FASHION DESIGN

 
One of the fastest growing professions in recent years has been fashion and apparel design.  The world of clothes and accessories has expanded into a giant industry, both for domestic requirements as port.  While the universities have been slow in recognizing the potential for education in this field, innumerable private institutions now offer courses in general and specialized areas of fashion design. 
Like any other creative field, fashion design does not depend so much on qualifications as in talent and creativity.  Styles and tastes are changing very fast, and a good designer needs to be on his toes to give 
the consumer the best and latest. 

Unlike popular belief, fashion design does involve a certain amount of technical knowledge, of types of material, their adaptability to weather and wear and tear, etc.  Production facilities and costs also need to be taken into account.  In the field of apparels, careers can be made in design, production, merchandising and marketing. 

ENTRY:  There are various polytechnics offering courses after 10th, but they are at a very basic level.  The good courses require 10+2 at the entry level.  Starting from the National Institute of Fashion Design, going down to the small private institute, various alternatives are available in the range of one to three year courses.  Specialized courses are also available for accessories, knitwear or leather design. 
On completion of these courses, students will have to join as apprentices to get a feel of the real profession.  Those with talent and flair are identified very quickly and move on to well paid jobs, or can launch off on their own. 

APTITUDE:  Anyone wanting to be successful in this field needs to have confidence and optimism, a keen observing power, an eye for detail, and definitely good creative talent.  The person should be able to withstand the stress of failure, deadlines, long and irregular hours.  There should be a flexibility to adapt in a disorganized environment with day to day challenges and many ego problems.  A flair for computers also helps since most design work in future will be on computers. 

THE FUTURE:  Being a very fast growing field, fashion design offers unlimited opportunities for those who are good at it.  At the same time, those who cannot keep up with the pace and the latest developments, may find it very difficult to get employment.  While there may not be significant promotions,  the status and income of the person goes up as he or she establishes a reputation.  Exposure to the fashion industry abroad may help in widening horizons, since Indians still tend to copy Western styles.  More enterprising people can set up their own manufacturing or export units which command tremendous financial rewards.  A youngster who has made a name for herself in this industry within three years remarked "Which other profession offers a challenge almost on a daily basis?  I get 
goose pimples thinking about how easily I can crash - and that is the elixir which gives me the motivation to strive harder." 

SOME ADDRESSES:

(for different types of courses in fashion design): 

National Institute of Fashion Technology, KSCF Building, Cunningham Road, Bangalore 560052 

National Institute of Fashion Technology, NIFT Campus, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016 

IITC, 102 Richmond Road, Bangalore 560052 

Royal School of Fashion, SG4, Manipal Centre, Dickenson Road, Bangalore 560042

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