Children's Web Magazine

So you want to be a Fashion Designer

If you love fashion and are good at art and design. You may have considered a career as a fashion designer.
A fashion designer can design clothes or accessories. Some will concentrate on clothes, others hats, shoes, handbags and so on.
You will need to have a good eye for colour, know about fabrics. Be able to draw your designs either by hand or on a computer. Also you will need to be able to make and cut patterns. The more skills you have the better. You don't have to excel in all of them. But they would be useful to you even sewing is a plus. Remember though in the end you do just need the essentials required.
You will have to take either a degree in fashion or a diploma course. If necessary you can do a foundation course to begin with before moving on to a diploma or degree course. You will need to find out what qualifications regarding A levels and the equivalent are in order to get in to your chosen college.
Fashion design is a popular and competitive career. Few people become a top designer in their own right. The majority work for someone else. Many will design for companies that design for the stores in the high street.
Fashion designers have to work towards the future. They normally work a couple of seasons ahead. This means predicting styles, colours, patterns in advance. A lot of thought, research and discussion will go into this. They will make samples of their designs to see how they look on the person. They can then decide to scrap them or alter them accordingly.
Their work is shown at fashion shows and therefore has to be ready on time so being able to work to a deadline is essential. This can bring about long hours although the hours will usually be 9am to 5pm depending on who you are working for.
© Children's Web Magazine 2008