So what exactly does it take to be a fashion designer?
If you’re thinking it’s like that scene in The Devil Wears Prada, when the designer brings out the dress for Miranda and she hates it…yeah, it’s kinda like that.
Lol, no I’m kidding. Well, slightly kidding.
I mean you do get critiqued pretty hard sometimes, but for the most part it’s pretty fun to design.
Warning. There is a ton of math involved.
Seam allowances, ease, grading, negative ease, the list goes on. It helps if you’re project-driven and can work on tight deadlines, usually by yourself.
My family knows when I’m crunched on a deadline, I zone everything else out. But, I also don’t like to become a total hermit, so I have been known to bring whatever project I’m working on with me to the couch and sew, or baste while we watch a movie together. I’ve probably watched The Sound of Music over 100 times as background noise…it’s an easy one to work to.
And psst….Fashion Design isn’t just sewing.
Fashion designers are responsible for setting trends, making patterns, designing cohesive collections, and illustrating their designs. To be a fashion designer you need to take drawing courses, advanced sewing courses, pattern making and draping courses, and pattern grading techniques. If you can’t attend a traditional college, there are online versions of these classes.
There are also workshops and boot camps that you can attend to learn these skills from current and past designers. Some designers use textbooks and have self-taught themselves with videos. The most successful designers started out as interns in design houses and production companies. Think Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren.
Step 1- Grab your supplies.
You have to know how to make patterns and sew. You can brush up on your pattern making or designing skills with a class or books if you need a refresher. Also grab your pencils and some paper for your designs. Supplies that designers use are dott paper, manila paper, muslin fabric, fashion fabric, needles and thread.
Step 2- Find your inspiration.
Inspiration can hit you wherever you are so be sure to have a notebook and pencil to jot down ideas. Some of my best ideas have come when I’m shopping or wandering around nature. I also like being the passenger on road trips because there’s tons of time to just stare out the window and imagine your designs.
Even your cell phone’s camera can be used to take pictures of nature or architecture that inspires you.
Inspiration can be colors, locations, buildings, trends you notice, and flowers. It’s literally all around you!Inspiration is literally all around you. Click To Tweet
Step 3- Organize your notes
You can create Pinterest boards to hold your inspiration. Invite your collaborators to your private Pinterest design boards. Use notebooks and folders to keep your paper clutter at bay.
Or you can go 100% digital and keep all of your inspiration on your computer! Canva is a good resource for finding inspiration and stock photos that you can use in your mood boards too.
Download the free printable and refer back to these steps whenever you need!
Step 4- Illustrate your ideas
As inspiration swirls around, start testing your ideas on paper. Don’t be afraid of drawing crap, not every design will see the light of day. A lot of designs get scrapped for better ones, but the more you practice the easier it gets and the better your designs will become.
If you need help illustrating feel free to use a croquis underneath your white paper. It acts as an outline for you to trace over. A lot of beginning designers use croquis to help them get their sketches out fast. In time you will be able to develop your own signature croquis and won’t need to trace anymore.
But even if you never move on from croquis, that’s perfectly fine!
Step 5- Make your patterns
Now that you have your ideas, it is time to make your patterns. You can flat pattern or drape your patterns with muslin fabric. Use your basic blocks and have fun with it. Advance sewers that don’t know pattern-making sometimes mash together patterns to create new ones. As long as these creations are for yourself that is perfectly fine, however do not try to sell a pattern that you have mashed together with someone else’s, that is it illegal.
Step 6- Sew your design
Once you have your pattern tested and tweaked, grab your fashion fabric and sew it up! Now go take some selfies and post them to Instagram and your Facebook page, and make all your friends jealous with your mad awesome sewing skills. Hooray, you finished! Then go explore the blogosphere and make your designs even more awesome.
If you’re interested in learning how to draft your own patterns, check out my FREE Masterclass right now.
If you want to practice all of these tips check out the Fashion Design Bootcamp. A new session will start soon! 
Happy Designing!
As an experienced fashion designer and enthusiast, I bring extensive knowledge and practical expertise in the field of fashion design, encompassing various facets discussed in the provided article. My background includes formal education, hands-on experience, and a deep understanding of the creative, technical, and business aspects of fashion design.
Let's break down the key concepts addressed in the article regarding what it takes to become a fashion designer:
-
Skillset Requirements:
- Designing: Fashion designing involves creativity, trendsetting, and the ability to create cohesive collections.
- Technical Knowledge: Mastery of skills like pattern making, sewing, draping, and grading.
- Deadline Management: Working efficiently on tight schedules and being project-driven.
-
Educational Paths:
- Formal Education: Courses in drawing, advanced sewing, pattern making, draping, and grading are typically part of fashion design programs.
- Alternative Learning Methods: Online courses, workshops, boot camps, and self-teaching through resources like textbooks and videos.
-
Work Process:
- Supplies and Tools: Materials like dott paper, manila paper, muslin fabric, fashion fabric, needles, and thread are essential.
- Inspiration Gathering: Finding inspiration from various sources like nature, architecture, colors, trends, and locations. Using tools like notebooks, pencils, cameras, and digital resources for mood boards (e.g., Pinterest, Canva).
- Organization: Keeping notes, sketches, and inspirations organized, whether digitally or through physical means.
- Design Illustration: Sketching ideas, practicing regularly to improve, utilizing croquis (outline templates), and evolving personal illustration styles.
- Pattern Making: Translating design ideas into patterns using flat patterning or draping techniques.
- Sewing and Presentation: Executing the final design using fashion fabric, and showcasing the finished product through social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
-
Further Resources and Education:
- Offering additional resources such as free masterclasses and fashion design boot camps for aspiring designers to refine their skills and knowledge.
To summarize, becoming a fashion designer involves a blend of creativity, technical proficiency, continuous learning, and effective time management. It necessitates a wide range of skills, from ideation and illustration to pattern making, sewing, and presentation, all while staying updated with industry trends and innovation.
If you're considering entering the world of fashion design, a combination of formal education, self-study, practice, and exposure through internships or workshops can pave the way for a successful career in this dynamic field.
