How to Become a Fashion Designer

In the India of today, fashion designing is one of the most popular courses among students and patrons from all walks of life. And while most people might be of the opinion that fashion designing is not such a desirable course, we can confidently tell you that this career option has lots more to offer than meets the eye. In a country like India which is more western influenced than most other nations around the world, fashion is a big part in everyone’s life and that’s why its influence on our society is growing so rapidly. Catching up with this trend, big fashion brands like Dior, Philippe Luise and Channel are expanding their presence in Indian cities, and that’s why it can be clearly understood how important the need of fashion designers is today in India.

But the questions that haunt the minds of most aspiring designers is, “how to become a fashion designer” and therefore in this article, we will address the same and provide you with all the information you will ever need to know. Let’s get started.

5 Quick Steps to Becoming a Fashion Designer

Step 1

Complete a fashion design degree and Develop your creative skills

Step 2

Sharpen creative skills with hands-on experience and Get inspiration from your competitors

Step 3

Learn the business of fashion and be prepared to be financially astute

Step 4

Creating your own fashion portfolio and Be realistic

Step 5

Always try to be updated with the latest fashion trends

How to Become a Successful Fashion Designer?

If you take a close look at the lives of the most fashion designers in the Indian as well as global landscape today, you will realize that the path to becoming a successful fashion designer is not the same for every day. Pioneers in the industry like Ralph Lauren started his business by selling ties through Bloomingdales while Michael Kors started by retailing his designs from a NY boutique. Thus it can be confidently said that your dream of becoming a fashion designer can be reached via many roads, but one of the safest bets is to get a degree from a prestigious design academy or school in your country.

Below look into top 10 important factors for becoming a successful fashion designer:

Highly Creative & Artistic
Strong Drawing Skills
Good Eye for Detail
Understanding Texture, Color, and Fabric
Strong Visualization Skills
Excellent Communication & Interpersonal Skills
A Good Sense for Business
A Competitive Spirit
Ability to Work Well With a Team
Interest in Current Fashion Trends

Why Should Aim for a Fashion Designing Schools?

We are all well aware of the fact that in any nation of the world, a man with a degree is more likely to land a job than a one without. While these days this stigma is slowly being broken and more people are opting for starting out on their own without a degree, the fact remains that a degree from a prestigious institution will give you two things that can be a massive boost in a career choice like fashion designing.

It will give you exposure to names and brands in the industry which will help you network and get to know people in high places.
It will save you a lot of hard work because a brand name on your resume will be an assurance to your portfolio.

More important than the above-mentioned points is the fact that a course from a reputed institution will teach you the necessary skills that you will require to become a successful fashion designer. Most schools in the country follow a tried and tested sys which include subjects like drawing, studying colours, composition and form, pattern making, draping, sewing and cutting, all of which are important and necessary to make a successful fashion designer. On top of this, another added advantage of studying in a prestigious fashion institution is the fact that these schools work closely with the industry and thus are well aware of the current trends and also provides meritorious students with grants and scholarships which can give a boost to your fashion careers.

But one of the most important aspects as to why one should choose to enrol in a prestigious fashion institution is the fact that at the end of the course or in some schools at the end of every year, a fashion show is organized where the students get to their creations to the public.
These shows are not attended by the bui shots of the industry but also by recruiters who are looking for new talents to hire.
Being on the ramp and getting the attention of people who matter can mean a job offer in your hand at the end of the course and thus a secure career, making this one of the most desirable aspects of joining a fashion designing school.

Another important aspect of best fashion design schools that most students and aspiring designers fail to recognise is the marketing and networking skills the school will teach you.

Being a fashion designer it is immensely important for you anyone to know how to make a portfolio, how to network and connect in the industry and most importantly how to market and sell their creations.
All prestigious fashion schools in the country as well as abroad have a dedicated one-year syllabus only to marketing and portfolio creation which empowers the students with the much-needed skill of marketing their creations and getting themselves known.
In these marketing courses, the schools also teach students how to manage their own brand and how to start their own fashion lines, both of which are immensely important for a designer if they want to grow and expand their career.

Choose a Recognised Fashion Design College to Become a Famous & Successful Fashion Designer

If you do a quick google search on how to become a fashion designer in India, you will come across multiple blog posts from a number of fashion institutes in the country and thus sooner than enough, you will get confused about where to apply. Although the number of fashion designing schools and institutions in India is steadily growing, there are only a number of handful institutions in the country which can actually give a push to your career.

Being a handful in number means that the competition of getting into these schools is pretty high and thus proper preparation is needed. If you are aiming to enrol in a prestigious institution, one of the things you should do is go to your individual websites and learn more about their eligibility criteria. Most schools have a basic percentage cut off either in your 10th or 12th board examination marks depending on whether you choose to enrol in the Diploma course or the Graduate course. Most prestigious schools will also require you to take a written a test and some tend to ask for your portfolio; so if you want to get into these prestigious institutions, starting your preparations early can make a real difference.

After you have qualified the basic eligibility criteria, these schools will organize a one to one interview and a few ways to make yourself stand out among the crowd are:

To have a basic knowledge of the important subjects like drawing, studying colours, composition and form, pattern making, draping, sewing and cutting. Just knowing the basics are enough to make stand apart.
To make a stunning portfolio which will contain and showcase your skills in art and sketching, since these are an important skill for becoming a successful fashion designer.
To portray that you have a genuine passion for fashion. One of the ways to showcase this is by keeping yourself updated with the latest news in the industry and what’s happening where. Just by knowing snippets of information can also make you stand apart.

Once you have one or all of the above points nailed out, the rest can be worked out quite easily.

An Alternate Approach: How to Become a Fashion Designer Without Going to School

Studying in a reputed fashion designing institute in India is not inexpensive. Most prestigious institutions have a hefty course fee and not everyone may choose to go by the same. One more although the unconventional way of becoming a fashion designer is without a degree. Although the path is much harder, prominent envigailists in the industry have proved that this road often leads to more success.

A Few Ways of Becoming a Fashion Designer Without a Degree are:

Developing Your Creative & Design Skills: As mentioned above, some of the most important skills to become a successful fashion designer is to have a knowledge of drawing, studying colours, composition and form, pattern making, draping, sewing and cutting. These days you can learn almost anything off the internet and thus this is a great way to get you started on your journey of becoming a fashion designer without a degree.
Mastering in Fashion Design Software & Technology: These days technology and computers are a big part of fashion designing. Software like Adobe Illustrator, Autodesk Design Software and Wild Ginger Cameo are the hottest software to learn in the market and by having in-depth knowledge in any or all of these can be a huge advantage to start your career.
Create a Best Portfolio with Latest Fashion Trends: Once you successfully completed the above two steps, now you can make yourself a portfolio which not only looks good but also impresses recruiters, brands and clients to hire you. Make sure to choose a design and a style that suits your line of work, your taste in fashion and above all shows your personal perspective. In the world of fashion, one skill that can instantly make you a hit is to be able to creatively show your perspective to the world and also bring new ideas to the table.
Internships: Once you have locked down on all the above 3 pointers, go ahead and apply for internships at various fashion houses and brands. Interning at either of these places and with a brand that has a name in the industry will give you the boost you need and also show your credibility.

You can read more about how to become a fashion designer without a degree here: Click Here

Conclusion

Being one of the most desirable courses in the country today, makes fashion designing a hard enough career; but with the information, we shared above, we believe that you will be better off to make an informed decision and choose a path that leads you to your glory. All the best!