Career Prospects in Fashion Designing

Self-employment is a career option in this area. In addition to that several export houses, fashion show organizers, garment store chains, leather companies, textile mills, boutiques, jewelry houses and media houses recruit professionals interested in a career in fashion designing.

Fashion designing in India is a very challenging and demanding career. The Indian Fashion designing industry grows at the rate of 25% per annum and promises many employment openings. Designer wear in India has been identified as a key growth sector according to a recent study conducted by the Fashion design council of India (FDCI).

Main Areas of work in a fashion industry are:-

1.    Design Department: Manufacturing units work on a large scale. They employ cutting assistants to cut samples as per specifications of the designer.  Followed by draping and garment construction. Technical sketches of the garment are made by sketching assistants, which are passed on to cutting assistants. From the making of specification drawings decide how a garment has to be fabricated to the selection of fabrics and is often the duty of the sketching assistant. Junior designers generally do the first pattern cutting. They assemble the first samples with fabrics they have selected from the market.

2.    Marketing and Merchandising: Fashion trends are constantly changing; the people in the merchandising and marketing have a good knowledge in fashion trends, organizations marketing objectives, and the sales data. Based on this information the marketing department plans the company's overall direction. It determines the price, product requirement, and hence they often work with the styling department when a new product id conceived.

3.    Manufacturing department: The Production manager is the head of the manufacturing unit. He is responsible for scheduling work goals, training the workers and managing all activities in order to maintain quality in production. The Production manager oversees the work of pattern cutting - from pattern grading, spreading and marking to cutting, assembling and finishing. With the production manager are the production assistants who supervise the work at each stage.

4.    Fashion coordinators: They coordinate with the buyer and the production manager. The fashion coordinator makes sure production schedules are kept, meet buyers, goes through specification for fabrics, colors, designs, and keeps an eye on the quality. When buyers give their own designs, the coordinator helps decide the fabric colors and accessories that should be used to suit the designs. They explain the design to the production pattern makers and get sample pieces made. The sample is draped on a dummy to see if some changes in details or style are required. Once the sample is finalized, its pieces are measured precisely. It is the coordinator who suggests how the cloth should be cut so as to minimize wastage. The garment is then finally presented for sale.

Career opportunities in Fashion designing:-

•    Fashion designer : Fashion designers create new styles for clothing by sketching original designs. They are responsible for selecting fabrics, trimmings, current update on the latest fabrics and fitting the finished clothing to its proper size. The designer starts the designing work only after market research.

•    Fashion coordinator :  A fashion coordinator ‘s work includes checking fabric for correct shade, quality and design, sorting daily problems, giving advice on latest fashion trends, meeting with buyers and taking right decisions regarding fabric design, color. A Fashion Coordinator may be required to travel to get an idea of the latest fashion trends.

•    Illustrator:  Illustrator draws free hand sketches as per designer’s ideas and at times interacts with customers about new collection.

•    Fashion consultant:  Fashion consultant has to be aware of the latest trends in the fashion industry. They offer suggestions on how to further develop a product.

•    Cutting Assistant: Cutting Assistant cut and modifies samples as per specifications of the designer.

•    Fashion Stylist: Fashion Stylist area involves coordinating the dress, accessory, make-up, and hairstyle as per the theme of the show.

•    A trained fashion designer can work in areas like designer wear production, planning and concept management, fashion marketing, design production management, fashion media, quality control, fashion accessory design and promotion of brands

•    Career opportunities also available as costume designer, fashion consultant, personal stylist, technical designer, graphic designer, production pattern maker, apparel production manager, fabric buyer, fabric quality control manager, show room sales representative, illustrator, cutting assistant and outside sales representative in this industry.

•    Those interested in a career in fashion designing can also become entrepreneurs and form their own companies.

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