Fashion Design Reality
Fashion???????
I love fashion…….I’m obsessed with fashion….I live, dream and breath fashion. Seriously.
What fashion degree/career will allow me to learn the fundamentals of owning my own store and making my own clothing/designs?
Also, do I have to attend a prestigious school to learn and make my dream a reality or is any fashion school a good school?
*Excuse my bad grammar….i’m typing really fast because I’m going out and i’m not ready! Yikes.
Well you have the first component needed for being a good designer, which is a strong passion for fashion….you have to love what you do ( the good and the bad….and there is alot of bad in fashion)
There is Fashion Design and there is Fashion Merchandising ( which are two different things). Also , not all fashion schools are equal.
If you want to be a Fashion Designer ( who designs clothes, etc) then there are several good schools like F.I.T , Parsons or Pratt in NYC . If the fast paced life of NYC is not for you but you want the fashion experience, then SCAD is a good option for you…its in Savannah Georgia on the coast with beaches and nice atmosphere , also they have good ties to fashion industry ( they also have a campus in Atlanta, if you want the City life with a southern feel). At a fashion design program you will learn fundementals of fashion, history, sewing , line development, how clothes look on body, fabrics, textiles, etc….
For fashion Merchandising there is Katherine Gibbs in NYC ( ironically a couple of blocks away from Parsons)…..FIDM in Cali……this is a degree if you want to be a buyer of clothing , more the retail business side( l/c, payment, shipping, etc), which is good if you want to own a store………
It sounds like your ultimate goal is to have your own store where you buy other peoples clothing as well as have your own sold there…….my suggestion ( after you do a little research on schools and what is good for you)
is maybe try a 2 year Associates program (FIT has ) in Fashion Design, so that you can learn about sewing and garment construction and then maybe do a 2 year Merchandising degree to learn about the business side of fashion ( Katherine Gibbs has )… So now you have a total of 4yrs …
Or ….alot of Fashion Designers get a 4 yr degree in Fashion (SCAD, FIT, Parson, Pratt has ) and then go and work for someone for a couple of years to learn the business….There is no better teacher then hands on experience and you will definatlely learn how “business” of fashion is run, from the inside…..
Business is a really big part of this industry and you own it to yourself to get the best education possible so that you can be successful, really research schools and the curriculam as well as class size and job placement….I hope this helps, or at least points you in the right direction and good luck!
“So You Wanna Be A Designer” Fashion Reality Show Application Invite – Compete for $20000!