Dan Harrington
A fashion icon once wisely stated that style is timeless. Timelessness is a quality you must learn to cultivate if you harbor any ambitions of working in the fashion design field.
It’s the only way to ensure people remember you, long after the runway show is over.
It’s what makes your products stay marketable in the market over the years.
Timelessness Endurance is what gives your skill an edge over other professionals in the industry.
It’s a The fashion field that can be very fulfilling, but it can also be challenging. Nevertheless, if you dream of making it big in the fashion world, by all means, go after your dream. We’ll help you along by showing you what you will need to become successful.
What Skills does Someone Working in Fashion Design Possess?
Anything to do with fashion is very visual. As a rule, you must:
Have an eye for detail
It’s the little details that make some fashion designers more successful than others. Details are also what defines a specific look or brand. As a fashion designer, you must be able to identify what would turn an ordinary design into an exquisite piece of art.
This quality also helps you find ways to incorporate accessories, decorations or alter the cuts and tapering for a more flattering look.
Be good at drawing and interpreting patterns
Whether you hope to become a fashion designer, stylist, seamstress or tailor, style promoter, label owner or store owner, you should be able to tell whether a pattern or design is any good by just looking at it.
This is a skill that allows you to translate the vision you have, of garments, on paper so the people who are helping you out can bring them to life can are able to understand see what you’re talking about.
Being able to draw and understand patterns means you’ll have an easier time collaborating with your colleagues on various projects.
Having a good understanding of fabric texture and color
Anyone who works in the fashion industry must have a sound understanding of fabric, how the different textures complement each other, and which color combinations to use for a specific look.
Some fabrics may be universal, but many more only look spectacular only when used in a certain way. A professional in the fashion field should be able to tell these differences.
Keen interest in fashion and style trends
Are you always up to date on the latest fashion trends?
Do you know all the major fashion houses and their signature looks?
Do you find yourself analyzing strangers on the street, on TV, in meetings, at the mall, and basically everywhere else, and silently adjusting their look?
You’re right to set your eyes on a career in the fashion industry because these are all markers of someone who is deeply interested in fashion. In this industry, you wouldn’t survive if you didn’t have a genuine passion for fashion, which is the currency of the industry.
Be creative
Can you throw together a catchy look with minimum effort?
This is yet another requirement for people working in the industry. Your creativity will allow you to come up with different looks for given themes, compile collections, create unique designs, and more.
Creativity is what allows professionals in the fashion industry come up with outfits and outfit combinations that leave the rest of us wondering how in the world that came about.
Desirable Personality Traits for the Fashion Industry
The fashion design industry is a high-pressure zone. There are impossible deadlines to meet, you’re always meeting different people to strategize, and you have to convince the people who matter why they should go ahead with your design or project.
If you’re always backing out after the first sign of pressure in any situation, you may need to rethink your decision to work in the fashion industry. Or find ways to harden and be unaffected by stress and pressure.
Here are other character traits that will take you far:
Persistence
You’re unlikely to find success in with your first project. Be the kind of person who doesn’t give up easily because there will be a lot of second, third and fiftieth chances tries. If you’re not persistent, you won’t actualize achieve your dreams.
A good team player
Success in the world of fashion design comes from seamless collaboration with tens of other professionals. The fashion industry is no place for loners and those who thrive by working alone.
If you’ve never been good at collaborative efforts, it does not mean that you’re permanently locked out. You can learn how to play for a team and with a deliberate effort to integrate with others, you should will fit right in.
Excellent communication
You must be able to articulate exactly what you expect or require from everyone you’re working with. Good communication skills also ensure that you describe and explain every aspect of your design work.
Communicating well minimizes the margin of error brought about by misunderstanding, which can be costly in this field.
Good interpersonal skills
Success in the fashion world involves a lot of networking. You must be willing to put yourself out there and work the room when need be.
When no one knows who you are in the fashion design industry, your days in the field are numbered. You must stay relevant by constantly growing your network and connections.
These are the people who will spread the word about your products or services and push your brand towards greater success.
Competitiveness
You must be someone who doesn’t settle for what others push to the front.
To become a leader in the industry, you must be a creator and someone who decides what the trends will be.
What Careers Can One Aspire in the Fashion Design Industry?
There are many specialties within the fashion industry. Narrow your chosen field to areas that match your skill set and personality. Some career paths you may consider are:
– Fashion designer
– Fashion photographer
– Personal stylist
– Hairstylist
– Makeup artist
– Personal Shopper
– Fashion marketing expert
– Fashion consultant
– Fashion store manager
Bottom line:
Find out which career path you want to pursue, do some more research on it and when you feel confident enough, take the leap. You won’t know how good you are at this until you try.
