How do I get to be a Fashion Designer in the Fashion Industry?

The fashion industry is very competitive at the moment, and it is very hard to gain a good career in the fashion industry if you do not have the skills needed and the knowledge about fashion. There are many different career paths and types of fashion designers so it is always good to specialise in a certain area. Some people work for top houses such as Gucci, Ralph Lauren, others work for international companies or normal sized companied and others start with their own business.

There is such a large amount of people attracted to the profession and many young designers want to come through because of the glamour and the work products they create. That’s why it is so important for people to have such a strong view of fashion and very strong knowledge in the area.

To be a successful designer you need to study a fashion course that will teach you most of these skills below, they are all skills that a fashion designer need to be successful.

Fashion Designers read a lot. They read magazines such as Vogue, Elle, and Fashion trends. They read Newspaper such as Women’s Wear Daily, and they also read regional papers such as the Apparel New. This is very important for fashion Designers as it is showing them the new trends coming in and all the fashion news. They also get this knowledge from TV shows.

Designers also need to be able to both sketch and design. Firstly they sketch their ideas out and then start design developing from these sketches maybe using computer programs or by hand.

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Designers also need to be able to both sketch and design. Firstly they sketch their ideas out and then start design developing from these sketches maybe using computer programs or by hand.

Not all designers are familiar with design related software but in this modern society it is becoming more popular and companies are looking for designers with these skills. By using these programs it is making the designs look more professional and presentable. The most popular programs are CAD, Adobe and Photoshop.

Fashion designers are always designing for the future. They are always designing for the following years seasons. They look at the current and previous fashions and then take them to another level and take them forward. They also learn about historical fashion. They look at 20th century fashion designers such as Chanel, Dior etc. also they look at ethnic or regional costumes for their inspiration, places like India or china.

It is very important for the designer to have many technical skills, such as pattern cutting, drawing, sewing, printing, designing because many fashion jobs will require these skills and these are the basic points to be a fashion designer.

Where ever a designer goes they have always got their camera with them this is another important way of recording fashion and seeing new trends. They may be taking pictures of people, style, fashion, found or brought objects, silhouettes and many more things for inspiration. This is why market research is crucial for designers, so they have that knowledge of the currents trend and fashions for the different ages and markets.

Designers need a strong knowledge of fabrics. Many designers keep fabric books and collect different fabrics they have gathered that they like whilst visiting fabric stores or doing their market research. They need to have a good understanding of the fabrics that are most popular in the current trends and for the fabrics used for the different seasons.

It is also good for designers to have contacts in the fashion industry. You may know contacts through work experience, fashion course, previous or current jobs, or may even have family contacts. This could help the designers for future employment, attract more buyers and agencies, or if self-employed expanding the business.

If you were going to set up your own business and make it a successful business you would also need to have years experience in the fashion industry, in retail, being a stylist etc. you would also need to build an industry network. You would also need good business and market sense, being aware or the business climate.

Also designers need good organization. Planning things out so everything runs smoothly. They need to understand the basics of economics as well to analyze the production, distribution, and consumption of the goods and services.

Many designers design for company but others create their own label. Some designers have a distinctive style and create fashion from this and then manufacture and distribute.

When going for interviews for careers or further education it is very important a designer has a strong portfolio. A portfolio is showing someone who you are as a person and as a designer. It should really express your personality. It also needs to be very professional and presented at a high standard.

Whether you are designing for a company or you have you own business all designers need to be obsessed with fashion all these above points are very important to all fashion designers. Anyone can have their own fashion business but to make it successful you defiantly need these understandings and technical skills.