Posts Tagged ‘Fashion Design’
It seems that these days just about everyone is considering a career in fashion design. The truth of the matter, is that not everyone will achieve their lofty dreams of a successful carer in fashion. The reason for this is that there are just not enough positions to accommodate everyone that is looking for work in fashion design, so it is the best prepared that will prevail.
One thing that many people don’t realize is that a good fashion designer must have true vision, because they have to think a year or so ahead of everyone else. What this means is that this years fashion line is actually last years ideas. It takes atleast a year to create a line and bring it online in full commercial production, so your ideas have to be right on the mark.
Learning to draw fashion creations and ideas is the first step to learning to create actual product. If you try to skip the drawing process what you will be left holding in your hands when you have completed a creation is inevitably complete junk. You may love it, because it is your creation but no one else will.
Remember that other people liking your design ideas is key to achieving success in the field of fashion design. So learn to draw fashion designs and become good at it. Drawing is the way the people communicate in the fashion design business and without great drawing skills you will be left in a weak position.
Of course, another subject that you will need to master is the subject of fabrics. You must have a thorough knowledge of all fabrics, their makeup and their texture. So, it seems that there is lot that a person can learn and study before they actually consider formal training in fashion design.
If you have a talent for fashion design, and if you have ever desired to be the next Vera Wang or Donna Karan, you need to begin with basic fashion design clothing. Fashion design clothing and other accessories are created with artistic expression and skillful implementation. Fashion design clothing manufacturers are typically self employed and work for individual clients. Most of the great couture designers started the path up way in that manner, and have worked their way up into retail markets with mass appeal.
The History of Fashion Design Clothing
Before making the endeavor in a career you will need to start with a strong background of knowledge about fashion design clothing. The initial creator of fashion design is Charles Frederick Worth. Working as a humble draper at first, he eventually established a fashion house in the city of Paris. Separating Worth from the seamstresses who worked along side him, clients would dictate to the seamstresses what they desired, and Worth would dictate to the clients what he thought they should wear. The word couturier was created to best describe him. Sketch artists were hired to sketch the clothing so that clients would be able to pick and choose the clothing they liked. There was far less cost involved in provided a sketch, rather than making the garments and risk the client not liking it after all.
France and Europe allowed this trend to grow and spread. London became the next destination for high fashion and magazines began displaying and printing current styles. . Chain type department stores would send buyers to the Paris fashion shows where they would purchase one or more garments to reproduce and sell in their stores at much lower prices. At this time, fashion had not become two distinct styles, haute couture and ready to wear. Most of the time, fashion design clothing manufacturers provided both types of fashion clothing. It was only after World War II that the roles of the manufacturers became sharply divided.
The clothing industry began to envision two sides of the clothing industry, clothes off the rack for everyday use, and the high fashion clothing from the runway. Comingling of the two styles seemed to fade away, with most designers beginning to select designing for one or the other. Times are very different today, as many couture fashion clothing items find their way into department stores all over the world.
If you desire a career in design, many of the original ideals still remain the same; even though the actual role of the designer has changed tremendously. There are many schools of design that will introduce potential career candidates to different avenues of the fashion trade. During the training process, the career minded students will begin to differentiate the different lines of clothing and begin to choose their career path. In most cases, designers will need to pay their dues to the industry before they achieve their career goals in the style of Wang or Karan. Work hard in the hard fashion industry and the rewards will come.
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.