How to Be an Apprentice Fashion Designer
Every item of apparel you wear - from your shirt, pants and shoes to your hat and gloves - begins with a fashion designer's vision. Careers in the fashion industry are not limited to the fashion capitals of New York, London and Paris. Apparel manufacturers of all kinds need designers. Breaking into the fashion design business and finding your niche as a designer traditionally starts with an apprenticeship.
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Instructions
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Preparing
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Learn the profession. Decide what will work best for you based on your learning style and skill level. Some future designers attend a prestigious fashion school. Others are self taught and equally successful.
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Attend an accredited fashion school such as Pratt or Fashion Institute of Technology. Fashion professionals comprise the faculty. This will give you access to connections within the fashion industry and make obtaining an apprenticeship easier.
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Learn to sew, draw and design patterns by taking classes through a community-college program, small fashion school or a local fabric or tailor shop.
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Teach yourself. Many designers are self-taught. Study the apparel in stores. Observe fabric choices and sewing techniques. Practice drawing original designs, pattern making and sewing your designs until you are happy with the results.
Creating a Portfolio
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Find and hone your own design style. Pick a fashion category to specialize in - one you enjoy and that best shows off your talent -- anything from sportswear, evening dresses, men's suits, bridal dresses or even T-shirts.
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Design and sew your own collection. Use at least one professional fitting model if possible.
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Take professional pictures of your collection and include them in your portfolio.
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Create an on-line website/portfolio for your work. Also compile a smaller leave-behind with the best selections of your work. You will use it to mail to someone ahead or an interview or to leave behind after the interview. You might want to put together a large portfolio to take to interviews.
Finding an Apprenticeship
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Create a list of companies and designers you want to target for apprenticeships. You will find the names in a manufacturers directory. Don't limit yourself to familiar brand names. Most of the clothing at major department stores and boutiques comes from manufacturers you have never heard of.
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Do some investigating. Find out if any of the fashion companies you targeted have apprenticeships. If you have professional fashion connections, use them.
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Make phone calls to the designers and companies. Ask for a 20-minute meeting. If a meeting cannot be arranged, send an e-mail or letter expressing your interest and why you are the best candidate. E-mails must include a link to your on-line portfolio. Send letters overnight and include your small leave behind portfolio folder.
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Come to your interview on time and prepared. Research the company and know as much as possible about it. Prepare questions to ask at your interviewers. Bring your portfolio and your leave-behind folder. Follow up with a thank-you letter, no e-mails.
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Tips & Warnings
Be persistent. Fashion is one of the most competitive businesses in the world.
Send a thank-you card after a meeting, interview or informational phone call.
Know all about the designer or company when you talk to them.
If possible, wear some of your designs to the interview.
Do not get discouraged. Competition is fierce for these positions.
Persistence is necessary to set you apart from other candidates, but use good judgement and don't become annoying.
Designers have pressure-packed jobs and may be impatient. Don't take it personally.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit sewing image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
