How to become a clothing designer: 5 qualities that a fashion designer should have and 5 topics that he should know + 7 advantages and 5 disadvantages of the profession + 5 elements of self-education + 7 tips for those who want to realize themselves in the profession without education.
Such a specialty as a designer attracts applicants from higher and secondary specialized educational institutions from year to year.
It is not surprising, because it provides great opportunities for implementation, it cannot be called boring, with its help you can earn not only big money, but also worldwide fame.
So how to become a fashion designer to become your own in the fashion world, create fashion collections that will attract stars, dictate trends in the choice of clothing?
This path is very thorny, and only the most talented, hardworking and ambitious individuals can conquer the peak.
How to become a clothing designer: the specifics of the profession, its pros and cons
Clothing designers can be roughly divided into two groups: professionals in their field who have dedicated their lives to design, and wealthy young ladies for whom design is a hobby and an opportunity to at least occupy themselves with something.
If you do not have a wealthy patron and you intend to become a professional in your field, then you should study this specialization inside and out, understand what knowledge and skills a clothing designer should have, and also study the pros and cons of this business.
1) What should a clothing designer know, be able to do and do?
Clothes designer- this is not just a person who drew a crooked dress for himself, and what will happen to this drawing next does not concern him.
No, the designer who creates the collection is the person who is responsible for everything, because it is he who will be blamed by critics and buyers if the clothes presented are not fashionable and of poor quality.
Every good fashion designer should know:
- Fashion history: names of famous designers, supermodels, magazine editors, names of fashion houses, historical collections, the appearance of iconic items and the names of their creators, etc.
- Fashion theory: what is the name of this or that cut of things, basic terms, names of fabrics, decor, technical equipment, main fashion trends, styles, directions, etc.
Basics of clothing design.
You don’t just draw a sketch - you create a model of clothing on paper, so you must clearly understand whether they can create a dress based on your sketch, what fabric it is best to sew it from, how it will look in reality, etc.
Fundamentals of labor organization and people management.
No fashion designer works alone because he cannot create a fashion collection on his own. You will have seamstresses, buyers, and technical staff under your command.
You will have to collaborate with bookers, models, journalists. All this is not as simple as it seems to you at first glance.
Basics of psychology.
A fashion designer has to work a lot with people, and with creative people, with their crazy cockroaches.
A good psychologist will be able to find everyone mutual language, will not allow conflicts to arise that harm the workflow.
If you want to become good designer clothing, then you must develop the following qualities:
Creativity.
You, as a person in a creative profession, simply do not have the right to look at things trivially. People with boring traditional thinking will create uninteresting collections.
Goodwill.
It’s the sharks in the fashion world who can be weird, hysterical, and look down on everyone. As a newbie, you must be extremely polite and friendly with everyone, starting from the technical staff.
Punctuality.
If you promised a client (for example, the management of the fashion house you work for) to create a collection of clothes by such and such a date, then you need to keep your promise. No one wants to work with a designer who misses deadlines.
Perseverance.
The fashion world is cruel, intolerant of newcomers and highly competitive. Only people who are strong and persistent, who clearly see the goal and do not see obstacles, can achieve success.
Work ability.
If you want fame, money, famous clients and the respect of colleagues, you will have to work very hard. Forget about weekends, vacations, parties while creating the collection.
Work, work and more work. There is no place for lazy people here.
2) Advantages and disadvantages of being a fashion designer
Clothes designer is a profession that has both advantages and some disadvantages.
Don't let rose-colored glasses cloud your eyes. The belief that creating clothes consists solely of advantages will not lead to anything good.
If you do not have a rich patron, connections, or appropriate education, your path to the fashion industry will be longer and more thorny.
Young designers who want to become professionals without education or connections need:
- learn to draw sketches, cut, sew well;
- be able to choose fabrics and accessories;
- know how to combine colors;
- understand what clothes are in demand among consumers;
- keep an eye on fashion trends and predict them, etc.
Implement as many ideas as possible.
It is not enough to draw a few sketches of clothes - this will not make you a professional designer. Your folders should be overflowing with sketches, and the most successful models should be sewn together and shown to the public.
Apply for an internship at fashion houses.
You shouldn’t immediately aim at such fashion houses as Chanel, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Versace and others. Start mastering your specialty, interning with domestic designers.
Send your resume to those fashion designers with whom you would like to intern. Perhaps someone will invite you for an interview. Such an internship is sometimes even more useful than special education.
Participate in competitions for young designers.
Both in Russia and Ukraine, enough competitions are held annually in which young designers can show their clothes.
For example: “Russian Silhouette”, “Admiralty Needle”, “Autograph”, “Looking into the Future”, Grass Design Week, Young Fashion Line and others.
Don't miss the opportunity to participate in them. Here you can learn more about the design competitions that will be held in 2017: http://grantist.com/subject/dizajn
Create your portfolio.
You can't go to interviews without a portfolio. Place in the folder:
- best sketches;
- professional photos of already sewn dresses;
- photos from shows you participated in;
- notes about you in the press;
- resume, etc.
Find your first star client.
You can't become a popular designer if the stars don't wear your clothes. To get your first celebrity client, offer him/her a suit/dress for a night out for free and ask for advertising.
You can collaborate in this way with stars running pages in in social networks, TV presenters, etc.
- in social networks;
- on your own website;
- through outdoor advertising: banners, advertisements, city lights;
- at city forums;
- with the help of the media, etc.
How more people will know about the clothes you create, the more clients you will have. The more clients, the more fame and profit.
Master all the subtleties of craftsmanship.
You must replace formal education with self-education:
Not everyone can understand how to become a fashion designer. Some lack talent, some lack perseverance and hard work, some lack education, some lack a bit of luck.
But if you make every effort to realize your dream, you will definitely achieve success...
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Clothing designers are the creators of the fashion industry, dictating trends and fashion. Every season they develop unique clothing collections. To see the masterpieces created by famous fashion designers modern people buying tickets to fashion shows. Each specialist stands out for his work, each has his own style. The most famous designers clothes in the world become legends and style icons.
This article will talk about the most famous and popular clothing designers around the world and their life stories.
Famous fashion designers in Russia
There are many talented fashion designers in Russia who produce magnificent masterpieces. But not everyone was able to become popular. Famous Russian designers clothes:
- Vyacheslav Zaitsev;
- Kira Plastinina;
- Valentin Yudashkin;
- Denis Simachev;
- Tatiana Gordienko;
- Alena Akhmadullina;
- Alexander Terekhov.
Vyacheslav Zaitsev is popular both in his homeland and abroad. He wins almost all competitions and receives all awards. Zaitsev has achieved a lot and is a fashion designer high level. His collections are unique, always distinguished by large jewelry and hats.
Kira Plastinina is a Russian couturier who sets the tone for youth style. Became popular at Milan Fashion Week. In 2001, the world learned about another Russian fashion designer - Denis Simachev. It became famous for its marine-themed shows. Valentin Yudashkin is a modern fashion designer of men's and women's clothing. Yudashkin's works are often presented in fashion houses abroad. The designer has been creating fashion and style for about a quarter of a century. His clothes are worn with pleasure by stars, businessmen and politicians.
Famous gay designers
There are a lot of talented male fashion designers in the fashion industry, but, as you know, most of them are gay. They have their own, unusual vision of fashion and style. Some of them have become very popular and famous, while others are just taking their first steps towards fame.
Famous fashion designers are mostly men. Most of the fashion houses were created by them. Some of them do not hide their preferences; the orientation of others can be guessed by their behavior, way of life and lifestyle.
In the middle of the last century, Yves Saint Laurent became a famous clothing designer when he opened his fashion house. His partner P. Berger lived with him almost all his life. Shortly before the designer's death, their relationship was officially registered.
The world-famous Gianni Versace also lived with a partner and did not hide it from people. Their union lasted about 15 years. Famous fashion designers Dolce and Gabbano, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Tom Ford and Christian Dior were also gay. Despite their uniqueness, they are popular, talented, and their achievements are recognized all over the world.
Legends of the global fashion industry
The most famous fashion designers are creative, unusual personalities and charismatic people. Their names are a whole story in the field of fashion. These are the people about whom legends will circulate for several centuries to come. Who are the most famous clothing designers? The list of these respectable names is presented to your attention:
- Coco Chanel.
- Christina Dior.
- Guccio Gucci with his son Aldo Gucci.
- Gianni Versace.
- Louis Vuitton.
- Oscar de la Renta.
- Giorgio Armani.
The most expensive designers and brands
Famous fashion designers create brands and their creations are sold at very high prices. Armani takes first place among fashion designers with the most expensive collections. He is known for his elegant suits. Second place goes to Versace with his luxury brand. Many politicians, businessmen and celebrities love Calvin Klein clothing. The collections of this designer are made in an urban style. “Prada” is a classic, it ranks 4th in terms of cost. One of the most expensive brands underwear is considered Victoria's Secret. The collection is loved and recognized all over the world. The brand takes an honorable 5th place in value.
The top 10 most expensive brands also include:
- Gucci.
- Missoni.
- Gianfranco Ferre.
- Dolce & Gabbana.
Coco Chanel - fashion icon
Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel is a fashion designer who is known to everyone today. She was a brave, strong, extraordinary woman with excellent taste. They imitate her and quote her phrases. She founded the Chanel fashion house and was already on the list of famous fashion designers in the world in the 20th century. She not only published interesting clothing collections, but also gave the world a signature series of perfumes.
It was she who modernized female image, added male accents to it. She is popular for little black dresses, tweed suits, pearls, and small hats. Chanel made women's clothing not only luxurious, but also comfortable and practical. Her quote is widely known: “Luxury must be comfortable, or it is not luxury.”
In 1910, she opened her first store called Chanel in Paris. She initially sold hats there, but later began selling clothes. She made amazing clothes from ordinary materials, but with an extraordinary approach. Coco created the first dress model from a sweater.
Famous couturier Karl Lagerfeld
The list of famous fashion designers also includes Karl Lagerfeld. This is an influential fashion designer with phenomenal performance and versatility. The German designer is popular all over the world. Since 1983, he has run the Chanel fashion house. Karl Lagerfeld founded his own fashion brand.
Also in early age he got Creative skills. He studied at the Lyceum with Yves Saint Laurent. Lagerfeld worked with many fashion houses, creating lines of shoes, clothing and perfumes. Having created a collection fur products in 1966, he attracted the attention of influential people in the fashion and textile industries to himself and his robots. Very soon Lagerfeld began to be recognized, and his collections appeared every now and then at leading fashion shows.
Elsa Schiaparelli - Coco Chanel's main competitor
Elsa Schiaparelli is a popular Italian fashion designer of the early twentieth century. She was Coco Chanel's main competitor. She was the first to create a store that sold small collections of designer clothing. Later, this store became known as a boutique, which is now what all branded clothing stores are called.
Elsa Schiaparelli's collections were very popular among Hollywood stars. Thanks to her friendship with Salvador Dali, she created a hat in the shape of an inkwell, gloves with pockets for matches, and jewelry made from the strangest materials.
Very often she herself called her fashion house crazy. Strange and unusual, but very popular clothes All rich people wanted to have it. But soon after the start of the war, Elsa moved to the United States. When she returned to her homeland, her clothes became unclaimed and the couturier was forgotten.
Christian Dior and his "Crown Line"
Christian Dior is a French fashion designer who created a collection of dresses in the new look style. Opened the Dior fashion house in 1946 with the help of financial assistance Parisian textile magnate.
Thanks to his “Crown Line” collection, Dior became famous at the age of 42. The “Crown Line” collection had a stunning sensation and was considered revolutionary. Luxurious clothes, feminine, made of bright fabrics, with tightened belts - in this collection Dior embodied all the desires of women in the post-war era.
October 24, 1957 at age 52 great designer died. His name has gone down in history, and the models and clothing sketches of famous designers of today cannot be compared with the collections of Christian Dior.
Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani is an Italian couturier, a supporter of quality and masterful tailoring. Thanks to Armani, the approach to tailoring changed in the twentieth century men's clothing. His models are characterized by lightness and smoothness of cut, which provides the clothes with comfort and incredible chic.
After Armani became famous throughout the world for his men's collection, he began to create clothes for women. The designer combines classics, taste and grace in his creations. The Armani brand differs from other brands in its versatility and functionality, luxurious materials and unusual combinations. Casual elegance is the highlight of the legendary couturier.
Yves Saint Laurent - Christian Dior's successor
Yves Saint Laurent is a leading fashion designer who succeeded Christian Dior. Laurent worked at Dior's fashion house and admired his teacher. Dior considered him a professional and a future master.
Dior died when Laurent was only 21 years old. In such at a young age Laurent becomes the head of the fashion house and prevents the brand from dying. In 1959, Laurent became the first designer to present his collection in the USSR.
In 1961, his brand appeared under the name Yves Saint Laurent. The first clothing show was a great success. The collection was made in oriental style from bright fabrics. Laurent is not only a great fashion designer, but also a successful theater artist. Created famous perfumes.
Subsequent collections and shows were also popular. His clothes are extraordinary fashion classics. The designer created a tuxedo for women, high boots, pantsuits, turtleneck sweaters, black leather jackets and much more. Laurent is the first fashion designer to whom an exhibition was dedicated during his lifetime at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Italian master of the fashion industry
Roberto Cavalli is an Italian designer who became famous for his unusual collections of accessories and clothing. His fashion house creates feminine, chic, and at the same time with a bright temperament clothes. His collection was loved because it was not monotonous. It was Roberto Cavalli who changed the masculine women's clothing. His masterpieces emphasize feminine beauty and sexuality.
As a student, Roberto Cavalli loved to conduct various experiments with fabrics and leather. Already in the seventies, he patented a leather printing system that made it possible to dye the material in six different colors. The invention quickly gained popularity in the fashion industry. Kovali created another masterpiece - denim jeans. His innovations and developments made his fashion house popular, profitable and successful.
With its brightness and extravagance, Cavalli's clothes attract the attention of glamorous stars and celebrities. His clothes are worn by women with strong character and individuality.
Are you still interested in famous fashion designers? We will look at the rating of the most popular fashion designers a little later, but for now we will study some Interesting Facts, which will allow you to look at the world of fashion with different eyes:
- In 1943, the first Fashion Week was held in New York.
- About forty Fashion Weeks are held around the world every year. The main countries of fashion and style: USA, Italy, England, France and Germany.
- A designer who has received an opinion from the Chamber of Syndicale can dictate the rules of the entire fashion industry.
- Armani does not have an opinion from the Chamber Syndicale.
- Dior chooses the day of the collection show with the help of psychics.
- The first fashion magazine was published in Germany in 1586.
- The first models began showing clothes in 1853.
- Before World War I, women were prohibited from wearing shorts.
- Clothes have been made from cotton for about seventy centuries.
- Jeans means "cotton trousers." They were worn by Genoese sailors.
- Gucci created the most expensive jeans in the world. Their price was $3,134.
- Christian Louboutin shoes were originally created for brides to add variety to their look.
- Betsey Johnson.
- Tom Ford.
- Donatella Versace.
- Ralph Lauren.
- Mark Jacobs.
The fashion world is constantly evolving, but over time everything returns to normal. So, over time, something that was once already at the peak of popularity always comes back into fashion.
A fashion designer (in the Russian tradition) is a specialist in the manufacture of clothing models, the creator of experimental samples, determining the image and style, the general design solution, inventing new technological solutions and developing decor, choosing colors and materials, thinking through accessories and additions.
Specializations of fashion designers
Fashion designer
Fashion designer
Fur fashion designer
Responsibilities
The fashion designer develops new types of clothing taking into account consumer demand and production capabilities, and also creates clothing collections for display in various fashion shows. A fashion designer's activities include creating a new clothing concept in the form of sketches, searching for a design solution for a planned model, developing samples of new models, preparing samples for industrial production, and organizing fashion shows. A fashion designer can work in ateliers, salons and fashion houses; at enterprises light industry; as a private entrepreneur; V educational institutions as a teacher.
In his work, the fashion designer relies on knowledge of the history of costume, technology and operating principles of leading companies, current state world fashion. It is also necessary in work to be able to feel and understand one’s contemporaries, to take into account their needs, preferences, national characteristics, age, financial situation. To work as a fashion designer, you need good training in human anatomy, aesthetics, skills in graphics and painting, and technical knowledge in the relevant field. A representative of this profession must know the methods of product design, modeling, preparing sewing samples for mass production, the basic properties of materials, production technology and its equipment.
Personal qualities
Artistic ability;
Developed imaginative thinking;
Design abilities;
Developed sense of color;
Good eye;
Creativity;
Organizational skills;
- "innovation".
Education
Universities: Moscow State Textile University named after. A.N. Kosygina (MSTU), Moscow State University of Design and Technology (MGUDT) and Moscow Art and Industry Institute (MHPI). There are three suitable specialties: Design, Garment Design and Artistic Costume Design.
Colleges of light industry are also suitable..
Places of work
Fashion houses;
Modeling and production organizations;
Light industry enterprises, sewing production associations (factories, studios);
Editorial and publishing groups involved in the production of fashion magazines;
Theaters, palaces of culture;
Educational institutions (teaching activities).
Medical contraindications
Diseases of the organs of vision;
Allergic diseases;
Impaired coordination of hand movements.
At first, you need to be ready to work as a performer clothing production or in boutiques of famous fashion designers. It is very important for an aspiring couturier to take an active part in various Russian and foreign shows. This is a statement about oneself in professional circles, and a search for potential customers, and a presentation of an idea, a kind of confirmation of copyright.
A fashion designer (in the Russian tradition) is a specialist in the manufacture of clothing models, the creator of experimental samples, determining the image and style, the general design solution, inventing new technological solutions and developing decor, choosing colors and materials, thinking through accessories and additions.
Specializations of fashion designers
Fashion designer
Fashion designer
Fur fashion designer
Responsibilities
The fashion designer develops new types of clothing taking into account consumer demand and production capabilities, and also creates clothing collections for display in various fashion shows. A fashion designer's activities include creating a new clothing concept in the form of sketches, searching for a design solution for a planned model, developing samples of new models, preparing samples for industrial production, and organizing fashion shows. A fashion designer can work in ateliers, salons and fashion houses; at light industry enterprises; as a private entrepreneur; in educational institutions, as a teacher.
In his work, the fashion designer relies on knowledge of the history of costume, technologies and operating principles of leading companies, and the current state of world fashion. It is also necessary in the work to be able to feel and understand one’s contemporaries, to take into account their needs, preferences, national characteristics, age, and financial situation. To work as a fashion designer, you need good training in human anatomy, aesthetics, skills in graphics and painting, and technical knowledge in the relevant field. A representative of this profession must know the methods of product design, modeling, preparing sewing samples for mass production, the basic properties of materials, production technology and its equipment.
Personal qualities
Artistic ability;
Developed imaginative thinking;
Design abilities;
Developed sense of color;
Good eye;
Creativity;
Organizational skills;
- "innovation".
Education
Universities: Moscow State Textile University named after. A.N. Kosygina (MSTU), Moscow State University of Design and Technology (MGUDT) and Moscow Art and Industry Institute (MHPI). There are three suitable specialties: Design, Garment Design and Artistic Costume Design.
Colleges of light industry are also suitable..
Places of work
Fashion houses;
Modeling and production organizations;
Light industry enterprises, sewing production associations (factories, studios);
Editorial and publishing groups involved in the production of fashion magazines;
Theaters, palaces of culture;
Educational institutions (teaching activities).
Medical contraindications
Diseases of the organs of vision;
Allergic diseases;
Impaired coordination of hand movements.
At first, you need to be ready to work as a performer in a clothing industry or in the boutiques of famous fashion designers. It is very important for an aspiring couturier to take an active part in various Russian and foreign shows. This is an application for oneself in professional circles, and a search for potential customers, and a presentation of an idea, a kind of confirmation of copyright.
Militta periodically receives letters from girls graduating from school, they ask where to go to study next in order to find their place in the fashion industry. Militta wrote a lot of materials on this topic - we talked about the choice of educational institutions in the USA and Europe, and today we will try to clarify the situation around the main specialties - clothing designer and fashion designer.
Sometimes you can hear the statement that a couturier, a clothing designer, a fashion designer and even a stylist are one person, they all do the same thing. In reality, everything is a little different, let's try to figure out who is doing what.
Design, designer and fashion designer
The word “design” originally appeared in the 16th century, and became widespread in the mid-19th century in Europe due to the development of production and technology.
In the USSR, the profession of designer became widespread in the second half of the 20th century, but in order to adapt the profession to Soviet ideology, the word “design” was replaced with “artistic design.”
The end of the 20th century and the 21st century brought many changes, the USSR collapsed, and in Russia everything changed, many new prospects opened up. Today, the profession of a designer is in great demand; we have many different designers, including those who deal with clothing. Along with clothing designers, the profession of “fashion designer,” which is more familiar to previous generations, remains, and for many there is no difference in the work of a designer and a fashion designer.
The name of the profession “fashion designer” exists exclusively in the Russian tradition; in other countries the definition of designer is accepted. But meanwhile, these two professions not only have different names, they solve different problems. A fashion designer models clothes, and a designer designs them. In order to feel the difference, let's understand these two concepts.
Modeling clothing involves shaping it using various techniques and methods. Fashion designing is a process of creation new form, which begins with developing a project concept and defining the main design task.
In other words, the designer finds flying in modern society moods and trends, analyzes people's needs and creates a new concept for clothing collections, guessing the desires of consumers tomorrow. The designer creates new forms, and sometimes a new function of a thing and a new reality.
The fashion designer develops new clothes based on an existing one - changes darts to reliefs, plays with the shape of the sleeve and collar, varies the length of the product, mixes style directions, chooses a decorative solution. Agree, many modern fashion creators around the world are doing this. The lists of participants in fashion weeks in Paris and Milan, London and New York are constantly updated, but often new collections are pure clothing modeling. Therefore, when choosing the profession of a clothing designer, you need to clearly understand that a real designer creates a new human environment, designs a new space of material things, and does not reshape the retro style in a modern way.
Designer and fashion designer - who is more needed?
Both professions are in demand on the Russian labor market today. Fashion designers work in ateliers, sewing and knitting factories, designers work in design studios, experimental workshops at enterprises, and design bureaus. Moreover, a designer can sometimes be a fashion designer, and a fashion designer can become a designer.
But the differences do not end there; the profession of a fashion designer is divided into several specializations.
1. The fashion designer develops drawings and changes the model features of the product according to the sketch of the fashion designer or customer (if we are talking about an atelier).
2. The fashion designer-technologist selects or develops current methods for sewing a product, looks for the most suitable processing methods that simplify the process of making a new item.
3. A fashion designer is engaged in creating sketches - looking for new shapes and silhouettes of the product on paper, working out possible options finishing, depicts the design of the product in detail. There are several stages of developing sketches from the first sketches to the technical drawing, which is given to the designer to develop a design drawing.
It is understood that each of the three above-mentioned fashion designers knows all the stages of clothing production, knows how to draw, design, translate their ideas into materials, and will be able to organize a demonstration of their models. Only the most sought-after specialist is a universal fashion designer, since only large successful companies with large production volumes can afford to keep several fashion designers on staff solving different problems.
And the designer determines the basic concept of the entire collection, develops sketches, design, sewing technology, thinks through the fashion show scenario and participates in the development of advertising campaigns.
