Fashion Careers

Are you interested in pursuing a fashion career? Perhaps you have always loved clothes and accessories and would love to work with them, but aren’t sure exactly how to go about finding a job in the field. Your best bet for a fashion career may well be to earn a degree in fashion.

The good news is that the field of fashion is ever-growing. Once you’ve earned a fashion degree from one of the many excellent art schools that offer one, you’ll be well placed for fashion career success. You may want to work in fashion design, creating eye-catching apparel. There is always a market for talented fashion designers. After all, everyone wants to wear attractive clothing that expresses their personality.

Or perhaps you would be interested in fashion merchandising. This could include becoming a fashion buyer for a retail store or becoming a fashion coordinator for a store or magazine. Other fashion careers you may be interested in are working in fashion publicity or being a personal stylist or model. Nearly every fashion career pays well, has a good outlook for job opportunities, and will provide you much personal satisfaction.

All of these fashion careers require specialized knowledge which you can attain by attending an art school. While this may sound daunting and complicated, it really isn’t. Many art schools offer either a certificate program which you can complete in 12 months, or an associate degree which you can finish in 18 months. By choosing either option, you will be on your way to a fashion career in only a short time!

Another thing that may be holding you back is money. Perhaps you would love to be able to jump-start a career by attending one of the top fashion schools, but do not have the necessary tuition money. Never fear, because most art schools offer scholarships and also financial aid. Attending art school or fashion photography schools may be much more affordable and doable than you think.

Okay, so now you are sold on the idea. But how on earth do you find a school? That task, too, may be much more easily accomplished than you think. Start by looking for a fashion school directory online. You will find so much excellent information available that it is advisable to reserve several hours to look through it all!

The average fashion school directory will list schools by state, which is a useful starting point. Once you’ve identified the location where you would like to attend fashion school, you can begin comparing options. You will want to look at price, length of time it takes to get a degree, and faculty. Also take into consideration the fashion school’s reputation, which you can get a good idea about by doing an internet search. Once you’ve chosen a school, you can begin the application process.

Isn’t it time to take charge of your future now? Wouldn’t you love to have a thriving fashion career in just a few short years? In no time you could be enjoying a career as a fashion designer or fashion merchandiser. Start your new life by looking into attending an art or fashion school today.

Is a Fashion Career Right For You?

If fashion is your passion, then this field is the right career move for you. If you have an intrinsic sense of style and can even infuse your own distinctive style into your common everyday appearance then you might want to think about pursuing a fashion career. Whether you wish to go creative or stick to the traditional, fashion has a lot to offer the aspiring designer.
Clothes used to be worn for protection against the elements.  Today, your clothes represent your style and fashion statement. The colors you choose influence the way you feel. To put it simply, your clothes reflect your personality. It says volumes about your image and the way you think. If this is the way you think about your clothes then you’re ready to launch your fashion career.

A Successful Fashion Career Depends on These Traits

High levels of creativity and style:The world of fashion is very dynamic and new trends evolve almost everyday. You need to be able to adapt to changing styles and thought processes. Your creativity has to give birth to new ideas for different market segments. Originality has to be your middle name.
A strong business sense:Artistic vision is only part of the game. You need to have a head for business to understand both consumers and the marketplace. A good understanding of budgeting and fashion merchandising take your fashion career to the next level.
Excellent communication skills:Your skills cannot be restricted to the drawing board. As you climb higher on the ladder, you should be able to convey your vision to those concerned and sell your ideas and creations.
Powerful sketching expertise: A fashion career demands exceptional drawing skills for converting concepts into pen-and-paper diagrams – which is the blueprint of the production process.
Sound sewing skills: At a very basic level a fashion designer should be able to construct the desired garments. Although a seamstress may be responsible for this activity, good sewing skills will give a designer an upper hand.
Understanding of materials:A fashion designer should be able to innovate with color and fabric to make a design unique. If you can identify which material would be best suited for the design then you are already on the route to success.
Abreast of new trends: Do you have a thirst to know more about fashion? If you are pursuing a fashion career, you need to research existing trends and follow upcoming trends. This only comes as a result of hard work and an in-depth understanding of this sector.
Belief in teamwork: Garment designing and manufacture involves activities such as pattern-making, sewing, merchandising and so on. Be a team player as it takes a team to bring out an exceptional outfit.
Ability to work under pressure: working under tight deadlines, with various people, can be very stressful. Criticism can also be brutal. You need to take criticism constructively and learn from it.

Education at a Fashion School

To get a formal education in fashion you need to attend a fashion school. Numerous fashion schools are often listed in a fashion school directory.  They are also listed in art school directories.
Attending a school helps you:

• Study latest styles and test your skills
• Learn about patterns
• Get business training in fashion merchandising
• Acquire knowledge on mixing and matching colors
• Gain practical experience

While looking through a fashion school directory, try to find one that is accredited. Such schools provide quality education and hands-on experience.

A Degree in Fashion

When talent is combined with a formal education it will considerably improve you chances of steady employment.
Art schools and technical institutes offer Associate or Bachelor's degrees to fashion students. Specialties in which degrees can be obtained include:

• Fashion Design
• Fashion Merchandising
• Fashion Marketing

Attending art schools and obtaining a degree in fashion will give you a strong footing in this industry. Taking formal training enables you to:

• Learn the nitty-gritty’s of the fashion design process through hands-on experience
• Gain a solid sense of business and marketing
• Acquire technical skills in drawing, sewing, etc.
• Obtain paid internship programs to gain on-the-job experience
• Build a well-rounded portfolio and enhance your chances of employment

Job Opportunities

Job options are numerous:

• Costume-Designer – Designs costumes for leading personalities
• Lead-Designer – Supervises development of products
• Marketer – promotes clothing lines and accessories
• Merchandiser – helps maximize sales
• Patternmaker – creates the patterns based on instructions given by lead-designer
• Sourcer – locates suitable raw materials
• Stylist – coordinates accessories with garments for photo-shoots and runway- shows
• Technical-designers – ensure quality and continuity of production
• Textile-specialist – improve fabric
• Fashion-photographer – photographs models and ramp-shows
• Sewing-machine operator – assembles the outfits
• Fashion-Writer – reviews style, trends and shows in magazines and newspapers

Life style of a fashion designer

Although the life of a fashion designer is often portrayed to be ultra glamorous and public, it also involves a lot of hard work and determination. Similar to any other field, to make it big you need to start at the roots. A fashion career does not come easy even if you have loads of talent. However, if you can make a name for yourself, fashion design takes on a whole new meaning. It will introduce you to a world of high profile personalities, runway shows, parties and the press. Working with a good design house can present you with unlimited opportunities to enhance your skills. Sure, you’ll need to be ready to work extra hours, sit in on meetings and interact with dozens of crew members on a daily basis, but it’ll be worth it.