Becoming a Fashion Designer

<br /> <p>It seems like everyone is jumping on the designer bandwagon these days. And why not? The fashion industry is sexy - fashion shows, parties, celebrities, recognition, and even fame go along with a career in fashion.</p><p>Now herein lies the question: do you go to design school or go straight to starting a business? Not all fashion designers go the traditional route to design school, instead drawing on an entrepreneurial spirit, some "designers" turn their head for business into a thriving fashion enterprise.</p><p>Ralph Lauren is an example of a fashion designer who bypassed the sewing machine and headed straight for the marketplace. Which path you take depends on your personal motivation. If you love sewing and pattern making, the traditional route is going to bring the most satisfaction. If you love the fashion world but don't have the patience for needle and thread, a career in the fast-paced and exciting fashion biz is still possible ... read on.</p><p><b>So you want to go out on your own, what's first?</b></p><p>You've always admired fashion designers and their ability to design trendy, unique and wearable fashions season after season, as if by magic. But it's not magic; it's a business. And to succeed in business, nobody is an island (meaning that everyone needs a little help to accomplish his or her dreams). And it's not all glitz and glamour. Being a fashion designer means you have to actually run a business.</p><p>Before you print up those business cards, ask yourself if you're prepared to roll up your sleeves and tackle the not-so fun aspects of fashion.</p><p>At first, running a fashion business could mean fulfilling orders yourself (i.e., packing boxes until the wee hours of the morning), steaming clothes repeatedly during fashion shows, and bookkeeping. You could spend only a small percentage of your time actually designing; instead you're networking, schmoozing and negotiating with suppliers and vendors.</p><p>If you're planning to take the direct-to-consumer path, you'll have to create a website and maintain it (and most likely have to pay someone to handle these tasks), get a merchant account to process credit card transactions and manage charge back cycles. If you're not interested in learning what these things mean, then you may decide to work for a large fashion house to learn the ropes.</p><p>But if you have the endurance and enough friends with skills or services you can trade for, you could go out on your own and succeed. Today is the age of entrepreneurship, why shouldn't you get a piece of the pie?</p><p><b><br /><br>The fashion biz: a reality check<br /><br></b></p><p>Exciting industries are rife with competition-some that will fade away and others that will give you a run for your money. You have to compete against the big names out there and trendy emerging designers fresh out of the best design schools or veterans of big fashion houses-not to mention all the celebrities popping up with their own labels.</p><p>Running your own fashion biz may require you to reach out to suppliers and potential customers all over the world, which means you better be organized. Are you prepared to coordinate the procurement of raw materials like fabric, trim and hardware, so that your manufacturer gets what they need at the right time to deliver a finished product on deadline?</p><p>Think of yourself as a business person first and a fashion designer second. If your fashion business fails, you're the one that suffers. Always keep the business aspect in the forefront of your mind. Some people find this prospect exhilarating, while others can't think of anything more horrifying. Still interested in starting your own fashion business?</p><p><b>I'm not a designer, can I still work in the fashion industry?</b></p><p>Yes ... and no. If you have the design vision, you can pay people to take your idea and turn it into a tangible pattern or design. This is sort of like what a creative director does. If this fits your situation, then you'd better have the business chops to get your business off the ground and you'd better have a solid Core Value Proposition.</p><p>What this means is that you must have a strong business proposal and offer a product that's valuable and in demand. That doesn't mean you have to sell high-end couture clothing to rich people. Clothiers H&M and Zara focus on fast ready-to-wear fashion at affordable pricepoints.</p><p>There is more than one path to becoming a fashion designer. You can learn to sew and go to design school to learn the ins-and-outs of the business. But not everyone learns to draw patterns and stitch together garments. The keys to succeeding in the fashion business are creativity, a good business sense and determination.</p><p>Stay tuned for more advice on becoming a fashion designer.</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <p>A. Covington is a fashion writer with a sharp eye for <a href="http://belisi.typepad.com/ties_cufflinks_polos/" target="_new">men's designer fashion</a>. Her men's fashion blog covers the essentials on how to dress well, from pocket squares and <a href="http://www.belisi.com/sg-9-cufflinks.aspx" target="_new">designer cufflinks</a>, to work attire for men. Amy maintains three blogs for Belisi Fashions, a luxury accessories brand based in Palm Beach.</p> <br />

Becoming a Fashion Designer

It seems like everyone is jumping on the designer bandwagon these days. And why not? The fashion industry is sexy - fashion shows, partie...

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Thinking of Becoming a Fashion Designer? Then Take a Look at This Fashion Designer Training Guide

<br /> <p>Are you obsessed with fashion? Do you spend more time designing clothes than watching television or hanging out with your friends? Do you enjoy reading and looking at fashion magazines more than you enjoy reading best seller books? If you answer yes to one or more of this question then you are destined to become a fashion designer. If you want to be like the famous Yves Saint Laurent, then this training guide will get you started.</p><p>Before you start reading the training guide, it is important to keep in mind that there are various professions in the fashion world. Some of the professions include supervising a design team or producing a label under your own name. Whatever the profession you decide to take as a fashion designer you can be sure of two things, you need a lot of dedication, time, and you need to be prepare to earn a low income in the first years of your career as a fashion designer. Now that you know this information, let's take a look at that fashion designer training guide.</p><p>? Getting Started - The first things you need to do to become a fashion designer is search for good and if possible, prestigious fashion school. Once you have taken this first step, you need to think on how you want to start your life as a fashion designer. Do you want to join a fashion company, open your own store, of test your luck and make your own clothing brand?</p><p>? Applying to a School- There are a lot of colleges you can attend to become a fashion designer, but the trick is applying to a prestigious college that will push start your career. However, getting into a college with a reputation can be quite hard because they are very picky and selective. Therefore you need to work on your drawing abilities and create a portfolio that is not only impressive but also shows your passion and dedication to fashion.</p><p>? Entering School- Once you are in school you will study drawing, color composition and form, pattern making, draping and cutting techniques. To become a fashion designer you will attend school for three/four years. During this time you will be able to win awards/grants, and at the end of each semester you will have an opportunity to show your growth by attending a fashion show held in school. (It will be a good idea to add business classes to your school curriculum as well.)</p><p>? Understanding the Fashion World- In order for you to be a successful individual in the fashion world you need to know more than just designing and making clothes. You also need to have a basic knowledge in business, which means you need to know how to negotiate a contract and how to choose a business partner. The fashion world is always changing, hence, you need to keep yourself inform of everything involving fashion and business.</p><p>Now that you have taken a look at this fashion designer training guide you are ready to take the fist steps to becoming a famous designer like Hussein Chalayan, Donna Karan, or Michael Kors.</p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <p>Where do you look for <a href="http://www.fashiondesignersalarydata.com/steps-become-fashion-designer.html" target="_new">schools with fashion degrees</a>? Find out here: <a href="http://www.fashiondesignersalarydata.com" target="_new">http://www.fashiondesignersalarydata.com</a></p> <br />

Thinking of Becoming a Fashion Designer? Then Take a Look at This Fashion Designer Training Guide

Are you obsessed with fashion? Do you spend more time designing clothes than watching television or hanging out with your friends? Do you...

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