Career Opportunities with Fashion Designing Courses

By Naseema Tasneem

As per the recent (2016) McKinsey Global Fashion Index, the global fashion industry is worth $2.4 trillion (5.5% annual growth), an amount that could place ‘fashion’ as the world’s 7th largest economy if it is ranked alongside individual countries’ GDP! Coming to the Indian Fashion Industry, the 2015 India Design Report (published by CII) states that the industry would rise to $141 billion from a current value of $67 billion. What do these figures imply? Emerging job opportunities in fashion! With the fashion industry being driven by new business models, emerging technologies and shifting consumer values, new career paths are being paved to be treaded upon by aspiring fashion designers like yourself.

The world of fashion is a highly segmented industry and has myriad opportunities for skilled professionals that are on a constant endeavour to quench their individual design/creative thirst. With design education gaining prominence in the professional arena, a number of private institutes are offering fashion designing courses in Delhi as well as pan India. Having undergone professional training in fashion designing, you would have gathered ample technical know-how and subject matter knowledge that would give you a jump-start when you formally begin job-hunting.

Once you complete your graduation and begin the process of job-hunting, there is a vital aspect that you must necessarily invest your time in. This would be your graduate portfolio that helps create a positive impact on your prospective employer or client. Let us delve a little into the essentials of an ideal portfolio. To begin with, let us understand the need for creating a ‘portfolio’. A portfolio is nothing but a visual proof of your inclination/interest towards the particular design discipline, and in this case, fashion design. Your design portfolio must necessarily reflect your individual personality and shine light on your design sensibility as well. Always bear in mind to read up about the job you are applying for and include work that is relevant to the position of your interest. A fashion design aspirant’s portfolio should ideally include fabric research, colour palette, technical details, flats and illustrations (hand sketches and computer-aided). If you do not have any professional work to display, you can go ahead and show some of your personal projects that are a strong reflection your individual design voice. Pay due attention to each and every detail of your portfolio like the style, cover, layout and paper. Every minute detail should come together to convey a uniform message about your design personality. The work you put in your portfolio must be diverse such that it works to your benefit. A tidy, clutter-free and up-to-date portfolio would certainly help you make a lasting impression on the person sitting across the table.

The obvious and most pursued career option upon graduating with a fashion design degree would be that of a fashion designer. But, you must know that the fashion industry is looking for design graduates who possess a sound understanding and experience of design. So for those of you who wish to pursue a career in design other than that of a fashion designer, there are a plethora of opportunities that you can choose from.

Fashion drives various other industries and economies therefore, there is no dearth of career opportunities in this field. With a keen sense of fashion and design, you can seek employment in any of the following areas. For the those of you who have a good understanding of PR and marketing can contemplate pursuing fashion merchandising, fashion journalism and fashion PR. Roles like that of a buyer or production manager complements individuals who possess knowledge of the production and manufacturing methodology. If you fancy planning the look and outfit of celebrities and public figures, then being a fashion stylist could be a viable career option for you. With fashion design knowledge up your sleeves, you could also lend your expertise in setting up business and helping them navigate the retail ground by being a fashion consultant. Moreover, with high end luxury brands constantly on the lookout for professionals specialised in draping and patternmaking, many graduates with formal training in fashion design are taking up these profiles and carving their own niche in the industry. Costume design is another exciting avenue for design aspirants who wish to see their designs on the silver screen or on celebrities at international concerts. For the shutterbugs, being a fashion photographer is also an exciting career opportunity.

The possibilities are endless and the world of fashion is a creative haven for those who possess the grit and passion to make the world take note of their talent. So, we would advise you to consult people around you and meticulously plan your way forward once you have completed your graduation in fashion design. And, never stop learning on your way up the ladder!

About the Author:
Naseema Tasneem is a content expert and works at the Indian Institute of Art and Design. She has a keen interest in design education and has been researching the latest trends in the field, especially in the Indian context. She writes regularly on the various pathways in design and the career opportunities that it provides to young graduates and aspiring design professionals.