What are the steps to get started in fashion design? – Fashion designing can be vaguely defined as ‘the art of creating stylish and elegant apparel. Over the years, the idea of ‘fashion designing’ has expanded into other things like fashion accessories such as jewelry, bags, footwear, etc.
So, it would not be wrong to define it as the creation of fashion, if you take into consideration the evolution fashion designing has undergone all through the years.
Fashion designing has really come a long way from just designing clothes. It has evolved into a full-fledged stand-alone industry today. It is widely accepted as a career option globally. Apart from the fundamental concept of designing, there are some other career options that have emerged in this industry with the passage of time.
Steps to get started in fashion design
Fashion designers typically used to be self-employed a few decades ago and now they’ve found a number of career opportunities open to them. As they can take up jobs with garment firms and export houses. They can also be occupied with the job of remodeling haute couture and adjusting them to the tastes of the mass market. They can also work in departmental stores or specialty stores, but for all these options above there’s are core competencies needed to be successful, we took our time to simplify these competencies into a few steps for beginners.
Below listed are the steps you need to get started in the fashion design industry.
- Perfecting basic skills
- Learn Sketching
- Perfect your sewing
- Study fabrics
- Study the history of fashion
- Study present designers
- Decide your specialization
- Study marketing and branding
Perfecting basic skills
The first key step is, not only to know the minimum but to have a polished technique.
Learn Sketching
Sketching the designs clearly to be able to convey the essence of the costume to be made. Quite clear scripts and captions should be created not only for yourself but for others.
Perfect your sewing
Sewing the most basic parts of any garment is also elementary. It must be sewn in different situations, with reduced times and with a variety of materials. It is key to start in fashion design and sometimes not as perfect as it is believed. Classes can be taken from a very young age to gain many years of experience. The passion for fashion appears early, so it is possible.
Study fabrics
Study the fabrics and the effects that can be created with them. Falls, folds, transparencies, perspiration, finish, combination, etc. In addition to learning what to do, it is ideal to learn what not to do. Many have taken risks and failed and it is not necessary to make those mistakes again. They can be taught to us.
It is also good to know where you can buy the fabrics and have a general idea of the prices of those most used.
Study of the history of fashion
In order to innovate, you have to learn from the past so as not to believe that you are achieving something groundbreaking that has already been created. A good manual to acquire is the History of Fashion.
From Egypt to the present day by Bronwyn Cosgrave. The master’s degree in Fashion Design that we offer at the Barcelona School of Design takes it very much into account in the study plan. The analysis of culture, fashion, and all the silhouettes created to lead to the development of creativity in an exponential way. Having a formal education is possible and necessary to get started in fashion design.
Study present designers
In addition to studying past fashion, it is a good idea to study designers of the present. Those who are right now at the peak of their career. Knowing what inspires them, how they started, how they were formed, and seeing their shows is necessary to move forward.
Decide your specialization
Perfecting the foundations is necessary to meet the challenge of choosing a style to commit to. There are many types of fashion and they can also be combined, so it is necessary to know a little about all of them. Even when choosing a specialization, keep in mind that you have to work to dress real people and not just models and celebrities. They are not a reliable market, ordinary people, yes.
Study marketing and branding
You must never forget about learning about creating your own brand, the finances that it entails, and the publicity that must be done. Not everything is sewing, you also have to learn other skills to succeed in this world.