FASHION DESIGN

FASHION DESIGN

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What is Fashion Design?

Fashion design is the art of application of design and aesthetics to clothing and accessories.

Fashion design differs in different places and times. It is influenced by culture and social values.

Designers start by creating prototypes of their designs, and the end product is then marketed to clothing retailers.

Fashion designers oversee the entire garment production from their initial sketch to final manufacturing.

Fashion Designers who work in small firms are responsible for greater duties e.g. patternmaking and sewing, while larger houses employ a separate team for the various tasks.
Some designers specialize in specific types of clothes, while others design generally for all types of clothes and their accessories.

A fashion designer  should have a formal education e.g. a bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising and/or Fashion Design with programs teaching textiles, fabrics and computer-aided design technology (CAD)

OR

An informal education which that has provided all the necessary exposures needed to survive in the industry.

What they do:

A fashion designers follow fashion trends that helps them to create designs that would satisfy their customers. Once a theme is decided upon, they create sketches  for the clothing, footwear or accessories which can be aided by a computer design program (CAD).

They decide on the fabrics, colours and any other accessories that is needed to make the design.

They visit manufacturers to obtain samples of fabrics and follow trend reports that are published by the fashion industry trade groups.

They are inclined to artistic expressions and draw their inspiration from diverse sources.

Modern fashion design is divided into two basic categories: haute couture and ready-to-wear. Both ready-to-wear and haute-couture collections are presented on international catwalks.

History of Fashion Design:

The first fashion designer who was more than a simple seamster was Charles Frederick Worth, in Paris, in the 19th century.

Before these, clothing was made by anonymous dressmakers and fashion was imitation of styles worn by royalty. Worth was the first designer to actually dictate to his customers what to wear rather than following their demands.

Qualities of a Fashion Designer

1.  They are Artists:  Fashion designers illustrate their ideas by sketching initial designs, which are used later to produce prototypes.

2.  Communication skills: Fashion designers often work in teams throughout the design process and therefore must be able to communicate effectively with their team members.

3.  Decision making skills: Because they are exposed to many ideas, they  must be able to choose the most superior idea to add to their designs.

 4.  They must be Creative: Their ideas must be unique and functional.

5. Good eyes for detail: Fashion designers must have a good eye for small differences in color and other things that can make a successful design.

6.  Computer skills: They must be able to use computer-aided design (CAD) programs and be familiar with graphics editing softwares.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FASHION DESIGNER

 AND A TAILOR

A tailor is a person who makes, repairs or alters clothing professionally.
While
A fashion designer is a professional who applies the rules of design and aesthetics to a particular product, majorly apparel and accessories.

A fashion designer probably may have never stitched a single garment in his/her life, but he/she should have the mechanical skills involved in sewing and cutting all types of fabrics.

Comparing the two would be like comparing a road side mechanic to a mechanical engineer.