Skills required for Designing
The world of fashion design, to many people on the outside, might look exotic. It has its own rules and laws, with creative professionals who possess a variety of specialties and talents. However, for those who are interested in working as a fashion designer, there are certain skills that will always be useful in the field and as such will always put a person in demand.
Top 10 Skills Required to Become Successful in a Career in Fashion:
1. Highly Creative & Artistic:
All fashion begins with a creative eye and artistic talent. From start to finish it is the artistic talent and expression that brings raw materials into becoming a beautiful finished product.
2. Strong Drawing Skills:
For designers one of the most crucial skills to possess is strong drawing skills. A designer must be able to take a concept and get it down on paper.
3. Good Eye for Detail:
When designing fashion it is imperative for designers to be able to come up with a basic drawing and then be able to follow through with the detail. It is often the detail that makes a product unique so this skill cannot be overlooked even if the designer beats the competition in visualizing and drawing.
4. An understanding of texture, color, and quality of fabric:
Design involves a good sense of texture, color, and fabric in order to make it unique and desirable. It is these differences that make a design stand out.
5. Strong Visualization Skills:
Prior to the drawing phase, a good designer must have strong visualization skills in order to come up with a concept. Designers are able to get their ideas onto paper so that other team members will be able to visualize a concept prior to coming up with a finished product.
6. Excellent Communication & Interpersonal Skills:
Designing footwear, clothing, and accessories takes a good deal of collaboration with other members of the team and requires strong people skills in order to get points across and be able to encourage a team to work well together.
7. A Good Sense for Business:
A thorough understanding of the business world from finance to sales and marketing is essential to becoming successful in the world of fashion. Creativity is the essence of fashion but without an understanding of business, it will be difficult to sustain a business and make it profitable.
8. A Competitive Spirit:
To create innovative designs a competitive spirit is necessary to ensure you don’t lag behind the competition. A thorough understanding of the economic market and the fashion industry will help keep ideas fresh and encourage creative new ideas when designing.
9. Ability to Work Well with a Team
Many people go into creating new designs and keeping the company moving in the right direction. A strong sense of collaboration and comradelier between departments is what keeps the creativity moving which also contributes to the overall success of the company.
10. Knowledge & Interest in Current Fashion Trends:
Keeping up with the fashion world is essential in order to better understand what other designers are doing and what current customers are buying.
Careers in Fashion Design
Fashion designers’ visions become what everyone will be wearing. They create the styles, hoping to make trends from their productions. However, there’s more to the job than just dreaming up next year’s fashions. Fashion designers need an eye for detail and an appreciation for fashion. They also must have problem-solving and communication skills, the power of persuasion and the ability to sell.
Work
Before fashion designers create their masterpieces, they research current fabric and pattern trends, and couple them with their fashion predictions. After designers draw a preliminary sketch of their design, they obtain fabric samples from a manufacturer, to use for the final product. Then, they create a prototype with cheaper material. Models try on the designs so the designers can make any adjustments before the final product is created, marketed and sold. This process takes about two years from start to finish.
Designers
The fashion design industry has three categories or design fields. Accessory designers create items to enhance clothes, such as eyewear, belts and hats. Footwear designers, of course, design boots and shoes. Clothing designers create apparel for children, men or women–suits, maternity clothing, casual wear and formal wear. Many designers, however, work in more than one field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for fashion designers is more than $60,000 per year.
Education
A two-year or four-year degree in fine arts is typically a requirement for working in the field, according to the labor bureau. Fashion design students may choose to combine their degree with a related major, such as business or fashion merchandising. Fashion design programs are highly competitive and may require applicants to successfully complete coursework in art or design before admission to the program. In addition, applicants must submit a portfolio of their sketches to prove their skills. For students, fashion design internships are invaluable in learning the ropes and creating connections needed to secure post-college employment.
Hours
Design firms, manufacturing companies and wholesalers employ fashion designers. Fashion designers who work for businesses may enjoy a 40-hour workweek. However, designers who own their firms or work freelance typically work longer hours to maintain a steady income. Travel is typical for designers. Several times a year, they travel to fashion or trade shows, meet with manufacturers who produce their designs or visit fabric supply companies.
Considerations
Although fashion designers need to know how to draw or sketch their creations, computer-aided design is frequently used. Designers frequently start their careers on the bottom rung, as sketching assistants or pattern makers for other fashion designers. A large number of designers are employed in California or New York. Since the field is not expected to grow, according to the labor bureau, competition will be high for fashion designer jobs.
