Careers in Fashion: Which avenues to explore besides Fashion Designing?

A fashion enthusiast can choose to explore careers in other industries related to designing. Rupal Dalal, Executive Director, JD Institute of Fashion Technology talks about the options available to fashion industry aspirants.

Fashion is a term used too often and too loosely for it is a vast industry that has a spectrum of job opportunities for creative professionals. Fashion has always been the most talked-about industry due to the glamour quotient and the exclusivity attached to it. However, with time fashion is becoming more and more inclusive whether in terms of application or the basic foundation of it, at the level of fashion courses.

Fashion institutes are now offering an array of courses that not only cater directly to the industry but also to the supporting and immediate industries. Fashion is not only about clothes but it is about the entire existence of human beings. From the food we eat to the travel we do, fashion has subconsciously made a place for itself in every field. A fashion enthusiast now is not expected to be a graduate in a specific field to get a job in the industry and neither having a degree in a field of fashion entitles one to only perform designing tasks.

Fashion designers are now taking up high-level posts at various corporate sectors and taking up leading positions in the electronic commerce industry. A fashion enthusiast can choose to explore other industries related to designing if it isn’t something that he/she wants to pursue. Footwear and Jewellery Designing along with Accessory Designing are equally famous amongst creative aspirants. Designing is not restricted solely to garments; graphic designers are also emerging in the industry as collaborations and capsule collections are becoming a norm due to the need to maintain exclusivity.

List of Careers in the Fashion Industry

All the designers dream about having their own label or design studio and this is the first and foremost career aspect that every professional contemplates. Starting up can be a tricky business but the current technologies, opportunities and entrepreneurial drive amongst young professionals have made it easier than ever to have a brand. A physical store is not the basic requirement as designers can outsource their outfits through various available channels and retail online. Designers are retailing fashion and lifestyle accessories apart from clothing online.

1) Fashion Public Relations is the underdog of the fashion industry. A strong media presence online and offline is required through ethical channels to increase profitability. Fashion PR not only builds relationships with professionals outside the company but also analyses the organisation, finds positive points, works on their weak points, and builds their positive public image accordingly. Though PR professionals work in the background that doesn’t nullify the diligence of the profession as they are working nonstop on building a favourable and positive image of companies in media.

Writing is becoming one of the major fields as a potential full-time career prospect for fashion professionals. With bloggers, influencers, social media and even E-tail websites, awareness about fashion and style are increasing; and with this, increasing is the need to provide customers with novelty content. Content Writers or Blog writers are being hired, full-time or part-time, to provide customers with information-rich content about fashion and styling as well as solutions to their style related queries. Content writers or Bloggers help in creating a strong write-up about products, places and trends and their work depends on the brief provided by the client. They can write about the qualities and properties of a product or can write a promotional article for magazines, websites, or online readers. Fashion content writers or blog writers focus more on fashion trends and styling and how to incorporate those inputs into real life.

2) Fashion and Lifestyle influencers are also emerging as promoters in generating demand and creating the value of products. Social media has become the go-to platform for customers about honest opinions and reviews about places, products, and fashion advice. Fashion bloggers and fashion influencers are earning by promoting and endorsing products by known and unknown companies alike. Customers trust influencers and their opinions and hence this becomes the most favoured platform for companies to invest their money which otherwise could have been spent on advertising or promotion through professional companies.

Action speaks louder than words and in the fashion scenario, the presentation shows value than writing. All these products and services need a fitting presentation along with strong content and this is where fashion stylists, make-up artists, hairstylists, photographers and videographers are needed. Fashion stylists and Fashion photographers use to work majorly with magazines and the entertainment industry but they need to be prominent brought together the opportunities for creative professionals in styling field. A fashion stylist, who is well versed with the global and local trends, is needed to make clothes look their best. Makeup artists and hairstylists are also required to be able to create looks according to the theme and styling demand. The fashion industry is currently leaning on freelancers for styling needs as all the major work is outsourced.

3) Fashion Photography and fashion styling go hand in hand. A course in fashion designing teaches you about the basic ideologies and historical culture of fashion, and hence, it becomes all the easier to get into styling field. Fashion photography is taught in fashion communication and fashion designing courses to make students aware of the fundamental understanding of related fields. All the products need to be photographed in order for them to be available online and professionals are required to complete that task. Fashion photographers can either work with one or multiple companies simultaneously. Startups believe in smart work, and hence, hire freelancers and part-time professionals because having a full-time professional isn’t often feasible for them.

The growing fashion industry is accountable for generating various career opportunities and innovating new areas for research in terms of technology and sustainability. This increase in opportunity is increasing the demand for creative professionals. Educational institutions are introducing new courses and re-evaluating their curriculum to incorporate the changing trends in fashion academia. Short-term and long-term courses are being offered by fashion institutes keeping in mind the need of the industry as the current times is the best time to invest in this field, explore their creativity, and seize new opportunities.

Read More:

• Design Course, Career & Scope
• Textile Design Course & Scope
• Graphic Design Course & Scope
• Footwear Design Career & Scope
• Leather Design Career & Scope
• Furniture Design Career & Scope
• Apparel Design Career & Scope
• Knitwear Design Career & Scope
• Visual Merchandising Career & Scope

About the Author:

Rupal Dalal is Executive Director, JD Institute of Fashion Technology.