“It’s a beautiful thing when a Career and a Passion come together”
BE A DESIGN THINKER
The glamour. The fame. The art of creative details. Becoming a fashion designer promise all this and more. Fashion designing has become highly competitive today. If you want to pursue a career in this industry, you will have to work harder and develop several other skills. It is not only about getting a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, but also about Visual Arts, General Design and even Graphic Design knowledge. Fashion design is the applied art devoted to the designing of clothing and lifestyle accessories. This art is influenced by cultural and social attitudes and has evolved over time and place. If you have a penchant for creativity, style and originality, a career in fashion designing is the one tailor made for you. On one hand, the fashion industry satisfies both the creative fancies and the materialistic needs of the people. On the other hand, it promises success and a high pay package to the talented people.
DEGREE GUIDE IN FASHION DESIGNING
U.G | P.G. | CERTIFICATE |
B.VOC | M.VOC | DIPLOMA |
B.DESIGN | M.DESIGN | AD.DIPLOMA |
B.SC | M.B.A | P.G. DIPLOMA |
Career options for opening the doors of the fashion world
- FASHION DESIGNER
Fashion designers need no introduction! We are all familiar with their work and idolize fashion designers like Sabyasachi, Manish Malhotra, Masaba etc. Bollywood has always been a key element which introduces fashion to the masses and Indians are no strangers to this ever booming market. However, if you are someone living under a rock, let me clarify that fashion designers create original clothing, footwear, jewellery, accessories etc. They sketch the designs, select fabrics, patterns and textures and style outfits and looks.
- FASHION STYLIST
The best job profile according to me, and also one of the toughest. As a stylist, it is your job to pick the right pieces from anyone’s wardrobe or from a designer’s collection, which would suit the client’s character, body type, the kind of occasion the dress is getting selected for. The stylist also suggests the kind of makeup, accessories, hairstyles to make the overall look a smashing success. Big time bollywood celebrities hire stylists on a regular basis for red carpet events and parties. Stylists are also in demand for creating and organizing wedding trousseau, for models, photographers, influencers, magazines etc.
- FASHION MAGAZINE/FASHION BLOGGER
You can pursue a career in writing for a fashion magazine or become an independent fashion blogger. There are scores of fashion magazines, who are always on the lookout for fresh new talent and you can be their newest find! Fashion editors and bloggers earn a lot of money for their generated content and invaluable fashion tips and hacks. You can also deliver your ideas in the form of videos, articles or stories on your social media. Influencers on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube earn a lot based on their views, likes and subscribers. So if you think you have what it takes to become a fashion icon, you too can start your own handle.
RETAIL BUYER
As a fashion designer, you gain a good insight as to what clothes will work with the Indian/Western/Global fashion market. The kind of colors, silhouettes and designs which are trending, or which are predicted for the oncoming fashion season, is something fashion designers are privy to. As a retail buyer, you can start your own store, and source the best options (designer, local, self made, etc) this is a great business idea and can never go wrong in India.
RETAIL MANAGER
A job as a retail manager in a departmental store, fashion boutique or big brands such as ZARA or Lifestyle etc. can be highly satisfactory. A retail manager is responsible for setting daily targets for the staff, ensuring that promotions and marketing gimmicks work smoothly, customer satisfaction etc. He or she also heads the human resources and finance department in smaller enterprises.
- TEXTILE DESIGNER
As the name suggests, they are responsible for designing 2D patterns, both repititive and unique for knit patterns, weave and printed fabrics etc. These fabrics maybe used in interiors as soft furnishing or to make clothes. Textile designers work both independently or as part of a design team in both indusrial and non industrial settings. They use CAD to develop patterns and textures and must be abreast with all the technological advancements and new innovations in fabrics and materials.
- JEWELLERY / FOOTWEAR DESIGNER
As a fashion designer, jewellery and footwear are right up your alley. Recent trends have shown the jewelry and footwear market as independent of clothes. They are a whole new market in their own right, and thus a very lucrative design field to go into! We all know that one can never have enough shoes, and thus being a footwear designer is a never ending job scope, with the plusses of being surrounded by beautiful shoes and heels.
- MAKE UP ARTIST
Make up goes hand in hand with fashion. It is imperative to pair the right makeup with the right outfit to achieve an overall diva look. As fashion designers undergo severe grooming, styling, skincare and makeup workshops, they can opt for a career as a make up artist. These artists are different than beauticians, as they do not take up normal beauty treatment jobs. Make up artists are hired for fashion events, weddings, pre wedding photoshoots, bridal makeup, for models and celebrities. Make up artists these days also diversify as youtubers, giving out make up advice as tutorials on the internet.
- FASHION MODEL
Yes! A lot of times, fashion designers become models and are seen wearing their own creations. Poise, personality and panache is what you need to become a model. You can become a freelance model or start working with an agency who will connect you to the best brands, designers, photographers, etc. which can land you your big break. The option of ramp model or print media modelling is also open. Needless to say, being a model is a fun and fulfilling job, with lots of perks and excitement. It is also an exhaustive job, but one with high returns!
- COMPUTER AIDED DESIGNER
Computer-aided designers in the fashion industry use computer software to create sketches and other designs used to create clothes, accessories, shoes, intimate apparel, and more. Computer-aided design or “CAD” is fast becoming the future of sketching in the fashion industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a growing number of fashion designers translate hand sketches to the computer, which allows designers to view designs of clothing on virtual models and in various colors and shapes. This saves time by requiring fewer adjustments of prototypes and samples later.
OTHER ROLES INCLUDE
Visual Merchandiser, Apparel production manager, fabric buyer, fabric quality control manager, show room sales representative, illustrator, cutting assistant and outside sales representative. Those interested in a career in fashion designing can also become entrepreneurs and form their own companies.
RITU SHARMA SONI
(ASSISTANT PROFESSOR – DEPARTMENT OF FASHION DESIGN)