The fashion world has long been filled with glitz and glamour. The ramp for models is always long, dramatic, and well-lighted. The walk is certainly a walk for fame, fortunately for aspirants but sometimes leading to a walk for shame. Who is behind all these promises and/or even breakdowns? No less than the fashion designers.
What, exactly, does a fashion designer do?
Basically, with streaks of talent, creativity, and sensitivity, fashion designers, as if influenced by Rumpelstiltskin, craft accessory and clothing sketches. They usually concentrate in one nature of accessory or garment such as women’s or men’s apparels, swimwear, lingerie, children’s garments, handbags, and even shoes. They, sometimes, lead the groundwork of the creation and promotion of their creations.
Famous fashion designers prefer to be self-employed and they cater for the request of their clients. Some cater to high-fashion department stores or to specialty stores. They establish fashion statements by setting the colors, silhouette, and type of materials that are worn each season.
There are also some designers who are employed by manufacturers of clothes. These designers just adapt fashion statements set by other designers for the market. However, there are small manufacturers who just purchase or copy designs.
Both designers sketch unique garments and follow certain trends in fashion. Likewise, both need assistants who should get used to the fast-paced schedule of the fashion business.
In detail, these designers execute the following tasks:
• Draw their unique designs.
• Create patterns for sample garments.
• Choose textile and add-ons (accessories).
• Apply tailoring and basic dressmaking principles along with draping techniques and flat pattern works.
• Fit and alter the completed product, if necessary.
• Set-up a fashion show.
• Compare the performance of the merchandise against the competitors.
• Keep self up-to-date of latest fashion trends thru magazines and other fashion shows.
• Have frequent trips to fabric showrooms to keep self updated of latest type of fabrics.
Actually, fashion designers can be categorized as follows:
1. Lead or Head Designers
They take care of the executive and creative tasks.
2. Assistant or Apprentice Designers
They usually make patterns and sample garments. They may also teach sample makers how to make patterns and designer garments.
3. Specialty Designers
They coordinate with other designers about special lines of garments.
4. Costume or Theatrical Designers
They usually create costumes used in theater and movie productions on a contractual basis.
The foundations for their creations are their knowledge, skills, and abilities honed in fashion schools and trainings in the long run.
• Basic Design – This refers to technical know-how included in the creation and use of technical blueprints, drawings, plans, and models.
• Idea Production – This is the ability of designers to approach problems creatively and resourcefully.
• Dynamic Learning – This is being able to analyze implications of new information and materials at hand.
• Operations Scrutiny – This is considering requirements of products to execute a design.
• Uniqueness – This pertains to unusual cleverness vis-à-vis trying situations.
• Harmonization – This is being able to having good coordination with others.
• Visioning – This is being able to see how an organization works under real conditions.
The talents and skills of these artists are really important in the fashion industry. The work requires an eye for a striking creation and business management. Thus, aside from the portfolio of their usually creations, formal education help these designers acquire the secrets of the trade in this business. In fact, graduation from a college or school that provides training on fashion and design is highly recommended in the industry, to keep incoming designers updated on the advent of new techniques and technologies.
However, some leaders of this industry view vocational training schools and community college as more capable of producing competent artists because these institutions work along with clothing industries.
Vocational schools provide trainings in sketching, draping and grading, pattern making, garment construction, textiles and trimmings, costume history, principles of design and color; and how to plan and market seasonal fashion lines.
High school students inclined in fashion and design should finish basic courses in arts, sewing, mathematics, speech, English, and business.
Usually, vocational institutions provide a two-leveled program with certificate that is consonant to the degree in Associate of Arts. For those who want to enter the fashion field immediately, a first level certificate of proficiency is provided. The next level of proficiency, the second-level requires a greater time of completion. But upon graduation, artists are considered competent enough to aim for positions as Assistant Designers. After all the necessary formal trainings and specializations, those who have the guts and high hopes spin gold fabrics!
High Heels, High Hopes, and the Role of Fashion Design Schools
June 8th, 2010Savvy and Mandy Inspire Online Games for Girls
June 8th, 2010About Fashion Games
Online fashion games are a terrific way for teens and tweens to become familiar with the Internet culture, and to express and develop their sense of fashion. Such games consist of virtual online boutiques, where teens and tweens can dress up an avatar with cool fashion items, including those worn by celebrities in real life. Free fashion games for girls are a wonderful opportunity for teens and tweens to connect with their teen idols by emulating their style.
Free girl dress up games are also an opportunity for teens and tweens to gain their first entrepreneurial experience. The idea is that girls can create their own online boutiques, and sell their own creations to other members, using virtual money. It’s fun, it’s safe, and it’s often free.
Pop Music and Dress up Games for Girls
Pop music has always appealed to the younger age groups. Frank Sinatra was considered to be the first teen idol, and many of the Beatles’ fans were quite young. Over the years, the music industry has recognized the mass appeal of pop music with the younger age groups, and many acts have reached fame solely on the basis of their popularity with the tween and teen market. A classic example are the Spice Girls, who were immensely popular in the 1990s. With their outlandish girlie outfits and cheekiness, the Spice Girls embodied girl power. That’s why dress up games for girls present a terrific opportunity to combine the mass appeal of pop music with celebrity fashion games.
Celebrity Fashion Games – Savvy and Mandy
Pop duo Savvy and Mandy are sisters Savannah, aged 14, and Mandy, aged 12. Hailing from California, Savvy and Mandy bring their energetic brand of pop to the contemporary music scene. Savvy and Mandy sing about tween life growing up in California. The girls love wearing cool California style fashions, such as colorful tank tops, skinny jeans, tank tops, lace and tops – all popular items with fashion conscious teens and tweens. That’s why Savvy and Mandy lend themselves perfectly to fashion dress up games.
Dress up Games Inspired by Savvy and Mandy
Savvy and Mandy are classic roles models, and as such they are perfect vehicles for celebrity fashion games. The pop duo inspire teens and tweens to connect with that California energy, while participating in free online games for girls. To enable tweens and teens to experience the world of Savvy and Mandy, websites such as GirlSense.com have developed celebrity boutiques that display fashion items worn by the popular California pop duo.
Becoming A Fashion Designer
June 8th, 2010When you dream as a child about what you want to be when you grow up, fashion designer ranks high on the list for many who envision a glamorous lifestyle and a chance to influence the way society dresses. Being a fashion designer certainly does come with its benefits; but it is also a career that requires a balance between creativity and skill.
We need only to turn on the television or flip the pages of a magazine to see how fashion influences our culture. The way we dress on a daily basis, the clothing we run to the stores to purchase, all depend on what’s popular on the runways. And what’s popular on the runways is created by fashion designers. A fashion designer creates a look and makes it happen. But what people don’t see, as models strut the runway wearing the latest designs, is the enormous amount of work and skill that it takes to get to that bright shining moment.
A fashion designer must not only be skilled in the manufacturing of clothing – including knowledge of textiles and expertise in sewing – but also in sketching and drawing their designs. The savvy fashion designer understands color and how to use it to capture the essence of their design.
Becoming a fashion designer means attending a reputable school that teaches design, sewing, textiles, and the like. It is imperative that you learn the fundamentals of design before you add your own creativity and flair. Even more important, however, is the working knowledge that you can gain working as an intern or apprentice in an established shop. Working alongside a fashion designer who can give you firsthand experiences and help you build your portfolio is incredibly important to becoming a fashion designer. It’s all about experience. So take all that you can from school but put your skills to use – everywhere and anywhere that you can. A strong portfolio that demonstrates your talent and desire to work in the industry will go a long way to helping you realize your dream of becoming a fashion designer.