5 Career Options for Fashion Design Degree Holders
Society and parents in general tend to be wary towards
encouraging people to work in Fashion for good reason. Firstly, they are
right about the industry's highly selective employment. They're also
right when they say that Fashion is "not what it seems" even though they
probably have no idea what they really talking about. But before you
decide to throw in the towel and take up accounting courses, or look for
a no-brainer 9-5 job, here are a few fashion design careers to
consider!The Popular Path
A fashion designer's job seems to be surrounded by the glitz and glamour of having your works appearing on glossy magazines and the season's hottest celebrities. It's a no-brainer that people want to be fashion designers just like how some covet to be millionaires. To take this career path, you need a strong design portfolio. Prior work experience in fashion will be an advantage. So this is where being an intern during your holidays pay off.
There are two kinds of Fashion Designers:
The In-house Designer
You will work with a fashion company and design clothes according to their guidelines. The company will own the rights to your designs while you draw a monthly salary from them. Depending on the scale of the company, you may work alone or with a team. Be an in-house designer if you have plans to join the big wigs like Fendi, Gucci, Prada or Louis Vuitton.
The Freelancer
Freelancers work for themselves and sell their designs to fashion houses, directly to shops or to manufacturers. After building a good name, you'll probably start getting people commissioning you for design work. Freelance Designers have the flexibility of work hours and tend to command higher wages, but keep in mind that financial stability is at high risk. If you're just starting out, it's best to work as an in-house designer for some experience first before attempting a freelance career.
Other Possible Paths
Most people don't study fashion design specifically to join these ranks, but if you found that designing isn't your cup of tea somewhere through your course; these are jobs in the industry that you can consider:
Fashion Buyer:
You will be responsible for travelling around and buying suitable fashions for shops or departmental stores. Your knowledge in Fashion Design will help you to predict trends or identify quality, giving you an edge for this job.
Fashion Journalist
You will write articles about fashion and source for newsworthy stories in your field. With in-depth fashion know-how and garment composition, you'll make a perfect critic and can dish out fantastic fashion advice.
Wedding photography
You will plan locations and carry out photoshoots with newly weds or bridal studios. By knowing the ins and outs of a fashion shoot, you can make a couple look awesome in their matrimony garb.
Verdict
If
you find yourself jobless long after you've graduated with your fashion
design degree, all is not lost. It just means that your portfolio needs
a revamp. Read up fashion magazines for inspiration and start sketching
for a variety of genres. Employers judge designers by their portfolio
because it's the most accurate representation of the owner that no
résumé, job experience or testimonial can replace. It portrays your
education, experience and personal style. With the right attitude, the
possibilities are endless! If the world is not providing you with any
shortcuts, the best solution is to make one yourself.
Donald, International Admissions Director of Raffles Education
Corporation, a leading education provider in Asia Pacific operating 33 fashion design colleges
across 30 cities in 13 countries (Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, New
Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, India, China, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Sri
Lanka & Indonesia). Certifications such as Advanced Diploma,
Bachelor and Master Degrees are also offered for various design
disciplines such as visual communication, animation, multimedia,
interior design, product design, jewellery design, biomedical, infocomm
security and early childhood.
