How to Become a Fashion Designer

Fashion designers create the designs for clothing and accessories in stores around the world. However, few designers become as successful as Armani, Karan or Versace. Most work for mass-market manufacturers, designing basic pieces of clothing.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fashion Magazines And Newspapers
• Portfolios
• Sketchbooks And Drawing Pencils
• Design-related Software

1. Be honest with yourself about your ability to sketch and your eye for design and detail. The competition is fierce in this field, and you'll need a strong inner drive to succeed.

2. Increase your chances for success by obtaining a two-year or four-year degree in fashion design. Ask your high school guidance counselor for a list of well-known fashion design schools. Expect to show samples of your sketches as part of your application.

3. Take as many marketing and business courses as possible, in addition to design courses. Knowledge of the business end of the fashion industry is vital to your career.

4. Develop a working knowledge of a variety of design-related software programs.

5. Put together a portfolio of your own designs. It must show how creative you are and convince potential employers that you would be an asset to their business.

6. Set up an internship as quickly as possible. You will gain valuable experience, and it might lead to your first job after graduation.

7. Make as many industry connections as you can while you are in school. Include people in design-related fields, such as advertising.

8. Regularly read fashion bibles such as "Women's Wear Daily" and "Vogue" to remain current on trends and future trends.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that most fashion designers are employed in New York or, to a lesser extent, Los Angeles.
• Expect to work long hours at a low salary initially, doing relatively obscure design work.
• Learn how to use a sewing machine. Your designs will be more impressive if you can show prospective employers the finished item, along with the sketch.
• The dropout rate in this field is high, because of the low pay and the poor opportunity for advancement.

[adelaideboy4]

on 10/10/2009 iam goin in yr 11 next year... can any1 tell me which subjects shuld i study in yr 11 2 become fashion designer....
plz help meh

[howeuser]

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[sshaally]

on 8/5/2009 i have always dreamt of becoming a fashion designer and an artist and this site has been really helpful. all the best to those aspiring artists and designers.

[keroro489]

on 7/21/2009 eh, its ok

[fashionforever]

on 1/8/2009 check out http://www.howtofashiondesign.com you can learn to design and make your own clothes, its AWESOME!!