4 Steps to the Right Fashion Design School for You

Right after taking the major step of deciding to study Fashion, the next big question is: WHERE? There are many design schools available, each with their pros and cons. You might be considering one with better facilities, or one which produces famous couturiers, you might even be thinking about the total amount you will be spending for your education - right down to your transport fees. So how exactly do we figure out which option's the best?

Here's a guide to find out what you'll need to look out for in a Fashion school:

Step 1: Decide on your Dream Job!

First up, it's important to know which career direction you like to adopt. The earlier you figure out what you want to do, the more time you will have to fine-tune and develop skills in your choice of expertise.

These are a few career paths that you can learn about in Fashion Design school:

- Costume Designer/ Coordinator (for Television, Film or Theatre)

- Fashion Designer/ Assistant designer

- Pattern maker

- Fashion Illustrator

- Fashion Merchandiser/ Buyer

- Fashion Stylist

The fashion industry is enormous and is worth hundreds of billions of dollars every year, worldwide. Some might think that the fashion industry is exclusive and hard to break into. But try to get to know your opportunities better before giving into the temptation of settling with a mundane career.

Step 2: Find out Your Dream Job's Responsibilities

Having an ambition is great, but if you want to turn it into reality, you've got to be realistic. Fashion may be a creative field, but employers tend to prefer and respect job candidates who know their responsibilities. To find out your future job description, simply search for your job in a career search engine and you'll see a list of hiring companies. Click on the more reputable-looking ads and collate what they have in common.

Normally, employers would expect a fashion designer to have:

- Proficiency in software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand and CorelDRAW

- A portfolio

- A keen eye for fashion

Knowing what you will need to learn for career purposes will allow you to understand what you see in module guides from school brochures.

Step 3: Look for a Reputable School

You can spend thousands on a certificate, but if it's not recognized, it will be hard or in some cases, impossible to advance your studies. It can even hinder your chances of getting a job in Fashion. Look out for schools that are accredited by the country's education ministry - it will at least ensure that your certificate is recognized in your country. Look out for their track record, find out how their graduates are faring in the fashion industry.

Step 4: Select your Country of Choice

If you have got extra cash to spend, have a good idea of how you are going to repay your student loan, or if you have got yourself a scholarship, consider studying overseas. Choosing to study locally or overseas depends on what you want out of your educational experience, the price of living in the country, how accessible it is and how much you are willing to travel.

Hardcore fashionistas may insist on schooling in elegant/romantic France which produced top notch designers like Issey Miyake, Valentino and Yves Saint Laurent. But if you are up for exotic fashion and culture, the Asia Pacific could be an ideal option with at least half the world's population here.

Verdict

A school is ultimately a place for you to study, develop your portfolio and contacts that will help you in your future career. Choosing a school is like shopping for stuff - you can get branded stuff with lots of quality and recognition that makes you feel good, or you can settle with a school that suits your needs and gets you where you want to be.

Become a Fashion Designer With These Basic Steps

Becoming a fashion designer is a creative journey in uncovering the student's likes and dislikes. Styles and fads come and go and then come around again. This is true of the fashion design industry also, particularly so! The industry is often influenced by the entertainment industry (television, movies, music, etc.) For example, "That 70's Show" gave hippie fashion a new comeback chic. This is true of other movies as well. A great example of this would be "Pirates of the Caribbean" that brought about a huge influx of skull and cross bones designs. The typical pirate symbol, more related to a gothic or punk style, became mainstream after the debut of the movies.

This pop culture influence inspires mass market designers. However, couture fashion designers strive to be the source of the inspiration rather than an imitator. The difference between this can be found in the training of the merchandiser versus the designer. Many aspiring fashion designers choose to go into fashion merchandising. However, these two fields require slightly different curriculum. One will focus on sales, marketing, and business where as the other--fashion design--will focus on creativity and imagination in bringing ideas and concepts to life.

Following middle school, students can choose college preparation courses to direct their educational tracks to their own possible careers. For a student wishing to take the path of a designer of any type, art classes are essential to building the basic knowledge and core concepts that they will use.

High school courses should be selected to assist in building a professional portfolio to show to potential design colleges. By starting their educational planning very early, it is possible for students to make the most of their high school years by focusing on extracurricular activities that will add spice to their college applications. For example, potential fashion designers can take classes not only in art but also specialized math and computer classes, multimedia classes, and drama activities that will allow them to explore different aspects of the fashion world. Some high schools even offer classes in small business ownership or entrepreneurial skills.

For students who end up at the college level and wish to break in to the fashion design industry, it is never too late. Courses in drawing, painting, life drawing, and silkscreen, and color theory, fashion and art history are some of the beginning requirements for any fashion design student. Advanced students of fashion design will continue with patternmaking, sewing basics, advanced sewing techniques, and digital designing.

It is crucial for a fashion design student to have access to this type of basic curriculum in college in order to prepare for the true test of their abilities: their internship. Once the student has taken the basic and advanced courses, it is time for them to specialize in some aspect of the fashion industry. When people think of fashion, they think of runway shows and couture collections. There are fashion centers throughout the world, but most people tend to consider New York City the center of all fashion design. If the college student did not choose a college near a fashion design center, it may be possible for them to choose an internship located in that area. Some other possible internship locations would be Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, and other metropolitan areas.

The best source of internship possibilities will be the college faculty and guidance counselors. It is important to do your homework by researching potential internships; but, they can definitely guide the student to someone that they may not have considered.

The fashion world has its niches. Every designer starts somewhere. They do not just graduate from college and poof have their own design house and their own collections. They were mentored by someone in the business. Some of them were self taught and did not have the opportunity to study in a college environment but learned in the school of hard knocks. Whatever the case, if there is a desire to learn the fashion design business, then there is a way to do it.

Consider working at a place that does alterations or tailoring to build up sewing skills. Consider designing your own clothes. Think of functionality, practicality, body type, personal statements, coloring and fabric choice. Study the masters--who is on the edge of fashion now that you want to emulate? Why do you like their style? What IS your style?

By taking all of these factors into consideration, any student pursuing fashion can find their place in the design world.

Check out television reality stars Vanessa and Angela Simmons' site http://www.pastrykicks.com on the rewards of being a fashion designer.

Janjay Rodger is a editorial reviewer for upcoming fashion designers.