What does a fashion designer do?

Fashion designers are the people who create the clothing and accessories purchased by the billions every year by consumers. In doing this, designers regularly study fashion trends, sketch designs, select colors and fabrics, and oversee the process by which their original designs come to fruition in the form of new clothes and accessories. Some fashion designers specialize in clothing (men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel), footwear (shoes and boots), or accessory (handbags, belts, scarves, hats, hosiery, etc) design, whereas others create designs in all of these fashion categories.

The design process, which typically takes between 18 and 24 months, involves the following steps:

1. Researching future fashion trends. Some designers conduct their own research, while others rely on fashion industry trade groups who publish trend reports that project the particular styles, colors, and fabrics which are expected to be popular for a certain season in the future.
2. Sketching preliminary designs. Although most designers initially sketch designs by hand, a growing number now make use of computer-aided design (CAD) software to translate these hand sketches to the computer. Using CAD software also allows designers to view designs of clothing on virtual models and in different colors and shapes, which will save time by eliminating the need to make as many adjustments later with prototypes and samples.
3. Visiting manufacturers or trade shows to procure fabric samples in order to decide which fabrics to use with which designs.
4. Creating a prototype of the article using cheaper materials and then trying the prototype on a model for design adjustments.
5. Making samples using the actual material and then marketing them to clothing retailers and displaying them at fashion and trade shows. When retailers at the shows place orders for certain items, these items can then be manufactured and distributed to stores.

Depending on their experience level and also on the size of the design firm they work for, fashion designers may have varying levels of involvement in some or all of these process steps. Some fashion designers (about 25% of them) are self-employed. They generally work for individual clients on a contract or on a job-by-job basis. These types of designers tend to have sporadic working hours, often needing to make adjustments to their workday (or work night) to suit their clients’ schedules and deadlines. Other designers are employed by manufacturing establishments, wholesalers, or design firms, creating designs for the mass market. These types of designers generally tend to have a more normal work schedule, although even they will occasionally need to work long hours to meet production deadlines or prepare for fashion shows.

The highest concentrations of fashion designers are employed in New York and California. The global nature of the industry requires constant interfacing with suppliers, manufacturers, and customers throughout the U.S. and the world; as well as regular attendance at trade and fashion shows. As a result, most fashion designers can expect frequent travel. Earnings in fashion design can vary widely based on the employer and years of experience. Beginning fashion designers, who usually start out as pattern makers or sketching assistants for more experienced designers, tend to earn low salaries until becoming more established in the industry and advancing to higher level positions. Salaried designers as a rule earn higher and more stable incomes than self-employed designers. However, a small number of self-employed fashion designers who have become very successful earn many times the salary of even the highest paid salaried designers.

What steps should one follow to become a fashion designer?

1. Learn to draw and sew. Start at home by sketching some clothing ideas. Save these sketches and continually edit and revise them. Also learn about colors and how to mix them effectively. In addition to sketching ability, fashion designers also need to have sewing and patternmaking skills, even if they are not the ones who directly perform these tasks. Designers need to be able to understand these skills so they can properly oversee construction of garments. Also, designs will be more impressive if clients can see the finished item along with the sketch.
2. Learn everything possible about the industry. Research companies that sell fashion and learn what type of fashion each company makes. Learn about fashion trends and try to predict what will be popular in the future. Learn the sales aspects of fashion, in terms of knowing the major department stores and the stores that sell specialty categories of fashion. Also become familiar with shopper profiles (age, income, lifestyles, etc) and what customers are eager to buy.
3. Attend a school. Bachelors and associate degree programs in fashion design are offered at many colleges, universities, and private art and design schools. Plan to spend at least two years in any fashion design program. A list of accredited college-level programs can be obtained from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. A very smart thing to do is to supplement a fashion design degree with a business, marketing, or fashion merchandising degree. Strong sales and presentation skills and knowledge of the business end of the fashion industry are vital to a successful career.
4. Build a portfolio of original designs. A good portfolio of a person’s best work is the best showcase of his/her creativity and can go a long way towards convincing potential employers that the person would be an asset to their business. The portfolio can be started at an early age, well before graduating from school, and should contain the widest variety of work possible.
5. Get industry experience any way possible. This can come at an early age in the form of volunteer work. Costuming for a community theater is one example of how to get started in the industry. An internship with a design or manufacturing firm will prove invaluable in terms of industry experience. A first job as a pattern maker or sketching assistant for more experienced designers may not pay handsomely but will be well worth the time spent in terms of preparation for moving up the career ladder.

How can a person become a GREAT fashion designer?

1. Develop a working knowledge of design-related software programs. In today’s world, CAD-type software and programs such as Adobe Photo shop and Illustrator provide a vital capability to fashion designers. It is important to become familiar with as wide a variety of software programs as possible.
2. Subscribe to trade newspapers and fashion magazines. This is a great way to keep up-to-date with fashion trends. Industry professionals regularly tap into these publications and successful fashion designers should do the same.
3. Make as many industry connections as possible. Many of these relationships can be developed in school. Include people in related fields, such as advertising.

Qualifications to become a good fashion designer include a strong eye for color and detail, a sense of balance and proportion, and an appreciation for beauty. Fashion designers also need good communication and problem-solving skills, as well as sketching ability. But most important of all is knowing what the job entails and the steps one needs to take in order to be successful in this profession. A person who is armed with this knowledge is well ahead of the game in terms of career preparation and can look forward to embarking upon an interesting and rewarding career.

However, researchers in the field of fashion and deign have become increasingly worried and specifically concerned about the direction o their discipline. Their concern is not only with growing debates about the challenges of rigour and relevance as regards fashion and designing today, but about conflict and incommensurability across multiple paradigms.

The emergence of the new millennium as if to announce her arrival opened another page in fashion trend. Year 2007 specifically brought us the latest bleeding chic wrapped in a freshness that relies on revivalist interpretation and an appreciation for Pythagorean precision. Pretty runway bundles, prepackaged and ready-made to be dissected and disseminated in fashion institution all over the globe. Academic writers took a critical view of fashion designers seeing them as spurious in their claims a trivial in the effect. That notwithstanding fashion is indisputably and increasingly seen as having important consequences for changes in our world today with T-Shirt as canvas, eco-friendly design sewing together the cutting edge of fashion and activism, retro-revival cadences injected .into deconstructionists aesthetic, the Japan street scene getting crazy and blurring the lines between graphic designs, science fiction and vintage shopping. This is surely the decade libido lid flies completely off the fashion pot.

The most interesting factor to note is the combination and diffusion of various fashion trends and its extension beyond geo-graphical boundaries respectively. Talk of the tend in vogue; it is no more focused as the spread is served from futurism to old-world romance. Sport wear with high heeled sneakers, hoodies and track pants all gracing the runway. Shoes now go longer, skirts are modernly shaped to be more chic, and plunge has leveled while handbags come in their vanity form. From the over-sized adorable ones to the shrinking size, from animal print handbags, tendi straw and sneakers frame once to sophisticate craftily designed grab bags.

Single strap or double strap, the variety seems endless. In today’s world, we see from ankles to knees and nudes. It is really amazing that flowers grow not only on earth anymore but in the minds of sophisticated designers like Yves Saint Laurent Kenneth Cole and many more. Who see it as an ingredient to consolidate their creative effort.Fashion has ensured that the world become more closely kit together, creating modern means of celebrating and promoting various culture. Although, handmade craftsmanship still reigns supreme, technology is however competing seriously for its phase in the industry.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Muritala_Adisa

Author: Muritala Adisa

Fashion school students are trained how to blend modern trends into their own creative and customized designs; and prepares them for a frequently evolving profession in a competitive and progressive trade.

Aside from basic instruction in fabrics and textiles, common fashion school curriculums introduce and educate students about budgeting; CAD (Computer Aided Design); clothing production (including learning how to sew and sewing machines); fashion history; merchandising, retail management and wardrobe ensemble.

Successful candidates who have completed and earned a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Fashion Design or Fashion Merchandising may enter lucrative fashion careers such as buyers; costumers; cosmetic artists; cutters; designers; drapers; fashion models; hairstylists; photographers; and merchandisers.

Potential earnings of fashion school graduates are determined by individual ambition and talent. Businesses that fashion professionals often work in include beauty and hair salons; design studios; corporate settings; and a variety of retail outlets.

As an incentive, and if you enjoy travel, a career in the fashion industry often leads to widespread tours to many fashion capitals of the world such as London, Milan, New York and Paris.

Learn more about Fashion Schools by visiting our website today. Take a moment to submit a request for more information, and you could soon be on the path to a new and rewarding career!

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com

Copyright 2006 – All rights reserved by Media Positive Communications, Inc., Managing Organization for SchoolsGalore.com

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Find out more about Fashion Training as well as available Online Fashion Courses at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Bustamante

Author: Michael Bustamante

If you are particularly talented or wealthy, you may have your choice of schools to which you can attend. If you are like 99 percent of the rest of the population, however, you will probably go where you can get accepted and to a school which you can afford. It does not matter. While you want to aspire to get into the best school, the most important thing is that when you do get to fashion designer school, you learn as much as you can about your craft.

Fashion design is a very competitive business with many different avenues. You can study to be a designer, a merchandiser, a marketer or even a model at these schools. If you have aspirations of becoming a famous designer, do your best to learn everything you can no matter which school you attend. You may even do better at a smaller school that can give you more individualized attention.

If you have exceptional talent and have won any Junior designer awards, you may be eligible for a scholarship to certain designer schools. You should look into this before you begin your application process. If you admire a certain designer and they are an alumni from a certain school, you can write to them and ask them how they felt about the school and tell them you are thinking of applying at this school. Ask them other schools they recommend. You can actually do this with several designers. You will probably not hear from those that are big names, but those who are up and coming may be more than willing to help you out.

Visit each of the schools, if possible, and observe the campus. Will you be able to work there? Fashion design demands creativity. Creativity demands a certain environment. You want to make sure that the environment will enhance your creative spirit and not stifle it.

Most of all, you want to make sure that you can afford the tuition to designer school. There are many ways to do this. If someone really wants to attend school, there is nothing stopping them, not even money. Student loans are available, as are grants. Look into every avenue you can. Speak to your mentors about different financial avenues you can take.

If at all possible, try to get a job in a fashion house, even if it is just as a cleaner. Here you can learn a bit about the trade and also get to know those higher in the field. They may be willing to not only steer you to the right school, but mentor you as well. Best of all, you will probably have a job when you come out.

If you aspire for a career in fashion design, do not let anything stop you. Apply to as many schools as you can and take the offer that you can get. Continue to create, continue to write to those who you admire and learn to network. School is only one stepping stone to a successful career. It may open a few doors on a resume. But the talent is what gets you through the doors and into the front offices. If you have the talent, do not let anything stand in your way.

First of all, what is old school fashion? Well, it constitutes of fashion coming from 1970s-1980s. Old school fashion is being brought back by fashion conscious young adults and teenagers today. Old school fashion is not only determined by the clothes. Old school fashion is evident in accessories, hairstyles and even in the attitude of the youth today. The question, however, is why? Why is old school fashion coming back?

There are a variety of reasons why people are bringing back old school fashion. First of all, this fascination with the past has started with television. Do you realize that the people who are bringing back old school fashion are the ones who grew up watching reruns of such shows as Happy Days? We are also the same generation who enjoy watching TV shows based on the past such as That 70′s Show.

Come to think of it, we have been exposed so much to old school fashion in other media. Think of the movies: we are the ones who enjoyed watching movies of old shows like Starsky and Hutch, Charlie’s Angels and other movies which have been resurrected from the old death of camp TV to the new life of the cinema.

Well, the media certainly brought about the old school fashion revival. It was the spark that created the fire. The question, however, is what fuels the flames? The truth is, people like old school fashion. It looks good and helps them reconnect with a past which was not as complicated as the world today. The reason why old school fashion is constantly gaining popularity is the fact that once it was reintroduced into society, people found that they actually liked it.

Old school fashion is also very popular because of the fact that there’s just something about it that is so sexy. Old school fashion was designed to show of the beauty of the human body. Fitted shirts and pants, cool patterns and designs, these are the trademarks of a past which young people have not experienced.

Another reason why people think that old school fashion is so cool is the fact that, combined with today’s technology of comfortable fabrics, old school designs can be pretty showy and yet casual at the same time.

So why is old school fashion coming back? Well, some people would see it as a metaphor for us trying to reclaim a past that never really belonged to us. It can also be a metaphor for trying to extract the best things out of the past. You see, when old school fashion was brought into this century, we never really brought all of the bad memories with it. Old school fashion could either be a great example of recapturing the beautiful past or it could be a bad metaphor for selective amnesia. You decide.

It just so happens that dreaming about something and making it happen are completely different things these days, and it takes a special person to push themselves to that limit in the first place.

How Are Your Grades?

All too many aspiring students make the mistake of thinking that grades not matter when it comes to getting into the top fashion school of their choice because they are not applying for interest on a traditional college or university. Things are actually quite to the contrary; getting into the top fashion school in the nation is going to require a great deal of smarts and dedication and intelligence, and good grades are a reflection that a potential student has all of those qualities and more.

If you are not used to having to work hard to get good grades, there will be no success for you at a top fashion school. A fashion school is an art school, and an art school is a type of postsecondary education where degrees are given out once studies have been completed. If you are trying to get a degree, it is important that you do as well as you possibly can to earn good marks and learn everything you can.

How Are Your Skills?

Let’s face it, just because you didn’t going to a top fashion designer school does not mean that you actually have talent. Just because you can style yourself in the morning to school does not mean that a career in fashion industries for you. Perhaps you should be a business owner or a celebrity ensemble artist. People with no artistic skills whatsoever are probably not going to do that well in a top fashion school atmosphere, so is important to keep that in mind.

If you can’t draw but you dream of going to a top fashion school, perhaps you should consider a business in fashion marketing or fashion business; design just may not be your forte. That’s perfectly okay.

Getting into a top school is about more than wanting to do so. It’s about having the drive and the skill and the grades necessary to make the cut. Even people who have all of those qualities and more may not be successful. Only a small fraction of students actually become successful designers, but more than likely attending a top fashion school can help you find your personal niche in the fashion industry.

There are a lot of fashion schools you can choose from and if you have been accepted to all the schools where you sent application, that compounds the problem. Deciding which fashion design school you are going to attend can be one of the toughest decisions of your life. Preparing a thorough plan for your future in one choice is never easy. But the choice of college you wish to attend could be really tough for you to make.

But there are factors that you can consider to help you with the process of choosing which fashion school would be the best for you. For those who are having a difficult time making the final decision, there are tips available to help you look for the kind of school that suits your needs.

Consider the Location

Location is an important factor to consider in choosing the fashion school you want to attend, even if you think at this time that it is not a significant part of your decision. Do you think of celebrating a white Christmas? Then, fashion schools based in California are probably not going to do you right although New York based ones would be good choices for this aspect.

But New York could also not work for you if you do not like big cities. Could you bear being away from your family or do you just want to distance yourself? Can you afford the cost of living if you are away from your home? These are some questions you can ask yourself in terms of location. It is advisable that you make a list of pros and cons and to be always honest with yourself. Hopefully, with these ideas, you would be able to strike out some schools you are considering from a list.

Consider Reputation

For those who want to be ahead of others in the fashion industry, you could choose a fashion school that everybody knows and not a school that no one has even heard of. If you think that a school on your list is one that no one knows about, you could consider looking for a different one.

Your skills would be seen by many but the degree you take would matter a lot too. If you can get into a top notch school, the you should. But only as long as the learning environment is best suited for you.

Consider the Cost

In deciding what fashion school to go to, you should also consider who is paying for the course. Are you paying for you own education? If so, then the choice of school just became easier. You can choose the school that realistically fits your budget.

Consider this, if you can’t afford to attend the fashion designer schools then you won’t be able to go no matter how much you like the ambiance or the location. This is the most important aspect to consider in choosing the appropriate fashion school for you.

Remember, deciding on what fashion school to attend is not easy but you should be able to take not of the factors that you have to consider including some things that you could and would not be able to deal with. So that, the decision making process would not be very difficult for you.

Choosing a fashion design school in Italy can be quite a challenge if you do not have a guide. Here are some tips you can use to help you with this problem:

1) Learn about the history of the school – One of the best ways to find out if you have chosen a great fashion design school in Italy is to check its history. Find out if the school you are attending has produced any of the great names in the fashion industry. You should also check out to see what generally happens to students of that school after graduation.

The history of the school will tell you exactly what to expect from that school. It will also teach you what the school expects of its students. In getting this information, you will be able to judge whether or not a fashion design school in Italy is for you.

2) Learn what it costs – You should definitely check out the financial aspects of attending a fashion design school in Italy. You should try to find out whether you can afford the kind of expenses involved when studying in a foreign country. This, of course, will help you determine if whether or not you should really enroll in a fashion design school in Italy. You will also learn about the sacrifices you will have to make in order to truly follow your heart.

If you really want to go to a fashion design school in Italy, you need to know exactly what you need. You need to be prepared to stick to the path you choose.

3) Learn how to get in – Are there any special qualifications required to get into a fashion design school in Italy? You should learn the requirements for admission so that you will not be wasting anyone’s time when you learn you are not really qualified. You should try to check out the various obstacles hindering you from reaching your dream of attending a fashion design school in Italy and you should try to find a way past this obstacle. Every problem has a solution. If you have the will to get into a fashion design school in Italy, then you will get in.

Getting into a fashion design school can be quite a challenge. However, if you know exactly what you need and prepare beforehand, you might increase your chances.

4) Learn what other people have to say – Sometimes, the key to making a solid decision is to get the thoughts of others. If you wish to find carrier from a fashion design school in Italy, you need to understand that there are other people who may have experienced. Going to a particular fashion school in Italy and may have many things to say about that school. By listening to what others have to say about schools, then you would probably find the best school for you. You need to be careful, however, as competition can be pretty intense between schools. This means that you cannot trust everything that you hear.