A Fashion Designer’s Road to Runway

The field of fashion is notorious for being high walled. Success in proportion to hard work is not guaranteed in this domain. However, despite the trials and tribulations of this field, more and more people are aspiring to become fashion designers. The field of fashion allows one to confront the limits of their creativity and challenge their minds to birth ideas that stand out. Contrary to popular perception, fashion design is not limited to sewing clothes. While the skill of sewing and cutting fabric is an integral task, the canvas of a fashion designer is broader and requires one to commit to a vision and execute it to materiality. How to become a clothing designer is not simply a concern of skill, but a concern of vision. 

Beginners face various pertinent questions when they contemplate a career in the fashion industry. Questions like how to become a fashion designer or how to become a successful fashion designer need to be answered so that one can make an informed choice. Fashion designers are supposed to have a vision through which they can ideate styles, trends, and create clothes that are a testament to their exquisite innovation and design. Moreover, one also needs to have comprehensive information about the courses and degrees one needs to successfully complete in order to be identified as a fashion designer. 

The world of fashion is undoubtedly glamorous, glittering, and glorious, but it also involves relentless effort, diligent hard work, unwavering focus and an unbeatable spirit. It can be one of the most rewarding professions if one understands the nuances required to be successful in the field. Once the myth of the impenetrability of the fashion industry is broken, one can begin their journey from fashion design to the runway. 

Path to Becoming a Fashion Designer 

Fashion Design has evolved as an educational field and has grounded itself in the academic sphere. Multifarious courses are available in the domain ranging from fashion design, to fashion marketing, fashion sales, stylist, textile designer etc. However, fashion design has remained the most popular course. It is natural for any beginner to ask themselves how can I become a fashion designer?

The answer to this daunting question can be given systemically by introducing detailed steps to become a fashion designer. 

• Begin Early to Gain Momentum- 

If one realises early on in their educational life that they would like to pursue fashion design as a profession, they must begin to work upon the required creative and technical skills to get a headstart and increase their chances of being accepted to undergraduate courses in fashion design at prestigious institutes. Most institutes require applicants to have completed their schooling from a recognised institution as a basic eligibility criterion. 

• Conduct Research about Entrance Exams and Plan Ahead-

A fashion design aspirant must shortlist a few institutes of choice in the native country or abroad and progress with their application accordingly. Indian institutes may require aspirants to have qualified entrance examinations to be eligible for undergraduate courses in fashion design. Students aspiring to pursue their degree in fashion design from abroad may also need to score appropriately in the IELTS or TOEFL examinations. Many universities also require the applicant to have a creative and unique portfolio on the basis of which admissions are granted. Aspirants should create a portfolio that expresses their unique sense of aesthetics, creativity, and innovation in order to stand out from the crowd. 

• Pursue a Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design-

While it is not mandatory for all fashion designers to have graduated in fashion design, most firms and fashion houses prefer candidates who are graduates in fashion design. An undergraduate course would provide one with a sturdy foundation in visual arts, drawing, painting, fashion history, fashion management, etc. It would also teach one how to start a fashion designing business, and manage a fashion house and a runway. Thorough knowledge of painting, photography or other visual arts can improve one’s skills as a fashion designer, allowing them to conceive holistic designs and create exclusive outfits. It may also be fruitful for aspirants to have knowledge of art history since fashion is a form of art. 

• Pursue Diploma or Other Short Courses in Fashion Design-

If one wants to become a fashion designer, one can find grounding by pursuing shorter courses in the field that take less time than a bachelor's degree while providing the necessary skills and proficiency. Depending upon the level of expertise one wishes to gain in the field and from which point in their career, a person is starting, programmes are offered with varying intensity and timeline but a diploma remains a preferred choice for mid-career professionals or someone who wishes to switch into this domain. 

• Networking- 

If there is any profession where success and fame depend the most upon networking skills, it is fashion design. One’s ability to share their creations with others and build networks through meaningful conversations and interpersonal relationships is crucial in fashion design. Meeting people who think alike can also boost one’s confidence and provide validation in times of self-doubt. It is the dream of every fashion designer to reach a stage where they are known for their creations and have carved their own niche in the competitive fashion industry. Networking is the one fundamental skill that answers the timeless question- how to become a famous fashion designer?

How to become a good fashion designer 

While relevant qualifications and documentation are significant to begin one’s journey in the world of fashion design, they are not enough. Qualifications can help one secure admission or get hired for a job, but it is their sense of creativity and artistic sensibility that will sustain them and help them rise through the ranks. In order to become a good fashion designer, one needs to hone their drawing, painting, marketing, sales, and sewing skills. It is not necessary for one to have an innate sensibility for the art of fashion. One can always learn the skills required to become a fashion designer and cultivate their artistic sensibility by learning from other designers and gaining comprehensive knowledge about the history of fashion. 

• Unbridled Imagination- 

Most people struggle and do not know How to start fashion designing. However, the first and foremost requirement for becoming a popular fashion designer is having a sense of curiosity and creativity. The role of a fashion designer is to conceive ideas that translate into clothing or accessories and denote something bigger than the objects themselves. The soul of the material lies in the design, the idea, or the conception. A fashion designer should let their imagination run unbridled so that they can produce designs that challenge existing norms of fashion and evolve new trends in the industry. 

• Experimental Spirit-

All art is an experiment at every moment. Anything that is original is by default experimental. Every original brush stroke is made with the hope that it will complement the painter’s idea, and every original note is composed with the hope that it will coalesce with the melody. Experimentation is what births originality and helps an artist carve their own niche in this colossal world. As an art, fashion design is also experimental. The spirit of experimentation should be fundamental in every fashion designer and they must never hesitate to think out of the box, even if the idea appears to be absurd at the first instance. One must persevere and refine the idea to take a shape where it can be widely understood and valued. 

• Hone One’s Visual Art Acumen- 

Fashion design is a visual art where the primary sense of the designer comes from vision, besides tactile inputs. Therefore, it bodes well for a fashion design aspirant to hone his/her drawing and painting skills. A fashion designer ought to know colour theory and have a good grasp on perspective in drawing. A sharp sense of texture can be the cherry on top of the cake and help one create spectacular garments. 

• Find Out Your Niche-

As previously discussed, the fashion industry is massive and there are various roles that a fashion designer can assume. However, it is always preferable for any artist to develop their own style of art so that their individuality and originality can be highlighted even in an overpopulated industry. People can decide whether they wish to design masculine, feminine or androgynous clothing, they can also narrow down their niche on the basis of age or style. One can also choose to be a fashion designer exclusively for occasions like weddings or activities like athletics and leisure. A budding fashion designer must also decide whether they want to cater to luxury and couture requirements or design affordable brand resonating fashion for mass consumption. 

Conclusion 

There is no doubt that the fashion industry is only going to get more competitive every year. It is a multi-billion dollar industry that promises a lucrative and glamorous career once an individual carves their own niche in the industry. Ample information is available online on how to get into fashion design, helping students envision their prospects. 

A strong design portfolio should be one’s priority if they are aiming to enroll into a good fashion design institute. A portfolio is a reflection of one’s artistic vision and conveys the fundamental characteristics of an individual and their imagination. Hence it is the most important document for a fashion designer. One must display the range of their skills in the portfolio and keep it updated according to contemporary fashion trends and expectations. Expertise in the drawing is not mandatory since a lot of design today is carried out by computer software. People aspiring to become fashion designers should also secure fundamental knowledge about these design software and gain expertise over time. Students already enrolled in undergraduate fashion design courses should actively pursue internships to improve their prospects of landing a lucrative job and expanding their network.