Do you love reading magazines about fashion? When you were a child, did you make your own clothes for your dolls? Do your friends call you when they need fashion advice? When you close your eyes and dream of a fulfilling career, you picture yourself surrounded by beautiful clothes and beautiful people? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it seems you have fashion in your blood. You may be asking yourself how to become a fashion designer. The world of fashion is a competitive, cutthroat industry. You will need to devote a great deal of time, hard work and dedication to make it in this business. It may be years before your devotion pays off. You should be prepared for the long road ahead.
Becoming a fashion designer could mean having your own design label or supervising a team of designers who create sportswear. Clearly one is more glamorous than the other, but in both you are flexing your fashion design muscle. There are many different ways to reach your goal of becoming a fashion designer. One way is to find a reputable design school that will teach you the skills you need. With a degree from a credible school on your resume, it may be easier to nab the job you want.
Many colleges offer fashion degrees, but you should look closely at the reputation of these schools. You will be paying good money to get your degree. You want the school you attend to have an excellent reputation in the fashion industry. For top-tier design programs, the competition is stiff. These schools are very selective and may even require a portfolio of your designs to assess your creativity. To create an impressive portfolio, take a sketching class. But don’t get hung up on your artistic skills. Most schools just want to see a passion for fashion in your portfolio.
Fashion design school will expose you to fine art, drawing and color composition. A good program will also teach you cutting techniques, draping and how to make patterns. The biggest advantage of a fashion program is its connection to the industry. The top schools will even invite prestigious designers to the end-of-the-semester fashion show where students unveil their collections. Fashion houses scout for new talent at these events, so school could give you your lucky break.
There are plenty of fashion designers who didn’t go to design school and became wildly successful. If school is not a viable option for you then apply for a job – any job – at a fashion house. It may take you a while to work your way up, but it is possible. Keep in mind that the competition is high, even for low-paying jobs at a fashion house. But the wealth of knowledge you will gain from hands-on experience will be worth it.
Once you know the ins and outs of the fashion industry and you’ve moved up the career ladder, you may even want to start your own design house. It is not enough to just know about design at this point. You will also need to have some business savvy to succeed. You need to know about economics, marketing, sales and public relations to run a successful fashion house. In fact, many fashion design programs now include business classes for this very reason. No matter what path you follow, you will need passion and determination. This is how to become a fashion designer.
Becoming a fashion designer could mean having your own design label or supervising a team of designers who create sportswear. Clearly one is more glamorous than the other, but in both you are flexing your fashion design muscle. There are many different ways to reach your goal of becoming a fashion designer. One way is to find a reputable design school that will teach you the skills you need. With a degree from a credible school on your resume, it may be easier to nab the job you want.
Many colleges offer fashion degrees, but you should look closely at the reputation of these schools. You will be paying good money to get your degree. You want the school you attend to have an excellent reputation in the fashion industry. For top-tier design programs, the competition is stiff. These schools are very selective and may even require a portfolio of your designs to assess your creativity. To create an impressive portfolio, take a sketching class. But don’t get hung up on your artistic skills. Most schools just want to see a passion for fashion in your portfolio.
Fashion design school will expose you to fine art, drawing and color composition. A good program will also teach you cutting techniques, draping and how to make patterns. The biggest advantage of a fashion program is its connection to the industry. The top schools will even invite prestigious designers to the end-of-the-semester fashion show where students unveil their collections. Fashion houses scout for new talent at these events, so school could give you your lucky break.
There are plenty of fashion designers who didn’t go to design school and became wildly successful. If school is not a viable option for you then apply for a job – any job – at a fashion house. It may take you a while to work your way up, but it is possible. Keep in mind that the competition is high, even for low-paying jobs at a fashion house. But the wealth of knowledge you will gain from hands-on experience will be worth it.
Once you know the ins and outs of the fashion industry and you’ve moved up the career ladder, you may even want to start your own design house. It is not enough to just know about design at this point. You will also need to have some business savvy to succeed. You need to know about economics, marketing, sales and public relations to run a successful fashion house. In fact, many fashion design programs now include business classes for this very reason. No matter what path you follow, you will need passion and determination. This is how to become a fashion designer.
