High Heels, High Hopes, and the Role of Fashion Design Schools

The fashion world has long been filled with glitz and glamour. The ramp for models is always long, dramatic, and well-lighted. The walk is certainly a walk for fame, fortunately for aspirants but sometimes leading to a walk for shame. Who is behind all these promises and/or even breakdowns? No less than the fashion designers. What, exactly, does a fashion designer do? Basically, with streaks of talent, creativity, and sensitivity, fashion designers, as if influenced by Rumpelstiltskin, craft accessory and clothing sketches. They usually concentrate in one nature of accessory or garment such as women's or men's apparels, swimwear, lingerie, children's garments, handbags, and even shoes. They, sometimes, lead the groundwork of the creation and promotion of their creations. Famous fashion designers prefer to be self-employed and they cater for the request of their clients. Some cater to high-fashion department stores or to specialty stores. They establish fashion statements by setting the colors, silhouette, and type of materials that are worn each season. There are also some designers who are employed by manufacturers of clothes. These designers just adapt fashion statements set by other designers for the market. However, there are small manufacturers who just purchase or copy designs. Both designers sketch unique garments and follow certain trends in fashion. Likewise, both need assistants who should get used to the fast-paced schedule of the fashion business. In detail, these designers execute the following tasks: • Draw their unique designs. • Create patterns for sample garments. • Choose textile and add-ons (accessories). • Apply tailoring and basic dressmaking principles along with draping techniques and flat pattern works. • Fit and alter the completed product, if necessary. • Set-up a fashion show. • Compare the performance of the merchandise against the competitors. • Keep self up-to-date of latest fashion trends thru magazines and other fashion shows. • Have frequent trips to fabric showrooms to keep self updated of latest type of fabrics. Actually, fashion designers can be categorized as follows: 1. Lead or Head Designers They take care of the executive and creative tasks. 2. Assistant or Apprentice Designers They usually make patterns and sample garments. They may also teach sample makers how to make patterns and designer garments. 3. Specialty Designers They coordinate with other designers about special lines of garments. 4. Costume or Theatrical Designers They usually create costumes used in theater and movie productions on a contractual basis. The foundations for their creations are their knowledge, skills, and abilities honed in fashion schools and trainings in the long run. • Basic Design – This refers to technical know-how included in the creation and use of technical blueprints, drawings, plans, and models. • Idea Production – This is the ability of designers to approach problems creatively and resourcefully. • Dynamic Learning – This is being able to analyze implications of new information and materials at hand. • Operations Scrutiny – This is considering requirements of products to execute a design. • Uniqueness – This pertains to unusual cleverness vis-à-vis trying situations. • Harmonization – This is being able to having good coordination with others. • Visioning – This is being able to see how an organization works under real conditions. The talents and skills of these artists are really important in the fashion industry. The work requires an eye for a striking creation and business management. Thus, aside from the portfolio of their usually creations, formal education help these designers acquire the secrets of the trade in this business. In fact, graduation from a college or school that provides training on fashion and design is highly recommended in the industry, to keep incoming designers updated on the advent of new techniques and technologies. However, some leaders of this industry view vocational training schools and community college as more capable of producing competent artists because these institutions work along with clothing industries. Vocational schools provide trainings in sketching, draping and grading, pattern making, garment construction, textiles and trimmings, costume history, principles of design and color; and how to plan and market seasonal fashion lines. High school students inclined in fashion and design should finish basic courses in arts, sewing, mathematics, speech, English, and business. Usually, vocational institutions provide a two-leveled program with certificate that is consonant to the degree in Associate of Arts. For those who want to enter the fashion field immediately, a first level certificate of proficiency is provided. The next level of proficiency, the second-level requires a greater time of completion. But upon graduation, artists are considered competent enough to aim for positions as Assistant Designers. After all the necessary formal trainings and specializations, those who have the guts and high hopes spin gold fabrics!

What to Look for From Fashion Designer Schools

There are lots of people who can tell you a thing or two about fashion designer schools. They may be right- fashion schools may not add up to your talent at the end of the day but you see, the other face of the coin might also be true. That is, fashion schools would not only keep you informed, you will also get to enhance your talents and special interests. The truth is, having the talents is not enough. You need to be properly trained to get this talent on the right track. One good way of doing this is to attend fashion designer schools. Like with everything, you need to find a school that can provide you with all the stuffs you need while justifying the bill of their curriculum. There are a number of things you should be considering in your choice of school. Among them are: cost, services and curriculum. The cost, both the initial and the extra charges, is probably the major consideration among aspiring talents. Fashion designer schools are few and they can't be simply accessed in every city. That would mean extra baggage on your part. How much it costs to attend a fashion designer school, you ask. Well, this cant be answered concretely with figures since these vary from one school to another. Also, this issue is largely dependent on many factors including the popularity of the fashion designer school, the spectrum of services it offers and the facilities it has. It's good if you are not bothered with the cost of the school. Sadly, most of us tend to be practical when dealing with things. However, this does not suggest that one should dive fast on the least expensive school you can get your hands on. There are also dangers in this. Remember that with lower price, the quality and the services of the institution suffers. Now, that leaves you only to choosing between a well-performing school with high tuition fee or a mediocre fashion designer school with much lower price. Whatever your choice is, you have to spot on the balance. Find the one which can give you the best of both worlds. Surely, there are those fashion designer schools that chose to put income as secondary and exchange this for the main aim of fostering passion in fashion designing among their budding artists. The services a fashion designer school should also be taken into thought. These factors cover the job placement services to graduate students, a number of scholarships, a well-performing teaching staff and the general competence of the institution. Last on your list of consideration is the curriculum the school offers. Keep in mind that you went to a fashion designer school to learn. If a specific school can only provide you with the things that you can learn by other means then the purpose of entering would be spoiled. Secure to it that you are well supplemented with the ideals of the program. Formal training must be the real aim of any curriculum. This then should be combined with a good mixture of theoretical approach plus the application of the learning earned from classroom setting. The basic offers among fashion designer schools are fashion basics, modeling, sales marketing and fashion merchandising. These are just some of the many factors that you can first consider reflect on so that you would arrive to a final choice of school that you will be contented with.

Fashion Careers You May Be Interested In

Do you have a love for fashion? Whether you make your own clothes or fashion accessories or if you regularly find yourself giving fashion advice to those that you know, have you ever thought about a career in fashion? If you haven’t, you may want to take the time to do so. Despite the common myth that a career in fashion is one that is difficult to obtain, it is more than possible with the right amount of willpower and the need to succeed.

When it comes to having a career in fashion, many individuals wonder exactly what they can do. The good thing about fashion is that there are a number of fashion focused jobs and careers out there. Some of these jobs involve working for someone else, like another company, but there are also opportunities out there where you can start your own business and be your own boss. If you would like to know more about some of the many careers in fashion that you may be able to have, you will want to read on.

One of the most popular and sought after careers in fashion is that of a fashion designer. Fashion designers are individuals who design clothing and fashion accessories, like jewelry or handbags. Many fashion designers start out small by making clothes and fashion accessories for themselves and their friends, but many later decide to start selling their own fashions. What is nice about being a fashion designer is that you can continue to make your own clothes or you can hire a manufacturer to do it for you. You may also want to think about selling your own clothes either locally or online.

Speaking of selling the clothes or fashion accessories that you may have designed, that leads to another fashion career. One other fashion career that you may be interested in is being the owner and operator of a fashion store. Fashion stores come in all different size, shapes, and styles. There are some fashion stores that focus on a particular type of clothing, like elegant eveningwear, and others who offer all different types of fashions for all different individuals, like men, women, and children. You also have the option of selling your own designs, if you are fashion designer, or buying other designer’s products to sell inside your stores, whether they are online stores, offline stores, or both.

Another fashion career that may be of interest to you is a fashion consultant. Fashion consultants are individuals who advise or consult with their customers on the latest in fashion trends. The clients of fashion consultants are often ones who are unsure about what to wear for a new job, a job interview, an elegant dinner, a wedding, or another important event. If you have a love for fashion, enjoy keeping up with the latest in fashion news and trends, and enjoy giving fashion advice to those that you know, you may want to look into a career as a fashion consultant.

Another one of the many careers in fashion that you may want to look into is one that is relatively unique. Each year, thousands of fashions shows take place in the United States. While a select few of those shows are able to make it on the national news, not all are that popular. Did you know that many local stores and fashion designers have their own local fashions shows? They do, but many do not realize that they can or have the time to plan a fashion show and this is where you can come in. You can make money as a fashion show organizer. Fashion show organizers often target local fashion stores and fashion designers to explain the many benefits of having a fashion show to them. As a fashion show designer, you may be in charge of making the show run well. This often includes booking the fashion show space, designing the stage, hiring the models, and so forth.

As you can see, there are a number of different fashion focused careers or jobs out there for you to choose from. What is even more amazing is that the above mentioned fashion focused careers are just a few of the many that exist.

Fashion Accessories: What They Include

Are you interested in updating your appearance, at least in terms of your fashion? If you are, you may not only want to examine the latest in fashion trends, as far as clothing, but you may also want to examine the latest trends in fashion accessories Fashion accessories are rapidly increasing in popularity, although many still do not know exactly what they are.

When it comes to fashion accessories, you will find that a number of different products are included. Fashion accessories, like fashion clothing pieces, come in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles. There are fashion accessories that are designed for children, teens, men, women, petite sized, and plus sized individuals. A few of the many fashion pieces that you may want to examine at one of you local fashion stores or online are outlined below.

One of the most well known fashion accessory types is that of jewelry. As it was previously mentioned, fashion accessories are designed for all different types of individuals, regardless of age or gender. For teenagers and children, fashion jewelry pieces that are popular often include colorful pieces, as well as charm necklaces or charm bracelets. In terms of men, a popular piece of jewelry often includes large pendant necklaces, many of which display a cross or another popular or meaningful symbol. As for women, popular pieces of fashion jewelry include earnings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, pins, and so forth.

Another type of fashion accessory that you may be interested in owning is a purse or a handbag. Teens and women most commonly own purses and handbags. A purse is often used to describe a bag that is smaller or compact in size and handbags are often a little bit larger. Handbags and purses come in a number of different styles; therefore, it is common for many women and teens to own more than one purse or handbag. In fact, many individuals out there like to match their fashion accessories, including their purses and handbags, with the clothing that they wear.

In conjunction with handbags and purses, travel bags are often considered a fashion accessory. Travel bags are similar to purses and handbags, but you will find that they are often designed for both women and for men. A travel bag may include a small bag that can be used as a carryon bag for an airplane ride, a diaper bag, as well as a laptop carrying case and so forth.

Shoes are also considered a fashion accessory, although many do not necessarily consider them to be. Most often, women’s shoes are associated as fashion accessories, as opposed to men’s shoes. One of the reasons for that is due the large selection of women’s shoe types that you can find available for sale. For instance, it is more than possible to find athletic shoes, casual sandals, elegant sandals, flat dress shoes, high-heeled shoes, and so forth. As with handbags and purses, many women own multiple pairs of shoes and many try to coordinate their shoes, especially for work, with the rest of their ensemble.

Another one of the many different types of fashion accessories available for purchase are that of belts. For many men and boys, belts are not necessarily considered a fashion accessory, as much as they are a way to hold pants up; however, the same doesn’t really ring true for women. Women’s belts come in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles. That is one of the reasons why women’s belts and belts that may be designed for children and for teens are often referred to as fashion accessories. There are belts out there that are designed for wearing with a casual pair of jeans, as well as a pair of traditional kaki pants for work.

Belts, handbags, purses, travel bags, jewelry, and shoes are just a few of the many fashion accessories that you may be able to find for sale at one of our local fashion stores or even online. As a reminder, fashion accessories are a great way to spice up any wardrobe, especially one that could use an updating.

Dealing with Your Teenager and the Latest Fashion Trends

Are you the parent of a teenager? If you are, you likely already know that many teens want to look their best, at least fashion wise. For that reason, many teens keep up on the latest fashion tends and use them. While this is okay in some aspects, it can result in your teenager wearing baggy pants showing their boxers or revealing shirts that show off too much cleavage. While these do seem to be popular fashion trends, do you really want your child displaying them? If not, you may be wondering what you should do.

When it comes to your teenager and fashion trends that you may not necessarily approve of, your first thought may be to lay down the law. As a parent, this is your right to do, but did you know that you may actually end up causing more damage? Do you remember what it was like being a teenager? If you were like most teenagers, there was a good chance that the last thing you wanted was to be told how to dress by your parents and the same is likely so for your own teen. That is why you may want to think about taking a different approach.

One of the many instances where you should speak to your child about their fashions is if it may end up causing them some harm. As previously mentioned, many of the latest fashion trends for women and for girls are low cut shirts and low rise pants. This often ends up leaving a good portion of the body exposed. In today’s society, you always need to be on the lookout for sexual predators. While your teenager may not necessarily be interested in someone, someone may actually end up getting that type feeling from them. This could put your teenager in a weird and possibly dangerous situation. If that is the case, you may want to take the time to explain that, as it may sink in better than if you were just to say “change your clothes; you can’t wear that.”

It is also important that both you and your teenager remember that fashion trends regularly change. It is not uncommon for a fashion trend to only last a few months. If you are not happy with the current fashion trends, but your teenagers are, you may want to encourage them to explore other options. There are a number of fashion magazines and online fashion websites that have a large number of fashion trends and information on those trends. Not all fashion trends require the wearing of “skimpy,” clothing. For that reason, you may want to explore other options. If your teenager is a girl, it could actually turn into a neat mother daughter bonding experience between the two of you.

Something else that you may not necessarily think about, but should, is if your child goes to high school. Many high schools have dress codes and these dress codes often prohibit the wearing of revealing clothing. While not all schools actively enforce their dress codes, many out there do. Like with being told not wear certain clothes by their parents, many teenagers may feel angered being told by school officials. For that reason, you may want to take action before anything serious happens that could seriously jeopardize your child and their school records. It is not uncommon to hear of instances where children are suspended from school due to not following the school’s dress code.

In short, teenagers and fashion are something that just seems to click together. While it is important for your teenager to fit in with others and be popular at school, they do not necessarily have to be wearing the “hottest,” clothes or fashion accessories to do so. They may not necessarily understand it at the time, but as a parent it is your job to help them and keep them safe.

The Wind Inspires it All: The Driving Force Behind Chicago Fashion Schools

Chicago, the "windy city" is known for its multicultural population as well as its dramatic architecture and love for the arts.

In detail, Chicago has:

1. at least 3 million people
2. harbors, parks, beaches, clubs, and ethnic restaurants
3. 29 miles of lakefront, museums, neighborhood festivals, and cultural attractions

People visit the city as often as winds do. Also, tourists favor the mid-western hospitality of the people. They also share stories of their enjoyment in going to exhibits in museums like Degas, Monet, and the whimsical "Cows on Parade" of Summer 1999.

The businesses blended with the multicultural aspects of the city are said to be the driving "winds" that spur creativity among people who visit or study in Chicago. As always, it is inevitable to have fashion schools within a city that celebrate and support the arts and dynamism of culture.

The following are some featured fashion design schools in Illinois:

1. The International Academy of Design and Technology is located in Chicago.

The institute offers the following degree programs:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts, Major in Fashion Design and Marketing
• Associate of Applied Science in Fashion Design and Marketing

The curriculum of Fashion and Design assimilates the study of new trends and innovations in the thriving international industry of fashion with the mastery of traditional skills, thus providing a holistic background to both fashion amateurs and masters alike when it comes to designing.

• Bachelor of Arts, Major in Merchandising Management
• Associate of Applied Science in Merchandising Management

The program of Merchandising Management provides students and professionals as well as with the opportunity to contend within the job market by integrating theoretical concepts with practical implementations. However, students can rest assured that after graduation their skills on developing suitable visual displays, and utilizing appropriate business practices and scales are honed to help them achieve profitability in the long run.

2. The Illinois Institute of Art is primarily situated in Schaumburg. The degree programs they offer vary by location.

The Illinois Institute of Art is, basically, an association of schools in different locations. Collectively, the Art Institute is considered as a leader in the area of applied science education.

Their courses such as Fashion Marketing and Fashion Design are restructured on a regular basis to reveal ideas garnered from industry advisors, leaders, and employers for relevance and practical applications in the marketplace.

The Art Institute also possesses seasoned faculty members who are also affiliated to the local community of functions. Thus, this provides students with plenty of occasions for consultation with industry professionals and practicing designers. As students' knowledge and skills improve through the programs, they are required to plan an initial design and execute it into a finished product to cap their stay in the institution.

3. International Academy of Design and Technology

The school has campuses in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Orlando. They provide program areas and a variety of degree levels designed to fit your unique career track. In detail, they offer:

• Diploma in Fashion Design
• Diploma in Merchandising and Fashion Marketing

These are only three among the plenty list of schools in this city. The decision now lies in your hand. Within the "windy city" are competitions and strict trainings from various places in the job arena. Where do you think the "will of the wind inside you" will bring you and your high hopes of hitting it big in the fashion industry?

Can You Make Money as a Fashion Designer?

Do you have a love for fashion? If that love includes designing your own clothes or fashion accessories, like handbags, have you ever thought about making a living as a fashion designer? When it comes to being a fashion designer, many individuals feel that it is a dream of theirs that just isn’t destined to become a reality. While this is sometimes the case, it doesn’t always have to be. With the right willpower and the need to succeed, you can easily make money as a fashion designer.

When it comes to making money as a fashion designer, many individuals believe that they can only be successful if they see their designs on the runways in New York or Paris. While this would definitely help, you don’t have to be a famous, well-known fashion designer to make money as one. Did you know that you can make money as a fashion designer making your own clothes right from your own living room or home office? You can and if you would like to know more on how you can go about doing so, you will want to read on.

As you likely already know, many fashion designers start out with simple drawings on paper. Many have the dream of turning their drawings into real pieces of clothing or fashion accessories; therefore, many do so. What is nice about making a living as a fashion designer is that you have a number of different options. For instance, if you were just starting out small, to see how your designs would sell, you can not only be the designer, but the maker as well. If you would like to hire assistance, either right away or after your business took off, you could do as well.

If you are interested in starting your own fashion design business, you will want to think about having your own online website. In fact, many fashion designers sell their products exclusively on their own online websites, not in some big fancy fashion store. Of course, if your fashions take off, you could later choose to do so if you want. If you also want to sell your own fashions locally, you may want to think about renting some business space. If you carefully choose your space, you cannot only have a sales floor, but you may also be able to have a warehouse where you can make and store your fashions. This ideal if you are interested in running both an online fashion store and a storefront one.

If you have been interested in being a fashion designer for a while now, there is a good chance that already have some of the many supplies needed. For instance, you probably already have a large selection of drawing materials, a sewing machine, and likely even a collection of fabrics. If that is the case, you will find that the startup costs associated with getting your fashion design business up and running are minimal. For many, it is the cost of starting a business that poses the biggest problem, but it may not necessarily be a problem for you.

Of course, when it comes to running a business, even just a small one, you need to remember to abide by all local, state, and federal laws. For more information on running a small business, like a fashion design business, out of your home, you may want to think about speaking with your local government officials. If they cannot assist you, they should be able to point you in the direction of someone who can.