How to be good fashion designer?

In recent years fashion designing has gained a lot of name and fame. Today, fashion designing is one of the topmost and highly pursued courses. Fashion designing is one of those courses that are pursued out of passion and hobbies and can also lead to a profitable and prosperous career. The fashion industry has expanded dramatically in the past few years. Therefore, if we go by numbers, it is evident that a career in fashion designing can open up a plethora of opportunities.

There are many designing colleges in Pune that offer amazing designing courses to the students. In order to become a fashion designer, one should consider pursuing a bachelor's degree in design. Fashion design graduates are not only hired by renowned fashion designers but also retail outlets. The salary earned by a fashion designer depends upon the company they’re working in and experience. But on an average, a fashion designer earns about 3 Lakhs per annum. However, becoming a fashion designer is no cake walk. To be a good fashion designer one should possess the following skills -

●      HIGH ON CREATIVITY AND ARTISTIC SKILLS- If you want to make a mark into the fashion world, you need to have a great sense of art and creativity. Imagination is necessarily required to convert the ideas into products. A fashion designer has the ability to convert a raw material into a masterpiece of art. A person can pursue design only if he has the caliber to create ideas and put them into execution with inherent skills.

●      BRILLIANT DRAWING SKILLS- To start the design production process, a fashion designer needs to sketch raw ideas on to paper. For this task, you need to have exceptional drawing skills. Without drawing skills, it will become too difficult for a fashion designer to vent out his ideas. If you’re lacking in this particular area, you can take up classes and learn sketching.

●      FINE EYE FOR DETAIL- Fashion designers need to have brilliant eyes and observing power apart from their creativity skills. The ability to notice and observe even the finest details of a cloth is required for a fashion designer to become successful. It is necessary to look into all the minute embroidery and richute. All great fashion designers have the talent of making out even the smallest intricacies.

●      EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS- To design anything, you need to have a team and collaboration with colleagues. Nobody can work alone on a single project. There has to be effective communication and teamwork within the team. A fashion designer requires leadership quality to explain the work to the subordinates and work with them in harmony. A fashion designer needs to have a keen sense of professionalism. In fact, great communication skills are also required to draw more and better clients.

●      BUSINESS ACUMEN- Good fashion designers need to have sharp business sense. To survive in the fashion world, fashion designers need to have a deep understanding of business and it’s areas like finance, sales and marketing. To sustain a fashion brand, not only creativity is required but also and more importantly, a keen sense of the business world.

●      INTEREST IN EVERGREEN TRENDS AND DYNAMISM- Fashion trends change from time to time. So it is essentially important for the fashion designers to remain updated with the new trends. Nobody wants to wear outfits that are outdated. Everybody runs behind the new trends.

If you feel that you lack the skills to be a good fashion designer, there is no need to get disheartened. Just enroll yourself into great fashion designing colleges and within no time you will be able to grasp all the necessary skills required to be a successful fashion designer.

What can you do with a Bachelor of Design Degree?

Bachelor of design is a four-year full-time undergraduate course offering specializations like product design, fashion design, industrial design, textile design, communication, etc. The eligibility of B. Design is the completion of class XII with 50% in any stream or diploma of design. This course is best suited for people interested in transforming their creativity and imagination into designs. There are plenty of industrial design courses in India that offer attractive career opportunities in India. A B.design degree provides the opportunity to work in various sectors.

MAJOR CAREER OPTIONS AFTER BACHELOR OF DESIGN -

●  INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER - An industrial designer creates products and systems that improve the function, value, and appearance in factories or houses. Industrial designers aim at satisfying the customers to the maximum. They sketch the product's design, keeping in mind the ergonomics, usability, marketing, and economic viability of the product.

●   GRAPHIC DESIGNER - Graphic design is the craft of creating visual content for communication. Logos and product packages are some examples of graphic design. The primary aim of a graphic designer is to create content that catches people's attention and become easily recognizable.

●   INTERIOR DESIGNER - This field deals with designing interiors for houses, offices, hotels, schools, etc. An interior designer designs the setting for furniture, floor, lighting, color schemes, etc. keeping in mind the finances required for the designing. This job is one of the most lucrative jobs in today's world.

●  FASHION DESIGNER - A fashion designer has expertise in textile and clothing materials. It is the art of creating clothes and accessories through fabrics, styles, patterns, colors, and trends.

●     JEWELRY DESIGNER - Jewellery designers work with precious metals, diamonds, beads, gemstones to create artistic jewelry. There are plenty of recruiting companies that look for designers. Jewelry designers can also start their own business or freelance.

A bachelor's degree in design can open possibilities to work in numerous industries like media, public relations, education, business, and communication. There are so many communication design courses in India that provide a vast scope to the amateur designers. This degree requires the alignment of design knowledge and skills for innovative creations, and it's development.

How to choose a Design College

An in-depth study in design has recently come up as a popular choice among students pursuing higher education. The design industry has changed vastly over the last few years and offers several rewarding opportunities for those who aim to pursue a career in it. Several colleges have started offering fashion designing courses in Pune and other cities along with other disciplines. This variety has made it harder for students to choose a college to pursue their studies. Here some things you should ensure while selecting a design college for your higher studies:

1. Courses offered: While selecting a college, it is essential to keep in mind the curriculum offered at the college. You must also consider the specializations that are provided by the college and the course structure. Design colleges offer various courses in fashion design, product design, industrial design, interior design, and many other specializations. So make sure that the college you choose has the course you wish to pursue. Go through the course structure so that you will get an idea of what your academic year will look like if you choose that college.

2. Industry Exposure: In an industry like design which is a creative field, students must have a good portfolio and some industry experience before they enter the professional world. Before you take admission into any college, make sure that they offer enough exposure to students through activities such as seminars, expert interactions, and industry integrated projects. Colleges that provide a chance to take up internships are even better since students will get real working experience. This helps them in not only upgrading their resume but also gaining new skills and enhancing their abilities.

3. Facilities offered: Another aspect you should consider while choosing a design school is the infrastructural facilities that they offer. Design is a hands-on field and requires studios and other industry-level infrastructure for optimum learning, so ensure that the school provides all the needed facilities before you take admission.

4. Alumni: Finding out about the alumni of the school will help you understand the scope of opportunities that the students in a particular college get. It will also give you an idea of the career path followed by the alumni of a specific institution and the role of the institute in shaping their careers. So make sure you look into the alumni of a college before making your final decision.

Choosing a college is an important and difficult task as it decides the future path of your career. You could be tempted to go for the most reputed industrial design courses or fashion designing, but ensure that you look into all the aspects before making a final choice. As long as you keep your best interest at heart, you will be able to find the right college for you.

Tips on how to get into a Design College

Design Colleges in Pune will be starting with their admissions soon, which means for all those who want to pursue designing, this is your chance. Designing has now become one of the mainstream careers and a popular choice among students. However, since not many people have pursued this before, students are confused regarding the requirements, courses available, and how to get into a design college. Here are a few tips that you can keep in mind to facilitate your admission procedure:

1. Build your portfolio: Right from when you decide that you want to pursue designing, make sure that you file all your artwork in a structured manner in your portfolio. This will create a compilation of your work and also help you enhance your skills through practice. A portfolio is a reflection of your artistic abilities and interest in the field, which the interviewing panel will undoubtedly be looking for. So make sure that you put the best of your work in your portfolio as it will create a good impression.

2. Brush up on the basics: Most colleges have a studio test for students before admissions. In this test, they might ask you to make a few sketches on the spot or gives you assignments to test your time management skills. To be well prepared for this, it is recommended for you to brush up on the basics before your exam so that you can attempt it without any difficulty and are also able to answer all the questions that they might ask in the interview.

3. Know your goals: As someone who wants to get into a design college, you should have a clear idea of your goals and ambitions that you wish to achieve. Since this is an artistic field, it is very easy to get distracted or follow someone else’s style of work and lose your original touch. So, when attempting admission tests and studio tests for the colleges, stay true to your style and focused on your goals.

The admission to several fashion communication colleges is also conducted through a variety of written exams and studio tests, interviews. So make sure you are prepared beforehand. There are several specializations that you can choose from in designing so make sure that you choose a course that best aligns with your interest.

Job Opportunities after a Degree in Designing

Pursuing a creative field like a career in designing can be a challenging task since it is not a mainstream career option. Society has always perceived such artistic fields as hobbies rather than full-time jobs. However, along with the advancement of other fields, this field too has regenerated itself and has a growing popularity among students these days. However, a majority of students who are interested in a creative career, still do not have much clue about the industry and the types of career paths that they can choose. So here are a few types of design jobs that one can pursue:

1. Graphic Designer: This is one of the most common and high demand jobs in the industry. A graphic designer works with software like the Adobe Suite. The work of a graphic designer involves creating advertising, marketing, and brand-related illustrations. One has to be tech-savvy and have good artistic skills and a sense of colour as well to be a graphic designer. Graphic designers are hired in all kinds of companies, including software companies and advertising firms.

2. Interior Designer: These professionals work with interior spaces to meet the needs of their clients and make the places more functional, aesthetic and sustainable. Interior designers have always been in demand and often work closely with civil engineers and architects. These designers need to have excellent spatial skills and should be good at sketching as well. Proficiency in software such as CAD is also needed. Interior designers can be hired in firms or by clients for different projects.

3. Product Designer: Every product that we humans use in our daily life has been meticulously designed by someone in the industry. Product designers are employed in every industry and enjoy a very good salary as well. Professionals in this field need to have good drawing skills, colour perception, imaginative and original designs and at the same time, be able to create designs that have optimum functionality and minimal production cost. It is a very challenging yet rewarding job that you can choose to pursue.

4. UX Designer: An UX designer (aka User experience designer) works in the field of designing websites, mobile applications, and other software. The main task for a UX designer is to ensure that the design is aesthetic, easy to navigate and intuitive for users to interact with. They need to be skilled technologically as well as artistically. As per industry standards, UX designers have the highest average salary of $96,505 in the U.S among all the designing careers.

For students who wish to pursue a career in this field, many colleges offer Industrial Design Courses in India along with other courses in designing as well. Even though it is still an upcoming field, there are several opportunities for students to pursue a lucrative career in this field.

Want to be a Fashion Blogger?

Fashion Blogging is one of the newest and most trending types of blogging these days. Right from industry experts to students studying in Fashion Designing Colleges, everyone has taken up this new hobby and some are turning it into successful incomes as well. Since this is a new and entirely creative field, there are no particular rules or textbook methods you can follow to be successful. It is an extremely unpredictable yet exciting field and can challenge you in multiple ways. In case you wish to start your fashion blog, here are a few tips for you:

1. Find your niche: Before you even start the blog, you will have to do a lot of planning. You need to have a set theme or structure for your blog. This will make it easier for your viewers to remember you by your content. You need to find what unique and new things you can put up that will attract more audience. You need to carve your niche to stand out from the other bloggers. For this, keep your interests, talents, and goals in mind while deciding how you can uniquely present your content.

2. Build a Network: For any blog to do well, you need to have a large pool of audience. This can’t be built overnight and it takes months or sometimes even years to become famous among a certain community. However, when you want to start a blog, start by building a good network. Follow other fashion bloggers and try to get in contact with them as well. You can also ask your friends to spread the word about your upcoming blog with the help of social media. Another great way to market your blog is to attend different events and share your ideas with likeminded people at the event.

3. Build your Personality: Whenever you put out content on your blog, you will have to let your personality reflect from those posts. Without that, it will be an extremely bland and disconnected blog. So you have to make sure to let your personality shine through your content which will not only make it unique and relatable to your audience but also make sure that your audience can connect with you and do not lose interest over time. For this, you should work on your personality and make sure that every post or image that you put is unique to you.

Starting a blog that can be seen by the entire world is a scary thing to do. However, once you get the hang of it you will be able to do well as long as you are honest and sincere with your audience. You can be a student at one of the Designing Colleges in Pune or even a complete outsider in this industry, as long as you have the will and can work hard, nothing can stop you from achieving your goals. Remember that your blog might not be famous right from the start, so have patience and build it gradually.

A brief overview of Fashion Designing

“You may not have the power to control whatever happens to you, but you have the power to stop it from affecting your sense of style.” Israelmore Ayivor

There are a lot of people who wanna know and learn about different cultures and fashion styles. So, few of the fashion communication colleges in India have been keen on offering the best of knowledge to their students.

So in this article, let’s understand what fashion designing is all about and list a few of the best institutes to offer this course.

What is Fashion Designing?

The first thing that comes to our mind when we hear “Fashion”, is clothes or any form of clothing. It has always been known as a part of a person’s lifestyle. The fashion sense of a person tells a lot about him/her.

Fashion Designing, as a course, can be called as a form of art that is specifically dedicated to the creation of clothing and other wearable accessories that are an essential part of a person's lifestyle.

Now, to become a fashion designer, one must have certain qualities. Let’s list down a few of them and see how anyone can become a designer..

If you decide on becoming a designer, you need to keep few things in mind.

Below listed are few of the many:

●      Having a creative and artistic personality.

●      Have excellent drawing skills and ability to combine tones, shades and colours.

●      You should be able to work with all kinds of fabric and use cloth in a very creative and an original manner to make something new every time.

●      Few of the most successful fashion designers possess the best visual imaginations which help them to express their thoughts in real life, while they transform their ideas into beautiful pieces of clothing.

●      Fashion designers always need to update and know the requirements of the fashion market in real-time.

●      You will always need to have the urge and the motivation to learn new things. This can be done by magazines, books and journals on the fashion designing industry and the latest trends.

●      Having a general interest in art. Visiting art galleries and interacting with all types of artists will give you a great scope of exposure and opportunity.

●      You, as a designer, should also have basic experience and knowledge about tailoring and should be able to tell the difference between the various qualities and levels of fabrics.

Now, after seeing what it takes to become a fashion designer, let’s talk about the top colleges that you can take admission in and start your journey into the world of fashion.

Eligibility Criteria:

The requirements to get an admission may differ depending on the college you pick. For example, the cut off at NIFT would be somewhere near 50-60%. But then at SID , the criteria could be somewhere close to  60-65%.

Few of the top colleges are listed below;

●      Pearl Academy - New Delhi

●      NIFT - Bangalore

●      Symbiosis Institute of Design - Pune

●      JD Institute of Fashion Technology - Mumbai

●      Arch College of Design & Business - Jaipur

So, if you are willing to pursue a career in the fashion world, you can consider the above-given fashion designing colleges as your options. These are a few of the best colleges which will help you shape and enhance your knowledge in fashion.

Careers in the field of fashion

With so many Fashion Designing Colleges across the country, a career in fashion has become a popular choice among students today. Often people think that a career in fashion means only modelling or designing. However, the truth is that there are a lot of opportunities in this field that very few know about. Students interested in fashion as a career tend to have many misconceptions about the industry as well, which deters them from pursuing this field. There are several career options within this industry, here is a list of some to help you out :

1.Fashion Designing: This is perhaps the most commonly pursued path. Designers design new clothes and collections for brands. They can also have their stores or outlets. People who are good at sketching and also have a good sense of handling fabrics and textures can do well in this career. Designers also need to have a good understanding of colours and must be skilled in stitching and tailoring work.

2.Fashion Illustrator: Illustrators work very closely with designers. They help designers put their ideas into final sketches. Illustrators mainly work in sketching out the garments, accessories, shoes, and hair as well for the design created by the designer. Illustrators also make the final advertising copies of designs to be given in print or online marketing. You must have sound drawing and sketching skills if you want to become an illustrator.

3.Fashion Stylist: Stylists have a very creative and hands-on role in their jobs. It is the stylists' responsibility to bring the photographers and art director's vision for the shoot to life. Stylists work very closely with several media organizations and photographers and producers as well. One needs to have good communication and management skills for this job role. It is also essential to have a creative vision so you can recreate it in real life.

4.Fashion Writer: As the name goes, fashion writers primarily write about the various trends and styles in the fashion industry. They work closely with the PRs of a company or brand and write about the designs styled by them. They also produce the editorial copies to be published in the fashion media industry. Writers work with several magazines and newspapers as well and can even have their blogs or tv shows. Fashion writers need to be updated with the latest trends and news within the industry.

Other than the ones mentioned above, there are other career options such as Garment Technologist, Retail Buyer, Merchandisers, Textile Designers and many more available in this industry. Some of the best fashion communication colleges in India offer a variety of courses in this field that you can pursue. If you have a genuine interest in entering the world of fashion, then do your research accordingly so you can decide which course you want to apply for beforehand itself.

How can you pursue Fashion Design as a Career?

Several institutes have started offering fashion and communication design courses in India. Fashion designing, which is a relatively glamorous industry, has always been considered as a rich man's gamble. It is assumed that only people with influence and contacts in high places can enter this industry. However, many premier institutes in the country offer degree courses in fashion designing and technology, offering everyone with a talent an opportunity to enter this highly prestigious industry. If you have a hobby for fashion and wish to take it further as a career, here are a few tips for you to keep in mind:

1. Explore your options: Many colleges are unknown to students since this is not a mainstream career option. Research about the colleges you can apply to and find out which different courses they offer. It is always better to consider all the available options before making a decision. Keep in mind the reputation of the college, industry exposure given to students and the course structure, among other factors before you decide to apply. Find about their selection process and make sure you satisfy all the criteria.

2. Refine your skills: It is likely that in the selection process, there will be a written exam followed by a studio test and interview. Practice regularly and refine your sketching and designing skills. Developing these skills will not only help you in your selection process but will also help you build your portfolio. Being updated with the latest trends and having advanced skills will increase the number of opportunities that you get.

3. Get work experience: Since this is a practical field, work experience and recommendation letters hold more value than mark sheets. When you are studying, look for a part-time job or internship that you can do in your free time. This will not only teach you how to overcome actual problems in the workplace but also help you find your style of this art and build a network. Having a strong network of colleagues will offer you a variety of ventures throughout your career. Getting letters of recommendation from your employers will help you get better roles and move up the career ladder.

Many Fashion Communication Colleges have already started with their admission procedures. Make sure that you complete all the formalities in time to secure a seat for yourself. This artistic field can be challenging. However, if you have a passion and are willing to work hard, then you are guaranteed to succeed in all your endeavours.

Fashion Communication: Everything you need to know beyond Fashion Design

In the ever-growing world of fashion, the Fashion Communication programme happens to be the single most advanced, exciting, and increasingly essential pathway to open up in the fashion and lifestyle industry which leads to the emergence of fashion communication colleges in India.

It involves the process of conveying the message of your brand to the customers. Several crucial activities that transform innovative ideas into sales happen through fashion communication.

In the broad aspect of fashion designing, fashion communication is about understanding consumer's mindsets and exchanges ideas to give an effect in concept creation, implementation, development, and selling out of the product. Information and ideas get channelized across different roles and levels in fashion design.

It is the backbone of the whole fashion business. With globalization, several luxury brands have grown in the Indian retail market. Moreover, in today's competitive scenario, the success of a brand is measured by its unique identity and experience; thus, fashion communication is gaining artistic dignity.

Regular training in fashion communication is a part of a study at the Bachelor of Fashion.

● Visual Merchandising: In visual merchandising, the fashion designer ideates and creates the most suitabletheme for the product to display. The aim is to attract the viewers and to convert even a disinterested person to a potential buyer. Fashion communication methods like in-store displays, outdoor displays, fashion shows and fashion photography stimulate an impression from the viewer. Innovative displays with themes can include mannequins or models dressed up in a dress category, presented in an appropriate environment.

●  Styling: Styling sets the platform for effective presentation of fashion products through several media. The stylist decides on the optimal design for the display. He/she should have a good knowledge of media to exhibit the product efficiently to the potential buyer.

●  Graphic Design: Graphic design is mostly applicable to print and digital media. Awareness and knowledge in graphic designing help the designer to provide the best insight and ideas for making an impressive presentation. The colours, patterns, balance of elements and the highlights checked and approved for the sake of reliable results.

●Public Relation: In fashion, beyond creativity and exceptional design, collaboration and networking help in establishing a designer in the industry. Public relations depend on the skill to network and bring people together. It involves planning, organizing, and meetings with clients, partners and collaborators who make the fashion business successful.

●Creative Writing: Creative writing is essential for successful campaigns as words have the power to give meaning. A designer should be well aware of the ways a good copy can make a significant difference in promoting a fashion product, leading to its sale. Therefore, skills in creative writing are necessary that suits fashion and lifestyle industries.

Fashion communication offers a four years programme course that primarily focuses on four major domains, i.e., Graphic Design, Space Design, Fashion Media and Fashion Thinking. The related genres of these major areas use hand and digital skills through knowledge, application and practice-based approach.

Fashion communication graduates, after completion, of course, emerge as influential professionals, qualified to offer useful and financially attainable communication solutions for the fashion industry. Apart from the fashion communication course, industrial design, fashion design and communication design courses in India or elsewhere can also opt under Bachelor of Fashion.

Fashion Designing - Create your style

“It seems that true luxury lies in freedom from needing that red-bottom shoe, that handbag with all the tiny initials and big price tag, or the latest trend to know that a person truly matters. True luxury seems to lie in the separation of confidence and materialism.”

Fashion designing is considered as one of the most creative fields, as it involves the art of applying design, aesthetics and natural elegance to clothing and its accessories. The designers conduct analytical research on the latest trends to create a wholly different and original model of their own. These specific designs are used by manufacturers, and other content creators, to enhance their existing collection.

Fashion Designing as a profession and a full-time degree course has been considered by a lot of people in today's modern era. There are a lot of fashion designing colleges which act as a medium for the creative minds, aspiring to make a way into the fashion industry.

The skillset of a fashion designer:

As fashion designing is completely dedicated to creating a lifestyle with the right clothes, it requires someone who has an artistic and creative personality. Apart from this, there are a few specific skills which are needed to become a good designer. Candidates who are interested in pursuing a fashion design degree need to keep in mind the below-given requirements;

●       Creativity and artistic taste

●       Good communication skills

●       Sensitivity to colours, shades and tones

●       Originality and innovativeness

●       Interest in sketching

●       Eye for detail

●       Visual imagination

●       Observation

●       Ability to think in three-dimensions to translate visualisation into garments

All these factors, if possessed, can turn a common man into a fashion design expert, with a lot of potential for his/her future.

With the current popularity and the growth that has been observed in the industry, the number of colleges offering fashion designing courses in Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore and other parts of the country have gone to reach a high number.

Various fashion designing colleges have been offering degree courses for all students, starting from an undergraduate degree, to a Master degree as well as a diploma.

Let's list down the programmes accordingly;

UG Programs :

●       BDes Fashion Design

●       BA (Hons) Fashion Design

●       BSc Fashion Design

●       BSc Fashion Design & Technology

PG Programs:

●       MDes Fashion Design

●       MA Fashion Design

●       MBA in Fashion Design Management

●       MBA in Fashion Management

●       MSc Fashion Designing

●       MSc Fashion Design & Technology

Diploma Programs:

●       Diploma in Fashion Design

●       Undergraduate Diploma in Fashion and Apparel Design

●       PG Diploma Fashion Design

●       Certificate Course in Fashion Design

●       Certificate in Fashion Styling

A student can choose from any of the courses mentioned above, and set himself a great future in the world of fashion.

Lets now see, what are the designation or job opportunities that are open for a fashion designer after the completion of their degree.

Fashion Design Career and Jobs:

When a person decides to join the industry on a professional level, he/she must keep in mind that, there has to be an immense and in-depth knowledge about various fabrics, weaves, draping qualities, colours, and most importantly the changing trends in the current world.

There are a few job profiles listed below, which can be considered by any aspiring fashion designer;

●       Fashion Marketer

●       Fashion Concept Manager

●       Quality Controller

●       Technical Designer

●       Fashion Consultant/Personal Stylist

●       Fashion Coordinator

●       Fashion Show Organisers

●       Fashion Designer