How to become a Fashion Designer

Fashion designers are persons who are imaginative, creative, and driven in their work, as well as knowledgeable about and sensitive to the fashion market's needs. They design and assist with the production of clothing, shoes or accessories, recognise trends, and select styles, fabrics, colours and prints for their designer collection. They may create one-of-a-kind items or ready-to-wear apparel. It is the art of applying design, creativity and natural beauty to clothes and everyday accessories.

The career also involves a set of abilities that range from market study and creativity to sketching and fabric choice. They emphasise an in-depth understanding of design and a desire to study via journals, publications, and books on fashion history and current trends. The career needs the worker to stay current with market trends. To be successful in their area, they must have a firm grasp on their clients' wants and expectations and their way of life.

Some of the basic responsibilities that a fashion designer must possess are:

• Create a specific cloth type in a wide range of styles and fabrics.
• Conduct researches on the latest fashion trends.
• Sketch designs, select fabrics and patterns according to the market trends and predictions.
• Design, sketch and plan as per the client needs.
• Conduct researches on fashion trend and explain them to the audiences.
• Managing designs from the process of concept building and taking it through the final styling.
• Collaborate with group members to choose the seasonal themes, make changes to the line, as well as create new concepts. 
• Reviewing products for style and accurate fit during the presentation.

A few core skills are required to become a fashion designer that helps them function well in their field. They need active listening skills while dealing with the requirements of the client. They must pay close attention to what others are saying, taking the time to comprehend their views. Additionally, they must be able to think critically when brainstorming for new ideas or solutions to current issues. They must also be capable of tackling complicated problems since it is critical for them to identify the issue and examine pertinent information in order to design and execute solutions.

Time management skills must come in handy to them as they mostly will be running on fixed time schedules and deadlines for their work. They also require good monitoring skills to help assess the performance of oneself, their group members as well as the organisation. Their ability to negotiate and persuade also plays an essential role as they need to settle differences and change the mindset of other people. They also need to have abilities like a good hand in drawing, sewing skills, artistic abilities, originality, visual imagination skills, sound business judgements and excellent networking skills.

The salary of a Fashion Designer can vary based on factors such as experience, location, level of education, type of employer, and the success of their designs and brand.

• Minimum Monthly Salary: Entry-level Fashion Designers may earn a minimum monthly salary of around INR 25,000 to INR 40,000, especially when starting their careers or working for small fashion labels.
• Maximum Monthly Salary: Experienced and renowned Fashion Designers can earn a maximum monthly salary of INR 1,00,000 to INR 2,50,000 or more, particularly those who have established successful fashion houses or luxury brands.
• Annual Salary: The annual salary of a Fashion Designer can be from INR 3,00,000 to INR 30,00,000 or more, depending on their experience level, the demand for their designs, and the scale of their business.
• Highest Paying Job and Scope:The highest paying job for a Fashion Designer is when they have a successful fashion brand or label with a steady clientele and a significant following in the fashion industry. Renowned designers who work with high-end clients or celebrities can also command higher salaries.The scope for Fashion Designers is promising as the fashion industry grows globally. Fashion Designers work in various settings, including design studios, fashion houses, garment manufacturing units, and retail companies. They may collaborate with celebrities, participate in fashion weeks, and expand their brand into accessories and other fashion-related ventures.

Deserving candidates are allotted seats based on the marks scored by them in a relevant entrance test/board exam / a combination of both.

• NIFT Entrance Exam
• Pearl Academy Entrance Exam
• NID Entrance Exam
• CEED
• UCEED
• AIEED
• SOFT
• IICD

• Fashion houses
• Accessory Design Houses
• Export houses
• E-commerce
• Fabric organizations
• Garment manufacturing agencies
• Film and television industry
• Apparel manufacturing firms
• Clothing manufacturing firms
• Fashion retailers
• Government handloom departments
• TV and Film production houses