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A fashion designer smiles as she measures the waist of one of her designs

What is Fashion Design?

Fashion design is an umbrella term that covers many different aspects of the world of fashion. Most often, fashion design means any position having to do with the creation of new styles of clothing.

How do You Become a Fashion Designer?

The world of fashion is based on who you know. The only criteria to be a fashion designer is to have designs that people will pay you for. There are many ways to facilitate this process, however. The world of fashion is quite organized and consolidated in many aspects of its administration. This leaves room for freelancers and local fashion designers; however, if you are looking to take a brand nationally or internationally, you definitely need a certain type of accreditation.

What Kind of Education is Required?

In order to get the taste makers of the fashion world to take you seriously, you must usually attend an accredited fashion school. There are many different accreditations based on the geographic location of the school that you choose. It is also helpful to obtain an internship with an established fashion company. You will gain valuable contacts and insider information that will help you to understand the trends and politics of the fashion world.

Depending on the specialty in which you would like to focus your efforts, there are many different types of education. For instance, merchandising usually requires some type of business degree, along with knowledge of the art of fashion. If you are looking to become a tailor, you must learn the ins and outs of the mechanical processes of fashion.

What Steps Should be Taken?

In order to break into the fashion world, you should first take classes to decide upon your specialty. Once you have determined the kind of job you would like inside of the fashion industry, you can work towards an accreditation in that specialty. After that, you should work for an established company as an intern or as an administrator so that you can gain the right contacts to properly give your ideas a fair shake in the industry.

What Makes a Successful Fashion Designer?

A successful fashion designer has the ability to compromise based upon the tastes of the mainstream. A successful fashion designer is able to navigate the internal politics of the fashion world in order to see an idea through to the end. Most of all, a successful fashion designer has an unwavering dedication to the craft of making people look good.

Last Updated: April 15, 2015