Fashion Design Schools: Choosing the BEST Among the Rest

Do you know how to sew?

Do you enjoy creating designs?

Do you love following or changing patterns to come up with a piece of clothing?

If fashion is simply just your passion, then you might just be right for a fashion design school.

Here are some reasons why you should attend a fashion design school:

1. You will learn about the most up-to-date styles that many people would consider buying.
2. If you are unsure whether you will be able to make a living out of your interest in fashion,
your level of confidence will greatly increase once you obtained a degree.
3.Studying about and later working on, a field that you love is very rewarding.
4. You will learn about the various principles behind the patterns you have worked on in the
past, as well as the ones you will be working on in the future.
5.You will also be knowledgeable on mixing and matching colors to magnify the shape and cut
of your creations.
6. You will know more about keeping your clothes together - other than just stitching! Talk
about endless possibilities.
7. Fashion design school will expose you to different kinds of people, working with them,
incorporating their ideas with your own, and developing relationships with those who share
the same feeling toward fashion.
8. These relationships will set the foundation for meeting potential employees, employers, or
business partners; all whom you will need when you start your foray into the fashion world.

There are numerous fashion design schools globally. Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, found in London, is considered by some as the most famous of them all. Other world-renowned schools are The Royal College of Arts in London, the London College of Fashion, Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, AIU in Los Angeles, and Parsons The New School for Design in New York City.

Most courses in the schools mentioned above last for about three years.

The next question, however, will be, how do you choose the best school for you?

Here are 10 helpful tips to help you in your decision making:

Tip#1- - Determine what you would like to major in. From there, search for a school that offers
the program that you like.

Tip#2- - Have a list of criteria that you would like to take a look into in your search for the perfect
fashion design school. These criteria may include program offering, major and minor
subjects, costs, location, placement record, and many more.

Tip#3- - You may now construct a list of candidate fashion design schools.

Tip#4- - Gather all necessary resources and information about each of your candidate
school. Find their websites and research.

Tip#5 - - Narrow down your list further by using the criteria you have set in Tip#2.

Tip#6 - -Inspect the schools left on your list. It would be good if you can visit these schools
personally. But if not, try to obtain a video or look for a virtual tour in their websites.

Tip#7 - - File your application to the schools that met your criteria.

Tip#8 - -While waiting to hear from the schools you sent your application to, search for
scholarship grants in the Internet.

Tip#9 - -Make your final decision based on the responses you got from the schools that you
applied to, as well as the scholarship grantors' response. Carefully review your notes,
consider funding, and finally, decide.

Tip#10 - -Get ready to embark on a journey that you have never quite experienced before!

Off you go to the one of the best fashion design schools in the world!

Fashion Design Degree Education

Find fashion schools offering online fashion merchandising, fashion design, fashion marketing, and other programs that can help you develop the skills you need to get your foot in the door of this stylish career. Find schools in top fashion destinations like New York City, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, across the US and beyond.

The field of fashion and fashion marketing is a demanding yet rewarding path. Are you ready to combine your creative talents and marketing savvy into an exciting career? Some career paths include: Fashion Buyer, Product Developer & Retail Manager. You will work closely with account executives and store managers to select appropriate merchandise to sell in stores. You are knowledgeable about current and future trends and travel to national and international fashion markets to study them.

Following schools offer online fashion courses and degrees
UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX ONLINE
• Fashion Design/Marketing

BAKER COLLEGE ONLINE
• Bachelor Degree in Web Development
• Certificate in Web Design

THE ART INSTITUTE ONLINE
• Residential Planning - Diploma
• Digital Design - Diploma
• Web Design - Diploma
• Graphic Design - Associate Degree
• Multimedia & Web Design - Associate Degree
• Advertising - Bachelor Degree
• Culinary Management BS Degree Completion Program - Bachelor Degree
• Interior Design - Bachelor Degree
• Game Art & Design - Bachelor Degree
• Graphic Design - Bachelor Degree
• Multimedia & Web Design - Bachelor Degree

CAPELLA UNIVERSITY
• Graphics and Multimedia
• Web Application Development

AMERICAN INTERCONTINENTAL UNIVERSITY ONLINE
• Bachelor's Degree in Visual Communications

WESTWOOD COLLEGE ONLINE
• Graphic Design and Multimedia
• Visual Communications
• Animation
• Web Design & Multimedia
• CAD Courses

American InterContinental University
Fashion Design School
The fast-paced fashion industry is rich in career opportunities for individuals with an eye for color, line and texture, a keen business sense and a bold creative vision. AIU fashion school students are on the career track well before they graduate. They create a portfolio highlighting their best work for presentation to employers. Study tours to fashion centers like New York City, Paris and Milan are a great chance to network with the big names in the business. In addition, our students gain valuable experience as interns with designers, manufacturers and fashion houses.
The AIU Fashion Design School program helps new designers acquire the necessary skills to develop their personal style. Students also become familiar with the business and marketing side of the apparel industry.
Associate Degree in Fashion Design
Associate Degree in Interior Design
Associate Degree in Media Production
Associate Degree in Visual Communications
Bachelor's Degree Fashion Design
Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design
Bachelor's Degree in Fashion Design & Fashion Marketing
Bachelor's Degree in Media Production
Bachelor's Degree in Visual Communications
Request Information - Atlanta (Buckhead), GA

International Academy of Design & Technology
Campus programs
The International Academy's Program in Fashion Design is demanding, technical, comprehensive, and state-of-the-art. Students are given a solid foundation in fashion illustration, pattern drafting, design, draping, clothing construction, textiles, fashion history and production techniques. All of the instruction is presented using industrial grade equipment in spacious and comfortable facilities built for optimum fashion design. Students are encouraged to realize their potential with inspiration provided by visiting designers and artisans with local and/or international reputations who conduct special lectures and workshops.
Associate of Science Degree in Web Design
Associate of Science degree in Computer Animation
Associate of Science Degree in Fashion Design and Marketing
Associate of Science Degree in Interior Design
Associate of Science Degree in Graphic Design
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Degree in Fashion Design and Marketing
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design

Brooks Fashion Design College
Associate degree in Fashion
The Fashion Design program at Brooks College provides academic and specialized practical instruction to prepare the student to enter an ever-changing and exciting world of fashion. In this growing industry, there is a constant demand for technical knowledge and creative talent. Brooks College's Division of Manufacturing Education (D.O.M.E.) is the on-campus manufacturing facility where the major portion of the second year program is taught. Graduates of the program are qualified for the following: Designer and Assistant Designer, Fashion Stylist, Fashion Design School, Production, Pattern maker, Pattern Grader, Fabrications and trim Buyer, as well as, Fashion Illustrator and Textile Artist.
Associate of Science Degree (Graphic Design)
Associate of Arts Degree (Fashion Design)
Associate of Arts Degree (Interior Design)
Associate of Arts Degree (Fashion Merchandising)
Associate of Science Degree (Animation)
Associate of Science Degree (Multimedia)
Katharine Gibbs School New York (New York, NY)
Fashion Design School and Merchandising
Students are trained, practically and academically, in all aspects of the fashion industry. Topics include: fabric printing and print design, sketching for the designer and illustrator, industry-standard pattern drafting, showroom and retail sales, fashion design school. Through the course of the program, students will be developing their own fashion portfolio.
Associate Degree Visual Communications
Associate Degree - Fashion Design.

PCDI - Professional Career Development Institute
The Professional Fashion Merchandising Program
Have you ever wondered why certain clothes show up in fashion advertising and still others never sell? Would you like to be able to plan and produce a successful fashion show? Do you want to know how consumer fashion trends are set? Are you interested in getting in on a fast-track field by taking a fashion merchandising course? If so, you've come to the right place!
PCDI's nationally accredited home study course will teach you about fashion merchandising, and much more. You'll Receive 17 clear, beautifully illustrated lessons. First, we'll teach you about consumer style preferences and purchasing habits. Next, we'll take you "behind the scenes" to Find out what retail buyers, department heads, store managers, fashion directors, visual merchandisers, and sales associates do. Then, we'll show you the secrets of staging fashion shows; planning special events; becoming a personal shopper; tracking fashion trends; and going for that first career position.
Key advantages of our school:
No campus attendance, no commuting, no deadline pressure
All exams are open-book/open notes
Learn at your own pace; graduate in as little as six months after taking the fashion merchandising courses!
Graduate with a nationally accredited diploma
Enroll any time and enjoy affordable, interest-free tuition
There are no educational prerequisites or experience requirements to enroll. Convenient, practical home study fashion merchandising courses and training from PCDI makes learning fashion merchandising easy and fun!

Things to Remember When Considering a Career in Fashion Design

If you are one of the many people considering entering the field of fashion design then there are a few things that you will want to bear in mind before you head out to find your first job. Great ideas are a dime a dozen but people that can turn an idea into reality are far harder to find.

The first skill that you will need to begin turning your design ideas into reality is drawing. You will have to develop good drawing skills for several reasons. The fist thing that you will do with your drawing skills is to put your initial ideas down on paper. In this way you can work on your ideas and make adjustments without having to go through the trouble of actually creating them in fabric.

Also, it is important to remember that drawing and drawings are the way that people in the fashion business communicate with each other. Not being able to draw fashion designs and trying to enter the field of fashion design is akin to trying to become a poet without having the ability to speak.

One good way to learn to draw is to get some good instruction material on the subject and then study and practice. The more that you practice the better you will get, so you should put in all of the practice that you have the time to do. Of course, good sewing skills will only be of help and in fact they will be an absolute requirement if you are thinking of entering the field of fashion design.

While you may think that you will be the one having others sew your fantastic design ideas the truth of the matter is that you are going to have to spend some time as an intern doing the sewing.

The Mark of a Great Fashion Designer

In every industry, from factories to fashion, there are those who lead, those who follow and manage. Some are guided by the compass and others work by the clock, managers and leaders, they share the same space but their motivation and priorities are worlds apart.

You can read books on how to become a good manger, taking care of all the tasks, processes and the administrative responsibilities in support of leaders who go out into the forest in search of trees. Management Guru Peter Drucker has written many best sellers, but the bible for many successful managers is “Management Tasks Processes and Responsibilities”

You’re probably asking yourself what has all this got to do with fashion designers, “we’re getting there”. This is about the skills you don’t necessarily need to become a great fashion designer. It’s about complimentary and compensatory factors that makeup a business, front end to back end, strengths and weaknesses.

If your eye is on leadership and you’ve consumed and digested all the knowledge and information on the subject, but, questions still burn. Consider this one. Don’t be put off by the title; it’s been a best seller for almost twenty years. “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R Covey. It’s about life’s integration with work, adhering to priorities, leading with your left and managing with the right. For you, it will be like switching on a light on a moonless night. But beware, inherent in the 7 habits is a commitment to change the way you are, change your old habits, improve. In essence, confrontation conquers fear.

It is not the kind of book to read on a stormy Sunday afternoon. You’d do better to weather the storm, because there’s a lot of intensity in the words. Evoking thought, you’ll be grabbing a high-lighter to underline all the phrases you don’t want to forget. And you’ll use it as a constant guide as you grow and learn about principle leadership in business.

Then there is Michael E Porters’ complex analytical approach “Competitive Advantage” This is for economists, sales executives, etc. It’s about maximizing, expenditure, resources and knowledge. If you have the staying power to weave your way exhaustingly through a labyrinth of thought provoking literature, then there’s a lot learn. Less effort for greater return is one obvious driving principle throughout; another is value processes, no weak links in the chain, so to speak.

Unless you are a very special type of accountant, don’t pick up this book, you will burn your fingers. CA is not about minimizing costs, and saving time. You can stop the clock, but the metre keeps running in New York Taxi Cabs. A smart taxi driver will take you the long road home, like a good economist he’ll want to maximize his return on effort. Here the vast difference between minimization and maximization are spelled out in a way that challenges logic in a very powerful and honest way. “Yikes”

For the strategist, there’s “Strategic Selling” it’s a brainstorm. Once digested you will stop trying to sell and learn about your target market is demanding, then simply supply accordingly. “Research”

Now, try to find a book that teaches you how to be a great fashion designeror any kind of designer for that fact. You can easily be taught the technical aspects of design and theorize all you like about its beginning and transformations. But unless you are gifted with the skill of being able to realise scattered ideas and thoughts, being able to visualize their end before putting pen to paper then you can only achieve to a certain level.

On this subject of truly great designers, three names come immediately to mind; Frank Lloyd Wright, Isambard Brunell and Vivienne Westwood.

There is only one “falling Water House” one “Clifton Suspension Bridge” and only one “Orb”. Vivienne Westwood has designed everything from silk ties to suits, crockery to designer cufflinks. “The Orb” is recognised the world over as a symbol of design excellence.

But even behind the designer façade of Westwoods London store, mangers offer administrative support for their leader; the two go hand in hand.

Without harmonious integration of these leadership and management disciplines, businesses can never fully achieve the heights they desire.

Where to Start on the Road to Fashion Design

If you are one of the many people that are contemplating a career in fashion design then there are a few things that you can do to help to put yourself ahead of the pack. One important skill that you will need to have in fashion design is drawing. Learning to draw out your fashion design ideas is something of importance that can't be overstated.

The better you are at drawing detailed ideas of yours and others design ideas, the better you will be at communicating your ideas to others in the business. It is important that you learn to make detailed drawings that show even the most minute details in a creation. The more that you work on drawing out your ides the more the good ideas will pop into your head.

Great ideas are the core of becoming a great fashion designer, because the best fashion designers are true visionaries. This is because, they have to think a full year ahead of everyone else, for this years line of fashion products started out as ideas that were drawn out the previous year.

It is also important to remember that not every idea they you are going to have is going to be a big splash. Many song writers write songs for years before they develop the ability to write songs that sell. Being able to feel what people want can come from seeing what they don't want.

This means that if your ideas turn out to meet rejection then don't worry about it and just go back to the drawing pad and come up with something new to present. In time you will develop a better sense for what people are willing to accept and then you can rely on that sense when you are drawing your new ideas.

How to Prepare for a Career in Fashion Design

Every time that a new line of designer clothing makes its debut it means one thing for people looking to enter the field of fashion design and marketing. It means more jobs and more demand for people that have gone through the training that is necessary to work in the field of fashion design. Everyone has ideas that they think would be popularly accepted if they just had the chance to see them produced and marketed. The problem is, that not everyone knows how to go about the process of doing it.

One skill that is important in the field of fashion design is drawing but not just any drawing. Every successful fashion designer has to draw out his or her ideas before they can become reality. Learning to draw fashion designs is different from other types of drawing and there are a lot of books on it that someone can get to learn how to do it. Remember that, you can have all of the wonderful ideas that you want but if you can't draw them out you won't be able to communicate them to others.

Learning to sew is another skill that you will need to have if you are thinking of a career in fashion design. Sewing is a craft that you can never stop improving, so a lot of practice goes into becoming not just good at it but great at it. There are now high tech sewing machines that can help you to do great work, so you may want to consider investing in one. All great fashion designers are masters at working with colors and textures and subtle differences in color and texture can make the difference between a good and a great work. Painting and drawing will only help you to become better at working with colors.

Finding a Top Fashion Design School That Meets Your Needs

If your considering attending fashion school, there are a number of choices to wade through, and many factors to consider. How do you separate the hype from the substance when considering what fashion design school is right for your needs? By becoming clear on your school evaluation criteria, it will be easier to pick the school that is right for you.

One of the main factors, of course, is cost. Education is an investment in yourself, and there will be some cost outlays involved for tuition, supplies, and other aspects of attending school. However, if you've committed to getting a fashion design education, than you shouldn't let cost get in your way. You will certainly want to compare costs, the costs of various schools with the overall benefits you'll receive from each. You may be able to get a better loan or financial aid package from one school over another, and this certainly should be a consideration.

Another factor to consider is location. There are a variety of fashion schools located in some of the major design capitals of the world, such as Milan, London, and New York. If you decided to attend a school located there, you may have increased costs of living, which should be taken into consideration. But, you will also be more immersed in the world of fashion, and may have a chance to make more contacts in the fashion industry that can help you after graduation.

There are some schools that offer an online education, and this may also be a good choice for you. If you need more flexibility with your classes, or have family or work commitments, an online school may be a better choice. Of course, you will want to make sure you have reliable computer and Internet access, and a place to study.

One thing you should pay close attention to is the job placement services the school offers. Most people attend fashion design school because they are looking to work in the fashion industry, and how the school supports what happens post-graduation should be examined closely. The school may have job placement statistics available, and perhaps an alumni association. You may want to contact some of the alumni, and find out how their job placement situation was handled.

The quality of the curriculum and instructors is of course, another major factor. Take a look through their catalogue and see what type of classes are being offered. Classes should offer a good mix of application and theory, and be rigorous without being overwhelming.

Attending a top fashion design school can be a reality instead of just a dream. By critically evaluating the schools based on the criteria that is important to you, you will find many schools that can offer you the education and experience of a lifetime.

Where to Start Out on your Career in Fashion Design

It seems that these days just about everyone is considering a career in fashion design. The truth of the matter, is that not everyone will achieve their lofty dreams of a successful carer in fashion. The reason for this is that there are just not enough positions to accommodate everyone that is looking for work in fashion design, so it is the best prepared that will prevail.

One thing that many people don't realize is that a good fashion designer must have true vision, because they have to think a year or so ahead of everyone else. What this means is that this years fashion line is actually last years ideas. It takes atleast a year to create a line and bring it online in full commercial production, so your ideas have to be right on the mark.

Learning to draw fashion creations and ideas is the first step to learning to create actual product. If you try to skip the drawing process what you will be left holding in your hands when you have completed a creation is inevitably complete junk. You may love it, because it is your creation but no one else will.

Remember that other people liking your design ideas is key to achieving success in the field of fashion design. So learn to draw fashion designs and become good at it. Drawing is the way the people communicate in the fashion design business and without great drawing skills you will be left in a weak position.

Of course, another subject that you will need to master is the subject of fabrics. You must have a thorough knowledge of all fabrics, their makeup and their texture. So, it seems that there is lot that a person can learn and study before they actually consider formal training in fashion design.

Online Fashion Design Schools-What You Need To Know

Online distance education is a strong industry that is continuing to grow and change as more people realize the benefits of receiving their education online. In addition to more traditional programs, there are a number of specializations that are currently available through distance education. If your goal is to attend fashion school and work in the fashion industry, there are many online fashion design schools are available to choose from.

There are many benefits to taking courses online. Distance education cuts out anything extraneous, like commuting, so you can focus solely on your education. You will have much more flexibility, and can study at your own pace. Many people who learn online have other jobs and commitments, and with a little planning and effort, they are able to both study and work at the same time. Taking online courses does require some dedication, but if you are self-motivated, it can be a great way to learn.

With many online fashion design schools, you will fill out either a mail or online application to register for the courses. Your classes will be a mixture of self-study, usually with a textbook or workbook, and online lesson modules. You may have the ability to work with others online, or have online or email chat to the teacher and other students. Some classes may even utilize a web cam, so you can see others, and your teacher and classmates can see you. Because of the nature of online courses, you may even have your final exam be open book, with an emphasis on critical thinking, or involved projects.

If you are planning to attend a US-based school, you will want to make sure they are accredited. Many schools will offer an associate degree,and some may even offer a bachelor. The Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), is the accrediting body for distance education programs, and some schools may even have an additional accreditation specifically related to fashion design.

Many of the traditional campuses for vocational and technical schools also offer an online fashion design program. For example, Westwood College, a leading vocational school,offers an online Bachelor Degree in Fashion Merchandising. The Art Institute also has a variety of online programs, including a Fashion and Retail Management Program.

If you are truly interested in receiving a fashion design education, you can make it happen. With the Internet, distance does not have to be an impediment to learning. If you are self-motivated and self-directed, an online fashion design program could be the next step in your fashion design career.

What it Takes to be a Fashion Designer

Let's get one thing straight - to be a fashion designer you'll need to possess a formidable range of skills and personal qualities. Be honest with yourself, evaluate the extent to which you possess these skills and qualities otherwise you'll eventually run into obstacles in your attempts to be a fashion designer.

First and foremost you need talent. This encompasses a wide range of skills including drawing, sewing, research, vision and creativity. Without a high level of natural talent you can never be a Joules fashion designer.

The fashion industry is tough and competitive - you need to be prepared to use your abilities to give yourself an edge over your rivals. This only comes through having the confidence to truly believe in what you're doing and the assertiveness to deliver.

Without a high level of ambition and the necessary commitment to achieve that ambition you may struggle. You have to be prepared to work hard yet remain open to learning. Displaying high levels of flexibility and using criticism from others in a positive way will allow you to adapt in what is an ever-changing environment.

Effective communication skills are a must. If you can't explain, listen, negotiate or delegate you'll struggle. Likewise organisational skills - if you can't plan and co-ordinate you simply won't finish jobs on time. Part of this comes from being able to make quick decisions and accepting responsibility for those decisions.

If you want to be a fashion designer then you need to accept the fact that you'll also be running a business. That means being able to spot opportunities as well as carrying out the more mundane tasks that are part and parcel of running a business. You'll need to be able to show leadership and be prepared to take a few risks if you want to achieve real success.

On a more artistic level you'll need to be imaginative and creative to generate new ideas. Without a genuine ability to visualize, draw and paint in two dimensions you won't be able to deliver innovation which is the energizing force of fashion design. Joules Clothing The same can be said for color sense and the many practical skills that go into making a fashion designer.

To be a fashion designer means being prepared to work as part of a team. You'll need to enjoy group activities and recognize you're only part of a bigger picture that draws from the input of many players. This calls for a friendly, calm temperament, patience, humour and at times a little bit of humility.

The one personal quality that pulls all of this together is having a real passion for fashion - without this the other skills and personal qualities become undermined and you'll find it difficult to be a fashion designer.

If you feel you possess these qualities then don't give up until you cover all the steps you need to take to become a fashion designer.

Starting your own Fashion Design Business

What a lot of people don't realise is that many fashion design businesses have started out as just a small home business. In a lot of cases these businesses would even have been started from their kitchen table or spare bedroom. The fashion business is definitely a business which could be started from home and on a very small budget.

Laura Ashley was one such designer who started her design business on her kitchen table in London. She went on to build a very successful international design business.

Another international fashion designer whose fashion design talent was sown in his own home and at a very early age was the designer, Bruce Oldfield.

They, amongst other designers, have inspired many to live out their dream of owning their own fashion design business and following their footsteps to success.

The fun and pleasure of creating your own designs can start at any age. Once the fashion bug takes hold, it can be a very exciting and exhilarating time. The
adrenaline will constantly being stirred by the creation and completion of new designs. These designs may have been inspired by the most unusual items, such as a brick, the sunset, an old pattern, an architectural building, or any item.

If you find yourself sketching or doodling designs on every spare piece of paper, then you most likely have a hidden talent yourself for being a fashion designer.

Why not give yourself the opportunity to start a fashion business from your own home?

You could specialise in various niches, including women's clothing, full size clothing, gothic clothing etc. One way of starting your business would be to create a few samples of your designs and then promote them with the help of friends at house parties to find out if they are marketable.

When you have completed this initial research, you should then take your new business to the next level, which would be to prepare your business plan.

There are certain qualities required to run a fashion design business and two of the most important ones are, tenacity and determination. There will be many times when

working on your fashion business that you will feel like giving up and this will be entirely because of the enormous amount of work involved. This is when the tenacity quality will be required. You will have to have enough determination to achieve all the dreams you have for your fashion business success.

Starting your own Fashion Design Business

What a lot of people don't realise is that many fashion design businesses have started out as just a small home business. In a lot of cases these businesses would even have been started from their kitchen table or spare bedroom. The fashion business is definitely a business which could be started from home and on a very small budget.

Laura Ashley was one such designer who started her design business on her kitchen table in London. She went on to build a very successful international design business.

Another international fashion designer whose fashion design talent was sown in his own home and at a very early age was the designer, Bruce Oldfield.

They, amongst other designers, have inspired many to live out their dream of owning their own fashion design business and following their footsteps to success.

The fun and pleasure of creating your own designs can start at any age. Once the fashion bug takes hold, it can be a very exciting and exhilarating time. The
adrenaline will constantly being stirred by the creation and completion of new designs. These designs may have been inspired by the most unusual items, such as a brick, the sunset, an old pattern, an architectural building, or any item.

If you find yourself sketching or doodling designs on every spare piece of paper, then you most likely have a hidden talent yourself for being a fashion designer.

Why not give yourself the opportunity to start a fashion business from your own home?

You could specialise in various niches, including women's clothing, full size clothing, gothic clothing etc. One way of starting your business would be to create a few samples of your designs and then promote them with the help of friends at house parties to find out if they are marketable.

When you have completed this initial research, you should then take your new business to the next level, which would be to prepare your business plan.

There are certain qualities required to run a fashion design business and two of the most important ones are, tenacity and determination. There will be many times when

working on your fashion business that you will feel like giving up and this will be entirely because of the enormous amount of work involved. This is when the tenacity quality will be required. You will have to have enough determination to achieve all the dreams you have for your fashion business success.

Lifestyle Learning Direct’s Fashion Design and Dressmaking Tips and Tricks

Good creative skills are essential for the specialised fields of fashion design and dressmaking. Consequently, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of the industry and be able to apply acquired skills in a theoretical and practical manner. Lifestyle Learning Direct, one of the Gold Coast’s premier online learning and correspondence course providers, suggests that in order to be a good fashion designer or dressmaker you need to be able to:

1. Understand fashion trends, clothing ranges and colour groups.

2. Learn Know how patterns work – flat patterns, commercial patterns, tracing patterns and pattern blocks – read patterns, choose pattern sizes and have basic pattern alteration knowledge.

4. Have knowledge on the range and quality of the many fibres and fabrics available today – natural and man-made fibres, fashion fabrics, modern developments and special fabrics – which will have a large bearing on your creations.

5. Be familiar with the tools and equipment necessary for good dressmaking: scissors, tape measure, pins, machine needles, hand needles, stitch ripper, tailor’s chalk, haberdashery, sewing machine, overlocker, iron, ironing board, full-length mirror, flat cutting surface and storage.

6. Be conversant with inserting zippers and sleeves, buttonholes, waistbands, types of stitching, seam types, stretch sewing, and so on.

7. Present a design collection using fashion drawing and design skills, as well as the competent use of colour and themes.

8. Understand which designs will suit the client’s life and activities, as well as know the basic body shapes, hair styles, make-up trends and how to plan a wardrobe.

9. Know how to set up a system, research customers, basic business structure and types of operation.

How can you become a better Fashion Designer and Dressmaker?

To gain professional fashion design and dressmaking proficiency, it is best to undertake a specialised course that teaches you the essential skills. Lifestyle Learning Direct is a leader in the provision of writing distance education courses that aim to give students a broad understanding of the industry competency regarding both the theoretical and practical application of this knowledge.

Apart from understanding the application of various dressmaking and design skills, by learning elementary drawing techniques to professionally define your creative visions, you can uncover clever ways of presenting your designs and using various media to lift your work.

Recognise and anticipate fashion trends, develop a design theme, and gain an understanding of the process and workings of the fashion haute couture industry. Also, learn how to identify, select and find the fibres that make your clothing stand out from the rest by perfectly balancing style and function.

If you dream of being your own boss, as well as the theory of fashion design and dressmaking you also need to know the practical aspects of how to set up in business.

Basic Criteria for Choosing Your Fashion Design School

School, obviously, is the one main vehicle where you can acquire basic and formal training. This is true to all fields and industries. And as such, the fashion industry does not escape this reality.

You may have the talent and the unique sense for fashion but without structured training, you might fail to understand and explore more on your gifts.

Besides, one's success in the field of fashion relies partly on your choice of school. In this article, we will give you the basic criteria you can use in exploring your options of fashion design school.

Cost- This is one of the main considerations that largely affect your choice of school. The sad truth with fashion design schools is that they are too few and among the relatively small number are the handful schools that can truly deliver efficient education.

As with many other things, low cost fashion design schools are good but only if they can give effective learning. This is rarely the case though. Often, with lower fees, lower quality of education may be had. This is due primarily to the reason that such schools can't afford higher paying professionals to provide them with man power.

Thus, they settle for people who can give service at a low price. Don't let quality suffer over the limit of your budget. There will always be some well-performing fashion design schools that will suit your means.

Area of Specialization- In the fashion industry, it is well recognized that one should have special fields where they are greatly inclined to. This must be triggered or further supplemented by the fashion school of your choice.

The first thing you would want to do is to study the nature of the fashion design school. What fields does it cater? What courses does it focus on? What are their main emphases in delivering the art? These are among the many things that you should give intense consideration since the fashion design school that you will be choosing would largely influence your career later.

The best aid for your choice of school is to know its reputation. A self respecting fashion design school is one that makes itself renowned in the world of fashion. Does your school of consideration participate in fashion school competitions? This would be a sure mark of fostering excellence in the industry and the school's commitment for brilliant education.

To maximize your strength, you must therefore find a school that focuses on your own field of specialization.

Considerations on the Curriculum- As with college education, you must also check into the curriculum offered in the school of fashion design. To get the best offered in your spectrum of choices, you can compare curriculum from various schools and decide what you think would best fit in your preferences.

Ratio of teacher to students- The size of a class against a teacher means two things- the school is either too popular or it's the other way around. Nevertheless, the larger the size of the class the more likely would education suffer.

These are only some of the major points to consider in choosing your fashion design school. As for your final decision, your best judgment must out rule any doubt.

Tips on Choosing A School For Fashion Design

Once you've made the decision to attend, or at least investigate fashion design as a career, its time to consider your educational prospects. By attending a school for fashion design, you will get the training you need to be successful in your new career. In addition, you will also have the chance to network, and have post-graduate job placement opportunities. Although there are many choices available, finding the right program doesn't need to be complicated.

One of your first tasks should be narrowing down your field of study. Take a look at the various occupational profiles related to fashion, and focus on the ones that interest you. Some of the more popular fashion areas of study are: design, merchandising, marketing, and fashion retail management. By having a primary focus in mind, you can look primarily at programs which are strong in your niche. If you are not sure what your focus is yet, take a look at schools that offer a variety of fashion design programs, so you can make a decision after you've started your initial classes.

Another factor to consider is what type of degree program you are looking for. There are a number of two and four year universities and colleges that offer fashion design as one of their majors. If having a traditional degree is important to you, you may want to apply to these schools. There are also many schools that specialize purely in fashion design programs. This type of education may be more comprehensive, with more of a focus on job placement after you graduate. Many of these offer certificates, associate, and bachelor degree programs.

You should also consider the quality of the education you'll be pursuing. Make sure you have a chance to review the curriculum and courses, and the teaching faculty. If you can attend some of the schools and take a tour, that would be ideal, as you will have a chance to observe much more than what you will see on the website. You should also try to find some objective reviews of the school and program you are interested in.

At this point, practicalities will also come into play. A major component of deciding which school to attend will be cost. Evaluate the complete financial aid packages that might be available, and consider researching and applying for any scholarships. Location is also extremely important. If you have located an appropriate school nearby, that will be much more convenient. If a nearby school isn't an option, you may want to consider an online school, or even a school in a different city or county. Some of the best fashion schools are located in places like Milan, London, and Paris.

Because there is so much involved in choosing a school for fashion design, you should take your time and not rush the decision process. Your odds of choosing a school that will help you fulfill your fashion career aspirations are much higher if you are clear about your focus of study, where you want to study, and how much you can afford. With so many choices available, you will find the school that is right for you.

What are the Benefits of Graphic Design and Why Should You Care?

If you run a business and you have any form of corporate identity then you should care very much. How you present your company to your chosen market is fundamental to its success.

The graphic design process is crucial to any business, making it stand out head and shoulders from the competition. Whether it is the design of an entire corporate campaign or the creation of a simple company logo it still has to work effectively for you. There are four critical elements that should be seen in every logo design:
• It must be describable
• It must be memorable
• It must be effective without colour
• It must be scalable
Fairly obvious really but how does your logo stand up to these criteria? How does your company identity stand out from the competition?

Ask yourself why something is designed in a certain way. Consider why a particular colour is chosen instead of its opposite. Why use this font? Why include this particular graphic here? A good designer will think through every detail of a design and only include elements that will add to the design and re-enforce the brand.

Once your business is up and running you may think that any form of corporate identity will act to represent the company, visually creating a brand by default. Think again. If you look at the large corporations you will notice that their brand strategy stands the test of time for many years.

Many companies never change their logo design dramatically but only make the smallest of changes to keep the design looking modern and refreshed.

Benefits:
• Professional image
• Considered and long-lasting design strategy
• Make your company look bigger
• Stand out from your competition
• More effectivevv


Becoming A Fashion Designer

When you dream as a child about what you want to be when you grow up, fashion designer ranks high on the list for many who envision a glamorous lifestyle and a chance to influence the way society dresses. Being a fashion designer certainly does come with its benefits; but it is also a career that requires a balance between creativity and skill.

We need only to turn on the television or flip the pages of a magazine to see how fashion influences our culture. The way we dress on a daily basis, the clothing we run to the stores to purchase, all depend on what's popular on the runways. And what's popular on the runways is created by fashion designers. A fashion designer creates a look and makes it happen. But what people don't see, as models strut the runway wearing the latest designs, is the enormous amount of work and skill that it takes to get to that bright shining moment.

A fashion designer must not only be skilled in the manufacturing of clothing - including knowledge of textiles and expertise in sewing - but also in sketching and drawing their designs. The savvy fashion designer understands color and how to use it to capture the essence of their design.

Becoming a fashion designer means attending a reputable school that teaches design, sewing, textiles, and the like. It is imperative that you learn the fundamentals of design before you add your own creativity and flair. Even more important, however, is the working knowledge that you can gain working as an intern or apprentice in an established shop. Working alongside a fashion designer who can give you firsthand experiences and help you build your portfolio is incredibly important to becoming a fashion designer. It's all about experience. So take all that you can from school but put your skills to use - everywhere and anywhere that you can. A strong portfolio that demonstrates your talent and desire to work in the industry will go a long way to helping you realize your dream of becoming a fashion designer.

Procedures For Designing A Catalog

Okay, you have your products and you've decided you are going to design a catalog for distribution. But, where do I start? What should I do first when designing a catalog? What are the necessary steps to designing an effective catalog? In this article I will answer those questions for you and will give you a step by step procedure for designing your new catalog.

Ist Procedure: Decide who your target audience will be. This sounds easy but it needs to be done fist. You need to have who you will be designing a catalog for while you design your catalog. By doing this you will be able to picture how they will react to each step you take.

2nd Procedure: Decide what you will sell. See procedure number one for details. What I mean by that is that you do not want to add every product you have in your inventory if it is not something your target customers will buy. You can save money designing your catalog by leaving out items that are very unlikely to be bought by your target audience.

3rd Procedure: Separate your products so you can focus on them one at a time. Take each product you will be selling and write your sales text and price out so you draw out an idea of how each product will be displayed.

Also as you work on each item and write the descriptions, separately write out any details you will need to give your customer about size, color, and specifications. With some products you will be able to just use a little space in addition to the picture and explain everything there.

But with other products where more information is necessary, you will be putting together a page or more of just information as a reference or guide to buying the products in your catalog. So as you do each one, that is the time to make notes about additional information you will need to offer the customer on another page.

4th Procedure: Photographing your products. . When designing your catalog, individual pictures are best. Group photos will save you money, but they will also make you less sales. Using a professional photographer is also a good idea if you can afford one. Your images are what sells your product so if you do a bad job at photographing your product, you will lose sales.

Summary: At this point you have most of the "pieces" you will use while designing your catalog. Just a couple more pieces and we'll be ready to move on to actually designing your catalog.

5th Procedure: Informational Pages. Industrial product catalogs might need to give specifications, clothing catalogs need to offer more colors and sizes to choose from but not have it take up too much room on the product pages, and more.

You want to design the information pages of your catalog so that it is simple for the shopper to use. Do not use complex formulas and make them do calculations. Don't make your customer think too much or too long or you will lose sales. You should have most of the information on the product pages where possible.

Other pages that might help your catalog's design are special sales product pages, an index, etc. You need to decide how many pages of information you will be including because when designing a catalog you have to remember that the number of pages is always a multiple of four.

6th Procedure: Pre-Layout. This is where you decide where everything will go. Will your information pages be on the inside of the covers or in the center, etc. You know you will have a front and back outside and inside cover. You will have informational pages, and then you have your product pages. Decide how it will read.

7th Procedure: Layout of product pages. Again, just like in the photography is you are not experienced in layout you may want to hire a professional to do the layout design of your catalog, especially for the pages that will display your products and descriptions.

If you intend to do it yourself, then there are some things you will need to know. Always place quality images at the top right hand corner of every right hand page. When your customers starts to turn the page, this is the first thing they will see. It needs to catch their eye and stop them from just flipping through the catalog.

Some people flip through magazines and catalogs from the back to the front, so the upper left hand corner of every left hand page is almost as important. You want them to stop and open your product pages so think of images that will catch their eye and make them want to see more.

Some catalogs use the easiest method of displaying products and information on each page. That is dividing the page in quarters, sixths, or eighths and giving each product it's on little section. In other catalogs they display the photos and product numbers on one side and the corresponding information for each on the other side of the page. There are other ways as well, this is meant to suggest a couple of ways you can do it.

8th Procedure: Front and Back Cover Layout. This is one of the most important steps you will take while designing your catalog. If you have done everything else yourself, you still may want to consider having a professional design your covers.

The reason this step is so important to catalog design is twofold. One your cover is what will get your customer to want to browse through your catalog in the first place. A bad cover is like having a store that sells fashionable clothing in the ghetto. If your target customers will not come to the store and go inside you have no chance to sell them anything.

The second reason is that for each catalog you send out, you want several potential customers to read it. When the person you sent it to lays it down somewhere, you want others who see it want to pick it up and browse as well. For this reason both the front and back cover is important. You do not know how they will lay it down.

9th Procedure: Finding a printer for your catalog. Before you start designing your catalog, you may want to find the printer that will be doing the printing for you. The reason is that they can help you know what requirements they have for your artwork, images, and layout, and will help you choose the printing methods that will work best for your type of catalog.

I saved this for last, but it is really the first step to catalog design. The last thing you want to do is design your catalog, then find out your chosen printer cannot print your catalog the way you have designed it. Okay, you have your products and you've decided you are going to design a catalog for distribution. But, where do I start? What should I do first when designing a catalog? What are the necessary steps to designing an effective catalog? In this article I will answer those questions for you and will give you a step by step procedure for designing your new catalog.

Ist Procedure: Decide who your target audience will be. This sounds easy but it needs to be done fist. You need to have who you will be designing a catalog for while you design your catalog. By doing this you will be able to picture how they will react to each step you take.

2nd Procedure: Decide what you will sell. See procedure number one for details. What I mean by that is that you do not want to add every product you have in your inventory if it is not something your target customers will buy. You can save money designing your catalog by leaving out items that are very unlikely to be bought by your target audience.

3rd Procedure: Separate your products so you can focus on them one at a time. Take each product you will be selling and write your sales text and price out so you draw out an idea of how each product will be displayed.

Also as you work on each item and write the descriptions, separately write out any details you will need to give your customer about size, color, and specifications. With some products you will be able to just use a little space in addition to the picture and explain everything there.

But with other products where more information is necessary, you will be putting together a page or more of just information as a reference or guide to buying the products in your catalog. So as you do each one, that is the time to make notes about additional information you will need to offer the customer on another page.

4th Procedure: Photographing your products. . When designing your catalog, individual pictures are best. Group photos will save you money, but they will also make you less sales. Using a professional photographer is also a good idea if you can afford one. Your images are what sells your product so if you do a bad job at photographing your product, you will lose sales.

Summary: At this point you have most of the "pieces" you will use while designing your catalog. Just a couple more pieces and we'll be ready to move on to actually designing your catalog.

5th Procedure: Informational Pages. Industrial product catalogs might need to give specifications, clothing catalogs need to offer more colors and sizes to choose from but not have it take up too much room on the product pages, and more.

You want to design the information pages of your catalog so that it is simple for the shopper to use. Do not use complex formulas and make them do calculations. Don't make your customer think too much or too long or you will lose sales. You should have most of the information on the product pages where possible.

Other pages that might help your catalog's design are special sales product pages, an index, etc. You need to decide how many pages of information you will be including because when designing a catalog you have to remember that the number of pages is always a multiple of four.

6th Procedure: Pre-Layout. This is where you decide where everything will go. Will your information pages be on the inside of the covers or in the center, etc. You know you will have a front and back outside and inside cover. You will have informational pages, and then you have your product pages. Decide how it will read.

7th Procedure: Layout of product pages. Again, just like in the photography is you are not experienced in layout you may want to hire a professional to do the layout design of your catalog, especially for the pages that will display your products and descriptions.

If you intend to do it yourself, then there are some things you will need to know. Always place quality images at the top right hand corner of every right hand page. When your customers starts to turn the page, this is the first thing they will see. It needs to catch their eye and stop them from just flipping through the catalog.

Some people flip through magazines and catalogs from the back to the front, so the upper left hand corner of every left hand page is almost as important. You want them to stop and open your product pages so think of images that will catch their eye and make them want to see more.

Some catalogs use the easiest method of displaying products and information on each page. That is dividing the page in quarters, sixths, or eighths and giving each product it's on little section. In other catalogs they display the photos and product numbers on one side and the corresponding information for each on the other side of the page. There are other ways as well, this is meant to suggest a couple of ways you can do it.

8th Procedure: Front and Back Cover Layout. This is one of the most important steps you will take while designing your catalog. If you have done everything else yourself, you still may want to consider having a professional design your covers.

The reason this step is so important to catalog design is twofold. One your cover is what will get your customer to want to browse through your catalog in the first place. A bad cover is like having a store that sells fashionable clothing in the ghetto. If your target customers will not come to the store and go inside you have no chance to sell them anything.

The second reason is that for each catalog you send out, you want several potential customers to read it. When the person you sent it to lays it down somewhere, you want others who see it want to pick it up and browse as well. For this reason both the front and back cover is important. You do not know how they will lay it down.

9th Procedure: Finding a printer for your catalog. Before you start designing your catalog, you may want to find the printer that will be doing the printing for you. The reason is that they can help you know what requirements they have for your artwork, images, and layout, and will help you choose the printing methods that will work best for your type of catalog.

I saved this for last, but it is really the first step to catalog design. The last thing you want to do is design your catalog, then find out your chosen printer cannot print your catalog the way you have designed it.

Creating a Brand Identity With Professional Design

The design process is crucial to any business, whether it is creating a simple company logo, or the design of an entire corporate campaign.

Once your business is up and running, any form of corporate identity will act to represent the company visually creating a brand. If you look at big corporate companies you will notice company branding stands the test of time for many years before it is appropriate to re-develop.

Many companies never change their logo design dramatically but only make the smallest of changes to keep the design looking fresh.

It is worth taking time and not rushing a company logo or corporate identity design as your design will represent your company and be around for a very long time.

Logo design is creating a unique symbol / graphic to reflect your companies image and vision. A successful logo becomes a symbol of your companies identity, shows your professional and should be used on your on business cards, letterheads, compliment slips, vehicle signage or website.

When you choose to have a logo designed ask for a few different designs to choose from, each logo should have its own character and style. Giving you the best options to suit your needs.

Your logo design should be professional and prove to be a statement of your business to new / existing clients, suppliers and staff, your logo design needs to easily identify its purpose and values of your company and bring instant credibility.

If you own a small company, with a well-designed logo your business will look big. It will look more professional inspiring confidence to your customers.

A striking logo is paramount for the image of any business, small or large. The design creates a starting block for a companies corporate identity, the right colours, fonts and is of great importance when starting to design business cards, compliment slips, letterheads and a website, keeping all styles consistent throughout creating your brand identity.

Logo design types

High / Low resolution

If you are looking at starting a new business, you will need a logo. All logo designs should be unique to your business, no templates, no free graphics or clipart, just bespoke designs for your company.

Below is a break down of the different types available:

Logo designs for onscreen
Low resolution RGB 72dpi

Ideal for websites, emails, PowerPoint presentations and general onscreen viewing only. Because of the small size they can be downloaded very quickly but are not suitable for print.

Logo designs for print
High resolution CYMK 300dpi

High Resolution Logo Design

Must be use for printing high quality material e.g. letterheads, business cards, compliment slips, banners, posters etc. This means your logo will be clear and crisp when printed, if a low resolution logo is used it is likely that the end result will be blurred, blocky and illegible.

Logo design - redraw and enhancement

Alternatively, if you do not require full logo design service, you could re-design, redraw or enhance your existing logo for print or website use. The design process is crucial to any business, whether it is creating a simple company logo, or the design of an entire corporate campaign.

Once your business is up and running, any form of corporate identity will act to represent the company visually creating a brand. If you look at big corporate companies you will notice company branding stands the test of time for many years before it is appropriate to re-develop.

Many companies never change their logo design dramatically but only make the smallest of changes to keep the design looking fresh.

It is worth taking time and not rushing a company logo or corporate identity design as your design will represent your company and be around for a very long time.

Logo design is creating a unique symbol / graphic to reflect your companies image and vision. A successful logo becomes a symbol of your companies identity, shows your professional and should be used on your on business cards, letterheads, compliment slips, vehicle signage or website.

When you choose to have a logo designed ask for a few different designs to choose from, each logo should have its own character and style. Giving you the best options to suit your needs.

Your logo design should be professional and prove to be a statement of your business to new / existing clients, suppliers and staff, your logo design needs to easily identify its purpose and values of your company and bring instant credibility.

If you own a small company, with a well-designed logo your business will look big. It will look more professional inspiring confidence to your customers.

A striking logo is paramount for the image of any business, small or large. The design creates a starting block for a companies corporate identity, the right colours, fonts and is of great importance when starting to design business cards, compliment slips, letterheads and a website, keeping all styles consistent throughout creating your brand identity.

Logo design types

High / Low resolution

If you are looking at starting a new business, you will need a logo. All logo designs should be unique to your business, no templates, no free graphics or clipart, just bespoke designs for your company.

Below is a break down of the different types available:

Logo designs for onscreen
Low resolution RGB 72dpi

Ideal for websites, emails, PowerPoint presentations and general onscreen viewing only. Because of the small size they can be downloaded very quickly but are not suitable for print.

Logo designs for print
High resolution CYMK 300dpi

High Resolution Logo Design

Must be use for printing high quality material e.g. letterheads, business cards, compliment slips, banners, posters etc. This means your logo will be clear and crisp when printed, if a low resolution logo is used it is likely that the end result will be blurred, blocky and illegible.

Logo design - redraw and enhancement

Alternatively, if you do not require full logo design service, you could re-design, redraw or enhance your existing logo for print or website use.

Write Fashion Articles With Ease, And Start Walking Down The Article Runway To Success

We all know that fashion is an enormous industry to talk about, and when it comes to writing fashion articles, you want to ensure that you can create vibrant and interesting content for your targeted readers!

Good fashion writers create a buzz on the latest fashion apparel and accessories, and they quickly create many trends! When you start to utilize the same skills these professional authors use, you can easily become the authority in your desired field.

Whether you're creating a fashion article for a clothing review, runway event, and even a new up-and-coming designer looking to get some exposure, to make sure you develop the best article possible, there are some steps that should be taken to make your content become attractive to your reading audience.

Human Emotions Are What Creates Trends, And Drives The Fashion Industry, Not To Mention Money As Well!

I'm sure you have read several of the top fashion magazine articles, and if you pay close attention, you will certainly notice the message they are trying to convey! The obvious message that many of us pick up is that select fashion designers and clothing companies are selling the vision of how good you would look in their apparel, which is a message that would motivate me to buy their product, but that's not the primary message.

When you read their articles with detailed attention, they are trying to hit on the individual reader's emotions that we all dream of, and that's being someone else! Many will deny this comment if you brought it up in a conversation, but it's a true fact, that at some point in your life you would like to be someone else, whether it be a Brad Pitt, Pamela Anderson, or the lead singer of your favorite band, and smart fashion conscious writers jump on this emotion very quickly!

Human emotions are what drive product sales, whether it's selling clothing, or new cars. We know what we need, but sometimes we not always know what we want. You as a fashion writer will be utilizing your writing skills and knowledge to capitalize on these human emotions, and tell them why they should buy an unknown designer's Maternity Fashion, or why they should purchase brand name handbags from your web site that are available in every shopping mall in America.

Answer All The Readers Questions, And You're One Step Closer To Winning Them Over!

When I search for information on the Internet, my goal is to have many questions answered, whether I'm searching for intimate apparel for my wife, or a good pair of jeans for my casual nights out on the town. However, if you tell me the jeans are 100% cotton, they come in many styles and colors, and they're a really good bargain if purchase them here online, chances are I would be saying to myself, tell me something I don't already know, and I already read three other articles saying the same thing.

I would rather read that these incredible one of kind jeans were exclusive to your company or website (if they truly are, no fibbing now), or they're a new designer's fashion creation that is taking the clothing industry by storm, and when you put a pair of these uniquely designed and extremely comfortable jeans on, they will make my waist look several inches smaller, and feel extremely comfortable using only 100% of the worlds finest cotton. If you have a pair of those jeans, drop me a line and I will buy a pair of them, or maybe even two if you have several colors available!

Remember that emotion drives our economy, and even though we know what our necessities are, we want to look and feel better, and we want the items to help us achieve this goal! When you start to figure out all the human emotions that create our impulses to buy certain desired attire and name brand accessories, you will have the writing success that will be unstoppable on the fashion article runway!

To Be Fashionable Or To Be Oneself Is A Personal Choice

Beauty, celebrity, and money are all a part of our life in society. To some it is their life style, to others is the luxury they cannot afford. Let us start by saying that there are three possible kinds of fashion and respectable fashion designers - catwalk fashion, the haute couture and every day fashion.

Designers belonging to the first group are pure artists who create clothes for visual pleasure rather than for any practical use whatsoever. They are all undoubtedly talented people. One admires their creative capabilities, ingenuity, and imagination. Internationally recognised designers stand out in their ability to use all sorts of materials, create intricately shaped designs from anything, including metal planks, cables, switches and plastic. The products of their creation will never see the light of day. One cannot blame the poor model for not being able to walk more than fifteen metres down the cat walk without stumbling along because of the silk laces tying her heels. This would be the designer's lost touch with reality. It is clear that these sandals will never be worn at a VIP party and definitely not in the street.

A fashion show is a part of entertainment, like a concert, ballet or other aesthetic event after which the performers put their clothes down and leave them in the wardrobes.

Designers belonging to the second, the haute couture group are top designers who work for international brands and create fancy and unusual clothes are, however, destined to be worn on different occasions by the general public. Huge fashion houses and model agencies, enormous financial investments destined to this small group thanks to which it exists stand behind them. Well off customers pay cosmic sums for clothes, hand bags, shoes and jewellery just because they carry a tag with a prestigious name of the venerated designer or stylist on it. Celebrities care about prestige a lot. There's nothing worse than critical comments on your dress on the part of society commentators or colleagues. In this way, fashion dictators and rich consumers move in the circle of mutual satisfaction.

All other designers, whose names nobody will probably ever find out, simply create original, comfortable clothes worn by millions of people, the largest part of the society who do not worry about the labels or brands, that is. They create fashion for every day use for affordable process. They produce no less interesting, original, unique, fashionable clothes of all sizes for all walk of like. And to be fair, what do care more about - being well dressed with stylish clothes that correspond to our bodies and mask their slight imperfections or wearing designer labels that we cannot afford and look ridiculous in? Reasonable people just want to feel comfortable and look good in the mirror. Charm and beauty, as we know, often lie in simplicity and harmony.

On the day to day basis, every day is a new act of life in which we play the roles of both artists and performers. We hear the word "fashion" so often these days. Everybody discusses what is and is not fashionable all the time. To some people fashion becomes a misleading concept. It is weird thinking that a Louis Vuitton hand bag bought in a market and "matched" with sports shoes and bare hips could help anyone feel a more important person. Such examples of "fashion" are numerous in the street. The desire to mime celebrities and resemble them make many people wear fake rather than designer label items. It is important to remember that the three different types of fashion exist and to never confuse them or their uses. The podium fashion belongs to the podium and nowhere else. The "haute couture" is wonderful if you can afford it. Maybe it is not a bad idea to have one or two items for special occasions that come from prestigious brands and carry their labels. However, most of the time you will find out that you simply cannot afford to have them. And it is not a bog deal. Being fashionable means wearing good quality clothes in which YOU look good. For this, you have to look for clothes made by a designer whose name does not flash in fashion magazines, but is familiar to you and for a good reason. The designer that makes clothes for YOU is there you just have to find him or her. Good luck!

How to Choose a Fashion Design School

The big question is whether Fashion Design School is for you - and if so, how to choose the best from all the rest.

Is sewing one of your skills?

Do you find creating designs enjoyable?

Do you love to change patterns to create different garments from the original?

If your passion is fashion, a fashion design school just might be the right place for you.

Below are some of the reasons that should influence you to attend a fashion design school:

. Up-to-date styles that people buy is one of the things you will learn about.

. Earning your degree will greatly increased your level of confidence about making a living in the fashion industry.

. The rewarding experience of studying and working in a field you love.

. The various principles of the patterns you have worked on and will work on is an area you will learn much about

. Magnifying the shape and cut of your designs with the mixing and matching of color will be something you will become knowledgeable about.

. You will learn how to mix, match and accessorize to stunning effect. This will show you that there are endless possibilities.

. In fashion design school, the people you work with, share ideas with and form relationships with will be of many different kinds but with the shared passion for fashion.

. These relationships will set the foundation you need to start your career in the fashion world in meeting key people such as business partners, employees or employers, begins with the relationships you form in fashion design school.

There are quite a number of fashion design schools around the world. Located in London, the central Saint Martins College of Art and Design is one of the most famous. Other famous schools in London are The Royal College of Arts and the London College of Fashion. In other locations are such famous schools as the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Parsons The New School for Design in New York City and AIU in Los Angeles.

In the schools listed above, most of the course studies last for about three years.

Now, how are you going to choose the school that is best for you?

The ten tips below may be of help to you in making your decision:

Tip#1 Decide what area of fashion you would most like to go into. Then compare the schools to see which has the program that fills your needs

Tip#2 Make a list of things you will need to look into, such as tuition, location, programs offered, degree levels offered, placement record and many more that you might think of. Use this list in your search to find the right school.

Tip#3 Compile a list of fashion design schools that you wish to consider.

Tip#4 Find out everything you can about each school at their websites and list the pros and cons of each one.

Tip#5 Apply your list to the schools you are considering to narrow the field.

Tip#6 If possible, visit the schools that are left on your list. If a personal visit isn't possible, a video or virtual tour online may suffice.

Tip#7 Submit your application to those schools that remain on your list and meet your criteria.

Tip#8 Search the Internet and apply for grants and scholarships you may be eligible for while you wait to hear from the schools applied to.

Tip#9 Once you receive responses from the schools you applied to and from scholarship grantors, carefully review and compare, then make your final decision.

Tip #10 Now prepare for a journey in life like you have never experienced and enjoy!

You are on your way to one of the best fashion design schools the world has to offer!

Fashion Stylists – the Emerging Class in the Fashion Industry

Want to change the way you look? Want some trendy clothes for the season? Never seem to know what to buy and what will look good on you? Hire the services of a fashion stylist.

Fashion stylist – a word unheard of till recently - is one of the emerging professions in the fashion world globally. Who is a fashion stylist? A ‘fashion stylist’, as the name suggests, works with fashion trends to create a distinct style for a particular individual. The individual can be anyone from a model or a celebrity to a pressed-for-time business person or just anyone who wishes to create a distinct image of himself or herself.

Tasks such as keeping track of the latest trends in fashion, maintaining a network of contacts, deciding what would look good on people, finding suitable dresses and accessories and either hiring or purchasing them, helping people build a wardrobe as well as dressing up people fall under the purview of a fashion stylist.

The services of fashion stylists are generally employed by newspapers, magazines and advertising agencies. In this case, they are required to dress up the models for shoots. A major part of the job involves planning what would look good on each model, deciding from where to buy or hire these dresses and accessories depending on the budget, bringing them to the shoot and actually dressing up the models. They are in charge of generating the kind of image that the newspaper, magazine or advertising agency wishes to portray.

Fashion stylists are also used by celebrities like actors, singers and television hosts. Such stylists are typically referred to as ‘celebrity stylists’. Their job is to create a distinct image for the celebrity. This may be related to just a particular movie or show or an image change in general. The Oscar-winning Bollywood actresses Meryl Streep and Halle Berry owe their glamorous look to stylist Wayne Scot Lucas. In Hollywood too, fashion designer Manish Malhotra turned fashion stylist for Bollywood actresses Karisma Kapoor and Rani Mukherjee to give them a new look. He worked with both of them and transformed them from just talented actresses to trend-setting starlets.

There is another class of fashion stylists, who are referred to as ‘personal stylists’ or ‘image consultants’. They work with individuals who need a makeover, a complete change of image. Many businesspersons are going in for the services of personal stylists today to build up a different image. Personal stylists work in close proximity with their clients to determine which style would suit them the most.

'vimal Master Craftsmen Forum Comes Up With New Italian Fashion Lessons'

Delhi July 20, 2007: The Vimal Master Craftsmen Forum comes back with a new round of activity as part of its charter. The Forum was formed on April 13th, 2007 by Reliance Industries Limited – Textile Division with the primary objective of introducing the ‘Fashion Forward’ movement in the Indian men’s formal fashion market. It was conceptualized as an elite membership of the top suit craftsmen of India who are the opinion leaders of high-end international formal fashion in the Indian men’s wear market, and who would be skilled in the art of crafting fashionable Italian suits and jackets.

The purpose of this Forum is not just to usher in the new movements, thinking and trends of global men’s formal fashion; but also to expose Indian suit craftsmen to the challenges and complexities of the global formal fashion scenario. Thus, propagating the ‘Fashion Forward’ movement in the Indian men’s formal fashion scene.

This Forum was formed after three rounds of rigorous training sessions of the top Indian suits craftsmen by one of the top Italian suit designers, Mr Maurizio Bonas – under the aegis of Vimal, the fabric brand of Reliance Industries Limited – Textile Division. These training sessions were conducted in four centres – Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore through a unique interface – the Vimal Masters Assemblage. The Indian suit craftsmen who attended this training became the honorary founder members of the Forum.

As part of the new activity, the Vimal Master Craftsmen Forum will conduct a seminar-cum-workshop at five centres – Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai. In addition to the founder members of the Forum, atleast 70 to 80 new members will join the Forum to learn to craft fashionable Italian suits and jackets and spread the ‘Fashion Forward’ movement further.

Mr Maurizio Bonas, the top Italian suit designer will share the upcoming trends from Milan on Colors, Fabrics, Silhouettes, Styling for Men’s Wear, etc. He will also introduce an absolutely new concept in men’s formal fashion wear – the SHIRT JACKET – a concept that is appropriate for the Indian climate.

In addition to Mr Bonas, there will be a guest trainer, Mr Fragapane Salvatore who is a Master Pattern Maker of men’s suits and jackets. Mr Salvatore is a veteran of 30 years experience in the pattern making industry and will share his experience in creating interesting and innovative patterns for Italian-styled men’s suits and jackets.

In all, with these two masters in Italian fashion, the Vimal Master Craftsmen Forum is all set to blaze a new path in the Indian men’s formal fashion scene. This interaction is all the more unique, due to its emphasis on the practical aspect of suit-making – a truly first-time event in India.

Brand Vimal

Vimal, Reliance’s textile brand is one of the oldest, most popular and iconic brands of India. The two words – Only Vimal – are testimony to this popularity of Vimal.

Launched in 1980, Vimal is well-known as a brand that positioned itself as a premium men’s wear brand and went on to make itself a fashion brand using celebrities (living legends, actors and cricketers) as endorsers for the first time. Along the way, Vimal became famous for making fashion available to the masses across the country through its wide range of synthetic fabrics.

A trendsetter and an innovator in the Indian textile market, Vimal’s expertise has been amply demonstrated by its continuous milestones. With a substantial manufacturing capacity, Vimal had always possessed the wherewithal to manufacture a range of shirting fabrics, worsted fabrics and synthetic fabrics for apparel, suits and trousers.

Vimal has the ability of producing the finest suiting in the world using super fine wool count (from 80s to 120s) and blending the same with superfine polyester and other specialty fibres, like Cashmere, Angora, Mohair, Linen, Bamboo and Soya.

In addition, Vimal also enjoys the milestone of exporting the largest amount of worsted fabric globally to well-known brands like Levis – Dockers, Haggar, Nautica, Perry Ellis, Oscar de la Renta – to name a few.

Today, Vimal is in the process of re-inventing itself to appeal to the contemporary consumers –younger aged men across the country. Vimal would position itself in an appropriately young, trendy and premium manner to connect with this audience.

In this reinvention, Vimal would utilize its simple and evocative baseline ‘Only Vimal’ and its haunting musical signature tune, to its best advantage.

Maurizio Bonas

Maurizio Bonas, the well-known and reputed designer and master suit-craftsman from Italy is based in Florence and is the ambassador of traditional suit craftsmanship in this modern world of ours.

From the beginning, Maurizio Bonas has been deeply involved in research in the field, based on thorough knowledge of and bold experimentation with fabric, whose roots lie deep in the great tailor and craftsmen’s tradition of Florence and Tuscany, skilfully translated by him into a superbly modern style for woman and men of today. His approach has always been marked by progressive evolution, even in the most formal stylistic aspects, with no abrupt shifts and turns.

He started off as a sales agent for tailored / traditional men’s apparel in Italy and has today achieved the status of becoming the President of the “Italian Council of Made in Italy”. Along the way, Maurizio achieved many milestones such as:
- building a fabric research and development centre in collaboration with experts from Prato,
- founding the Consortium Avanguardia Italia,
- entering into a contract with Mitsubishi to distribute his collections all over Japan,
- becoming a member of the Technical Committee of “Pitti Immagine Uomo”,
- establishing the “G.B. Studio di Maurizio Bonas S.A.S.”, and
- creating a new logo / brand – ASNOB

Maurizio Bonas consults with other famous tailors and companies such as Franco Ziche (Cachemere Knitwear), Margaret Howell of London, Hayashida of Tokyo, Lardini (Filottrano Ancona, Italy) and Stefano Ricci of Florence, Italy.

He is now a fashion coordinator and is collaborating with the Architecture University of Florence for coordination research in the fashion world of men and women. His new company, G.B. Studio di Maurizio Bonas S.A.S is established in Florence, Italy, Via Dante da Castiglione 3. All the new activities of stylistic consultation and research on fabrics are concentrated in this new company

Fragapane Salvatore

Fragapane Salvatore is a Master Pattern Maker of men’s suits and jackets in the Italian style. Currently based in Rome, Italy; he is a veteran in the pattern making field with over 30 years experience.

He has specialized in men’s suit and jacket pattern making from INSTITUTO SECOLI DI MILANO, a reputed institution that has been the reference point for the garment industry. After that, he has been working in the industry from 1971.

He has been the Quality and Production in-charge at Belvest Confezione. He has also worked as Pattern Master for Parachute Ltd, Montreal Canada – a happening company of hip clothes that sold all over the world. He also worked in a similar capacity with Enrico Coveri S.P.A - a bold design house of Milan with a history of young and fun-loving fashions. This design house was also known to be the bling bling for Milan.

Further, he was also associated with MICHELANGELO SRL as Chief of Cutting Master, and worked as Consultant for Tailoring and Pattern Making for Kety Confezioni.

This multi-faceted experience in tailoring and pattern making gives Mr Salvatore a distinctive edge and superiority in the field of pattern making that many others would envy to have.

The Secret About Fashion and you - Why Buy New When the Old Will Do

What does the word trendy mean in relation to fashion? Well simply answered, trendy means more up to date with what clothes/Jewelry you wear, more so than that of the person who chooses to snub in adorning themselves in latest fashion gear. In a nutshell: if dressed from head to toe in new designs from Paris, Italy or London along with jewellery pieces of recent design - then you may be referred to by an onlooker as being trendy.

However, keeping up with what is in fashion can leave you penniless because, most trendy designer labels come with a price tag that a fashion manic can ill afford. However, it is the uncontrollable urge to have those trendy clothes that hang on a boutique rail in the high street - that has you "the consumer" ignoring the warning signs of going overdrawn with your bank.

To overcome this and still have money in your pocket is to set your own trend or style. Become a trend setter in your own right. Personalize those outfits hanging in the wardrobe collecting dust. Why buy new when the old will do. Think about it e.g. if you have garments hanging in the closet after a lengthy period of time is enough to tell you, that you are still attached to that little number (dress or frock).
If you feel the garment is past its sell by date (stale) then refresh it. (Wash or dry clean). Clothing is easily altered to appear fashionable and trendy

Colour coded material and accessories is, the key to what fashion is all about, but more importantly "you", meaning: if you dislike the new updates on style, don`t wear them. Remember no one is out to pass judgement on the clothes you wear, however in saying that, if you follow designer fashion traits which do not compliment your shape or size then you may be faced with the possibility on being judged for looking hideous. (Fashion Freak)

Remember in the world of fashion "What goes around comes around" For example: your clothes hanging in the cupboard were once trendy garments bearing a designer label at the time of purchase, so more the reason to take advantage - before repeat designs from the 1960s are created for the twentieth century at a price you can ill afford.

Make the shawl trendy and fashionable.

A shawl/shoulder wrap can liven up a plain sleeveless dress secured with a brooch/ornamental jewellery pin. Elbow draped shawls can be kept in place over the arms with bangles or bracelets. Concentrate on the shawl - and to where the jewellery clasp is to rest. (Nape of the neck - on the shoulder or clipped at the front) Personal preference prevails here. Two shawls (of light material) interwoven together in different shades is fashionable and trendy. You can always remove one shoulder wrap leaving you with what would appear to onlookers or admirers as another outfit. .Carry extra pieces of Jewelry in your handbag to claim yet another image.

Be creative in thought, creativity results in trendy fashion gear. Make sure to jot down your ideas and conjure up images in your head and work from there. Low cut dresses can be smartened up with trendy fashionable neck ornation, i.e. shoe laces which come in different colours size and length, tie them in thin bows - plait them or even thread beads or pearls onto them. You can match the neckwear you have designed with wrist/ankle tie ups. This is more cost affective than buying expensive ribbons or chokers.

The true feminine look in trendy fashion gear is the presence of headwear (Millinery hats). Save money: remove a shoulder pad from an old dress or jacket and cover in material of your choosing. Lace is a fine choice. Weave pearls, beads or buttons in and out of the lace or loop them around the edge. Sequins work well to. Have the lace cover the eyes or scrunch/fold it up on top of the padding. Take your time and you will be surprised at the result. Secure with hair grips.

Regardless of what you wear, whether it is new trendy fashion gear or not, your own choice will leave you feeling like a million dollars. Fashion is about you; remember those famous words "It suits the wearer not the starer". Now go out and knock them dead with your very own trend and let them stare all they want. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Let the beholder be YOU"

Fashionable and Unfashionable Magazine

When it comes to Fashion Magazine Philippines, Chalk, Metro, K Magazine and Pink are the most popular choice of Fashion Magazine Philippines. Fashion Magazine Philippines are the best way for filipinos to know what are the latest and the hottest picks when fashion is concerned.

Fashion Magazine Philippines can give tips on how to become practicality when it comes to shopping, the PINK: A Girl’s Guide To Shopping Fashion Magazine Philippines is the magazine for girls who want to know the latest fashion trends, the biggest bargain buys and the coolest places to chill. Their editorial team taps its network of trendy boutiques and ukay-ukay stores—along with some up-and-coming designers—for the coolest fashion finds. The Pink Fashion Magazine Philippines crew seeks out the latest beauty products that are just perfect for the young girls who are just coming into their own. Checking out the newest hangouts and deal with some of the issues that are topmost on a preteen’s mind.

Not only does Fashion Magazine Philippines give us some tips on how to accessorize or how to dress, but Fashion Magazine Philippines can also give us some tips and guidelines on lifestyle such as the Chalk Fashion Magazine Philippines which tackles the Filipino student’s guide to surviving the campus life.

Fashion Magazine Philippines can also give tips on how to accessorize like the stars with K Magazine, carrying Kris Aquino's celebrity equity, "K" is about getting her style, her personality, her lifestyle and her appeal. The magazine reflects the key concerns of the target market presented by Kris herself: beauty, fashion, body, relationships, career, money and self.

Fashion Magazine Philippines can also give tips and guideline on how to look good and feel good such as the METRO: The Independent Woman magazine the woman’s indispensable guide to the latest in fashion and lifestyle, Metro Fashion Magazine Philippines gives you the pulse of the spending and empowered woman. The Metro Fashion Magazine Philippines woman is at the prime of her profession and earning capacity and thus has the means—and more importantly—the attitude to live it up, and to live well. Metro is her source for the “it” item of the moment, the fitness and diet regimen that can suit her lifestyle, the latest beauty discoveries and even life-and-death issues affecting her.