Sewing is a fundamental skill for any fashion designer. Complete mastery of basic skills of fashion construction–such as navigating a sewing machine–isn’t necessary, but it would behoove any budding designer to develop an intimate knowledge of the craft involved in producing your designs. Knowing about different fabrics and the properties that make them unique will help you better select the right material for your garments.
You can familiarize yourself with the various elements of garment design by touching fabrics, changing the tension of different stitches, and experimenting with embroidery. Take advantage of resources such as technical classes, online tutorials, and craft books that walk you step by step through the https://www.joinleora.com/ construction of a garment. Selecting fabric is an important part of expressing your ideas.
Touch and feel the fabrics you intend to work with; making creative decisions based on only a swatch may limit your ability to understand movement and draping on a human body. Fashion degrees (or lack thereof). Many fashion schools and degree programs in the United States, like Parsons School of Design or Fashion Institute of Technology, have launched the careers of successful designers
These programs give you the tools and training to thrive in the business. However, you don’t need a bachelor’s degree in fashion design to become a top designer. Successful fashion designers without traditional design school degrees include Diane von Furstenberg, Karl Lagerfeld, Michael Kors, Jean Paul Gaultier, Alexander Wang, and Donna Karan.
Pull inspiration from things you are genuinely interested in: music, art, history, architecture, and especially people. With inspiration flowing, use mood boards to organize and edit your thoughts. Your boards can consist of a wide range of visual references, including editorial sources, street style, and photographs (even if they aren’t related to fashion). You can also compile fabrics, textures, colors, style references, and accessories.
While you don’t need a fashion degree to design clothes, it helps to have a fundamental knowledge of art, creation, and the fashion business to get you started as a clothing designer. Take sewing or pattern-making classes if you don’t know how to physically create garments, or take a drawing class if you’re unfamiliar with sketching or computer-aided design. Even classes in fashion history can contribute to your design inspiration. Familiarize yourself with the latest fashion trends by studying current fashion shows and magazines.
Your goal at the beginning of your career is to gain as much experience as you can. Ask questions, reach out to collaborators, and seek out mentors. Look for internships or entry-level positions to get closer to the products you want to create and the customers you hope to serve. If you surround yourself with people who share your excitement and drive, you will push each other to create better products. And most people want to be around others who are excited about what they’re doing.
The first goal of a sketch is to begin visualizing the design in your head. The second goal of a sketch is to create a blueprint for the patternmaker to create your first muslin or prototype. These minimalistic, flat drawings will communicate the technical elements of your idea, including darts and seams, sleeve length, overall length, fit, shape, and more. You can indicate what fabrics might be used for each garment by attaching a swatch to the page. This gives the patternmaker an idea of the weight or stiffness the garment should have, and whether they are printed, patterned, or solid.