A profession as a fashion designer isn’t just about starting your own label. There are a wide range of locations, from in-house jobs at retail brands to television or theatre roles. For many, it sounds like a dream, but how do you go about making it a actuality?
One of the main reasons people go into a career in the fashion industry is that they’re obsessed with clothes. Whether you like styling your friends or putting together your own creations, you need to have a real passion for design and creativity.
Attributes
You can learn the technical aspects of the trade, but some of the core skills rely on natural talents. An agency specialising in fashion recruitment will be able to guide you on what employers are looking for.
Excellent drawing skills are a big plus since this will help you to quickly visualise what an outfit will look like and communicate it to other members of the team. Often, you will need to put together a sample piece, so you’ll require an aptitude for sewing. A successful design is all about the detail and you’ll need to pay particular attention to the use of colours and textures.
Of course, this creativity has to be backed up by a good business sense. In order to be successful, designs have to be profitable, so it’s essential you can determine what will sell and at what price. This will enable you to create the right outfits in terms of trends and costs.
Qualifications
Once you’ve decided that a career as a fashion designer is for you, you need to get the right qualifications. Before you commit yourself to a course, make sure that it covers the areas that will benefit your future career and is accepted in the areas you want to work.
Many designers start off with an emphasis on fine art and focus on fashion and textiles at degree level. There are a range of courses available and two of the most prestigious are at Central St Martin’s College and the London College of Fashion.
A fashion degree will provide you with the necessary design and practical skills to forge a career as a designer. It will also enable you to start putting together your own portfolio to show to future employers. Your portfolio will showcase initial concepts, fabric samples and photography of finished items to give an overview of your skills.
Experience
Becoming a successful fashion designer is all about how much experience you can gain within the industry, even if it’s just in an administrative role to start with. While you’re on your degree course, fit in as much work experience as possible. Contact all the major brands and fashion houses to arrange unpaid work. An employer will be impressed by those who have used their own initiative to secure roles.
Fashion design certainly is not all glitz and glamour, but it’s hugely rewarding to see your own creations in store.