Fashion designers create original clothing, accessories, and footwear. They sketch designs, select fabrics and patterns, and give instructions on how to make the products they design. For some fashion designers, the first step in creating a new design is researching current fashion and making predictions about future trends, such as by reading reports published by fashion industry trade groups. Other fashion designers create collections using a variety of inspirations, including art media, their surroundings, or cultures they have experienced and places they have visited.
After they have an initial idea, fashion designers try out various fabrics and produce a prototype, often with less expensive material than will be used in the final product. They work with models to see how the design will look and adjust the designs as needed. Although most designers first sketch their designs by hand, many now also sketch their ideas digitally with computer-aided design (CAD) programs. CAD allows designers to see their work on virtual models. They can try different colors, designs, and shapes while making adjustments more easily than they can when working with real fabric on real people.
In order to release either the spring or fall collection, it generally takes 6 months of continuous work, from initial design concept to final production. Designers produce samples with the actual materials that will be used in manufacturing. Samples that get good responses from fashion editors or trade and fashion shows are then manufactured and sold to consumers. The Internet allows independent fashion designers to offer their products outside of traditional brick-and-mortar stores. These designers may license their work, and ship directly to the consumer, without having to invest in a physical shop to showcase their collections.
Meet designer Savannah Yarborough, whose totally bespoke approach takes the rugged individualism of leather jackets to its logical, luxurious end.
The first step of constructing any new design is the muslin mockup. This covers pattern layout, cutting, thread tracing your pieces and then sewing them together to create the basic foundation of the dress.
In a small workshop in Florence, Saskia Wittmer crafts leather shoes that are as unique as each customer. Review this short film that demonstrate how handmade Italian shoes are created. Video by Leila Hussain.
Construction of the fashion house’s iconic bag, named after Grace Kelly, takes 20 to 25 hours at the Hermès atelier in Pantin, a suburb just outside of Paris.
Most fashionable apparel continues to be produced internationally. As a result, to maintain the best chances of employ as a fashion designer, it may be necessary to relocate abroad, especially in major metropolitan areas such as Tokyo, Seoul, Paris, or London. Further, those pplicants who have formal education in fashion design, are proficient in emerging technologies such as CAD and other design software, and have developed original portfolios, will have the best job prospects. Expect strong competition for jobs because of the large number of people who dream of becoming fashion designers.
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