Become A Fashion Designer
Fashion designers need to keep up on current trends in order to be one step ahead in predicting what will be popular the following season. Fashion design is a difficult and demanding profession that requires perseverance as well as talent. To become a fashion designer, you need the ability to turn an idea into a design. In addition to an eye for color, proportion, and style, fashion designers also need practical business skills such as marketing and accounting.
Fashion Design: Education and Training
Unlike many professions formal education is not always a requirement to become a fashion designer. For most, however, it is the first step in a period of training and apprenticeship. To become a fashion designer, you will probably need either a two or four-year degree in a fashion-related major.
Traditional Career Path
After graduating and landing a job, one of the requirements to becoming a fashion designer is to serve an apprenticeship at a recognized apparel manufacturer, typically as someone's assistant. This apprenticeship period is also known in the trade as "paying your dues." It will probably include mundane tasks such as picking out fabric samples or designing generic clothing lines such as men's undershirts.
The journey to becoming a fashion designer can be a long one. Although it may be glamorous at times (attending fashion shows, for example), it often means working long hours for relatively low pay—at least in the beginning. It is common to change jobs frequently in order to move up the ladder and find better opportunities such as being allowed the responsibility of designing apparel yourself.
Optional Career Paths
To become a fashion designer doesn't just mean working for a high-end apparel company such as Calvin Klein, Liz Claiborne, or Chanel. There are many other career options as well, such as becoming a pattern maker, textile designer, buyer, or fashion consultant. Employers for these sorts of jobs range from manufacturing to retail industries. You may even decide to become a self-employed consultant.
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