Archive for January, 2011
The popularity of television shows like Project Runway and America’s Next Top Model has added even more glamour to the fashion industry, and many people are wondering if a fashion career is right for them.
A fashion career might be a good fit for you if you have the right combination of creativity and business acumen. The fashion industry isn’t based just on making sketches of beautiful clothes, which is why many people are surprised at the hard work that goes into getting a degree in either fashion design or fashion merchandising. The truth is, you can’t just be a designer. You also have to be a great business person, which is why four-year Bachelor’s degrees are becoming increasingly sought after in the fashion industry.
A Bachelor’s degree in either Fashion Design or Fashion Merchandising covers a wide range of skills that can be used in the industry whether you end up designing apparel, organizing fashion shows, coordinating events or managing your own chain of retail stores. The in-depth education you’ll receive will include hands-on courses as well as internships and classroom work taught by industry professionals and professors in disciplines such as accounting and business. As a fashion designer, you can’t succeed today on pure genius. If you can’t address the realities of cost and practicality, someone else will overtake you.
Typical coursework will include a variety of interesting subjects, including the history of fashion and how fashion impacts society. You will gain an understanding of fabrics, textiles and ornamentation, as well as cutting, sewing and pattern making. You will also gain valuable exposure to the growing field of computer assisted design (CAD). Fashion merchandising and sales, accounting, business management, business technology and accounting are also studied. Consumer behavior is focused upon, giving you valuable insight into how to appeal to your potential clients.
There are actually two popular Bachelor’s degrees available for those interested in the fashion industry. If you earn a degree in Fashion Design, you’ll be prepared to work in any design house. You can work your way up from the cutting floor to becoming a design assistant. And eventually, you will be a designer in your own right. You may also coordinate and plan fashion shows or become an events coordinator for fashion houses and department store chains.
With a degree in Fashion Merchandising, your focus will be more on the retail and marketing side of the industry. You can become a buyer for a retail store or private label fashion house, traveling around the world to watch fashion shows and choosing which lines they will carry in the coming year. Other options include becoming the merchandising coordinator in a particular store, designing the display of merchandise to its best advantage. Window dressers are also in demand in large cities, where high-end department stores compete for the title of “best dressed window”.
Either type of fashion degree prepares you for the world of retail management. If your dream is to manage your own fashion store, you can’t go wrong with a degree in fashion design or fashion merchandising. Both degrees give you an excellent overview of the industry and an understanding of everything from which materials work well together to how to handle production and stocking costs. If you think that you have the head for business and the heart for design that it takes for success in the fashion world, getting a Fashion Degree is your best first step.
Do you have a love for fashion? If that love includes designing your own clothes or fashion accessories, like handbags, have you ever thought about making a living as a fashion designer? When it comes to being a fashion designer, many individuals feel that it is a dream of theirs that just isn’t destined to become a reality. While this is sometimes the case, it doesn’t always have to be. With the right willpower and the need to succeed, you can easily make money as a fashion designer.
When it comes to making money as a fashion designer, many individuals believe that they can only be successful if they see their designs on the runways in New York or Paris. While this would definitely help, you don’t have to be a famous, well-known fashion designer to make money as one. Did you know that you can make money as a fashion designer making your own clothes right from your own living room or home office? You can and if you would like to know more on how you can go about doing so, you will want to read on.
As you likely already know, many fashion designers start out with simple drawings on paper. Many have the dream of turning their drawings into real pieces of clothing or fashion accessories; therefore, many do so. What is nice about making a living as a fashion designer is that you have a number of different options. For instance, if you were just starting out small, to see how your designs would sell, you can not only be the designer, but the maker as well. If you would like to hire assistance, either right away or after your business took off, you could do as well.
If you are interested in starting your own fashion design business, you will want to think about having your own online website. In fact, many fashion designers sell their products exclusively on their own online websites, not in some big fancy fashion store. Of course, if your fashions take off, you could later choose to do so if you want. If you also want to sell your own fashions locally, you may want to think about renting some business space.
If you carefully choose your space, you cannot only have a sales floor, but you may also be able to have a warehouse where you can make and store your fashions. This ideal if you are interested in running both an online fashion store and a storefront one.
If you have been interested in being a fashion designer for a while now, there is a good chance that already have some of the many supplies needed. For instance, you probably already have a large selection of drawing materials, a sewing machine, and likely even a collection of fabrics.
If that is the case, you will find that the startup costs associated with getting your fashion design business up and running are minimal. For many, it is the cost of starting a business that poses the biggest problem, but it may not necessarily be a problem for you.
Of course, when it comes to running a business, even just a small one, you need to remember to abide by all local, state, and federal laws. For more information on running a small business, like a fashion design business, out of your home, you may want to think about speaking with your local government officials. If they cannot assist you, they should be able to point you in the direction of someone who can.