A fashion designer must be someone who is in love with fashion. Different looks and dresses must intrigue him/her. Every new trend must inspire her to transform her regular living. A fashion designer’s personality is infused with fashion. It is an inseparable part of her routine. In order to take this love for fashion to the next level and make it your career, you need to think in terms of the following skills.
Creativity. If you are naturally creative, fashion designing is the right course for you. Creativity is the ability to create some fresh and unique. This ability is what makes a fashion designer distinguished as a professional. In today’s world of mechanical patterns and monotony, creativity is highly valued in every profession but in fashion designing is an essential. Having an innate aesthetic sense will also help you with little decisions that add finesse to your work.
Eye for detail. In addition to being creative, you must also appreciate intricacy. Designs can be awfully intricate and complex. To develop such designs and to understand them is in itself a skill. You should have an eye for details.
Sketching. Fine arts and fashion almost interdependent on each other. Being artistic and having a knack for sketching rough designs always comes in handy for designers. Sketching can help designers quickly record whatever comes to their mind and later work on it if required. You will always notice novice designers with a fancy scrapbook. These scrapbooks are their bible and the skill of sketching is equally significant.
Analytical. Being creative does not mean that a designer need not be analytical or practical. In fact, this is one of the most prized possessions for a fashion designer. Analysis of the market trends, the design, the business angle, etc are all crucial for the survival of a fashion designer.
Visualization. This is a very articulate skill and it is important to understand the importance of this skill in the fashion industry. Sketching and rough drafts are initial stages of any work but the final product must be visualized with precision by the designer in order for him/her to make sound decisions. His/her vision will walk him to the process all the way till the final product.
Communication/Interpersonal skills. The skill of networking in a business is considered the greatest of all. There is a huge impact of personal relations on the clientele. Even while climbing up the ladder of your fashion career, most opportunities will come your way through spontaneous networking and not structured communication. Nonetheless both are important.
Business Acumen. A fashion designer must also consider himself as an entrepreneur. It means that developing a business acumen is highly advantageous for the brand or the reputation of the fashion designer to grow among the masses. Every designer wishes that his/her name is not limited to the elite only and spreads over different strata of the society.
Competitive. Along with a strong business sense, a fashion designer must also be competitive and conduct his/her research competitively. This also gives him/her a clear idea of what the current demands are and what all is being merchandised currently and at what rate. Competitive prices and competitive quality will help any fashion designer to make his place in the fashion industry and become a fashion designer.
Thus, if you possess one or many of these skills at present you should contemplate on fashion design as a career option and for all others you have already started on this path, acquire and upgrade these skills as often and as well as possible. It is the key to a successful career.
