Fashion Design -Friendzjunction
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Fashion Design

Topics
Overview
The work
Job profile
Requirments
Growth And money
Employment
Resources

Overview

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Do you pay more attention to the clothes that Jennifer Lopez or Leonardo de Caprio wear rather than their you-know-whats that the clothes cover? Do you find yourself getting so passionate over what colour someone should have worn in a love scene that you don’t hear the lines? Okay, point conceded, then. You might have a career in fashion design.

Fashion designers create designs for almost anything that can be worn by anything human. Designers create garments and accessories making them functional as well as attractive, the main consideration being the needs of the client, which are obviously influenced by trends, market predictions and the climate.

The designer needs to keep close track of fit, style, colour, texture, size and material. Fashion designers design outer and inner garments and also the accessories to go with them.

The process begins with sketching the original idea on paper. Then shaping the pattern pieces which make the garment. The pieces are then drawn in actual size on paper and cut out on a rough material. These pieces are stitched together and fitted on a model. Modifications in the pattern pieces or other features of the mock piece are made and thus the design is completed.

From the rough model, sample garments are made in the final fabric. Much time is spent on exploration and research.

The work of a fashion designer is both competitive and stressful. Constant excitement, limelight and glamour set the tone for work. Considerable time is spent standing, working on large worktables. There is a lot of teamwork that goes into a good creation. Fashion shows require perseverance over long periods of time. There is considerable travel involved during fabric selection, analysis of fashion trends and fashion displays. There is hectic work pressure during fashion shows.

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The Work

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There are three main areas of fashion design and manufacture. These are designing for mass production (wholesale), for fashion trends and large scale manufacture of designer wear.

The largest area is wholesale manufacture, where firms mass-produce garments, following fashion trends set by fashion forecasters. High fashion designs when watered down and adapted for the general public, are suitable for production in large numbers at low cost.

Designing

 Designers, in the wholesale manufacturing sector, generally specialise in producing certain types of clothes in a wide range of styles and fabric, namely, jeans, jackets, children's wear, men's wear, etc. Some designers specialise in leisurewear, women's wear, accessories, shoes, knitwear, sportswear, while some others specialise in designing of costumes for stage artists, television or film. This work can involve historical research as well as design.

Research

 Creation of a design involves identifying what customers need and which designs will sell. Even designers producing expensive original work keep in mind factors such as social customs, international fashion trends and the fabrics available. In the wholesale sector, manufacturing designers select and modify designs which are going to sell.

They get ideas by reviewing periodicals and attending fashion shows, etc. They also take into account the competitors and sales information. Trends are anticipated as designs are produced a year in advance of garments reaching the market. New designs are required for two or more seasons each year.

Designs

 Designers use their creativity to produce ideas to suit the market's needs. Sketches are used to outline basic ideas when fabrics are selected. The appearance, quality and texture of fabrics are taken into account. During manufacturing, the designer liaises with production staff and the buyer to ensure that mass production is feasible and cost effective.

Patterns

 Designers make formal drawings indicating the position of seams, folds, darts, etc., but in many cases, patterns are translated from the rough sketches by draftsmen.

Samples

 Designer garments are made up for shows or private clients. In wholesale manufacture, samples are made up before mass production begins and the designer makes the necessary adjustments.

Presentation

 Designers are required to present their work to clients. Effective presentation is essential for designers. They do so through fashion shows, sale to individuals or retail buyers. Designers market their work and advise to clients about adaptations-types of fabric which can be used, different dimensions, production problems, etc. This is a major aspect of the work for many designers.

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Job Profile

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In fashion, there are various areas that one can work in:

Manufacturing units

 work on large scales. They employ designers, cutting assistants, sketching assistants, junior designers, etc.

Cutting assistants

 have to cut samples according to specifications of the designer. This is followed by draping and garment construction.

Sketching assistants

 make the technical sketches of the garments which are passed on to cutting assistants. From the making of specification drawings which decide how a garment has to be fabricated to the selection of fabric is often the duty of the sketching assistant.

Junior designers

 generally do the first pattern cutting. They assemble the first samples with fabric they have selected from the market.

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Requirement
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Fashion designers need to be artistic and creative. They should be able to express their ideas in sketches. They may not be brilliant artists but must be able to combine Colour, shade and tone.

Designers must have a flair for creating with fabric and the know-how to use textiles effectively. Designers need visual imagination and the ability to think in three dimensions and to translate into garment what they visualise.

They must be fashion-conscious and must be aware of market requirement. An understanding of the market and customer lifestyle is required, so that designs are suitable for the people they are made for. Designers must be good communicators. Self-employed or freelance designers need business acumen.

The work involves selling, persuading and influencing.

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Growth and Money

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If making a quick buck is what you are looking for, you might as well tick this profession off your list. There is no instant glamour either. Interacting with super models (even in case that’s your idea of glamour!) at fashion shows happens only to a handful who manage to make a name for themselves. It may be a long and arduous journey before you are recognised in the circle.

In this profession, beginners work as assistants until they can muster up enough confidence in their abilities and sell that confidence to clients. The superstar-style rise of a Hemant Trivedi or Tarun Tahiliani is one in a million.

If working for a design house as an apprentice, the stipend is between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500. Once you are inducted, the pay is between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000, maybe more if you’re lucky. Once you strike it lucky, you can, of course, name your price.

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Employment
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There are opportunities for work with several sectors in fashion.

Opportunities for jobs exist in: export houses dealing with garment or textile or handloom exports, retail and wholesale garment businesses in men's or women's or children’s sportswear or casualwear, etc., haute-couture, government or semi-government avenues, handloom or textile manufacturers, fashion show organisers, fashion publishers, TV or film fashion programme producers or comperes or costume-designers, etc.

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Resources

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One of the best-known institutes that offer training in fashion design and allied courses is the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). There are some three-year undergraduate diploma programmes at NIFT, Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar and Bangalore.

Fashion Design

For candidates who have completed 10+2 or are in their 12th standard from any recognised board at an all-India or state-level with a minimum of 50 percent (45 percent for SC/ST candidates) marks. Academic exposure in fashion design or art is desirable.

Fashion Design and Information Technology

 This is a three-and-a-half year course, candidates need to have done a !0+2 from India or abroad.

Other than this, there are graduate and post-graduate programmes in Apparel Marketing and Merchandising, Garment Manufacturing Technology, Leather Garment Design and Technology, Knitwear Design and Technology, Textile Design and Development, Production Technology, etc.

The various branches of the National Institute of Fashion Technology are located as follows:

Calcutta NIFT

Manjushah Bhawan
IB- 181
Sector III
Salt Lake City
Calcutta 700 091
Phone: 3355726, 3355727
Contact Persons:
Mr.V.Narayan
Mr.K.N.Chatterji

Delhi NIFT

Hauz Khas
(near Gulmohar Park)
New Delhi 110 016
Phone: 6864771, 6866114
Contact Person:
Ms Kalpana Sangh

Bangalore NIFT

The Karnataka State Co-op.
Marketing Federation Building No. 8,
Cunnigham Road,
Bangalore 560 052
Phone: 2283732, 2283733
Fax: 080 - 2284803

Mumbai NIFT

Tata Mills Compound,
Dada Saheb Phalke Marg,
Dadar (E),
Mumbai 400 041
Phone: 4165666, 4165669
Fax: 022-4165668

Gandhinagar NIFT

Plot E/4,
GIDC Electronic Estate,
Behind Tata Telecom,
Gandhinagar 382 044
Phone: 30772, 30832, 30834.
Fax: 02712-30772

Chennai NIFT

Co-optex Campus,
Post Box No. 752
350, Pantheon Road,
Egmore,
Chennai 600 008
Phone: 8233744, 8233013
Fax: 044-8233644

Hyderabad NIFT

Near Hi-Tech City,
Madhapur,
Hyderabad
Other institutes where one can pursue courses in Fashion Design and allied courses are as given below.
Name Address Contact person and email
Wigan Fashion School 41, Hazra Road
Calcutta
700 019
Phone: 4765620, 4765655		 Email: agarwaln@vsnl.com
Adroit Institute Of Applied Education 19, Seedat Mansion,
(near Chitra Cinema),
Dr. Ambedkar Road,
Dadar (East),
Mumbai
400 014  Maharashtra 		Ms Surekha
Phone: 4113077/5685882
Email: askme@bom3.vsnl.net.in
Dadar Branch: 4113077
Mulund Branch: 5685882, 5672388
Institute Of Designing 5-JA-13, Jawahar Nagar,
Jaipur 302 004, Rajasthan		 Mrs Purnima Verma
Phone: 652695
Email: askme@bom3.vsnl.net.in
B.D Somani Institute Of Art and Fashion
 G.D Somani Marg,
Mumbai 400 005,
Maharashtra

(First institute to offer Embroidery Designing in Mumbai. They also provide full time or part time courses)
Cuffe Parade,

 Ms Sandhya Wagle
Phone: 2188818/2187102
Email: askme@bom3.vsnl.net.in
VNF Institute of Fashion Designing 6, Shanti Niketan
Dr Ambedkar Road,
Matunga,
Mumbai 400 019
Maharashtra 		Mr Yash Goel
Phone: 4144292/4143405
Email: askme@bom3.vsnl.net.in
National Center for Designing & Technology A-20, Shantipath,
Tilak Nagar,
Jaipur 302 004
Rajasthan		 Mr Deepak
Phone: 620364
Email: askme@bom3.vsnl.net.in
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