For those individuals who are interested in fashion, considering earning a degree in fashion or another related field can be very beneficial when exploring job choices. Most fashion degrees will teach not only the basics of how to create fantastic, unique pieces, but also how to market yourself and your work. Working in the fashion industry isn’t only about having an eye for style; fashion is a business, with areas just as complex as any other million-dollar business you may encounter.
The most successful fashion designers are adept in illustration, construction, marketing, predicting consumer behavior, and apparel conceptualization. Most fashion schools will have participants working on the same items and with the same time schedule as would happen in the real world. This way, when students graduate, they will be used to meeting tight deadlines, presenting their own unique ideas, working with other designers, and working individually. Students will also typically develop skills working with computer design programs as well as free hand sketching.
Some courses students may take in fashion design programs include industry sewing, technical sketching, pattern drafting, business fashion, computer pattern drafting, and color and design theory, among others. While in these courses, students will begin compiling a portfolio, which is usually presented at the end of the student’s current educational career. The portfolio will contain samples of the student’s expertise in different art forms, and will ultimately prove their mastery of fashion design.
After graduating, most students gravitate towards working in the fashion and textile industry, while others may look in areas such as TV, film, and theatre for costume design. Since the fashion industry is so large, students shouldn’t have a hard time finding a job that appeals to their certain interests. The real task will be exploring all the options that are available. Earning a fashion degree doesn’t mean individuals need to become a fashion designer. Some unique job positions include being a buyer, writing about fashion, and production management.
Buyers work with boutiques or larger companies and shop for products to sell in the store. For instance, you could be a shoe buyer for Belk or a blouse shopper for a local boutique. Fashion writers don’t design clothes, but rather write about the fashion industry as a whole, or a particular area or company. A production manager needs a little more experience working with all areas of the fashion industry. Students who have just graduated shouldn’t consider trying to find a job in this position until they have held multiple positions in different areas and management levels.
Getting a fashion degree will put an individual on the right track to enter this field in at least an entry-level position. Explore all your options when trying to decide which school best fits specific wants and needs. Fashion is a global business; department stores and boutiques are available virtually everywhere, and so are jobs in different areas of fashion.