Fashion and Styles

what to know to be a fashion designer

2008-12-22T20:42:00.000-08:00

When you are interested in pursuing a career in fashion design, you should explore what some of the principles of fashion design are, before you can truly understand the depth of this occupation. With the principles of fashion design mastered, you may be on your way to creating designs that surpass even the brilliant minds of Calvin Klein, Armani, Ralph Lauren, Versace, as well as Dolce & Gabbana.

Fashion designers, who have mastered the principles of fashion design, go on to create the trends that we see displayed at fashion shows, and featured in magazines, such as InStyle and Vogue. The designs could be as serious as the times or as sexy as they want to be. The principles of fashion design do evolve with the changing tastes of society. Sometimes it is up to fashion designers to give consumers a little nudge in the right direction, as far as seasonal colors, trends and style go. More than often, fashion designers must pay attention to the changing desires on the streets. Many times designers are able to draw from the public when searching for ideas to use with respect to the current principles of fashion design.

The principles of fashion design come into play when a designer sits down to create a sketch of their latest creation. The principles always state that every creation starts with a sketch. A special desire to create a certain type of garment may exist, or maybe the idea surfaced from outside contact involving street trends. Inspiration comes in many different ways, with designers drawing from the past, movies, magazines, as well as current events.

When the sketch becomes a visual on a computer screen, numerous principles of fashion design are incorporated. Design software creates a graphic, which patternmakers and tailors can follow in order to develop a sample. This is when a designer can see their ideas and creations in the flesh. This will then give them a chance to alter things that do not materialize in the way that they expected. If the designer is successful in incorporating the principles of fashion design with this experience, they may produce a sample suitable for acceptance into a clothing line.

A successful designer should know how to perform a variety of tasks in order to prosper in the business. Designers should know how to sketch their ideas; create patterns; choose relevant fabrics, materials and colors; work with other designers; be able to communicate with other production employees; as well as attend fashion shows and be aware of the latest fashion trends.

When deciding upon a career in fashion design, as individual should know that in order to master the principles of fashion design, they should possess additional skills that would make life easier for a designer. Some of the skills needed to truly make an impression in the business is reading, writing, math skills; the ability to speak and listen; knowledge of computers; good problem-solving and decision-making skills; as well as a positive attitude. Keeping these principles and skills of fashion design in mind allows the chance of success to greatly increase.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Todd

HISTORY OF FASHION DESIGN

2008-08-02T11:51:00.000-07:00

The realm of fashion design, by its sheer glamour and grace, has always been exciting and intriguing. When we talk of fashion design, it implies a form of art that incorporates the nuances of creating clothes and accessories.

The history of fashion design can be traced back to the beginning of the19th century when the designs were the product of the dresses worn in the royal courts. Eventually, Charles Frederick Worth, the first fashion designer, set up his first fashion house in Paris. His designs greatly influenced the people and they labeled them as the designs of the "House Of Worth." As a result, a designer became synonymous with a particular brand.

Another important designer who made a significant contribution to the evolution of the fashion was Paul Poi Ret. He blended the classical style consisting of aesthetic dressing with Paris fashion. Other important designers of this age were Patou, Vionnet, Fortuny, Lanvin and Chanel.

Throughout the 20th century, Paris remained the world's fashion hub, with countries such as the US and Britain openly aping the French designs. The post World War era saw the emergence of other countries as the centers of fashion and Paris ceased to be the sole influential factor. The rising British fashion industry brought a new range of street fashion focusing mainly on the young consumers.

Later, American designers such as Calvin Klein And Ralph Lauren came to the fore with their sportswear and made it a style statement. Today, fashion designs can be categorized into two main categories. The haute couture is designed for individual customers. The other category is the ready-to-wear collection. While the former is based on certain themes and is more for creating a style statement, the latter is meant for the masses.

The mid-90s saw the emergence of a new breed of designers who redefined traditional concepts. They looked at fashion from a new angle, creating their own new concepts.

Thus, the world of fashion design has witnessed a steady evolution over the years and has been the by-product of the sincere efforts of many of the top designers.

Fashion Design provides detailed information on Fashion Design, Fashion Design Schools, Fashion Design Programs, Fashion Design Games and more. Fashion Design is affiliated with Fabric Hammocks.

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how to become a designer

2008-06-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

You know you're destined to be a fashion designer if you have spent most of your childhood making clothes for your Baby dolls instead of playing with your peers
You read fashion magazines instead of your school books also ran a boutique out of your base at the tender age in your life.
In other words: if you want to be the next one of the best designer in the world , it helps to be completely and utterly obsessed with fashion trends .
However, there are many aspects of the profession, Working as a fashion designer can just as well mean well supervising your team of designers at the company producing lots of label under your own name.
Although the former career may not seem as glamorous as the latter, it certainly will make your life less stressful.
To create your own label takes a lot of time, dedication and hard work. Not to mention living just above the poverty line for several years.
Please the best time to start is now because to be successful in fashion industry is a serious business for details post your comment on this blog

Jewelry and Fashion by Steve Hill

2008-06-25T04:59:00.000-07:00

Since nearly the dawn of time jewelry has played a very important role in fashion. Typically speaking, jewelry is what tops off the outfit that you are wearing. Whether you add a lot or just one simple piece, the jewelry that you wear accents your clothing in a way that nothing else can. The visual impact is a very important element of fashionable jewelry and what designers always have in mind when they are creating the pieces of jewelry that we see. Simplicity and elegance are also important when choosing jewelry and are trends that have never gone out of style in the fashion world.

The jewelry that we see and wear today has changed significantly over the past few years for both men and women alike. A more classy and elegant look that is comfortable as well as stylish is becoming more and more popular in the fashion world.

As fashion changes each season, so does the jewelry that accompanies it. With the many developments in technology over the past few decades the jewelry market has become increasingly popular. With faster equipment, jewelry can now be cut and designed much more efficiently and given a much more delicate and sophisticated look than ever before. If you keep up with the fashion industry then you will notice the delicate pieces that are worn by models when they hit the runways with the new Spring or Fall lines. Jewelry plays an important role in fashion even during the creation phase.

Due to the efficiency of jewelry making today, costume jewelry has made its resurrection into the fashion world. Along with this have also come many new and more durable metals which provide many more options for those wearing them. No longer is pure gold the metal of choice. There are now other metals such as platinum and titanium that are very beautiful and are far less expensive in many cases. This gives jewelry lovers the opportunity to add to their jewelry wardrobe and have many choices of what to wear with different clothing. Designers are using these new metals to craft ornaments that are typically worn with gold. These pieces are highly popular and give much needed accents for many otherwise bland or even boring clothing ensembles.

Changes in the fashion industry will definitely have an impact on the jewelry styles and designs that we see. Looking over the past few decades, we can see that each time a new clothing style becomes popular a new jewelry style is introduced as well. Trends in the jewelry market change rapidly as they will reflect the ideals of fashion at a specific moment in time. Brooches and illuminating earrings have become a popular choice once again.

Just as fashion is often resurrected, so are jewelry designs. If you will notice, the clothing styles of the 1950s and 1960s made quite a comeback recently. Jewelry designs from these eras were reintroduced as well. Keeping up with the fashion industry in general will give you some idea as to where the jewelry industry is heading as well. Just as the stones in jewelry which are predominant have changed, other aspects have changed as well. It is a continuous circle. Jewelry trends set the stage for different fashions with their individual styles and designs just as clothing styles do for the fashion world. The two are virtually synonymous. One works with the other to produce a look that works. Whether you are typically someone who enjoys wearing large and overbearing jewelry, or you prefer a more delicate and feminine approach, it is likely that your choice of jewelry and your taste of clothing are highly similar in design, style, size and even color selections.

About the Author

Steve Hill is a webmaster from Birmingham, he has interests in a number of websites including: stuttering Jewelry in fashion hgh

Fashion Design Skills 101: Skills That Fashion Schools Don't Cover Nearly Enough by Natalie Nizhny

2008-06-25T04:43:00.000-07:00

n fashion school, most of your time was spent learning to create fashion illustrations, draping, sewing, and flat patternmaking. While these are good skills to have, they aren't very practical when you're trying to land your first job in the fashion industry. In the real world you'll be expected to know how to create computerized flat sketches, develop garment specs, CADs, and presentation boards. And I know some of you are thinking "But I learned those things in school too!" To which I reply: You think you know, but you have no idea! Take it from experience: fashion schools don't focus on those skills nearly enough to fully prepare you for your first design position. In this article I will discuss each skill and its importance in the fashion industry.

Draping and Patternmaking - Low Importance
While patternmaking and draping are valuable skills, they usually only come in handy when you deal with a lot of fits. However, fittings are usually conducted by technical design teams so if you got into fashion for creative reasons, you'll most likely be miserable in this type of position. On the creative side of design, all you need is a basic understanding of what creates a good fit, and how to fix a bad one. In the majority of design positions, hands-on patternmaking skills are not necessary, unless you plan to enter Project Runway!

Sewing - Low Importance
On the creative side of design, sewing isn't that relevant. Yes, it's good to understand the general concepts of garment construction, but you don't need to be a great seamstress. On the job, if you need to know how a certain garment is constructed, there are tons of references available: from clothes at the stores, to "how to" books and online articles. The point I'm trying to make is: if you're sewing skills leave something to be desired, don't stress over it.

Illustration - Almost Unnecessary
Sadly, fashion illustrations are a dying art in the industry - they are scarcely used by designers in the real world. The fashion illustration has been replaced with computer drawn stylized technical sketches (floats) or more accurate technical flats, which are faster to sketch and much more practical. Not only do they present a clear representation of design concept, but they are a must have for production. Flats can be turned into CADs and can be used in mood/presentation boards. Fashion schools have not followed this shift and still focus more heavily on illustrations, and not enough on flat sketching.

Computer Programs - Must Know
I can't stress enough the importance of knowing popular computer applications for creating floats, flats and CADs. Most companies expect proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Microsoft Excel since they are relatively affordable in comparison to more industry specific software. Unfortunately, the coverage of Illustrator and Photoshop provided by fashion schools does not meet the actual demands of the fashion industry. Many companies are also requesting knowledge of WebPDM, so if your college offers a course in this program, it would be to your benefit to take it. If your school does not teach this program, find a school or venue that does offer this program and take it!

Flat Sketching - Must Know
While interviewing candidates for design positions, we've seen applicants' portfolios filled with beautiful illustrations and then say "That's nice, but can you flat sketch?" If flats are included in their portfolios, they are usually basic, lack important details, and are not visually appealing. If the candidates sketches are halfway decent; my next question is "do you know Illustrator and Photoshop? " Almost everyone says yes, but it's usually far from the truth.

A lot of fashion school grads seriously believe that they know these programs well, but what you learned in school isn't enough - fashion schools don't teach these skills well enough for entry level designers to be competent within the fashion industry. Schools just cover basics, which are usually forgotten without practice. Take the extra effort to practice and become comfortable with Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop and other programs beyond what schools teach: read books and take additional courses (offered in either classroom or online settings).

Creating Specs in a Copycat Industry - Must Know
Knowing how to spec (measure and detail) a garment to create garment specifications, or "specs" is a fundamental skill. Many companies create their spec sheets using Excel. Although garment sizes and measurements vary from company to company, depending on different market segments and categories, if you know the principles, you'll be able to quickly adapt to the standards of any company. You don't even need to know how to develop specs from scratch!

As a head designer, to set spec standards for a company, I usually went to different stores, found garments with a good fit and copied the basic measurements. This is quite common - the fashion industry is a copycat industry- most fashions hanging in the stores are knock-offs of another company. Once, during a shopping trip in London, a store salesperson noticed I was a fashion designer collecting style ideas. He mentioned that his store received a constant flow of American design companies such as Calvin Klein, whose designers come to knockoff their merchandise. That's right - even top designer brands use knockoffs for their ready-to-wear collections. There are even official terms: a "knockoff" is when a style is copied and a "rub-off" is when patterns are copied.

Educate Yourself!
Many fashion schools such as FIT in New York (Fashion Institute of Technology) offer important classes like "flats and specs for the fashion industry", but believe it or not, these courses are not required by the curriculum! Another handy course that should be taken is "creative fashion presentation." Salespeople use presentations a lot as visual aids. In addition they create a good impression and convey creativity level. If you can make outstanding presentations you'll be assigned to do them often, and believe me it's more fun to make boards than do fits or send faxes and organize showrooms.

To sum up: in order to get a job before the rest of the entry level fashion design candidates, you need to focus on refining skills that are highly demanded in the industry. Become proficient with flat sketching, include flats in your portfolio, and be extremely comfortable and knowledgeable in Illustrator and Photoshop. Not only will you be ready with the skills you need to succeed in fashion, but discussing how you went the extra mile to keep up with industry standards will definitely impress any prospective employer!

Style An Exciting Career In Fashion Merchandising

2008-06-21T07:12:00.000-07:00

Fashion merchandisers must have the marketing savvy and retail know how to help designers sell their product. They must be able to anticipate trends and consumer preferences, and make sure the merchandise is in stock. Marketing skills and a keen sense of what will sell will set you apart in the world of fashion merchandising.
Jobs:
There are many exciting jobs you might qualify for when you earn a degree in fashion merchandising: You can be a fashion buyer, fashion merchandiser, store manager, or retailer. You might also find a career in areas such as fashion advertising, fashion event planning, or product development. When you earn a degree in fashion merchandising, you can choose the fashion career that is best for you.
Facts:
Employment of advertising, marketing, and sales managers is expected to grow at an above-average pace, between 21% and 35% per year through 2010.
In fashion merchandising, employers seek college graduates with related experience, a high level of creativity, and strong communication skills.
Advertising, marketing, and sales manager jobs are highly coveted and will be sought by other managers, resulting in keen competition.
Training:
You can earn your certificate or bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising. In these programs, you will find a curriculum that provides you with training in all areas of sales and promotions as well courses in retail management and consumer behavior. Additionally, you will learn about the fashion industry and how to work with designers and retailers to best promote their products.
Outlook:
There is a great deal of attention paid to fashion these days, and successfully promoting the products of designers is important to many areas of the fashion industry. Jobs in this market will be competitive. Only the most qualified fashion merchandising professionals will get work in a market where competition has grown over the years. Salaries in this field can widely vary from $50,000 to $100,00+ annually.
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