Do you feel inspired by the designs, charm and persona of successful designers like Manish Malhotra, Masaba Gupta, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, etc.? Of course, their incredible talent, dedication and persistence play a vital role. But it isn’t merely talent that fuels their success. Talent is only half the story! The remaining half is about the skills that they’ve developed. So, here are some of the key skills of fashion designers that you must develop to transform from an aspiring designer to an inspiring one.
Fashion designers craft enticing outfits by using their unique creativity and visualization abilities. But to create an intriguing end product, they must possess a set of hard skills. Accordingly, let’s look at some of the technical skills for fashion designers.
Drawing
You don’t necessarily have to be a Leonardo Da Vinci to sketch the outfits you envision. Basic sketching skills can also help you sail through convincingly. The purpose is to be able to effectively and clearly translate your vision on paper. Sketching might seem conventional to many, especially given the various fashion design software products available today. But it is a fundamental skill that every designer should possess.
Fashion Design Software
Fashion designers work in a highly competitive environment that requires a powerful combination of speed and creativity. In situations like these, fashion designing software proves a valuable aid. As a 21st-century fashion designer, the industry expects you to be proficient in software products like Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, Fusion 360, etc. But technology keeps evolving, and so should you to stay relevant.
Pattern-Cutting
As someone aspiring to become a professional fashion designer, you must also develop pattern-cutting skills. Pattern-cutting is a specific stage in the design process. It involves creating patterns based on your design before the latter goes into the sewing phase. Being able to do that can prove one of the factors helping you become a self-contained and independent fashion designer.
Sewing
Sewing skills are just as fundamental as drawing and sketching skills. The fashion design college you choose should have sewing as part of its curriculum. But before you learn the technique of stitching professionally in your institute, you may want to try your hand at it and acquaint yourself with its basics to be able to learn it effectively.
Styling
A fashion designer’s job isn’t confined to crafting outfits but transforming them into stylish attire that generates excitement and tangible commercial value. Accordingly, a professional fashion designer should also be able to piece fabrics and garments together to create a visually appealing product.
The more unique and trendier your designs, the better the prospect’s response towards them! It surely isn’t a cakewalk. But identifying current trends and interpreting consumer demands can help contribute significantly to your product’s success.
Top professional fashion designers have a blend of hard and soft skills that constitute their success. Let’s talk a little more about the latter.
Clear and Prompt Communication
Excellent communication skills refer to the ability to communicate your ideas and designs to prospects effectively. But you will also interact regularly with stakeholders like your team members, customers, investors, vendors, associates, etc. So, simultaneously, communication also involves being prompt and transparent.
Clear, real-time and transparent communication can help progress the project seamlessly. As a fashion designer coordinating the project, you should ensure that communication is seamless and unambiguous at every stage.
Attention to Detail
The slightest defect may take the entire project for a toss and run all the investment down the drain! Thus, from ideating to delivering your product to retailers, you must take care of every detail, no matter how insignificant. Attention to detail is a solid indicator of your approach as a professional and your urge to deliver excellence.
Leadership, Team Playing and People Management
Initially, you might start your career as part of a team. But over a while, the industry will expect you to evolve and develop leadership skills to lead projects independently. Of course, leading a team isn’t child’s play. As a leader, you must manage and guide the team from ground-level designers to various elements of the fashion supply chain, including wholesalers, retailers and investors.
Multitasking
Multitasking is a common skill that every profession requires. Fashion design isn’t an exception to it. You are likely to work on multiple trends and seasons simultaneously. As an efficient and trained fashion designer, you should effortlessly be able to switch from one task and project to another without letting either hamper.
Problem-Solving
Fashion design is a complex task. Hence, problems and challenges are inevitable at every stage of apparel creation, marketing, distribution and sales. While having problems is understood, the industry values and looks for people who work with a problem-solving approach. In other words, the industry wants you to talk about solutions and recommend expert options rather than letting problems swell and become a significant roadblock to the project’s progress.
Marketing
Marketing is a blend of hard and soft skills. While the former suggests you have complete knowledge about your product, the latter involves being able to convince people effectively and contributing to the product’s success. Remember, a creation won’t have any value if it doesn’t have the potential to sell or isn’t marketed comprehensively and effectively within the target market. Thus, marketing skills are imperative!
Nurture Your Passion for Fashion Design with INIFD Kothrud!
Translate your aspirants to reality and set yourself on the path to becoming a successful fashion designer with INIFD Kothrud. We are one of India’s leading fashion design institutes with a proven and successful track record of creating incredibly talented fashion designers.
At INIFD, while helping our students develop technical skills, our faculty members work relentlessly on developing an entrepreneurial approach. Besides, exposure to various global industry events, workshops and internships, and assistance in developing an impactful fashion designer skills resume help our students emerge as a standout from the crowd. Connect with us at +91 8055866266 to know more.
If you have a question about admission and related process, our enquiries team will be happy to help.
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