Every Fashion Design student goes through a rigorous but fun curriculum. As a fashion design aspirant, you work around the clock, investing hours and hours in a project that appears like a fleck of time. Moreover, your calibre is on a constant test where you have to be in touch with creativity, spontaneity and analytic skills.

As a beginner, who is just on the learning curve, there are certain essentials that should always come in handy for you. And these are not the skill set or quality that makes you a fashion designer but the tangible elements that you should be carrying with you. Yes, we are talking about the Design tools that must be in your bag all the time so that you are up for any challenge, any time.

1. Pencil/Markers:

Not specific only to design students, it is the requirement of the world. Alway! Always carry pencils, pens and markers. For other departments, we may excuse the person and ask them to lead into digitization- note the things down on their mobile note but for designers, it is not possible to note down the rough sketch or the visuals that pop into their mind when they hear a certain word. Also, as a fashion design aspirant, you need to make multiple sketches, so you do need a pencil for that.

2. Paper/Drawing Pad:

This goes without saying. You have to have papers and drawing pads in your bag all the time. If you don’t carry one, trust us! you would miss out on a lot. Where will you sketch your ideas? Where will you create sketches of the design that you want? That is why always carry your drawing pad or papers with you. Moreover, you also need to have tracing paper with you, so that you can copy a fine print of your design for future work.

3. Rulers and Measuring Tape:

Rulers and measuring tapes are of utmost importance. You won’t be a fashion designer if you don’t carry the various types of rulers and a measuring tape all the time with you. Also, rulers have a wide range and to create a garment, you need all of them; hip curve ruler, L square ruler, french curve ruler as well as metal ruler.

4. Tracing Wheel/ Tailor’s chalk:

Tracing wheels and chalks are also essential tools carried by fashion designers all the time. The tracing wheel helps in the smooth and easy transfer of patterns from paper to the fabric. It etches the pattern mark and helps you a lot in giving a good finish to your garment. Moreover, chalk is another design tool that helps to put marks on the garment for future use.

5. Pins, needle and thread:

Pins and clips are of utter importance. In order to fixate your garment or the cutouts, you need to use pins and clips that help in giving you a glimpse of the design that you are aiming for. Keeping needles and threads handy is also necessary for fashion design students.

6. Scissors:

Not just the simple pair of scissors but a collection of different varieties of scissors can be found in the bag of a fashion designer. Ranging from sheer, tailor-scissors, light-weight and all-purpose scissors should be there in your bag, even if you are a beginner.

7. Muslin:

Muslin is used to create a demo garment which is used as a reference for actual garment creation. Muslin is a soft and easy-to-use fabric that is used to create pleats, folds and other features that finally is put in the garment. Muslin is used to give you the look and feel of the garment ahead of the final creation.

8. Pattern Making Sheet:

Pattern making is an integral part of the fashion design course. You would be needing sheets and sheets of those brown papers to create a garment of a perfect fit. The sheets are a must of fashion designers’ bags that help them cut, draw, draft and more before the actual garment creation.

Design tools as mentioned above are the best friend of any fashion design aspirant. Keeping them handy would take you a long way and would always keep you a step ahead in the learning phase. Moreover, as a fashion designer, spontaneity matters a lot and with these pieces of equipment and your creativity, challenges become streamlined. The B.Sc in Fashion and Apparel Design at JD Institute of Fashion Technology helps you understand these intricacies and requirements of the fashion design aspirant and gives you a pathway to create a name of your own.

Fashion Design: What Should Be In Your Bag?