Fashion Designer

Fashion Design As a Career - The Truth That No One Told You

Executive Summary By Natalie Nizhny

So you've decided that you want a career in fashion, and maybe you're even about to enter the real world with your portfolio full of stunning fashion illustrations and a head full of hopes. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that glamorous perception of the design industry is a myth, and that vision of yourself as a famous fashion designer with your own clothing line is almost close to impossible to reach. It doesn't mean that you won't become a successful fashion designer working for a company- it means that your chances of becoming the type of designer you envision yourself as are quite slim. Not only do you have to compete with the already established professional fashion designers, but nowadays throw pop singers, celebrities, and TV stars into the mix. There is a better chance that you'll end up working for an established designer collection or as a designer for the next big celebrity's clothing line.

In school most of your time was spent learning fashion illustration, draping, sewing, and patternmaking. While these are certainly good skills to have, they aren't very practical when you're trying to land your first job in the fashion industry. Knowing popular computer applications for creating flats and CADs is extremely important. Most companies expect proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Microsoft Excel. Many companies also request knowledge of WebPDM. Many fashion school grads believe they know these programs well. But schools don't teach computerized flats or the software used to create them well enough for entry-level designers to be competent within the industry.

You might think that as a fashion designer; you'll have the opportunity to work with all types of clothing, but you should be aware that there are different categories and specializations within the fashion industry. Developing a plan of action will increase your chances of reaching your goals.

When creating their first fashion portfolios, many design students and entry-level fashion designers make the mistake of filling them with all of their favorite fashion illustrations. But companies don't need to see tons of imaginative avant-garde sketches - they just don't sell! You'll also need to create a well organized, intelligent resume to get yourself through the door. Employers know that entry-level candidates will require a lot of training to fill in those education gaps. © 2008 Designers Nexus Inc. All rights reserved. Originally published at DesignersNexus.com. This article may be reproduced unedited, unaltered and in its entirety. Contact us for approval if you wish to publish it contrary to these guidelines.

As a NYC fashion designer, Natalie has traveled to Europe and Asia for shopping, researching trends and production. In a 14 year career, she has gained a lot of insights in the industry, and has trained designers with her knowledge of global trend market. Due to popular demand in response to her advice and training, she created a free fashion resource center at DesignersNexus.com to share her experiences with a larger audience, helping aspiring designers learn from her mistakes and successes creating their own successful careers.

 

Become a Fashion Designer With These Basic Steps

Executive Summary By Janjay Rodger

Becoming a fashion designer is a creative journey in uncovering the student's likes and dislikes. The industry is often influenced by the entertainment industry (television, movies, music, etc.) This pop culture influence inspires mass market designers. Many aspiring fashion designers choose to go into fashion merchandising. One will focus on sales, marketing, and business where as the other--fashion design--will focus on creativity and imagination in bringing ideas and concepts to life.

Following middle school, students can choose college preparation courses to direct their educational tracks to their own possible careers. High school courses should be selected to assist in building a professional portfolio to show to potential design colleges. For example, potential fashion designers can take classes not only in art but also specialized math and computer classes, multimedia classes, and drama activities that will allow them to explore different aspects of the fashion world. Some high schools even offer classes in small business ownership or entrepreneurial skills.

For students who end up at the college level and wish to break in to the fashion design industry, it is never too late. Courses in drawing, painting, life drawing, and silkscreen, and color theory, fashion and art history are some of the beginning requirements for any fashion design student. Advanced students of fashion design will continue with patternmaking, sewing basics, advanced sewing techniques, and digital designing.

It is crucial for a fashion design student to have access to this type of basic curriculum in college in order to prepare for the true test of their abilities: their internship. When people think of fashion, they think of runway shows and couture collections. There are fashion centers throughout the world, but most people tend to consider New York City the center of all fashion design. If the college student did not choose a college near a fashion design center, it may be possible for them to choose an internship located in that area. The fashion world has its niches. Every designer starts somewhere.