5 Skills Every Aspiring Fashion Designer Needs
If you've dreamt of pursuing an artistic, fulfilling career in fashion, you may be wondering where to start. From merchandising to design, there are so many options to choose from on the fashion careers list. For example, according to Bureau of Labor statistics, employment of fashion designers is projected to grow at least 3 percent from 2014 to 2024. You could also become a personal stylist, open your own boutique, or go to work in the film industry as a costume designer!
If you want to learn how to become a fashion designer, you can pursue your dreams through our online merchandise marketing courses or in-person at our campus in Los Angeles where you learn hands-on skills. But before you decide on a career path in fashion design, it's important to evaluate whether you have the right skill set -- or the willingness and aptitude to cultivate one -- for the job. To that end, here are five skills every aspiring fashion designer needs to possess:
1. Creativity
A highly developed artistic eye is a must for a career in fashion design. Although your sense of style and preferences will develop and change throughout your career, you do need to have a distinctive point of view. You'll also need to have the ability to think outside the box, adapt, and stay ahead of the trends.
2. Thirst for knowledge
By nature, trends are always evolving. You'll need to understand past and present trends in order to create your own, and that requires a love for learning. In order to understand what comes next in fashion, you'll also need to have a clear understanding of what came before. You'll need to immerse yourself in the history of fashion and influential designers. And since you'll always need to be improving upon your skills, you must understand that your quest for knowledge will never be complete.
3. Aptitude for sewing
While there are many well-known designers who do not do their own sewing, they all had to start somewhere. In learning how to become a fashion designer, you'll need to do more than put the idea on paper; you need to be able to execute it through the medium of fabric. Although you don't have to start fashion school as an expert, it helps to have a good working knowledge of basic sewing techniques and machines.
4. Business sense
While careers in fashion require you to be highly creative, you also need to have business knowledge. You'll need to be able to manage a budget, implement a marketing strategy, and be adept at coming up with sales concepts that will allow you to make your mark and make a living. While learning how to become a fashion designer might sound glamorous -- and it is -- business skills are also an essential part of any fashion education.
5. Drive
Creative careers like fashion design are not made for those who give up easily. The most successful designers are those who are highly-driven individuals. Although fashion design has its glamorous moments, it requires as much grit as glitz. You have to work hard, put in long hours, work well with others, and continue to develop your craft throughout your entire career. If you aren't highly motivated, you won't be able to achieve the level of success you're after.
Here at FIDM, we can help you learn how to become a fashion designer and realize your creative dreams. We even offer fashion scholarships to students who qualify. Whether you want to pursue a traditional fashion design degree, a career in knitwear or costume design, or want to go to jewelry making school, FIDM can help launch your design career. To find out more about our programs, take a look around our website or contact us today.
Sources:
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/fashion-designers.htm#tab-6
Categories: Fashion Design
