Fashion technology as a career

I am interested in fashion designing, can you help me with the career prospects in this field?

Fashion designing or fashion technology is the new generation subject. Fashion designing is one of the most lucrative, appealing, glamorous and exciting career options in today's world. If you have a penchant for creativity, style and originality, a career in fashion designing is the one tailor made for you. On one hand, the fashion industry satisfies both the creative fancies and the materialistic needs of the people. On the other hand, it promises glamour, fame, success and a high pay package to the talented designers.

However, it is also a demanding career, as fashion designers need to combine their creativity with managerial skills to sustain in this industry. Thus, if you can create magic with colours, shapes and designs, then just obtain a professional course to begin a successful career in the alluring world of fashion designing. You need to have an eye for fashion and the ability to study the fashion trends, and accordingly choose materials, conceptualise and create designs.

With experience and exposure to this field you can get to work for apparel companies in larger roles, wherein you just have to create the initial design and then delegate it to a team for its execution. There are a plethora of options to choose from in this sector. If you enter into the wholesale production area then you can specialise in the production of any one type of apparel, such as jeans, jackets, knitwear, sportswear or children’s wear.

You can exploit a wide range of styles and fabrics for the above areas. If you can produce large scale at low cost then there would be wider prospects in your business / job.

To start a career as a fashion designer, two types of qualifications are required, that is, natural and acquired:

• Natural skill set would comprise of a decent aesthetic sense, colour expertise, good taste and sense of trends and fashion. An eye for detail, knowledge of fabrics and so on is a big plus for those serious about a career as a fashion designer.
• Acquired skills would be a qualification from a decent, recognised fashion institute. You can enrol for either a full-time course or a part time certificate course. Students usually take these up after their 10+2 level.
  

Not that the courses are not available for graduates or people with higher qualification. There are several short-term certificate courses that are offered by the same fashion institutes for super specialisation, on part-time basis. These courses equip you with technical and creative thinking skills.

The word ‘fashion’ immediately conjures up images of glitz and glamour. The onset of the International fashion market in India has given an impetus to the fashion industry which has emerged as the booming industry and a career as a fashion designer is like a pot of gold. So, many young people who are attracted by these attributes decide to foray into the fashion industry.

While the academic requirements are not very high, you need considerable aptitude and talent to be labelled “designer” material. You must be highly creative to combine colours, shades and textures and express your ideas through sketches.

Your race for admission into a reputed fashion school will begin straight after school. Subjects like drawing, painting, home science and computer graphics will develop your creativity.By the time you finish the course you will have mastered the step-by-step making of a garment, from designing to pattern making, production and even marketing.

A career in fashion designing is right for you if you are talented and exude style in everything you do. You must also possess the ability to be original and creative and have the art to make people look good in your designs. You must also visualise new design, patterns, garments and accessories and enjoy working with fabrics and accessories.

Fashion is not just about clothing, you can also design footwear and accessories.

Clothing designers create and help produce men's, women's, and children's apparel, including casual wear, suits, sportswear, evening wear, outerwear, maternity, and intimate apparel.

Footwear designers create and help produce different styles of shoes and boots. As new materials become available, such as lightweight synthetic materials used in shoe soles, footwear designers produce new designs that combine comfort, form, and function.

Accessory designers design and produce items such as handbags, suitcases, belts, scarves, hats, hosiery, and eyewear.

Costume designers design costumes for the performing arts and for motion picture and television productions. They research the styles worn during the period in which the performance takes place, or they work with directors to select and create appropriate attire. They also must stay within the costume budget for the particu lar production.

Individuals planning to do a graduate or PG program in designing should opt to do it with the premier institute NIFT( National Institute of Fashion Technology). It has 15 centers, NIFT is in Hyderabad and other major cities. The institute offers wide variety of courses, such as careers in:

• Designing
• Merchandising
• Freelance design consultants
• Fashion communication journalist
• Design managers
• Costume designing for the textile industry

It offers excellent placement assistance and also provides financial assistance. Wide prospects for job opportunities are availed in the fashion designing sector, which includes:

• Wholesale and apparel manufacturing
• Haute Couture
• Export houses dealing with garment/textile/handloom exports
• Leather companies
• Boutiques
• Jewellery houses
• Government/semi government-handloom/textile manufacturers
• Fashion show organisers/fashion publishers
• TV/film fashion programme producers/comperes/costume designers, etc.
• With film production units
• Teaching design
• Design costumes for stage artists, TV or film

Job prospects

In India, the fashion industry has just begun to come of age, as it is still in its fledgling stage. This industry offers plenty of opportunities for talented hard working and enthusiastic people. Prospects for fashion design graduates are pretty good thanks to the huge and still growing demand for “designer wear” and the equally outsized quantity of exports.

After successful completion of the course, you can remain self employed. Alternatively, several export houses, garment store chains, textile mills, leather companies, boutiques, fashion show organisers, jewellery houses and media houses recruit professionals interested in a career in fashion designing.

Along with fashion designing skills, managerial skills are essentially needed to manufacture merchandise, market, and finally dispatch their products. The other required skills are interpersonal skills and networking skills to build a productive and beneficial relationship with individuals already into this field. After gaining experience you have the option of successfully opening and running your own venture.

Important qualities:

Artistic ability: Fashion designers sketch their initial design ideas, which are used later to create prototypes. Consequently, designers must be able to express their vision for the design through illustration.

Communication skills

Fashion designers often work in teams throughout the design process and therefore must be effective in communicating with their team members. For example, they may need to give instructions to sewers regarding how the garment should be constructed.

Computer skills

Fashion designers use technology to design. They must be able to use computer-aided design (CAD) programs and be familiar with graphics editing software.

Creativity

Fashion designers work with a variety of fabrics, shapes, and colors. Their ideas must be unique, functional, and stylish.

Decision-making skills Because they often work in teams, fashion designers are exposed to many ideas. They must be able to decide which ideas to incorporate into their designs.

Detail oriented

Fashion designers must have a good eye for small differences in color and other details that can make a design successful.As a professional fashion designer, you can work in areas like designer wear production, fashion marketing, planning and concept management. Then there is fashion media, design production management, fashion accessory design, quality control and promotion of brands. You can also work as a designated costume designer, fashion consultant, personal stylist, technical designer, graphic designer, production pattern maker or a fashion coordinator.

Other roles include: apparel production manager, fabric buyer, fabric quality control manager, show room sales representative, illustrator, cutting assistant and outside sales representative. Those interested in a career in fashion designing can also become entrepreneurs and form their own companies.

A career in fashion designing can become one that is tailor made for you if you have a fondness for creativity, originality and style. Along with glamour and fame it promises a high pay package to the talented people. Therefore, if you have the caliber to create magic with colors, designs and shapes then go in for a professional course from a reputed institute and plunge into the alluring world of fashion designing!

By:shehre banu