Fashion Design
What To Expect
A fashion design professional designs new styles of shoes, dresses, suits, and other types of clothing that reflect the current trends as well as the needs of consumers. When creating a new design, a fashion design expert must consider the type of fabric to use as well as the most attractive color palette. While some fashion design experts focus on styles that will be displayed on stage with the help of supermodels, most designers create more commercial clothing that is to be worn by the everyday consumer.
Many fashion design experts choose to specialize in just one area of the field. A footwear designer, for example, focuses solely on creating new styles of boots and shoes. An accessory designer, on the other hand, works exclusively on designing accessories such as jewelry, belts, handbags, hats, and eyewear. A clothing designer might create apparel for men, women, and children, or may focus on creating apparel for only one of those three categories.
Recommended Qualifications
In order to obtain a job in the fashion design industry, you need to earn at least an associate's degree in fashion design. Most employers, however, prefer candidates who have obtained a bachelor's degree in the field. A fashion design degree can be earned at a number of colleges and universities as well as design and private art schools. Those who wish to start their own fashion company would also benefit from taking courses in business and marketing.
A good candidate for a career in fashion design is someone who is creative and has a good eye for detail and color. A fashion design professional should also have good problem solving skills and be an effective communicator. Although designs are increasingly being created with the help of CAD software, a designer also needs to be skilled at creating sketches of the designs he or she is creating. Those who are mindful of trends and want to help people look their best with the help of great clothing and accessories are particularly well suited to this career.