How To Start a Career In Fashion Design?

Are you interested in the fashion industry? Do you want to start a career in fashion design? Then, let me help you to become a fashion designer.

But first, we begin let’s understand how the fashion industry works.

The working of the fashion industry

Fashion design is an art dedicated to clothing and natural beauty in wearable or otherwise.

Fashion Designer work in a variety of different ways when designing their piece and accessories such as rings, bracelets, neckless, and earnings due to the time required to put them on the market.

However, the fashion industry is not only for the ladies, but it is very much for gents as well.  Designers also create clothes, accessories and shoes. In addition, designers are responsible for individual garment finishing, shape, colour, fabric and more…

Fashion designers create designs, but there is much more than just creating designs and selecting materials, producing prototypes, choosing themes, and overseeing production and marketing.

• Developing design: Digital tools like computer-aided design (CAD) programs are used in the fashion industry. If you are into computers and are interested in the Fashion industry, using these tools can be one of the ways to enter the fashion arena. CLO3D is one of the best fashion design tools to start with.
• Materials and prototypes: The designer can make design sketches and choose a fabric to make a prototype. Prototypes help refines production during new product information before manufacturing.
• Choose themes: Fashion show themes have revolutionized the fashion industry. If the designer chooses a perfect theme, it helps to highlight pieces in the fashion show.
• Overseeing production: Fashion designers do not manufacture their designs Directly. Instead, They contract to manufacture housing and skilled labours to handle the production process. As a result, fashion designers typically manage the production process.
• Marketing: Fashion marketing is advertising clothing and accessories to the desired target. Marketing helps boost sales and profit as well as build brand awareness.

Type of designers in the fashion industry

Fashion design is a broad category, and here we find many designers.

• Ready To Wear Designer, also known as a Pret-a-porter designer, this designer creates an outfit with correct materials and presentation and manufactures their clothes.
• Footwear Designers create new shoes like sneakers, flats or high heels. Employees who work in this field typically follow apparel trends to ensure they match well with the shoe designs they create
• Accessory Designers create jewellery, like bracelets, earrings and necklaces or accessories like scarves, hats, handbags and glasses. They typically visit design conventions or other related industry events to meet with manufacturers to purchase individual materials and pieces to build whole accessory designs.
• Sportswear Designer activewear may refer to garments intended to provide a combination of esthetic, style, comfort, and functionality in a less competitive mode, such as casual wear and exercise. Examples of activewear products include parkas, hoodies, pants, and crew neck fleece sweaters.
• Makeup Artist takes care of the skincare, hairstyling, grooming, and anything related to an additional body appearance. Makeup artists are hired for weddings, pre-wedding photoshoots, bridal makeup, fashion events, celebrities, and models.
• Apparel designers focus on creating various clothing items for customers. As a result, they have Different styles for consumers worldwide. From celebrity dresses to worker’s uniforms.
• Haute couture Designers usually have a smaller clientele, as they regularly work with the same customers to take measurements and design clothing pieces for upcoming events according to the client’s specific style and preferences.

Career Opportunities In fashion Design

When it comes to jobs and career opportunities, the fashion industry offers a lot of possibilities. Let’s look at some of them.

• Retail Seller is responsible for planning, selecting, and purchasing quantities, goods and merchandise sold in detail.
• Retail Managers are responsible for day to day running of a store, intending to maximise profits while minimising costs, as a retail manager.
• Fashion Stylist uses their creative skills to produce visually appealing displays, photoshoots or outfits. Fashion stylist work for individuals, fashion houses and clothing brands.
• Textile designers create a two-dimensional design that can be used, Often as a repeat design, In the production of knit, weave and printed fabrics or textile products.
• Jewellery designer plans and create a pattern for rings, necklaces, bracelets and other accessories.
• Footwear designers create new designs and sample patterns for men, women’s and children’s footwear.
• Personal Shoppers may visit and make purchases in malls, department stores and grocery stores on behalf of their customers.
• Makeup Artist is responsible for visually transforming people’s appearance via makeup, paint, Wings and other accessories.
• Fashion Models walk along a catwalk, turning to display clothes in front of an audience.

Top fashion designers in India

Here are some of the leading fashion designers in India

• Manish Malhotra -Manish Malhotra is an Indian fashion designer, couturier, costume stylist, entrepreneur, filmmaker, and revivalist based in Mumbai, India. Malhotra has been felicitated with Priyadarshini Memorial Award for contributing to the fashion industry. In addition, Filmfare introduced the Filmfare Award for Best Costume Design in 1996 to acknowledge Malhotra for his styling and designing work in the film Rangeela (1995).
• Sabyasachi – Sabyasachi Mukherjee is an Indian fashion designer, jewellery designer, retailer and couturier from Kolkata, India. Sabyasachi got awarded Best Designer of Hindustan at the MTV Lycra Style Awards—Society Achievers Award for the best new Indian designer.
• Sobia Nazir-Sobia Nazir is Pakistan’s most diverse designer fashion brand with prêt a porter, couture, lawn, and embroidered fabrics. Celebrating different seasons
• Ritu Kumar won the Achievement Award 2012 at the L’oreal Paris Femina Women’s Awards and the Padma Shri from the Government of India in 2013.
• Rohit Bal won the ‘Designer of the Year award at the Indian Fashion Awards in 2006. He also won ‘Designer of the Year’ at the Kingfisher Fashion Achievement Awards 2001.[1] He was awarded the Lakme Grand Finale Designer in 2012.[9] In 2020,
• Manish Arora was awarded the Best Women’s Prêt Designer at first ever Indian Fashion Awards 2004 held in Bombay, and MC2 Diffusion Paris started representing thefor the export business.
• Rahul Mishra won the Indian leg of the International Woolmark Prize, thus representing India and the Middle East at the 2014 International Woolmark Prize Competition in Milan.
• Sandeep Khosla, Neeta Lulla, Abu Jani, and Reza Shariffi won the National Film Award for Best Costume Design in 2002 for their work in the Bollywood film Devdas directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Top Indian Companies in the Fashion Niche

Here is a list of top Indian companies hiring fashion designers:

• Raymonds: Raymond is an Indian branded fabric and fashion retailer. It produces suiting fabric, with a capacity of producing 31 million meters of wool and wool-blended fabric.
• Allen Solly: Allen Solly creates the perfect palette of vibrant colours and designs to suit every celebratory occasion. Allen Solly shirts are designed mainly for men and have a widespread fan base in India and abroad.
• Adidas: Adidas AG is a German manufacturer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sporting goods. In the early 21st century, it was the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second largest (after Nike) worldwide.
• Spyker: Spykar – India’s finest Jeans and casual wear brand for the youth. Explore the best in denim, Shirts, t-shirts, Jackets, Trousers, and Trackpants.
• Pantaloons: Pantaloons, a division of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. It is a preferred fast fashion destination with over 370+ stores spread across 180+ cities & towns in the country.
• AND: AND’s brand vision focuses on providing the modern Indian woman with stylish and comfortable wear that syncs with her person. AND’s clothing collection for women includes the entire spectrum of Western wear – tops for women, dresses for women, and ladies set.
• Bata: Bata India is the largest retailer and leading footwear manufacturer in India. Their collection of sneakers includes trendy designs, durable construction, and comfortable fit, making them ideal for everyday wear.
• Lifestyle: Lifestyle’s inventory consists of several national and international brands. Its categories include Indian and Western apparel, footwear, handbags, beauty products, and fashion accessories for men, women, and children.
• Swarovski: The Swarovski Crystal Business is one of the highest-grossing business units within Swarovski, with a global reach of approximately 3,000 stores in roughly 170 countries and over 29,000 employees.

How to start a career in Fashion design?

Want to start a career in fashion design? Here is the step-by-step process:

Step-1. Complete your bachelor’s degree

A bachelor’s degree in fashion design is a requirement for a fashion designer job in more giant corporates. After completing your 10+2, You must prepare for fashion design college entrance exams.

UCEED, or Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design, is taken by many students seeking admission to UG design courses, including fashion design. IIT Bombay conducts the entrance exam, covering as many as 24 colleges.

The best fashion designing colleges in India include:

• National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)
• Army Institute of fashion design Bengaluru
• Symbiosis Institute of fashion design, Pune
• Pearl Academy, New Delhi
• Visva Bharati University – Visva-Bharati
• MSU Baroda – Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda

Step-2-Create a fashion designer resume

After graduating, you require to gain hands-on experience in the fashion industry. You are required to bolster your portfolio with a strong fashion design resume. Your resume is required to include your educational background, professional experience, skills and links to your portfolio.

Step-3-Gain hands-on practice in the fashion industry

To become a fashion designer, you are required to gain hands-on practice more & more.

First, you are required to connect with fashion designers. Then, you can look for internship opportunities with organizations and experienced fashion designers mentioned above. It will help you gain practical job skills and understand the industry.

Step-4-Create a portfolio

To start a career in fashion design, you must begin a digital portfolio of your design as early as possible.

Show samples of your designer clothes, dream projects, best work samples, prototypes or coursework. Require to be a make portfolio. Your digital portfolio demonstrates your skills, style and future potential.

Step-5-Build a professional network.

Networking is a crucial step in becoming a fashion designer. You will find better clients over time and word-of-mouth publicity. So your network is your asset.

Further, one should network with other fashion designer aspirants and professional fashion designers. Also, attend all fashion shows, and join professional groups related to the fashion industry to have positive relationships with your co-workers.

Frequently Asked Questions