal wear
- Accessories
- Casual
- Costume design for the theatre, film, advertising industry and retailers
Step 2. Reduce ego
Think about what you really need before thinking about fame. A cool design is great, but cool alone won't sell. If you're planning to become a fashion designer, you're not just making clothes for yourself or famous people. You can't make money that way. Famous people don't even make up 1% of the population. Even if you see big names in magazines, it's actually advertising, not reality. That's not how it works. Designers are needed by real people with imperfect bodies who want to look their best. Arrogance will not bring money. Fact: You don't design clothes for yourself, you design clothes for other people.
Step 3. Ask what the customer needs
Here you have to be realistic. If you live in a country with warm weather, you will have a hard time selling ski jackets. Look around. What do people really need and want? For example, if you are planning to design a complete collection, you will need more tops than bottoms because most people generally have more tops than bottoms in their closet. Choose a simple and realistic approach. Spectacular sketches are beautiful on paper, but a great top and jeans will sell for more than an evening gown.
Step 4. Reduce demands
The mass market may not sound as glamorous as evening wear or luxury fashion, but it lasts a long time and can pay the bills. If you have to create a style that will be reproduced more than a hundred times, start right. A good style will increase your ability to design because you have to really understand the clothes you are selling. Poor styling will cost you a lot of money back and pay your boss a hefty fee.
Step 5. Take inspiration from competitors
Observe and pay attention to the fabrics they use; the size of the zipper they choose (so the clothes are strong enough to wear); fabric qualities such as water resistance, comfort, breathability, or care; and colors sold in your country. Studying the qualities of competitors is not imitation, but observation. By selecting and analyzing the best parts of each type of clothing, you will understand what makes a "favourite" garment. The favorite clothes are usually the best sellers. Your customers (personal shoppers or shoppers) want something that looks good on them. Spectacular outfits are only worn a few times a year, which is fine, but doesn't bring in money you can rely on to live on.
Step 6. Plan some master plans
What are your main strengths in designing? Maybe you're good at designing accessories or a genius at making yoga pants. Your interests and skills are the first important part. And the second part of course is adapting it to market demand, and in fashion, part is convincing the market and part observing the market needs.
Part 3 of 5: Deciding If the Fashion Industry Is Ready To Accept You
Step 1. Evaluate your skills and personality honestly before embarking on a career in fashion
You may love clothes, but clothes are only part of your job as a fashion designer. You will also need communication skills, readiness to work hard (usually 24/7), willingness to be criticized, ability to deal with stress, openness to dealing with various customers and/or bosses, accepting that sometimes you will feel lonely or isolated (depending on how you build your business). or career), and the ability to be self-disciplined and motivated.
- Fashion designer might be the right profession for you if you want to devote yourself to this career (it's a "vocation" of the soul), don't worry about uncertainty or lack of guarantees, are willing to stand up for what you believe in, have a unique idea of what is important in the fashion world, are able to listen to clients well, know the fashion industry inside and out, and live, eat and breathe for fashion.
- Fashion designer maybe no the right profession for you if you can't handle stress well, don't like uncertainty or instability, want a career that doesn't have many ups and downs, want your business to be admired by others, need a lot of guidance, hate financial instability, and have many interests. other.
Part 4 of 5: Preparing for Success
Step 1. Learn the business side of the fashion industry
A successful fashion designer is not only equipped with talent and creativity, but also knowledge of the business and marketing aspects of the fashion world. Don't miss what's happening in the fashion industry by reading articles about the fashion movement like Women's Wear Daily and Daily News Record.
- Fashion design education programs usually include education in marketing. Some programs/majors focus more on marketing than others, so make sure you do some thorough research on the courses in the program you choose. If you're already in a fashion design education that doesn't provide marketing/finance lessons, consider taking a short course in that field.
- Explore knowledge beyond fashion designing. The fashion industry has an endless chain of support and you need to understand every job involved in it, so you can also see different aspects of it from their point of view in order to compromise, meet demands, and know where the barriers are. Learn what others do, such as buyers, traders, pattern cutters, garment and fabric technicians, quality controllers, appraisers, sample tailors, salespeople, PR and marketing people, fashion journalists, retailers, event organizers, stylists style, and so on.
- Get to know customers. This is a basic and important skill that every fashion designer should have. Find out how customers spend their money, what their lifestyle is, where they like to shop, how they shop, and what they like and don't like. Know what your primary needs are and what to only buy when you have extra funds. If you understand marketing, you also know how to meet customer needs.
- Get to know competitors. Always keep an eye and an ear so you know what other fashion designers are doing in your area. At least, match them. But it's even better if you can surpass them while still meeting customer demands.
- Exhibitions are the best place to deepen your knowledge of how the fashion industry works and what works for you to meet customer needs and stay competitive.
Step 2. Find a job as a fashion designer
There are various ways to find a job as a designer in the fashion industry and it all depends on the type of design you are interested in. In some circumstances, flexibility will go a long way so that you gain experience and then pursue your interests afterward. Some places suitable for beginners are:
- Fashion house and fashion designer. Look for internships, start-up positions, designer assistants, etc.
- Costume positions in film studios, theaters, costume shops, etc.
- Advertising through various online job agencies
- Reference. Take advantage of contacts from schools or the fashion industry to help open the door for you. In an industry that values the words of people with names, this is a great start.
Step 3. If you have your own design business, be prepared to roll some money
Maybe you are very creative, but if you want to have your own product brand, you have to be business savvy. You have to understand the numbers and bills that keep piling up. If you hate financial paperwork, there are other options, such as hiring an accountant to take care of all the finances, but knowing all the finances is still worth it. And if you really hate finances, then you should find a job as a fashion designer at a fashion house, not start a company and own your own brand.
What type of trader are you? There are many possible answers, such as sole traders, partnerships, corporate corporations, and so on. Each has advantages and disadvantages that you should discuss with your legal and financial advisor before making a decision. Make sure you're protected from possible liability, especially if you live in a neighborhood that's prone to litigation
Step 4. Take a realistic approach
You may need to move in order to adapt to the market, but that depends on how you work and your sales. Being realistic in this case means understanding that it's a waste of time to sell couture to members of the community in small towns who only need work clothes, or to sell bikinis to rural communities. You need to focus on the potential market and consider whether you will stay and work in the same area or arrange for delivery from where you are to where people will buy your designs.
- Consider the influences around you. As a creative person, part of the creative process is associating with like-minded people and sparking ideas and suggestions from them. This process will be much more difficult if you do it alone or work with people who don't agree with your approach.
- Also remember that seasons have an influence on fashion design and may have an impact on the types of clothing you produce and want to sell.
- Consider the selling power of the internet. Using good quality three-dimensional images that can be enlarged and rotated, selling designs over the internet to any corner of the world is a realistic way of selling today. This method provides flexibility in determining where you live and designing clothes, and reduces travel to zero. This method is ideal if you plan to keep playing on a small label. Even so, you still have to travel to attend an important fashion show.
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Living in a city with a fast-growing fashion industry is a sensible choice for many designers. According to the Global Language Monitor (GLM), the following cities were the world's fashion centers in 2012, in order from top to bottom:
- London, England
- New York, USA
- Barcelona, Spain
- Paris, France
- Mexico
- Madrid, Spain
- Rome, Italy
- Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Milan, Italy
- Los Angeles, USA
- Berlin, Germany
- Mumbai, India
Part 5 of 5: Crafting a Fashion Portfolio
Step 1. Collect your work in a portfolio
A design portfolio is especially important when you are applying for a designer position or internship because it is an opportunity to market yourself and your work. Portfolios should showcase your best work and highlight your skills and creativity. Use a high-quality binder to show your seriousness as a designer. Include the following documents in your portfolio:
- A hand-drawn sketch or a photo of the sketch
- Computer-drawn designs
- Biography
- Pages containing nuances or concepts
- Pages with color or textile presentations
- Information that reflects your abilities and the progress you can make.
Tips
- Use your own designs as often as possible. Is there a more effective way of promotion than using it yourself? When people ask, be prepared to explain briefly, concisely and sharply to attract listeners.
- Adding color will add to the creativity of the design.
- If you are considering showing a design drawing, imagine how you would look in the design.
- Make a great logo if you have your own label. A logo will define your style from the start so it should be good from the start. If you are not good at designing logos, we recommend the work of a professional graphic designer.
- Learn to prepare enough lunches and snacks to take with you. A fashion designer's hours can be very long and sometimes you can't just leave the creative zone. However, the brain needs good nutrition so by bringing a healthy lunch and snack, you can eat right away to support intellectual hard work and physical activity without starving.
- Internships and practical work experience in all business departments under a small or top fashion designer will help you learn the tricks of the trade before you set up your own fashion company. You also need good advice on everything from the start. Build a trusted team of financial, legal and marketing advisors. These positions can be filled by friends/family or experts in their fields that you employ when needed, not as permanent employees.
- Read a lot. Find biographies and true stories of fashion icons in the fashion area you are interested in. Study all of their experiences inside and out and see what you can learn from there to improve yourself. For example, if you want to try eco-friendly fashion, there is plenty of documentation about the experiences of designers who started the field, such as Toms founder Blake Mycoskie's book Start Something That Matters or Anita Roddick's book about the beauty industry that is related but still relevant..
- Design something all the time to get inspired and show progress. Potential employers will see how far you are learning and progressing.
- Concentrate on yourself. Don't be jealous of others, just listen to your heart.
- Take note of the criticisms received so you can study them again and create better designs.
Warning
- A job as a fashion designer is a physically exhausting career. You must be willing to work overtime to meet deadlines.
- The fashion industry is a very competitive world. Pursue a career in fashion if you are 100% sure that you will devote yourself to this field. You'll also need to develop the ability to joke around from the start and learn to distinguish good criticism because most of it is just negative comments and if you believe in yourself, you'll know which criticism is constructive and which is empty.
- Designing clothes for shows and high fashion will take you through some of the most challenging parts of the fashion industry, including using models who are very skinny (so you appear to be supporting the unhealthy self-image of women and men), elbowing each other out with other fashion designers and industry elites. fashion, as well as tough demands including tight deadlines. If you're not an assertive person, it's best to start now to deepen your ability to communicate and stick to principles.
