«FASHION DESIGNER» - ¯Or Design Dreams¯ - Audio - http://maxpages.com/totally4u/Fashion

THE DOSH FILE
Pay:£8,000 a year for an assistant pattern cutter to £50,000 at a top fashion house.
Hours:Regular if employed, long if self-employed and starting out.
Working Conditions:Comfortable, but often stressful.
Perks:Free clothes, travel.
Effort To Get Job:4/5
Stress:4/5
Glamour:2/5 to 5/5
Qualifications:Usually a degree in fashion design, or similar.

Unless you're an even bigger geek than Josie Grossie in Never Been Kissed, there must have been times when you've slipped into your favourite party dress and thought:I wish I could have designed this! As a fashion designer, that can become realisty.

There are many different kinds of designers - the best work in 'high fashion', designing for individual clients and creating the seasons's 'look' [creating the style that's 'in', and deciding which colours and materials are right]. Names like Vivienne Westwood, Donna Karan, Tommy Hilfiger and Paul Smith are probably familiar. Alothought not alot of young designers work in this field - haute couture - there are opportunities to work as sketchers or fitters, to get experience.

Because there so few big names out there, many designers end up in mass-productionm with their ideas produced in large quantaties for high street chains like Top Shop or New Look, Debenhams or Kookai. They'll often base their ideas or designs from that seasons catwalk shows. And they're likely to work according to specific instructions about cost and materials, which sometimes cramps creative flair.

WHAT YOU NEED
There's no point in trying to become a designer if you don't have any ideas for outfits - so you need to be extremely creative with great imagination. Plus, you must have an eye for colours, detail, beauty, and you should know what works and what doesn't, while being able to predict trends.

You'll have to be able to sketch your designs, and it's important to build up a portfolio or work [a book showing your best designs] as it helps to land you a job. It's aslo vital to have great people skills, as you have to be able to talk to the client and find out what they want- there's no point in desiging a brilliant new dress, all Velcro and flappy bits if they really wanted a pair of sturdy work trousers. If criticism sends you into floods of tears, then look for a different job. People aren't always going to like your designs - and they won't always work for mass market. Technical knowledge is important - you might need to know how certain materials take print, or how something will be affected if it dyed or machine washed. You're going to need training too......

HOW TO GET THERE
To become a fashion designer, it's best to enrol on some kind of appropiate course:

Straight After GCSE's

With at least four GCSE passes, you could do a BTEC First Diploma course in art and desig, either at a further education college or a specialist art college.

After A Levels - BTEC National Diploma
With one or more A levels, including art, plus the GCSEs above, in't on to a foundation course, like the BTEC Natonl Diploma in art and design, which teaches you about all sorts of art and design, form ceramics to photography.

After A Levels - HND, Degree
After the foundation course, many students do a textile, fashion or clothing Higher National Diploma [HND] or degree.You'll probably need three good A levels and a strong portfolio to get one of these.

RELATED JOBS
Graphic Designer:Comes up with the 'look' of anything from a new drink's logo to a club flyer.
Book/Magazine Designer:Lays out the pages, written by a journalist or author.
Interior Designer:Plans the 'look' for buildings interiors, from homes to restaurants, hotels to theatres. Also recommends materials, colours, etc. to be used.
Architect:Designs buildings, from railway stations to hosues, shopping malls to bus shelters!
Also:Window dresser, set designer, landscape gardener.

CONTACTS

The Design Council
Tel:020 7420 5200
E-Mail: info@designcouncil.org.uk
Website: www.designcouncil.org.uk

Royal Institute Of British Architects
Tel:020 7580 5533
E-Mail: admin@inst.riba.org
Website: www.architecture.com

bubbly@geminigirl.co.uk

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Page Updated Sun Sep 9, 2001 7:56am EDT