So You Want To Be a Fashion Designer

Article written by: Angela L. Serrette
Posted on: May 5, 2009

Your name in lights.  The models.  The runway show.   Notoriety, fame.  Flights to Paris, Milan, Germany and London.  Your dreams come true.

Exciting?? Yes!!
Hard work?? Yes!!
Are you prepared??

Being a fashion designer is one of the most sought after professions in the art and design world. We are inundated with the  glamorous side of the business from TV, magazines and retail display windows. We’ve seen the rising new designer who seems to be an overnight sensation but seemingly vanishes by the next season. What happened??

In many cases a lack of clear business planning, infrastructure and profit analysis is missing at the start-up stage. The reality is the glamorous runway show lasts all of 10 minutes–your goal should be to have your company survive longer than the show.

Fashion designer-driven companies cannot succeed by sketches alone. Well-rounded design education, clear focus for brand marketing, financial planning, seasoned sales staff and solid effective infrastructure are core ingredients for a well managed company that will earn you credibility among financial investors, retailers, your competition and position you for the long haul.

Many of us already in this field have had the good fortune to work alongside seasoned professionals who were generous with their time and expertise. Mentorship is a key success factor in this business. The knowledge they share is beyond measure.  For those fresh in the industry with no notion of how the business side of fashion works, they will soon find out creative talent alone will not sustain them. In addition to their talent they will need the following;
Solid business plan
Reliable financial resources
Defined and effective infrastructure
Knowledge of retailers expectations
Identify your consumer and price point goals
Brand and marketing strategy
Excellent quality assurance and delivery schedules
And of course: creative talent.

Some of the best known fashion designers I’ve worked for had all of the above.  For this reason they are still famous household names with expansions into accessories, licensing deals, global recognition, annual sales making them fashion icons. Their credibility continues to show not just through their creative talents but also in the fact that during economic challenges their companies remain flexible and operating.

Let’s not forget about design education.  Yes you can be a natural talent, many of us are.  But education plays a key role in giving young designers the foot hold they need to launch a successful career.  I met Bill Blass at a personal appearance he was doing at Bloomingdale’s many years ago in the late 80’s.  I asked him for his general advice and he said; “stay in school, there is much to learn”.   Curriculums offered now include business management, garment costing, product development as well as fashion design.  Colleges such as Fashion Institute of  Technology and Parson School of Design recognize the need for balance between fashion business education and fashion design.

So go ahead, become a world famous fashion designer, why not?

Create exciting fashions!!

Become a household name!!

Make us wish we could afford your clothes!!

…..but remember to bring your business strategies in order to create a lasting empire.