Posts Tagged ‘Fashion Design’
The History of Fashion Design
What Is Fashion Design?
Fashion design is a form of art dedicated to the creation of clothing and other lifestyle accessories. Modern fashion design is divided into two basic categories: haute couture and ready-to-wear. The haute couture collection is dedicated to certain customers and is custom sized to fit these customers exactly. In order to qualify as a haute couture house, a designer has to be part of the Syndical Chamber for Haute Couture and show a new collection twice a year presenting a minimum of 35 different outfits each time.
Ready-to-wear collections are standard sized, not custom made, so they are more suitable for large production runs. They are also split into two categories: designer/createur and confection collections. Designer collections have a higher quality and finish as well as an unique design. They often represent a certain philosophy and are created to make a statement rather than for sale. Both ready-to-wear and haute-couture collections are presented on international catwalks.
Who Invented It?
The first fashion designer who was more than a simple seamster was Charles Frederick Worth, in the 19th century. Before he set up his fashion design house in Paris, clothing was made by anonymous dressmakers and fashion standards were derived from the styles worn by royalty. Worth was the first designer to actually dictate to his customers what to wear rather than following their demands.
His fashion house became so famous that people were able to attach a face and a name to designs when they knew they were from the House of Worth. This was the beginning of the tradition to have a designer of a house not only create clothing, but also represent the symbol of the brand.
What Does It Take To Be A Fashion Designer?
Fashion design is a form of art. To work as a designer, you should have an artistic and creative personality. You also have to be good at drawing and able to express your ideas in sketches. You don’t necessarily have to be a great artist, but you must have some special skills for combining colors, tones and shades. You also have to be able to work with fabric and use textiles in a creative and original manner. Fashion designers have a good visual imagination and are able to think in three-dimensions and put their ideas into garments.
Fashion designers have to be aware of the fashion market requirements. They have to be very interested in learning new things and read magazines, journals and books on fashion design history and new trends. They also have to be interested in art, visit art galleries and interact with all kinds of artists whenever they have the opportunity. A designer should also have some knowledge and experience of tailoring (cutting, draping, sewing etc.) and be able to tell the difference between different fabric quality levels.
A good understanding of the audience’s lifestyle and customer needs and requirements is also needed in fashion design. Designers should have good communication skills and be able to express their ideas clearly. But most important, they have to be very original and have fresh, innovative ideas.
Joules Sweatshirts, Joules Polos
Fashion Design Games: Creating an Eboutique
The coolest types of online fashion games at the moment involve designing your own fashion eBoutique. Girls love it, because they can play and be creative at the same time. The idea is simple: you visit a website like GirlSense, and create your own eBoutique. You can be creative about everything, and all the elements of the eBoutique can be styled. In fact, once you are finished, it will look like a real fashion store. You know, when you create a fashion brand, you have to think about everything that goes with it. All the elements of your fashion design game should fit in with the vision that you have about your brand.
So if you like playing online fashion games you are going to love setting up your own eBoutique. But what is your eBoutique going to look like? Smart players of online fashion games think about what they are going to sell in their boutique before they begin developing the various elements such as wallpaper and flooring. This is because you want to create an overall theme, and all the elements should match and reflect the clothing style that you are creating. Designing an eBoutique for your fashion design game is like creating an image. You want visitors who come to your eBoutique to immediately get a feel of what image you are tying to project.
Getting started, the first thing you are probably going to want to choose for your fashion design game is the wallpaper – that’s like the color of the walls in the eBoutique. You can choose from many types of patters, like a flowery sixties type pattern, a pattern with deer (very cute), and a classic pattern.
Don’t be afraid to really express yourself. Don’t worry too much about what your friends think. Sure, you can get ideas from other online boutiques, like the celebrity boutiques – but try to express your own sense of fashion, design, and style. Remember, fashion designing games are meant to be fun. Online fashion games are also a learning experience. So really go right ahead and experiment. You will soon learn what works and what doesn’t.
You really want the wallpaper to reflect the style of your clothes. Are you focusing on a classic line of clothing for evening wear? Perhaps your line is more suited for hanging out on the beach? Now try and think what type of wallpaper will go better with each of these styles.
As you can see, playing online fashion games is great fun. So have fun, chill out, and don’t forget to be yourself.
Tips on Choosing A School For Fashion Design
Once you’ve made the decision to attend, or at least investigate fashion design as a career, its time to consider your educational prospects. By attending a school for fashion design, you will get the training you need to be successful in your new career. In addition, you will also have the chance to network, and have post-graduate job placement opportunities. Although there are many choices available, finding the right program doesn’t need to be complicated.
One of your first tasks should be narrowing down your field of study. Take a look at the various occupational profiles related to fashion, and focus on the ones that interest you. Some of the more popular fashion areas of study are: design, merchandising, marketing, and fashion retail management. By having a primary focus in mind, you can look primarily at programs which are strong in your niche. If you are not sure what your focus is yet, take a look at schools that offer a variety of fashion design programs, so you can make a decision after you’ve started your initial classes.
Another factor to consider is what type of degree program you are looking for. There are a number of two and four year universities and colleges that offer fashion design as one of their majors. If having a traditional degree is important to you, you may want to apply to these schools. There are also many schools that specialize purely in fashion design programs. This type of education may be more comprehensive, with more of a focus on job placement after you graduate. Many of these offer certificates, associate, and bachelor degree programs.
You should also consider the quality of the education you’ll be pursuing. Make sure you have a chance to review the curriculum and courses, and the teaching faculty. If you can attend some of the schools and take a tour, that would be ideal, as you will have a chance to observe much more than what you will see on the website. You should also try to find some objective reviews of the school and program you are interested in.
At this point, practicalities will also come into play. A major component of deciding which school to attend will be cost. Evaluate the complete financial aid packages that might be available, and consider researching and applying for any scholarships. Location is also extremely important. If you have located an appropriate school nearby, that will be much more convenient. If a nearby school isn’t an option, you may want to consider an online school, or even a school in a different city or county. Some of the best fashion schools are located in places like Milan, London, and Paris.
Because there is so much involved in choosing a school for fashion design, you should take your time and not rush the decision process. Your odds of choosing a school that will help you fulfill your fashion career aspirations are much higher if you are clear about your focus of study, where you want to study, and how much you can afford. With so many choices available, you will find the school that is right for you.