Fashion Design Field
Since the mid-1980s the whole country became more design-conscious. Liberalization and then consequent consumerism have brought in newer opportunities and attitudes to spending money. This, in turn, has meant more opportunities for designers. All manner of products, not just clothes, acquired the designer tag. The term designer is now commonplace. Today our fashion designers are getting recognized internationally. Abroad, the big names have celebrity status. Fashion consciousness is at its height now. The market, the magazines, and the media are all devoting a lot of attention and money to this industry. Top designers of the day have shown the way to the glamorous and successful world of fashion. The most popular domain of the fashion industry is haute couture or high fashion. In addition, there are several cheaper lines such as ready-to-wear, sportswear, accessories, etc. The largest section of the fashion market is the mass market, the wholesale manufacturers. Like the big-name designers, they too often have their house style which their designers have to reflect on the ranges designed.
Fashion field is as dynamic as any other fast expanding field in the world today. Although the opportunities in the field are immense, it has to be noted that the struggle in the field is also tremendous. It takes a large amount of time to get noticed in the field as a budding professional and to make a mark is as difficult. One can only expect to get recognized if there is some sort of support from the industry itself.
PREFERRED SKILLS
It is very important to know if you have the right personal attitudes for the demanding and exciting field of fashion. Ideally an aspiring fashion designer should have an aptitude for visual expression- drawing, cutting, painting, making, exploring colour and texture; an interest in how clothes are made; ability to research information; facility for organizing and analyzing material, trends and making of new clothes, curiosity to observe the environment and people around them for tastes and preferences.
WORK OPTIONS
Apart from the designing of garments and accessories for the high fashion segment or the mass market there are a number of allied fields of work with or without additional training.
Marketing And Merchandising
Marketing helps to provide a link between the manufacturer and the retailer/customer. It involves research and analysis of general fashion trends, and the market competition, product planning, to make sure that the garments produced to meet demand and continue to do so, sales forecasts, advertising, public relations, and promotion. Merchandising, strictly speaking, is the marketing or targeting of products to particular customers or particular sectors of the consumer markets.
Garment Manufacturing Technologists
Garment manufacturing technologists or garment technologists are the bridge between design and manufacture. They take a sample and plan how the garment will be made. If the design proves too complicated or expensive, the garment manufacturing technologist will work with the designer to reach a compromise.
Fashion Writing
Fashion writing can be an excellent alternative career option for a trained fashion professional. Graduates and fashion designers may also train in Fashion Communication.
Fashion Designing
Rather glamorous sounding, but the opportunities are very competitive and limited in fashion designing. It requires that flair and knowledge match with professionalism and sound knowledge of how the industry works. Sometimes it overlaps with display and many freelancers may do both. Fashion illustration and Fashion photography are alternatives for a fashion designer or allied professional since there is no commonly available training for these jobs.
Costume Designers
Fashion Designers may work as costume designers for drama and theatre. Much of the work is on television or with films or theatre. Any idea of the history of fashion and considerable research is important to be successful in this field.
