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Fashion designer tests colors and fabric for potential designs

Do You Have the Right Eye for Fashion Design?

Do you love fashion? Do you enjoy shopping for clothing and combining different pieces with one another? Congratulations, you’ve got the passion for fashion – and that’s the first step. However, you'll need to meet other suggested requirements to make it in the fashion industry.

Knowledge of Trends

Failure to stay up-to-date on trends means that you are likely to struggle as a fashion designer. Knowing what works in the world of fashion is a skill that you need to work at because you must know the right sources to consult. If you are often surrounded by fashion magazines, and you love to check out what the models on the hottest runways are wearing, then you likely have the trend-knowledge that you need.

Intricate Attention to Detail

Clothes are like houses in the sense that if one piece of the foundation is incorrect, the entire piece could fall apart. Stitching on jeans, for example, needs to be seamless, and you can't have a skirt that's perfect in the front and all bunched up in the back. Not only do you need to have precision when you are reviewing the garments, but you also have to be able to edit your own work and critique your own pieces.

Acceptance of Criticism

The fashion world is an intense one, and people have very strong opinions about what they feel fits into the current models. You can't expect that you are going to be perfect from your first days in the industry. People take years, and even decades, to reach the level of some of the world's most famed designers. Taking criticism means that you are building yourself up to a new level and becoming a stronger designer.

Willingness to Relocate

Of course, clothing is needed all over the country and world. If you are looking to craft simple garments that people wear on an every day basis, then you can likely find some job openings wherever you are located. However, those who are interested in the world of high-end fashion will likely need to live near a major city. For some, this commute may already be feasible from their current home, but others must be willing to pack up and live elsewhere.

Understanding of How Clothes Fit

Creating stunning garments is a major goal of your fashion plans. However, if the clothes do not look right on anyone, then they are no good. You need to have an understanding of the human body and the shape and size of the people who will act as your customers. For example, you are going to need to craft clothing of a different shape and fit for a plus-sized line for women as opposed to a line for slim and tall men.

Working in the world of fashion gives you the ability to channel your creative sense and to put art out into the universe. However, you need to understand that fashion is more than a passion; it's hard work too.

Last Updated: April 15, 2015