How Online Fashion Schools Work

Posted September 30, 2010 By admin

The internet has certainly changed the way we do things. It has completely revolutionized our way of living. It has changed the way we shop, the way we converse, and even the way we earn degrees. What was that again? Ye, the internet today is used to earn various types of degrees. One of the more popular degrees you can earn online is a degree in fashion design. Because of this, more and more online fashion schools keep emerging and keep trying to attract students.

How exactly do online fashion schools work?

Getting your degree without actually attending school is not really a new thing. In the past, this type of learning was called correspondence studies. A person would earn his degree through the mail. Basically, this is how online fashion schools work. People who want to earn their degrees do so by communicating with the instructor through the internet.

First of all, a person registers via e-mail or through a website. Students pay through credit card or by electronic transfer. Once registered, a student will be sent a manual/ workbook. He or she studies the subject through the use of this book and through other media sent by the school. The pace of learning is dictated by the student and he or she can stick to a personal schedule. This is quite convenient since most people today cannot get enough time to study. Most people who enroll in online fashion schools have jobs that they are trying to hold. Because of this, they try to take all the time that they can in order to study.

How are tests taken? Well, tests are often included in the manual and answers can be sent to the school for checking through email. Some people may question the validity of such tests as students are given ample opportunity to cheat. Because of this, online fashion schools employ another system. Some online fashion schools schedule tests to be taken by students. The test is often under time pressure and scheduled so that a student will not be able to cheat. Sometimes, an administrator may watch the student through a webcam.

It is often the case that an online fashion school will design its tests to be simple practical examinations which a student cannot cheat in. Some online fashion schools may create tests that have no standard answers. Thus, the answers to the test can be as diverse as the personalities of the students.

When you think about it, an online fashion school can create this type of test easily. This is because fashion involves the creativity of the student. If an online fashion school asks a student to submit a design of a certain article of clothing, the design that the student sends will certainly be unique. A student cannot really cheat since cheating can be easily detected.

Once you have completed all the necessary activities and once you have overcome nameless burdens, you will receive a certification from the online fashion school saying that you accomplished this or that task and now have the degree of this or that.

As you can see, online fashion schools arent really complicated. In fact, these schools make all our lives a little bit easier. Online fashion schools often understand the plight of the student and will help you reach the top of your ladder.

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Can You Make Money as a Fashion Designer?

By admin

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 isnt destined to become a reality. While this is sometimes the case, it doesnt 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 dont 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.

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London Design Updates: Bridge May Tremble But Not Fashion Schools

Posted September 26, 2010 By admin

London Design Updates: Bridge May Tremble But Not Fashion Schools

Have you ever heard a brave forecast such as this?

Now on a lighter note, consider this: Ramps are more dramatic than bridges. How come? This is because ramps have provided the world with classic items of Burberry to more liberal creations of Jimmy Choo. And these ramps were made sturdy primarily by London fashion design schools. Top fashion designers like Clements Ribeiro, Alexander McQueen, and Sophia Kokosalaki would agree just the same.

What makes it great about earning a degree from a fashion design school in London?

London lies in the central part of England. This is one of the busiest cities in the world. It has taken part in many revolutions. The well known of these revolutions is the so-called the Industrial Revolution.

As years went by, London, during the 19th century, received the spotlight for men’s fashion statements under the headship of dandies of Regency including Beau Brummell. Not so long after, around the mid of1960s, London was, once more, for a moment the heart of fashion statements and influence.

London nowadays also lies in the heart of the fashion industry. The same city that has revolutionized many aspects and statements in the fashion industry years ago is the same city that continues a legacy for styles and prevailing modes of life. The key now lies to the competent trainings designers undergo in various fashion institutions and even in the marketplace.

In fact, whatever you want to earn: a specialist course, a fashion school certificate, or a university degree, you will definitely find a school in London that can give you the edge and the guts to get along well with other topnotch designers. Moreover, though there are a thousand of schools all around the world, it is a fact that the UK retail garment market provides training opportunities for high-end fashion, mass market, and even Asian imports. In fact, the market shares a projected $ 50-billion sale, 75% of which account for women’s and children’s clothing.

If you want to immediately run for a job-entry, a summer program or a year at a London fashion school can provide you with fashion skills that are already in the entry-level. If you are still on a shaky ground, consider enrolling in some international schools with campuses in London.

The following lists of schools have links that will provide other information about some schools in UK:

1.The Royal College of Arts is a school of textiles and fashion (http://www.rca.ac.uk/ UK).

2.London College of Fashion is an international institution for technology, design, sales and administration in the textile, accessories, footwear, and fashion industries (http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/).

3.Manchester Metropolitan University offers degree courses including fashion, textiles and textiles for fashion, embroidery, and even fashion design with technology (http://www.artdes.mmu.ac.uk/).

4. University of Westminster, located in Harrow, UK, offers a degree in BA
Fashion Design (http://www.westminsterfashion.com/)

5. London-Milan 2006: The Dual City Summer Sessions offer both novice and advanced courses. Campus in Milan is called Domus Academy in Milan and campus in London is the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and (http://www.london-milan-courses.com/).

No matter what type of school lands as your choice, you can rest assured that you have three-fold benefits: style is globally-renowned, schools have international connections, and the language used is universal, that is English. Thus you can take carry your portfolio with pride.

You can say that a London fashion degree is a passport recognized by the world and its diverse fashions. History, indeed, repeats itself.

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Good oral care means a regular old Fashioned brushing and

Posted September 23, 2010 By admin

Good oral care means a regular old Fashioned brushing and dental flossing

Face it, as we age, our teeth become worn and dull. One way to limit the dull look is to take control and develop a consistent oral hygene regimen. This effort should include brushing your teeth regularly with a quality, soft bristle toothbrush and the use of dental floss. Nothing else can do more for your overall outlook than a healthy and clean mouth.

Over time and through use, we wear down the protective enamel or outer coating of our teeth. Like almost anything else that ages, this leads to a worn and less then beautiful smile. Unfortunately, this wearing away of the enamel also creates small ridges where food and beverages act to discolor your teeth.

You can decrease your chances of having tooth decay by cleaning your teeth on a regular basis. Chronic gingivitis (bleeding gum disease) will heal as long as you are able to keep plaque under control. For some adults however, the buildup and retention of plaque is much more of a problem. For some reason, plaque seems to adhere much better to their teeth and builds up quickly even if brushing and flossing regularly. .

Your daily diet is one of the numerous contributing factors to plaque, and also the consistency of your diet. Good oral care demands a proper brushing of your teeth at least twice and preferably three times a day. Of course, dental care professionals have recommended brushing after every meal or snack.

It’s also important to remember to brush properly in order to remove plaque. The elderly and children often need to use utensils other than a simple toothbrush to do this. Plaque cannot be “prevented” necessarily; but it can be “controlled” by simply brushing correctly and brushing often. If you have a constant bad build up of plaque, you should probably consider one of the more popular sonic type toothbrushes. These do a great job at controlling plaque build up though are quite a bit more expensive than a regular toothbrush.

You should know that when there are a variety of home oral care tools to choose from these days. Sometimes people having hand eye coordination difficulties may benefit from a simple electric toothbrush. These handly gizmos are also great for older folks who might have problems with holding their hand up to use a regular toothbrush. Kids are another group that an electric toothbrush might help to get the job of oral hygeine done correctly in the least amount of time. Remember that there are a variety of tools that are used to clean hard to reach areas: dental floss that come in a variety of types like waxed, non-waxed, flat, round and textured, with baking soda, with fluoride and flavored. There’s also dental floss holders. These items can be found at drug stores, grocery stores or through medical supply stores.

There are many benefits to brushing and flossing your teeth. First and foremost, you can help prevent tooth decay by this practice. Brushing and flossing also prevent gum disease, which is a primary agent in decaying and lost teeth.

So now you see that dental cleaning is not only a practice in the dental office, but also at home in your own bathroom. Good oral care helps contribute to your overall health by promoting upkeep and maintenance. A good Tooth brushing and use of a quality floss will keep dental plaque and other debris from becoming stuck between and on your teeth.

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License Plate Purse – Fashion Bags For Everyone.

Posted September 19, 2010 By admin

I own a junk yard and a mechanic shop, and it has at all times been to my advantage to find as many uses for used car parts as possible. Even though both are profitable businesses, there is substantial overhead, so the smaller amount of stuff I have actually store or throw away, the better that it is for me and my business. Of late, I have discovered a novel idea. Not that I thought of it, actually came from my crafty niece.

She always had the talent to make quite a cottage industry out of bags from torn blue jeans, or interesting bracelets out of scraps of things she finds around that kind of stuff. So it was hardly that surprising when she created a license plate purse out of a custom license plate from some old Corvette. It wasnt until then I had realized what a great idea license plate purses would make.

So thats how it all started, I went into business with my niece. Each morning, the two of us would meet up and make a license plate purse or two. Recently she has also figured out how to make other kinds of license plate hand bags, some of them made out of several plates carefully folded over together to create a seamless whole.

Though I am aware that I wont make much of any money doing this right now we put them up for sale for about thirty bucks per license plate purse, and that too we make only a couple a day but for her the money from the sales are great, and sure she gets to keep what she makes. For me, its just a good excuse for us to spend time together. If I get to make a neat looking license plate purse or two while doing it, so much the better. Her license plate purses are a hit among her friends. In fact it seems like every other license plate purse that she makes is actually a present for a friend.

Ever since we started to work on the whole license plate purse thing, she has taken an interest into what I do, too. At first, she was not so in to cars, but she has always liked working with her hands, so I assumed that she would be a natural. Sure turns out that I was right. The fact is she is every bit as good with a muffler as with a license plate purse. Shortly I’ll start to show her the inside of an engine, and then we will be down to business. Undoubtedly this license plate purse thing has been the source of great things in my life.

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Lance Armstrong Bracelets: Fashion Accessories for a Worthy Cause

Posted September 15, 2010 By admin

Lance Armstrong bracelets, the yellow rubber wrist bands inscribed with the motto LiveStrong, are tangible parts of champion American cyclist Lance Armstrongs legacy. Diagnosed with testicular cancer on October 2, 1996, Armstrong battled with the disease and didnt let it get in the way of his will to wear the yellow jersey once again to compete in the Tour de France cycling tournament. In partnership with sports apparel firm Nike, he started selling his Lance Armstrong bracelets for a dollar apiece, with the profits going to the Lance Armstrong Foundation to fund cancer research.

It is not so surprising to find that the Lance Armstrong bracelets have become a cultural phenomenon. Aside from being very affordable, people feel they are contributing to a worthy cause by buying and wearing the yellow bracelets. Add this to the fact that the wrist band is not difficult to wear as a fashion accessory. It goes along well with almost any attire: from your regular jeans-and-shirt attire to preppy to sports outfits. School children and teenagers think it is hip to be seen wearing one, and it doesnt make a huge dent in their allowance to buy it. Professional athletes have been seen wearing them at sports events. Even corporate executives in power suits have taken to wearing these Lance Armstrong bracelets.

Made from rubber, it is similar to other cause-related bracelets that have emerged over the past years, such as those for breast cancer and diabetes. Many Americans collect these wrist bands, including the Lance Armstrong bracelets, because aside from being fashion-friendly and easy to wear, they have philanthropic and social significance.

Why yellow? This color is especially significant to Lance Armstrong. Aside from imparting feelings of warmth and optimism, yellow is the color of the jersey that the leading Tour de France cyclist is given to wear, and which he has worn to victory numerous times. The yellow Lance Armstrong bracelets are his standard bearers in his fight against cancer, and they bear witness to the things that have given his life new meaning.

Since ancient times, women and men have worn one form of jewelry or another as a way of expressing some sentiment, feeling or as a symbol. The Lance Armstrong ‘Live Strong’ bracelet is a modern version of an age old tradition; jewelry as a symbol of hope, courage and support of a worthy cause.

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Can Eating Salmon Really Give You A Flawless Face?

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By Faye Spencer

For years doctors have been telling us that eating junk food doesnt cause acne, and you probably know at least one person who eats candy and chocolate non-stop and still has lovely skin. But recently the medical establishment has begun to give serious consideration to how what we eat impacts our health, and our appearance.

One of the most prominent spokespeople for this cause is Dr. Nicholas Perricone, whose “Wrinkle Cure” system touts salmon as a skin-saving miracle food. What started as a fringe trend–eating fish to get a smoother face–has now blossomed into a popular diet plan, and millions of men and women have given it a go. Even Oprah has sung the praises of this pink-orange fish on her talk show. Whats the reason for the popularity of the so-called salmon diet? Simple: it works.

Why Salmon?

Salmon, along with tilapia, trout, herring and sardines, are rich in a substance called omega-3 fatty acids. Dont balk at that term–these fats are terrific for you. In fact, they are crucial to the growth and functioning of our organs, and they supposedly help to diminish dangerous inflammation within the body. (Its that inflammation that can trigger a host of conditions wed rather avoid, like acne, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.) Among the different types of fish, salmon is one of the richest, chockfull of good-for-you fats and other healthful substances that keep your body functioning like a well-oiled machine.

Did you know that humans are not able to produce omega-3s? Thats why its so important that we obtain them from the foods we eat on a daily basis. When you eat plenty of salmon and stick to a healthy overall diet and lifestyle, you will begin to see dramatic changes in your skins appearance and texture. Your skin will become smoother, plumper and more moisture-rich. Blemishes will fade and youll regain the glow you may have had when you were a teenager. Your eyes will likely become brighter, your hair shinier and stronger, and even your mood cheerier!

How Much Should You Eat?

Make salmon (or other fatty fish) a regular part of your meal plan. Aim to have fish about 10 times per week, whether in the form of a morning omelet, a lunchtime salad, or a dinnertime fish filet. Top your whole wheat bagel with lox for a delicious and healthy “booster shot” for your skin. Grill salmon plain and top with a mango relish. There is virtually no limit to what you can do with this delicious and versatile ingredient!

Round out your nutritious lifestyle with plenty of leafy greens and antioxidant-rich fruits, such as berries. A handful of nuts is also a great addition to your daily diet plan. And dont forget to keep the water bottle on hand–drinking plenty of water helps to flush the body of toxins and get your skin looking gorgeous.

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Moda de Italia: All about Italian Fashion and Design Schools

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Moda de Italia: All about Italian Fashion and Design Schools

If England has Rumpelstiltskin who spins gold fabrics, Italy has Count Giorgini who spun the fabrics of the fairytale story of Italian Fashion. The remarkable date was on February 25, 1951 when a fashion show was staged by the Italian legend in front of a global audience in the beautiful city of Florence.

What has the Count done for fashion in Italy?

Count Giorgini revived the fairy tale ambiance of the elitists by setting up his own palace as a place for fashion shows, thus providing courtly scenery for the production of fashion anthologies. In other words, members of the high society themselves, who wore the dresses that were considered fashionable during those times, took part in epitomizing the standards of fashion and beauty. From then on, the trend of presenting fashion for the nobles and by the nobles was evident in courtly rooms of their own museums and/or abodes alongside erected sculptures of this kind of fame.

He and his class have made a clear statement that dress can be a medium to assert one’s individuality. Subtly, he communicated that fashion can be a language of desire. Furthermore, fashion can be a game of emulations, erotic domination, and flirting glances.

There was also a time when even cinema was predisposed by Italian fashion. The nuptials of Tyrone Power and Linda Christian in the year 1949 created a stereotyped yet fantastic image of Italy as the Land of Love, of Art and the Beautiful as the bride chose a dress made from Italy. Dress served as an object of charm that can make beautiful transformations to an individual, just like in well-loved fairy tales.

In the 1960s, about the same time when London took the spotlight in the world of fashion, every majestic way of life in Italy has crumbled. During the industrial boom, social status and social roles were also revolutionized. Novice fashions in produced garments flowed into the marketplace and women around the world started to realize that they could dress stylishly at a low price.

Global recognitions for Moda de Italia garments were gained with the success of Prt–porter” between the 1970s and 1980s. These were the years when Milan grabbed the attention of the world and transformed itself into a fashion landmark. Until now, topnotch fashion designers continue to create fashion statements from the mini-skirt to denims or blue jeans and other various evolutions continue to enchant the world.

Now, consider the following institutions that have been established to serve as citadels that provide artists who can revolutionize the world:

1. Moda Altieri, Accademia Altieri is located at 00187 Roma, 50 San Nicola da Tolentino (info@accademialtieri.it; http://www.accademialatieri.it).

2.Academia d’ Belle Arte di Viterbo is located at 01100 Viterbo, 17 Col
Moschin (abavt@tin.it).

3.Accademia Europea d’ Moda e Costume d’ Franco Reale is located at
00186 Roma, 35 Lucina at Piazza San Lorenzo.

4.Accademia Internazionale d’ Alta Moda ed’ Arte del Costume Koefia is
situated at 00192 Roma, 203 Cola di Rienzo.

5.Istituto Carlo Secoli can be found at 20154 Milano , 5 G. Prina
(info@secoli.com).

6. Istituto Europea d’ Design lies at 20123 Milano, 1 Giardino.

7.Istituto Italiano di Fotografia (Italian Institute of Photography) is situated at
20144 Milan, 13 Forcella.

8.Istituto Superiore di Alta Cataldo lies at 00184 Roma, 204 Nazionale.

9.Polimoda campuses at 501443 Florence, 77 Pisana in Villa Strozzi (info@polimoda.com; http://www.polimoda.com).

10. Scuola Progettisti di Moda, Universita degli Studi di Urbino can be found
at 61029 Urbino (PS), 54 Bramante (scuola.moda@uniurb.it).

It suffices to say that the fashion of Italy has evolved from a sense that dress confirms how one is situated in a social status into an instrument that can create the appearance of a beautiful city and presently a place of creativity and competency.

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Finding Fashion Stores to Shop At

Posted September 7, 2010 By admin

Are you interested in revamping your appearance, at least in terms of your fashion? If you are, you may be looking to buy new clothes or fashion accessories. If you are looking for the latest in fashion trends, you may want to think about finding a well-known and popular fashion store to shop at, as they often have the largest selection of clothes and clothing accessories for todays top fashions.

When it comes to finding a fashion store to shop at, you have a number of different options. One of those options involves heading down to your local shopping mall. Shopping malls are a great place to find a number of well-known and popular fashion stores. While many small shopping malls do have some great fashion stores to shop at, you may find a larger selection of fashion stores and better ones by visiting a larger shopping mall. Larger shopping malls are commonly found in large cities or in popular vacation destinations.

You may also want to think about asking those that you know for recommendations. This works best if you see someone that you know wearing something, like a dress or a business suit, that you would like to own yourself. If you may want to casually ask a friend, family member, coworker, or neighbor where they got the item and if they like shopping there. If they do and if you like their taste in fashion, there is a good chance that you will also like the fashion store in question. If you have never heard of the fashion store being recommended to you before, you may want to get the location of the store so that you can start shopping.

Another way that you can go about finding a good fashion store to shop at is just by keeping your eyes open. As previously mentioned, a large number of fashion stores are located inside shopping malls, but not always. A large number of fashion stores are also considered standalone stores. For that reason, you never know when you may come across a really neat fashion store when out shopping for groceries or just driving home from work. Many of the individuals who end up finding their favorite fashion stores just happen on them by chance.

The internet is another way that you can go about finding information on a locally based fashion store. A large number of businesses, including fashion stores, have online websites. Those online websites will likely outline the location of the store in question, as well as contain other important pieces of information. It is common to find a few pictures and other information about the fashion pieces and accessories sold at a fashion store on their online website. You can find the online website of a local fashion store, if they have one, by performing a standard internet search. You may also be able to use business directories, as many link to the businesss online website.

Speaking of using the internet to find information on a local fashion store, you can also use the internet to find an online fashion store. While a large number of fashion store owners choose to operate their stores in a storefront location, there are others who choose to operate an online store and even some to choose to do both. By performing a standard internet search, with phrase like womens clothing, fashion store, and so forth, you may be directed to the online websites of multiple online fashion stores. The more that you able to customize your search to include what you are looking for, like mens business suits or womens lingerie, you are more likely to find exactly what you were looking for online.

If you are interested in improving your fashion sense, one of the first things that you should do is visit a fashion store, even if it is just to look around. As you can see, there are a number of different ways that you can go about finding a popular fashion store to shop at, as well as one that may be known as a well-kept secret.

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How to Become Top Fashion Designer

Posted September 5, 2010 By admin

You know you’re destined to be a fashion designer if you: a) spent most of your childhood making clothes for your Barbie dolls instead of playing with your friends; b) read fashion magazines instead of your school books; c) ran a boutique out of your basement at age 10. In other words: if you want to be the next Yves Saint Laurent, it helps to be completely and utterly obsessed with fashion.

However, there are many aspects of the profession. Working as a fashion designer can just as well mean supervising a design team at a sportswear company as producing a label under your own name. Although the former career may not seem as glamorous as the latter, it certainly will make your life less stressful. To create your own label takes a lot of time, dedication and hard work. Not to mention living just above the poverty line for several years.

Choosing a strategy

There are as many different ways to embark upon a fashion career as there are styles of design. Ralph Lauren’s Polo empire was founded on a small tie collection that he sold to Bloomingdales. Helmut Lang decided to open his own clothing store when he couldn’t find a t-shirt that he liked. Michael Kors built up a network of customers by selling clothes in a trendy NYC boutique. However, most people find that the best foundation for a design career is to get a fine arts degree in fashion at a prestigious school. Besides teaching you the craft, a good school will also add credibility to your resum. “We live in a brandname society, and having the name of a good school behind you really does help,” says Carol Mongo, Director of the Fashion Department at Parsons School of Design in Paris.

Applying to a school

There are a lot of colleges that have fashion programs, but only a handful has the kind of reputation that can really push your career. It’s hard to enter these schools as competition is high, and they tend to be very selective. You apply by sending a portfolio of drawings of your designs. “We can’t teach you how to be creative you have to bring your creativity to us and let us lead you on your way,” says Carol Mongo. She recommends students to get some sewing experience before they apply. Drawing is also an important skill for a designer it is the way you communicate your ideas. In order to build an impressive portfolio it’s a good idea to have some experience in sketching; taking art classes will help you understand form and proportion. But you don’t have to be an expert drawer to get accepted to a school. “The most important quality that we look for in our students is that they are truly passionate and exuberant about fashion,” says Mongo. “If you have wonderful ideas but can’t draw, there are always ways to get around it. You could for example put your designs on a mannequin and take pictures of it.”

What school will do for you

Most fashion programs are three to four years long. During that time you will take fine arts classes and study drawing, color composition and form. You will also learn pattern making, draping and cutting techniques. One of the most important advantages of design schools is that they work really closely with the industry. Parsons, for example, have “designer critic projects” where successful designers like Donna Karan and Michael Kors work directly with the graduating students. Ambitious students also have the chance to win prestigious awards and grants, which bring them a lot of attention as well as financial support. One very important event is the fashion show at the end of the last semester, when graduating students show their collections. A lot of important people from the fashion industry attend these shows to scout new talent. It’s also an opportunity to be really outrageous and get noticed by the media. Hussein Chalayan, for example, became instantly infamous when he showed rotting clothes that he had buried in his backyard for his graduation show at Saint Martins.

Alternative routes

“Let’s be realistic,” says Carol Mongo at Parsons, “School’s not for everyone. If you’re just looking to get a job in the fashion industry not a career as a designer you probably don’t need to go school.” If you want to work as a seamstress or a patternmaker, the best thing is probably to apply for an internship at a fashion house and work your way up. However, there are many examples of famous designers who started out as interns with no formal training. For example, Dior’s brightest new star, men’s wear designer Hedi Slimane, had a degree in journalism when he started working with men’s wear designer Jos Levy. Balenciaga’s Nicolas Ghesquire is another example of a brilliantly successful designer who learned the jobs hands-on, as an assistant at Jean-Paul Gaultier. Usually, you apply for an internship by sending a portfolio to a fashion house you’re interested in. But it’s a good idea to call them up beforehand to see exactly what they need. It’s also important to note that competition is fierce, and unless you have personal connections, it’s very difficult to get an internship without an education.
There are also designers, like Luella Bartley, who started their own business after working as stylists for several years, thus building an industry network as well as a good marketing sense.

Understanding the business

Unfortunately, it’s not enough for a designer to be creative; you also have to have some business sense. As fashion gets more and more corporate driven, it’s important to be aware of the business climate and understanding the mechanics behind it. By religiously reading trade papers like “Women’s Wear Daily” you will get a lot of valuable information. If you want to run your own company, you need to be extremely organized and learn at least the basics of economics. A lot of fashion schools are currently increasing business classes in their curriculum. “Our students have to be smart enough to know how to negotiate a contract, or to pick a business partner,” says Carol Mongo. It’s perhaps telling that many of the designers that are really successful today, like Calvin Klein or Tom Ford, are involved in every aspect of the business from licensing strategies to ad campaigns to actually designing the clothes.

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