'F ashion'
is the most spoken about and fastest growing profession today. Do
you also want to pursue a career in fashion and apparel designing,
but do not know how to go about it? Here is a little bit of advice
on what you should be having in you.
The world of clothes and accessories has expanded into a giant industry,
both for domestic requirements as well as import. While the universities
have been slow in recognizing the potential for education in this
field, innumerable private institutions now offer courses in general
and specialized areas of fashion design.
Like any other creative field, fashion design does not depend so much
on qualification as on talent and creativity. Styles and tastes are
changing very fast, and a good designer needs to be on his/her toes
to give the consumer the best and latest.
Unlike popular belief, fashion design does involve a certain amount
of technical knowledge about types of material, their adaptability
to weather, wear and tear. Production facilities and costs also need
to be taken into account. In the field of apparels, careers can be
made in design, production, merchandising and marketing.
Entry:
There are various polytechnics offering courses after the 10th standard,
but they are at a very basic level. Standard courses from well known
institutes require 10+2 at the entry level. Starting from the National
Institute of Fashion Design, going down to the small private institute,
various alternatives are available in the range of one to three year
courses. Specialized courses are also available for accessories, knitwear
or leather design.
On completion of these courses, students will have to join as apprentices
to get a feel of the real profession. Those with talent and flair
are identified very quickly and move on to well-paid jobs, or can
even launch off on their own.
Self Confidence:
Anyone wanting to be successful in this field needs to have confidence
and optimism, a keen observing power, an eye for detail, and definitely
good creative talent. The person should be able to withstand the stress
of failure, deadlines, long and irregular hours. There should be a
flexibility to adapt in a disorganized environment with day-to-day
challenges and many ego problems. A flair for computers also helps
since most design work is now done on the computers.
The field:
This field is growing rapidly and fashion design offers unlimited
opportunities for those who are good at it. At the same time, those
who cannot keep up with the pace and the latest developments may find
it very difficult to get employment. While there may not be significant
promotions, the status and income of the person goes up as he/she
establishes a reputation. Exposure to the fashion industry abroad
may help in widening horizons, since Indians still tend to copy Western
styles. More enterprising people can set up their own manufacturing
or export units, which command tremendous financial rewards.
The road to success is tough but not impossible. So, have firm determination
and pursue your career in fashion designing, if you have a flair for
it! Here is a list of schools, which offer a full-fledged course in
Fashion Designing in Bangalore:
National Institute of Fashion Technology,
C.A. Site no.-21, 27th Main, Sector 1,
HSR Layout, Bangalore-34.
Phone: 2563 2550 to 55
Fax No.: 91 080 2563 2566.
Royal School of Fashion, SG4,
Manipal Centre, Dickenson Road,
Bangalore 560 042
Phone: 2559 7817/2509 2057
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