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A fashion design certification opens the door to endless opportunities - from being a fashion designer who designs apparels for a brand, to launching your own clothing line, or even exploring the business aspects of the fashion industry.
The fashion industry is competitive and fast-paced, thus it is best to do sufficient research before enrolling in a design school to pursue fashion. Here are some factors to consider before enrolling yourself in a fashion design course.
The fashion industry is huge and encompasses many different smaller niche businesses, hence you should think about the areas you are keen in exploring. Studying fashion is more than just picking up sewing. So, if you are more drawn towards the business side of fashion, you can look forward to learning about production planning, materials sourcing, as well as costing and pricing. If you find yourself struggling to find what to focus on, think about where you see yourself in the fashion industry in the next few years. Consider the kinds of work you find interesting and fulfilling, and use that to help set your long term goals. With a clear goal in mind, you’ll be better equipped to decide the course programme to major in.
You may be interested in: Diploma in Fashion Business
As glamorous as they may seem, movies like The Devil Wears Prada are not a realistic representation of what being in the fashion industry is all about. Instead of it being all about the glitz and glamour, the harsh reality of being in the fashion business includes lots of sleepless nights, stringent deadlines, and having to respond to last minute changes. Having a strong personality is one of the most important qualities to possess in order to succeed in the fashion world. Even if you lack skills when you’re first starting out, you can always learn the tricks of the trade with experience, as it takes time and a great amount of effort to hone your skill set. As long as you have a can-do attitude, even when the odds are stacked against you, you can handle anything and still succeed.
If you aspire to pursue a career in the fashion industry, you should also know that there is no place for mediocrity in the fashion world. This means having to be research-oriented to keep up with the latest trends. As fashion is a highly dynamic and competitive field, developing an inquisitive mind helps in generating fresh ideas. For starters, try cultivating the habit of getting information from different mediums besides the Internet, like journals, books, and magazines. Learn to take inspiration from a variety of sources around you, lest you risk recycling ideas and imitating other creators. Apart from taking the time to do research, talking to experts in the industry will give you greater insight into the fashion world as they share their experiences with you.
Being in the fashion industry also means having to stay up till late to finish your sketches, enduring brutal critiques, and spending countless hours with a seam ripper in hand as you work tirelessly to perfect your garment. Before enrolling yourself in fashion studies, you may want to take a step back and ask yourself this: Are you able to work under pressure, handle the competitive industry, and push through all the criticism?
People working in the fashion industry will tell you that this is not a field for the faint-hearted, as pursuing a career in fashion necessitates a passion for sewing and design that extends beyond a mere pastime. If you find that fashion is truly your passion, then pursue your calling with our fashion designer courses today!
While pursuing fashion, you will be asked to be involved in a plethora of projects, which requires a lot of expenditure on materials like fabrics, sewing materials, and softwares. On top of that, sometimes you’ll have to engage models, photographers, makeup artists, and other talents too. Needless to say, if you are studying, this does not include the annual enrolment fee you will have to pay to the respective school! Thus, before deciding to embark on your fashion journey, take your finances into consideration. However, if you are a Singaporean or PR, you’ll get to enjoy up to 70% course fee subsidies on all WSQ courses at TaF.tc! Learn more about the subsidies here.
Different fashion schools present themselves in different ways and pride on different strengths. For instance, Parsons School of Fashion has a reputation for equipping their students with transformative and new-edge ideas and perspectives by weaving in project-based methodology with social justice and environmental sustainability. Meanwhile, TaF.tc focuses on empowering our students with industry-relevant skills that can ease them into the Fashion industry (which is why, fun fact - we use an industrial sewing machine instead of a domestic one!). Doing a detailed research on the schools and weighing in on the pros and cons of the different schools will help you decide which school to go for. Some of the things you should look out for include the courses they offer, their curriculum, costs and their reputation.
People who started their own fashion brands have their first opportunity to make a name for themselves in fashion schools like TaF.tc where they are given the chance to build their portfolio and make connections in the fashion industry. The people you meet while you are furthering your studies is important, and it is essential that you attend a school that will provide you with ample opportunities to do so.
If your passion for fashion is still burning even after going through this list of considerations, it may be time to upgrade your skills and take your first step into the fashion world! Design schools like TaF.tc will equip you with the business knowledge, technical abilities, and everything else in between that will give you an edge in the fashion world. Visit TaF.tc to learn more about our plethora of courses ranging from Bags and Footwear Design to Apparel Design and Fashion Business!
