Fashion Designer Eguide

StyleCareer.com StyleCareer.com StyleCareer.com StyleCareer.
comeGuide
Breaking Into and Succeeding as a
Fashion Designer

By Jennie S. Bev
StyleCareer.com eGuide Fashion Designer

2003StyleCareer.com/Jennie S. Bev PAGE 2
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About the Author

Jennie S. Bev is a book author, fashion writer, syndicated columnist, instructional
designer and business consultant. As of April 2003, her byline has appeared in four
other books (this is her fifth) and over 800 articles published in tens of international and
regional publications in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France and
Southeast Asia.

Prior to writing for StyleCareer.com, J ennie worked for a fashion magazine as a
contributing columnist specializing in the fashion industry, which has earned her the
prestigious offer to act as a member of the judging panel for Indie Fashion Award
Festival in New York City. The contest is conducted annually by Bright and Aspiring
Designers (BAD Expo), a non-profit organization that supports new independent
fashion designers.

As an accomplished author, J ennie S. Bev was named 2003 EPPIE Award finalist for
excellence in electronic publishing under Non-Fiction How-To category. She holds
an MBA from a Southern Californian business school and an MS in Education from
California State University Hayward. She also attended professional certification
programs in Technical Writing at UC Berkeley and UCLA extensions.

In StyleCareer.com eGuide Breaking Into and Succeeding as a Fashion Designer,
she interviewed a pool of successful fashion designers, professionals and consultants
to provide a rare insider look into the industry and the profession. Their insightful
advice combined with J ennies strong research skills and fashion writing experiences
provide the readers with the necessary tools to succeed in this highly lucrative and
competitive field.

J ennie resides in San Francisco bay area, one of the most beautiful regions in the
world, with her beloved husband and 400 books in her living room. She loves traveling
and animals, particularly canines. She has traveled extensively to many fashion cities
and around the world and is available for interviews and consulting assignments. She
loves to hear from her readers too, so dont wait to send off your comments to
editor@stylecareer.com.

Other downloadable books by Jennie S. Bev:

StyleCareer.com eGuides for Breaking Into and Succeeding in Fashion and Image Careers
http://www.stylecareer.com

FabJob.com Guide to Become a Management Consultant
http://www.fabjob.com/managementconsultant.asp?affiliate=236

Write Industry Reports: Work at Home and Start Earning $5,000 in Royalties per Month
http://www.writingcareer.com/bev001.shtml

Contents

How to Use This eGuide.......................................................................................3
About the Author...................................................................................................4
Contents ................................................................................................................5
Who Is This eGuide for?.......................................................................................8

The Myths, the Realities and the Basics .............................................................9
I Have Never Worn Designer Clothes....................................................... 9
I Cannot Draw nor Sew............................................................................. 10
I Cannot Afford to Attend Fashion School................................................. 11
I Live Far Away from New York City.......................................................... 12
Who Creates Fashion Trends?..................................................................... 13
Is There a Place for Down-to-Earth People in this Glamorous Industry?...... 13
What are the Benefits for Being a Fashion Designer? .................................. 14
Where Can I Learn about Fashion History?.................................................. 15

Getting Ready for the Big Break ........................................................................17
Industry Size................................................................................................. 17
Details of Market Size and Employment.................................................... 17
From Trends to Final Products (Fashion Cycle) ........................................... 19
Trends Creation......................................................................................... 19
From Trends to Samples........................................................................... 21
Promotion.................................................................................................. 22
Production and Distribution........................................................................ 23
What Does It Mean? (Terminologies)......................................................... 24
Classifications............................................................................................... 25
Mens, Womens and Children................................................................... 25
Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear........................................................... 26
Accessories, Footwear and Handbag........................................................ 28
Special Sizes............................................................................................. 28
Price Zone................................................................................................. 28
Personality Traits.......................................................................................... 29
Creativity.................................................................................................... 29
Willingness to Learn.................................................................................. 33
Perseverance............................................................................................ 33
Skills of the Trade......................................................................................... 33
Basic Anatomy........................................................................................... 34
Visual Synthesizing................................................................................... 34

Drawing..................................................................................................... 35
Computer-Assisted Drawing...................................................................... 36
Color Selection.......................................................................................... 36
Fabric Selection......................................................................................... 37
Budgeting.................................................................................................. 37
Pattern-making.......................................................................................... 38
Draping...................................................................................................... 38
Sewing....................................................................................................... 39
To Go to School or Not to Go to School........................................................ 40
Advantages of Fashion Schools ................................................................ 40
Disadvantages of Fashion Schools ........................................................... 40
Advantages of Self-Study.......................................................................... 40
Disadvantages of Self-Study..................................................................... 41
Top Fashion Schools................................................................................. 41
Fashion School Directories........................................................................ 42
Alternative and Distance Learning............................................................. 43
When Youre Ready Design Contests!...................................................... 44

Career Game Plan ...............................................................................................46
How Much You Can Expect to Earn, Pros and Cons.................................... 46
Working for Others .................................................................................... 46
Working for Yourself.................................................................................. 46
Gaining Experience ...................................................................................... 47
Locating Employers................................................................................... 47
Career Choices.......................................................................................... 48
Rsum..................................................................................................... 50
Portfolio..................................................................................................... 50
Interviewing and Presentation Skills.......................................................... 51
Internship................................................................................................... 52
Starting Your Own Studio............................................................................. 53
Is Entrepreneurship for You?..................................................................... 53
Resources ................................................................................................. 57
Choosing Your Specialty........................................................................... 57
Market Research....................................................................................... 59
Business Legal Structure........................................................................... 60
Partnership? .............................................................................................. 61
Setting Up the Studio................................................................................. 62
Pricing Your Services ................................................................................ 64
Roads Less Traveled................................................................................. 67


Being Successful ................................................................................................68
Success Traits .............................................................................................. 68
Perseverance............................................................................................ 68
Entrepreneurial Spirit................................................................................. 69
Customer Service...................................................................................... 70
Promoting Your Business ............................................................................. 71
Publicity..................................................................................................... 71
Trade Shows and Fashion Weeks............................................................. 75
Get Listed in Merchandiser Marts.............................................................. 76
Buyers Open Calls.................................................................................... 76
Manufacturer Representatives................................................................... 77
Outsourcing the Manufacturing..................................................................... 78
J oining Professional and Trade Organizations ............................................. 79
Organizations for Small Businesses.......................................................... 80
Professional Organizations and Trade Associations ................................. 80
Keeping Up with the Trends and Industry News........................................... 82
International Fashion Weeks..................................................................... 82
Industry News and Trends......................................................................... 83

Success Profiles .................................................................................................85
Ulla Bazant ................................................................................................... 85
Aimee Capobianco ....................................................................................... 87
J ennifer Dewey............................................................................................. 89
Karen and Warren Hipwell............................................................................ 91
Elisa Victoria J imenez................................................................................... 93
Alexander J ulian........................................................................................... 95
Shawn K. Lively............................................................................................ 97
Vivek Nagrani ............................................................................................... 99
Kathy Peterson........................................................................................... 100

Other Fashion Careers .....................................................................................102


Who Is This eGuide for?

StyleCareer.com eGuide Breaking Into and Succeeding as a Fashion
Designer has been carefully researched and professional written and edited to
help fashion job seekers in breaking into the career of their dream. Whether
youre a career changer, a new graduate or an aspiring talent, were confident
that youll be able to learn a lot from it.

We have included most of the aspects of the profession, including lesser-known
facts, insider tips and insightful advice to win the first job as well as the online
resources to the basic trade skills for self-study (so you can learn without going
to school, if you shall choose).

We have also included hundreds of bonus links to various Web sites from which
youll be able to learn more about the complexities of the industry not available
elsewhere.

In a nutshell, this eGuide is all you need to understand the fashion world --its
cycle, the must-have trade skills, the business aspects, and the support needed
to ride the express train to success.

While we have no intention whatsoever to replace the help of professionals, we
are confident that this eGuide provides a meaningful contribution in the process
of your becoming a successful fashion designer.

Sincerely,

J ennieS. Bev J ennieS. Bev J ennieS. Bev J ennieS. Bev

Author and Editor-in-Chief
StyleCareer.com
www.stylecareer.com
editor@stylecareer.com

The Myths, the Realities and the
Basics

Fashion designing is a critical thinking process which occurs within the
mind of the designer.

! !! ! Dr. Elizabeth Rhodes, Dean of the Kent State School of Fashion Design
and Merchandising

Not everything you know is true. Not everything you know about the fashion
industry is true. Much of the stuff you heard are no more than myths or
perceived images created by skilled marketers of the industry with the help of
the media.

Some of the myths surrounding the fashion industry and the fashion designing
profession are:

o Fashion industry is glamorous;
o Fashion industry only caters to upscale lifestyle;
o Fashion designers live in New York City or Paris; and
o Only affluent designer wannabes can afford to go to fashion schools

As if it was not reiterated enough, let me assure you that they are nothing but
myths. The realities are far different.

I Have Never Worn Designer Clothes

Youre not alone. Not everybody has worn designer clothes, such as
Prada, Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Vera Wang, etc., if thats what you meant
by it. But do you know that all clothes are actually designed by fashion
designers?

Yes, all and every one of them.


Many people misunderstand the meaning of fashion designers by
delimiting it to high profile, world-class designers whose exclusive
boutiques are conveniently located on Manhattans Seventh Avenue.
This is not true; so, lets start with a blank canvas.

Imagine your favorite pair of blue jeans. Its so simple and doesnt look
glamorous at all. You wear them everywhere when shopping for
groceries or attending night school. You even wear them when indulging
in your favorite past time activities: gardening and hanging out on bingo
nights. You purchased them at a K-Mart around the block instead of the
posh Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto.

Yes, youre right. Despite its ordinary look, an everyday piece of
clothing is a work of a designer.

The work of a fashion designer conceptualizing the style of a garment,
which is usually drawn on a piece of paper called sketch, and making
sure that the final wearable product is a three-dimensional rendering of
the original idea. This applies to all types of clothes, including
underwears, simple T-shirts and other everyday garments.

Thus, we should say that we all wear designer clothes.

There is, however, a term designer collection, which we will discuss in
the upcoming sections.

AHA Moment!

All clothes are designers clothes. A designer collection refers to
a seasonal line created by top designers. Both concepts should
not be confused.

I Cannot Draw nor Sew

Most professional designers know how to draw and sew; but, if you
cannot, dont despair. There are many ways to polish these skills as long
as you have the perseverance and the motivation to learn.


Beginners will need to draw sketches of their designs by themselves:
such skill comes very handy. And yes, you will eventually need to learn
how to draw. Of course, you dont need to learn how to be a professional
sketch artist. As long as you understand the basic anatomy and express
your ideas easily, you are fine.

Not all designers sew their designs themselves. They can have a design
made into a wearable product by having someone else sew it for them.
Most beginning designers, however, need to sew their own designs due
to the high cost of sub-contracting.

This eGuide will show you how you can learn the basics of these
valuable skills without spending a fortune. I have also included some
valuable resources where you can get free drawing templates and
pattern making tips that you can use in creating and producing your
designs.

I Cannot Afford to Attend Fashion School

You are not alone. For many reasons, not many people have the
privilege to afford prestigious fashion schooling. Most people cannot
spend a few years studying full-time towards a degree in Fashion Design
due to career or other commitments. Others cannot because of their
family obligations.

Thus, the next question is: can you then become a fashion designer
without ever going to fashion school? Of course you can, because
there are many ways to prepare yourself for this career.

Designers such as Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren and Todd Oldham who
are household names-- never went to fashion school. Neither did
thousands other designers: particularly those who work in-house as
corporate designers, worldwide.

Of course, everybody knows that school does help. There youll learn
systematic thinking and shortcuts. Youll be introduced to many people,
including well-established designers who teach the classes. Youll make
many lifelong friendships with fellow classmates that you will cherish
forever.


Luckily, fashion designing is unlike being a medical doctor that requires
extensive classroom and hands-on training; and it also involves huge
social responsibility. In many ways, the skills can be self-taught by
repetition and keen observation.

TIP

This eGuide will show you how to gain useful trade skills that are
taught in fashion schools through self-study. Imagine how much
money you can actually save by using this eGuide. Even though
it is not a substitute to fashion school, it provides the basics and
resources to help you get started with confidence.

I Live Far Away from New York City

Yes, I heard you. You live in a town of 250,000 people or even less. Do
you need to move to New York City to pursue your dream career? If you
want to, of course, youre welcomed to do so. But it is never the absolute
answer.

There are many types of fashion designers; of which some can be found
in any city. Are there any clothing stores in your hometown? Most likely
there are. Are there any local, including home-based, fashion designers
in your town? Most likely there are at least a few, if you pay close
attention.

I am pretty confident that there must be a few fashion designers even in
the smallest towns, as long as you know where to look. Still think New
York City is a better place for this career?

Give it a thought

o New York City is a great place to find internship positions with
high-profile designers, but your hometown is very likely to have
local designer studios and boutiques as well where you can get
your feet wet; and


o If starting your own studio is your goal, you can literally start it
anywhere, including from your own home, as long as you have
access to the market people in your hometown.

AHA Moment!

You can become a fashion designer regardless of where you live,
particularly if you decide to go solo. Major fashion cities provide
better opportunities, if you like to work for others.

Who Creates Fashion Trends?

OK, we will cover this topic in-depth separately in Getting Ready
section.

To give you a picture, there is an international committee consisting of
volunteers in the fashion, textile and furnishing industries that determines
color and material trends every 6 months for the four seasons, 18 to 24
months ahead.

The purpose of creating seasonal color trends is to boost the sales of
colors and shades other than the neutral ones, such as white, gray, tan
and black. Less-conventional fabrics, like velour and polyester georgette,
also need special boosting from the industry.

AHA Moment!

Without the help of the industry, sales would be a flat line and the
world is not this colorful.

Is There a Place for Down-to-Earth People in this
Glamorous Industry?

I would be totally surprised if you can show me a designer who simply
sits around watching TV and eating caviar all day. Professional fashion
designers are hard-working people. They are energetic, extremely

creative and work long hours for months to bring you the best designs for
the season.

It is true, however, that many people consider the fashion industry
glamorous because of the images it brings by:

o Tall, slim and beautiful models walking the runways;
o Glossy classy and colorful ads in fashion magazines; and
o Magazine articles and TV news about popular designers working
on their latest collections

All these glamorous and glitzy images created by the media are
responsible for the general perception of the industry. Once you get to
know a fashion designer in person, you will find he or she is just like
everyone else.

So, if you arent sure whether you belong to this exciting world of fashion,
let me assure you that you are. As long as you have the perseverance,
the motivation to succeed and the willingness to learn, you will eventually
earn your place.

Also, dont ever forget that all clothes are designer clothes, including
the simplest and the most modest ones. You can choose a specialization
that will help you produce everyday clothes instead of glittery evening
dresses, exclusively designed for Oscar nominees.

AHA Moment!

The glamorous image of the fashion industry is created by the
media to attract buyers and consumers. You have the choice
over whether youd like to be recognized as a glam designer (or
not) by selecting the specialization(s) that youre comfortable with.

What are the Benefits for Being a Fashion
Designer?

A fashion designer takes part in shaping consumer trends by making
their designs available for the greater public. She brings out the style in
people and gets satisfaction from doing so.


A fashion designer also enjoys the prestigious image of being a
celebrity, regardless of his seniority. A fashion designer is often
perceived as a highly interesting and artistic person who possesses
genuine aesthetic qualities. And of course, people would love to know a
fashion designer!

Another salivating benefit of being a fashion designer is the earning
potential. Senior, self-employed fashion designers can earn millions of
dollars annually. Can you imagine how much Donna Karan, Calvin Klein
and Vera Wang earn per year?

According to The Princeton Review, entry-level designers earn anywhere
between $20,000 and $30,000. Top designers can expect to earn
$200,000 or more depending on their experience.

AHA Moment!

Fashion designers enjoy social privileges for being members of
the creative world. Financial rewards will eventually come with
customer and public acceptance.

Where Can I Learn about Fashion History?

For a brief yet comprehensive historical timeline of modern fashion, refer
to FactMonster.com. Youll find it very enlightening.

FactMonster.com Modern Fashion History page
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0878218.html

To satisfy your curiosity, Ive included the following site from which you
can learn more about Whos Who in New York fashion industry. This
walk of fame honors exceptional designers who contributed to the
industry. They include Coty award winners.

Fashion Walk of Fame (NY)
http://www.fashioncenter.com/walkoFame/walkofFame2002Hon.ht
ml


AHA Moment!

If youre considering applying for an internship or entry-level
position in a fashion house, the information from the above Web
sites will be particularly useful to impress the interviewer.


Getting Ready for the Big Break

This section prepares you to break into the fashion designing profession. Here
youll find everything you need to know about the industry and what you must
have to ensure a successful career:

o Size of the fashion industry;
o Fashion cycle from trends to final products;
o Classifications in the fashion industry;
o Popular terminologies that are often confusing;
o Personality traits of successful fashion designers;
o Skills of the trade you must have and how to obtain them (through
fashion schools and alternative methods); and
o Design contests to create a boost to your new career

Industry Size

According to The Garment Industry Development Corporation (GIDC), a non-
profit consortium of labor, industry and government dedicated to the apparel
industry based in New York City, the apparel market is a $172 billion industry
nationwide.

Details of Market Size and Employment

Details of the industry nationwide [Source: GIDC]:

o U.S. market size: $172 billion;
o Employment total: 4.64 million people;
o Employment in retail sales: 3.6 million people;
o Employment in apparel production: 573,000 people; and
o Employment in textile production: 470,000 people

Details of New York City fashion industry [Source: GIDC]:

o Fashion showrooms: 5,000;

o Total sales volume: $14 billion;
o Wholesale sales volume: $12 billion;
o Retail sales volume: $2 billion;
o Apparel production: 28% of all womens dresses and 18% of all womens
outerwear nationwide
o Fashion schools: 8;
o Fashion visitors (buyers, industry professionals, etc.): 125,000 people;
and
o Other non-fashion purchases related to fashion visitors
(accommodations, transportations, meals, etc.): $100 million

For more detailed information of the U.S. fashion industry, you might want to
check Infomat.com. This site includes a list of links covering the statistics of the
apparel and textile industries. For Canadian fashion industry, Strategis.ic.ga.ca
covers the details.

For data from other countries, International Apparel Federation includes the lists
of associations in foreign countries, from which you can get detailed information
on each countrys market size.

Canadian Apparel Industry Statistics provided by Canadas Business and
Consumer Site Strategis.ic.gc.ca
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inapparel-
vetements.nsf/vwGeneratedInterE/home

The Garment Industry Development Corporation (GIDC)
http://www.gidc.org

International Apparel Federation
http://www.iafnet.org

AHA Moment!

Now that you know how large the fashion market is ($172 billion in the
United States alone), youll be able to use the information to help you
map the pathway to your dream career and to see what to expect from
the competition.


From Trends to Final Products (Fashion Cycle)

You see the always-changing trends in fashion. Whenever you walk into a
department store, the atmosphere changes seasonally. Colors change, styles
change, even the interior design of the store changes.

You might have been wondering how fashion designers know what the trends
are (such as when to design more mini skirts, use pastel colors or create those
grunge-vintage looks) and who are responsible for them.

OK, the answer is: every six months, trendsetters determine the upcoming
seasonal trends 18 to 24 months in advance. Thus, we can say that the whole
fashion cycle is 18 months -- from trend creation to the final products. Next
time when you purchase a new piece of clothing, youll see it in a different light.

It takes the industry 18 months to have the product readied for you, from the
time of its conception to its release.

Trends Creation

Twice a year, Committee for Colors and Trends (an international organization)
and Color Association of the United States determines the seasonal color,
texture and material trends, 18 to 24 months in advance.

The Committee for Colors and Trends provides forecasts in the following
categories:

1. Leather, Texture, Color and Material
o Leather color story (actual leathers);
o New textures;
o New non-leathers and fabrics; and
o Fashion Moods

2. Footwear
o Dress/Tailored;
o Casual;
o Fun/Active;
o Last, heel and construction concepts;

o Ready-to-wear trends; and
o Merchandising moods

3. Handbags, Belts and Personal Leathergoods
o Handbags, belts and personal leathergoods trends
o Specific silhouettes and shapes
o New hardware, ornamentation and treatments

4. J ewelry, Hair Accessories, Watches and Sunglasses
o J ewelry, hair accessories, watches and sunglasses;
o Evolving concepts;
o Metal finishes, motifs, themes;
o Ready-to-wear trends and merchandising moods; and
o Seasonal Pantone reference numbers

Because of their financial value, the trend reports are available for purchase.
They are divided as follows:

o Spring I
o Spring II or Summer
o Fall I
o Fall II or Winter

For complimentary trend reports, which are quite limited, you might want to try
NPD Fashionworlds Web site, a research firm that specializes in the fashion
industry. From time to time, they publish free articles on fashion industry trends.

Color Association of the United States
http://www.colorassociation.com/docs/noflash.html

Committee for Colors and Trends (international)
http://www.color-trends.com

NPD Fashionworld
http://www.npdfashionworld.com


From Trends to Samples

Now the color and material trends are pre-determined, textile mills are among
the first ones to use them. They need such trend reports to design new fabrics
for the upcoming seasons, which are usually 18 to 24 months away.

Major textile mill showrooms are located in fashion cities, such as New York,
Paris, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Smaller mills usually participate in trade
shows, which can be found in most major cities around the globe.

Information on textile mills and trade shows can be obtained from:

American Textile Manufacturers Institute
http://www.atmi.org

British Apparel and Textiles Confederation
http://www.batc.co.uk

European Apparel and Textile Organization
http://www.euratex.org

Textile Contact
http://www.textilecontact.com

Textile News
http://www.textiles.com

After the prototypes of new fabrics are ready, apparel companies represented
by fashion merchandisers and designers go to the showrooms or trade shows
to purchase textile samples. These will be used to create new design samples
of the wearable final products.

In the next stage, fashion designers of apparel companies work hard to create
40 to 60 new designs per line. Of course, prior to having the samples produced,
they draw hundreds of sketches adhering to the forecasted trends.

With the help of fit models who try on the prototypes made of muslin (an
inexpensive type of fabric), the design committee makes its 25 to 30 semi-final
choices from those 40 to 60 new designs. Next, they make several samples

using the actual fabric for each of the final 15 to 20 designs ready to offer to the
retailers.

Overall, it would take six to twelve weeks to prepare for one line up to this point.

HINT

Fit models are models used by design studios or apparel companies to
wear design samples to see if they actually fit in particularly sizes before
going to mass production. Their sizes reflect that of their target market.
For instance, if the apparel company manufactures plus-size clothing,
then size 16 or larger models are needed.

Promotion

This stage is probably the most challenging but extremely rewarding for fashion
people. Fashion marketers work closely with the designers to buzz the new line:

o Line sheet, which is a catalog, is printed;
o Runways are prepared and trade shows are conducted; and
o Press releases are sent to the media

Invitations to shows are sent to buyers who work for:

o Boutiques;
o Retail department stores;
o Online and mail order companies; and
o Budget and seconds stores (such as K-Mart, Ross, TJ Maxx, etc.)

In this period, marketers and buyers come together to learn from each other: to
see what are offered, to negotiate for better prices and eventually to close
deals. Members of the press are usually invited to cover shows in order to
generate publicity in mainstream and industry media.

A closed deal is sealed with Purchasing Agreement, in which the terms are
explained. Failure to fulfill the agreed terms will result in penalties or, even,
legal suits. The agreement includes the following clauses:

o Corporate information of both buying and selling parties;
o Order style;

o Quantity;
o Price;
o Delivery method;
o Delivery address;
o Penalties for late and unsatisfactory delivery;
o Choice of legal resolution methods (court or arbitration) should a suit
arises; and
o Other terms that both parties have agreed upon

In large companies, the legal department handles such agreements. In smaller
ones, freelance legal counsels are often contracted to assist in the negotiation,
closing and signing processes.

Production and Distribution

After deals are closed, apparel manufacturers work to fulfill orders. First of all,
they place orders with textile manufacturers, which would take a few weeks for
the fabric to be ready.

Therefore, during this period, fashion designers make sure that their designs
are ready to go. Patterns are carefully constructed and details are thoroughly
considered.

HINT

Pattern is the flat rendition of a piece of clothing. When a fashion
designer completes a sketch by hand or by using CAD software, she
needs to create a template from which the fabric will be cut and
constructed so that the piece can be realized. It must include additional
measurement to provide space for seaming, stretch or shrinkage. That
template is called pattern.

As soon as the fabric is ready, textile mills will ship it promptly to apparel
manufacturers, where it is properly cut, sewn and finished as ordered. During
the manufacturing process, the quality of every piece is carefully monitored.
Irregular and defective pieces will be separated from the perfect ones and
placed in the so-called dump pile.


The good pieces will be packed and shipped to the buyer utilizing freight
forwarding service under the agreed terms. The defectives and irregulars will be
offered to seconds stores or be destroyed.

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

In the next five to ten years, I believe that young designers will push
toward wearable yet special designs. Instead of throwaway clothing, I
see a movement toward greater quality and less excess.

In the United States, people wanted to fill their closets in excess, while in
Europe they have always spent more money for fewer items of greater
quality. I see the trend in the United States moving in that direction.

! Karen and Warren Hipwell, Founders of Karen Warren Ltd., a
fashion company that supply more than 100 boutiques across the
United States.

What Does It Mean? (Terminologies)

Lets discuss two of the most confusing terminologies: collection and line.
What does collection and line mean? Are they the same?

The answer is yes and no.

YES - Both terms refer to groupings of designs pre-determined for a particular
season offered by an apparel company. There are at least four lines or
collections offered per year:

o Spring I
o Spring II or Summer
o Fall I
o Fall II or Winter

Additional lines or collections include:
o Holiday and Resort
o Active and Sportswear


NO Collection refers to groupings of seasonal designs offered by designer
houses. Only high-priced world-class designers offer collections, such as
Christian Dior, Chanel, Prada, etc.

Line refers to groupings of seasonal designs offered by apparel companies,
such as Express, The Limited, Banana Republic, etc. Naturally, lines are
priced lower than collections.

To sum it up, collections are more pricey than lines.

Classifications

There are several ways to classify fashion:

o Mens, womens and children;
o Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear;
o Accessories, footwear and handbag;
o Special Sizes; and
o Price Zone

Mens, Womens and Children

The U.S. classifications of mens, womens and children apparel are as follows:

Mens

o Tailored Clothing (suits, evening wear, overcoats, separate trousers, and
sport coats);
o Sportswear (casual jackets, sport shirts and pants);
o Work Wear (work pants, work shirts and overalls);
o Active Sportswear (athletic wear, shorts, sweat shirts and windbreakers);
and
o Furnishings (shirts, sweaters, necktie, underwear, robes, and socks)

Womens

o Dresses (career/social dresses, skirts, and ladies suits);
o Blouses (blouses, shirts, and other tops);

o Outerwear (coats);
o Evening/bridal (wedding gowns, evening gowns, cocktail dresses and
prom/pageant dresses;
o Active wear (athletic wear);
o Sportswear (casuals, shorts, pants, and sport shirts);
o Maternity (clothing for pregnancy);
o Uniforms (work pants, work shirts, and cotton uniforms;
o Furs (coats, hats, and muffs); and
o Intimates (bras, shapers, petticoats, panties and slips)

Children

Childrens apparel is classified by age and size from infancy to young junior.

o Young junior (sizes 3 to 13);
o Sub teen girls (sizes 6 to 14);
o Girls (sizes 7 to 14);
o Boys (sizes 6 to 20);
o Childrens (sizes Xs from 3X);
o Toddlers (sizes Ts from 2T); and
o Infants (3 months to 24 months)

Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear

World-class designers, such as Christian Lacroix, Chanel, Dior, Yves St.
Laurent and Pierre Cardin are renowned for their haute couture, which means
high fashion in French. Haute couture apparel is custom-made based on
individual clients measurements.

Clients are carefully measured to ensure exact fit and ultimate comfort. The
apparel is usually sewn by both hand and machine for perfection. A prototype
made of muslin material will be created for fitting purposes before creating the
actual one.

After several fittings, the actual clothing will be created using expensive fabric.
Again, the client must be present for at least one fitting before the final touch-
ups. For all the legworks and expensive materials, a piece of haute couture
costs anywhere from $15,000 to $100,000 or more.


Not every fashion designer can be considered a haute couture designer. He
must belong to the Syndical Chamber for Haute Couture in Paris and there are
only 18 of them worldwide.

The worlds only 18 couturiers as listed by Fdration Franaise de la
Couture are:

1. Adeline Andr
2. Pierre Balmain
3. Carven
4. Chanel
5. Christian Dior
6. Christian Lacroix
7. Dominique Sirop
8. Emanuel Ungaro
9. Frank Sorbier
10. Givenchy
11. Grs
12. J ean Paul Gaultier
13. Ted Lapidus
14. Pierre Cardin
15. Thierry Mugler
16. Valentino
17. Versace
18. Yves St. Laurent

A new designer, thus, should expect to overcome many hurdles before he is
comfortable with the demanding job of designing haute couture. This explains
why most new designers work with Ready-to-Wear market.

As it is self-explanatory, Ready-to-Wear clothing is sold as ready to wear.
Manufactures produce them in large quantities and customers wear them as
they bought. Of course, there are sizes to fit every body type (S, M, and L). If
needed, certain stores offer alteration service to better fit the clothing to the
customer.

Unless youre among the only 2,000 clients of haute couture worldwide (of
which 60 percent are Americans), the clothes in your bedroom closet most likely
belong to Ready-to-Wear category. As it goes without saying, the market of
Ready-to-Wear clothing is unlimited.


Accessories, Footwear and Handbag

The sky is the limit in this category. Anything that brings out the style in you,
can be considered an accessory. The classifications are:

o Millinery (hats and headwears);
o Scarves and neckwear ;
o J ewelry (fine, bridge and costume);
o Belts, handbags and other leather goods;
o Hosiery and legwear (socks, pantyhose, and tights);
o Footwear (shoes and sandals);
o Gloves and umbrellas; and
o Eyewear (glasses and sunglasses)

Special Sizes

For both mens and womens classifications, there are two special sizes that
some designers and apparel companies specialize in:

o Plus size (sized as Xs, such as Big & Tall, Avenue); and
o Petit (sized as Ps, such as Alfani Petit, Petit Sophisticate)

Price Zone

In addition to the functional classifications, the Ready-to-Wear apparel industry
is also categorized based on the wholesale price. Below are the five
classifications with the most expensive on the top of the list:

o Designer (designers collections, such as Armani, Donna Karan, Lacroix
and Versace);
o Bridge (slightly lower than designers collections, such as Armani X and
Ellen Tracy);
o Better (targeting the higher-earning middle class, such as Anne Klein,
Calvin Klein, J ones New York and Talbots);
o Moderate (moderate price range, affordable by youths, such as Banana
Republic, Esprit, Guess, The Gap, Levis, The Limited and Eddie Bauer);
o Mass or Budget (the lowest price range, available in neighborhood
department stores, seconds and budget stores such as K-Mart, Sears

Target, Ross and TJ Maxx labeled as Cherokee, Kathy Ireland, and
J aclyn Smith)

AHA Moment!

There are many classifications in the fashion industry but none is better
than the other. The only difference is the target market (customers).
Designer, bridge and better categories, however, enjoy more media
coverage and upscale image.

Personality Traits

There is no specific formula on who will succeed and who will fail in fashion
industry. However, in order to break into it, there are at least three major traits
that will influence the quality of your journey: creativity, willingness and
perseverance.

Creativity

Creativity is the buzzword in this business. Designers are paid to create. They
must make something outstanding, wearable and marketable out of a blank
canvas.

We can see the differences in styles and moods in different designers, which
distinguish one from the others. But how creative is sufficiently creative for a
designer?

The answer is not written in stone as it depends on various factors. The first
factor is of course your personal style. Your personality and preferences
determine the styles and designs you create.

Versace, for instance, has an upbeat personality, which is reflected in bold
colors and patterns. Chanel collections are chic and timeless since Coco
Chanel, the founder, was probably a classy lady with a great sense of style.

The second factor is what types of creativity are needed? There are 3Cs.

o Creativity to create something out of nothing;

o Creativity to design a style that is wearable; and
o Creativity to produce wearable clothing that is marketable (and
profitable)

Creativity to Create Something Out of Nothing

A writer experiences the so-called writers block. Designers experience it too:
designers block. This term is used to describe a phenomenon in which an artist
cannot function creatively.

Unlike working in other professions, designing requires the ability to project new
ideas frequently. The ideas must be fresh and interesting. Some variations of
existing concepts are acceptable, as long as there are new elements that fit in
the pre-determined trends for the season.

Therefore, the ability to keep new ideas flowing is of utmost importance in this
career. Without it, repetition occurs, which would hurt the business. Now, how
can you train yourself to be creative?

There are several ways to increase and maintain creativity in everyday
activities:

o Be very mindful of your surroundings (colors, sounds, shapes, smells
and other senses);
o Mentally analyze a piece of apparel based on its color, style, materials,
weight and other elements;
o Correlate your analysis with fashion history (what period, whether
anybody you know wore something like that, etc.); and
o Find an interesting angle of a piece of apparel and give a careful thought
to make it more attractive (mentally change, add and switch some
elements of the piece)

Creativity to Design Wearable Styles

You can draw any style you want, as extravagant or as artistic as possible. J ust
make sure that your designs can actually be constructed three-dimensionally.
Drawing does require imagination and flow if creative juices, but turning a
design into a wearable piece is a different skill altogether.


You will have to break down the design into parts and create the flat rendition of
it, which is called pattern. This requires a different type of creativity, which can
be learned in school or through self-taught activities.

Pattern-making skill will be covered in the following Skills of the Trade section.
However, even though you understand the principles, it is not a guarantee that
youll be able to make perfect renditions.

Creativity, once again, comes into play. The more creative you are, the more
you will be able to improvise in making pattern structures and shortcuts that
ensure comfort for the wearer and the best possible final look.

Creativity to Produce Wearable Clothing that is Marketable

Isaac Mizrahi was one of the most talented designers in our lifetime. He has
won many awards and his designs have received accolades for being artistic,
innovative and highly skillful. Thus, why did he close his design house in 1998?

The answer is simple. His designs were not wearable. While they were great
on runways, when worn by models, regular customers did not find them
wearable. They might have been too bold or too cumbersome to wear, or,
customers couldnt find an appropriate occasion to wear them.

Mizrahis is an example of a different type of creativity that is likely to fail in this
business. Pure art is probably not going to work. Perhaps art with
commercial elements works much better.

This explains why everyday clothing lines enjoy high acceptance. Casual,
career and work clothes are among the best-selling products. After all, if you
cant sell them why did you design them in the first place? Unless you inherited
$50 million from your rich uncle, its very likely that youll eventually need to
earn a living from your designs. Agree?

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

Personal attributes important for this career: good color sense, feeling of
what is going to happen in the future, appreciation of textiles, rampant
creativity, thick skin, massive self-confidence, self-motivation and luck.

! Alexander Julian, winner of five Coty Awards, every major
design award in mens wear and the youngest inductee to the

Coty Fashion Hall of Fame in 1980. He designed many TV and
movie costumes as well as University of North Carolinas
basketball team uniform. He is also the first fashion designer to be
recognized with the top award of the American Society of
Furniture Designers for his home products.

Creativity can be nurtured and developed. A person must possess
creativity to succeed as a designer.

! Aimee Capobianco, Founder of Aimee Capobianco, LLC
www.aimeecapobianco.com, a design company that produces
vintage-inspired handbags and accessories.

The most successful fashion designers are also excellent business and
marketing people. Look at Tommy Hilfiger or Ralph Lauren, for example.
Their design style is not extremely creative, but marketed well.

! Laura Portolese Dias, Academic Director of The School of
Fashion, The Art Institute of Seattle.

A fashion designer is not just someone who draws pretty pictures, it is
someone who can take ideas and make them into a garment that can be
sold.

Very often fashion designers are not taken seriously, they are thought of
as daydreamers and the profession is looked at as just an interest or a
hobby. It is important to describe a fashion designer as someone who
can put the design into production and put out a garment that will sell.

A fashion designer must have a good head about the business end of
the industry, especially if he is self-employed.

! Karen and Warren Hipwell, Founders of Karen Warren Ltd.

It is important to understand that your creativity in fashion has
boundaries that dont have to exist in art. Youre designing a product
that people will hopefully want to wear; youre not an artist. Many
aspiring designers dont get it and they ultimately fail if they dont
correct their mistaken perspective.


! Ulla Bazant, Founder of Ulla Bazant New York
www.ullabazant.com. She is a cum laude graduate of the world
renowned Fashion Institute of Technology and has won many
prestigious design awards.

Willingness to Learn

New designers continuously learn from their seniors, colleagues, customers,
competitors and surroundings. While most of the basic skills in this trade can be
learned within reasonable timeframe, the internalization takes awhile.

Only with continuous learning that youll be able to take your skills to the next
level. Apprenticeship, thus, plays an important role in nurturing what you
already have.

Whenever possible, have a senior fashion designer as your mentor. There is
no better way to learn about a new career other than from those whove talked
the talk and walked the walk. Having a mentor also creates a professional
alliance, which is a great thing in the long run.
Perseverance

Perseverance makes all the difference because it is the most important
virtue of all.

It is true that everybody fails. Some people must fail times before they rise.
Oftentimes, failing means youll rise higher than before you fall. Perseverance
keeps you in check when you fail and to make it a great learning experience
instead of freezing you out.

Remember, it is not how many times you fall but how you rise from it that
makes you a better person.

Skills of the Trade

There are ten skills of the trade that you must be familiar with in order to be
called a fashion designer. Every fashion designer possesses such a set of
skills, but of course, some are stronger in some skills and some in others. In the

following list, youll find the description of what they are and whether you can
substitute them whenever possible.

The ten skills are:

1. Basic anatomy;
2. Visual synthesizing;
3. Drawing;
4. Computer-assisted drawing;
5. Color selection;
6. Fabric selection;
7. Budgeting;
8. Pattern-making;
9. Draping; and
10. Sewing

Basic Anatomy

The key to perfect and comfort fit is correct body measurement, so the first skill
you need to master is the basic anatomy. Since not everybody is a perfect
size 10, get familiar with different body types, sizes and how they differ from
each other. Adults and children have different proportions as well.

The Home Sewing Association Taking Body Measurement
http://www.sewing.org/html/ls-bodymeasure.html

TIP

When youre taking measurement, make sure that you give some extra
space (a few millimeters) between the surface and the measurement
tape. Dont be too tight or too loose. The tape should be able to move
freely but not too loose that it could fall.

Visual Synthesizing

By visual synthesizing, Im referring to the ability to distill visual ideas from
various sources to benefit your own designs. Please dont confuse it with
copying others designs.


IMPORTANT

Synthesizing is more like writing your own song after listening to the
breaking waves at shore, copying is simply acknowledging others ideas
as your own.

Many designers get inspired when they travel. Colorful flowerbeds in
Carlsbad, Calif., for instance, may ignite the inspiration to design bright-colored
spring line. A visit to Chinas Great Wall may inspire you to design a Chinese
chiong sam in gray.

It is an internal skill that needs to be nurtured continuously. Some tips to open
your mind to new inspirations:

o Relax (listen to relaxing music or nature recordings);
o Meditate (yoga, tai chi and other new age activities may help);
o Keep a writing journal (choose a beautiful journal, preferably with acid-
free paper);
o Travel to exotic places (choose places where the culture is different from
where you live);
o Socialize with family and friends (have fun, play hard, laugh more);
o Try new things (do the things youve always wanted to do but havent
gotten the chance or time for);
o Find a different angle in everything (there must be at least one); or
simply
o Sit on a bench in a park and let your eyes and mind wander (enjoy and
internalize the atmosphere, the weather and the scenery)

Who says you need to spend a lot of money to get inspired?
Drawing

Most designers hand draw their own sketches and renditions, unless they are
senior designers in a top design house, this skill will come very handy.
Beginners may also find drawing templates useful.

Fashion-Era.com Fashion Template for Fashion Drawing
http://www.fashion-era.com/fashion_templates.htm


TIP

A drawing template is an image used to provide correct
proportion/measurements to which you can add your own designs and
other aesthetic additions.

Computer-Assisted Drawing

Many designers use computer software that draws the sketches and renditions
for you. If you have this computer skill, you may use it instead of drawing by
hand.

ApparelNews.net CAD Software page
http://www.apparelnews.net/Links/cad.html

TIP

Basic familiarity with computers, such as Windows and other programs,
is extremely helpful in learning to use CAD software.
Color Selection

A good designer works hard to make her clients look good. Unless she is
familiar with the color wheels and theory, this task is an impossible mission.

The Color Wheel Company
http://www.colorwheelco.com

Glamour Girls Inc., How to Wear Color to Enhance Your Eye Color
http://www.glamourgirlsinc.com/eyecolortut.html

HINT

Colors create the dramatic effect to make a piece of clothing stands out
without overbearing the wearer.


Fabric Selection

Experiment with different kinds of fabric: find out how they can come together,
how they perform and drape. Some fabrics complement each other, while
others are simply disastrous when assembled together.

TIP
Try constructing a piece of clothing utilizing two or three types of fabric,
such as cotton, silk and polyester. See how they drape. Analyze what
works and what doesnt.

Budgeting

Unless youre a registered haute couturier, you can make the most beautiful
evening gown in the world that costs a fortune, nobody would want to purchase
it. You need to be creative yet realistic at the same time to create clothes that
are wearable, comfortable and affordable.

In a nutshell, the cost of a piece of clothing can be divided as:

1. Materials, such as
o Fabric;
o Buttons;
o Thread; and
o Ribbons

2. Labor
o Hourly

3. Electricity

4. Miscellaneous
o Transportation;
o Depreciation (software, instruments, etc.)

TIP

Take budgeting classes at community colleges, if needed. You dont
need to be an accountant to be able to budget efficiently. With some high

school arithmetical skills (adding and subtracting), you can help
yourself a great deal.

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

It is important to have a business plan and realistic expectations. It is
also important to have some understanding of general accounting to be
able to run a business effectively.

www.aimeecapobianco.com.
Pattern-making

Pattern is the flat rendition of a piece of clothing. When a fashion designer
completes a sketch by hand or by using CAD software, she will need to create a
template from which the fabric will be cut and constructed so that the piece can
be realized. It must include additional measurement to provide space for
seaming, stretch or shrinkage. That template is called pattern.

The Home Sewing Association Pattern Know-How (PDF)
http://www.sewing.org/files/GL-patterns.pdf

TIP

Pattern-making skill is invaluable to a fashion designer because no
designs can be magically produced without it.

Draping

Draping takes place when a fabric is draped on a three-dimensional medium,
like a model or a mannequin. This process is usually done to learn more about
the performance of the fabric or to see how the style looks either in muslin
fabric or the actual material. Most designers dont use this technique to actually
create the piece. It is used mostly as a rehearsal.

TIP
Use a mannequin that comes with adjustable measurements.


Sewing

Do you have to know how to sew? Yes and no.

YES You must know how a piece is sewn, so you can create the pattern and
cut the materials. At minimum, you must understand how a piece of apparel is
going to be sewn.

NO You dont need to sew by yourself, if youre considering using the help of
assistants or outsourcing manufacturers.

The Home Sewing Association Learn to Sew Tutorials
http://www.sewing.org/html/learntosew.html

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

Fashion designing is a critical thinking process which occurs within the
mind of the designer. This process is aided by creating within the
designer the ability to see and absorb the total world experience and to
interpret fashion as a part of that.

If the designer wants to earn a living with the design process, then he or
she must be able to communicate what is in his or her head to others
and that will require developing some drawing skills.

Drawing is the alphabet of design that allows consistent and meaningful
communication to flow to potential customers, and pattern maker, etc.
However, people do not wear drawings: so knowledge of how a garment
relates to the human anatomy is essential.

Herein comes the development of skills in pattern making and in apparel
construction. In todays environment, most all of these skills are
increasingly computer-driven, thus the student must go to the next level l
and learn the programs that assist with drawing, pattern making and
construction.

While all these skills are being learned, the student also has to acquire
some business savvy-ness and understand the business of fashion.
Because great designs that dont market well are seldom economically
productive and therefore emerge the starving artist problem.


! Dr. Elizabeth Rhodes, Dean of the Kent State School of Fashion
Design and Merchandising

To Go to School or Not to Go to School

In the ideal world, everybody goes to school and, a few years later, be his or
her best after graduation. Unfortunately, we dont live in one. There are many
factors that influence our decision over choosing school or career or family.
Weigh both advantages and disadvantages of fashion school carefully before
making this life-changing decision.

Advantages of Fashion Schools

o Opportunity to learn systematic thinking and trade shortcuts from
experienced designers/instructors;
o Exposure to established designers who teach part-time at the institution;
o Lifetime friendship with fellow students and teachers;
o Internship opportunities;
o Mentoring opportunities;
o Contest opportunities; and
o Networking opportunities
Disadvantages of Fashion Schools

o Expensive, expect to spend $25,000 or more for tuition; and
o Takes two years for associates or diploma program and three years for
bachelors degree

Advantages of Self-Study

o According to constructivist educators, experience is the best learning
method. Self-studying allows room to make mistakes and learn from
them;
o Less expensive; and
o Learn anywhere and anytime

Disadvantages of Self-Study

o Can be quite confusing when problems need to be solved right away;
o Low attrition rate in distance learning programs; and
o Feeling of isolation and boredom if self-studying using books and other
materials
Top Fashion Schools

The following fashion schools are selected based on research of the most-
mentioned schools in the media, which should not be taken as endorsements
or professional advice. Every school has its own strengths and weaknesses.

TIP

Id suggest that you make every effort to ensure that you choose the right
one. After all, you are the one solely responsible of your future.

USA

Fashion Institute of Technology (New York)
http://www.fitnyc.suny.edu

Parsons School of Design (New York)
http://www.parsons.edu

Canada

LaSalle College (Montreal)
http://www.clasalle.qc.ca

France

Esmod International (Paris)
http://www.esmod.com

Insitut Francais de la Mode (Paris)
http://www.ifm-paris.org

Les Ecoles de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne
http://www.modeaparis.com/va/ecoles/index.html


Paris Fashion School
http://www.parisfashion.org

Italy

Polimoda (Florence)
http://www.polimoda.com

UK

Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design (London)
http://www.csm.linst.ac.uk

Royal College of Art (London)
http://www.rca.ac.uk

Asia

Bunka Fashion College (J apan)
http://www.bunka-fc.ac.jp

Moda Gakeun (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya J apan)
http://www.moga.ac.jp

Fashion School Directories

These online directories contain tons of direct links to fashion schools and
programs in the United States and around the world.

FashionCareerCenter.com Fashion Colleges page
http://www.fashioncareercenter.com/fashion_colleges.html

FashionDegrees.com
http://fashiondegrees.com

FashionSchools.com
http://www.fashionschools.com


Alternative and Distance Learning

Learning at a distance requires close contact with the instructor via
correspondence, which is mostly done by mail. Some schools provide e-mail
communications as well.

Fashion Tuition Services (UK)
http://www.justsew.mistral.co.uk
Correspondence courses from the UK.

Hemphill Schools
Dressmaking and Design Program
http://www.hemphillschool.com/english/sew.html
Fashion Design Program
http://www.hemphillschool.com/english/fashiondesign.htm
They offer certificate classes in English and Spanish.

Instituto Maurer (Mexico)
http://institutomaurer.com
Classes are in Spanish.

Kilroy College (Ireland)
http://www.kilroyscollege.ie
Offers certificate program in dressmaking.

Regent Academy (UK)
http://www.regentacademy.com
Offers bachelors degree in fashion designing.

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Australia)
http://www.rmit.edu.au/admissions/distance/
Offers Masters degree and diplomas in Fashion and Textiles by distance
learning.

Stratford Career Institute
http://www.scitraining.com
Offers Fashion Merchandising and Design Diploma program.

Thomson Education Direct
http://www.educationdirect.com/dressmaking/
Offers Dressmaking and Design Career Diploma program.


AN EXPERTS ADVICE

I dont believe that a degree in fashion design is a must to succeed.
The most important thing to learn is the technical skills of the trade that
can be learned from a technical design school with a certification
program. I learned so much at the School for Fashion Design in Boston
where the focus was on the skills you need to succeed in the industry,
from pattern making and grading to selling skills.

The most important skills are business skills that apply in the real
industry. They teach you that fashion design is more than being creative;
you need to produce real clothes for the real world.

! Karen and Warren Hipwell, Founders of Karen Warren, Ltd.

A degree is not a must but it certainly helps in todays world. The
entry-level positions typically go to people who have portfolios and
technical skills. A degree usually means that the person has had the
opportunity to acquire these things.

There are many avenues for acquiring skills. A degree usually also
carries with it a certification to the employer that the person has a liberal
arts foundation and has been repeatedly asked to use critical thinking
and logical progression skills.


When Youre Ready Design Contests!

If youre enrolled in a fashion school, youll eventually participate in annual
design contests for students. Participating in a contest is an invaluable
experience to see where you stand at the moment and how others perceive
your designs, particular experienced designers (or instructors) and fellow
students.


For professional designers, the most prestigious fashion award in the United
States is called Coty Award granted by American Fashion Critics. It is the
Oscar in fashion industry.

Some of renowned Coty Award winners:

o Alexander J ulian;
o Calvin Klein;
o Coco Chanel;
o Donna Karan;
o Mary McFadden;
o Oscar de la Renta;
o Ralph Lauren; and
o Stan Herman

A committee of fashion critics gives this award to the designer of the best line in
each U.S. apparel classification in the particular year.

Not all design contests are identical. Some contests focus on wearability, while
others on originality and aesthetic elements. Make sure to participate in a
contest that suits your specialty or career goal.

The panel of jury looks for:

o Originality;
o Wearability;
o Aesthetics;
o Technical skills; and
o Appropriateness for the particular season

Take a peek at FashionWindows.coms award winners to familiarize yourself
to the nitty-gritty of fashion contests. Once youre ready, be brave to plunge into
it! It might be your big break.

FashionWindows.com Award Winners
http://www.fashionwindows.com/fashion_review/awards.asp

About.com Fashion page (courtesy of Guide Cynthia Nellis)
http://fashion.about.com/cs/awardscontests/index.htm

Career Game Plan

Fashion designing is a very satisfying career, particularly because you can
express yourself in a way that no other careers allow. In the long run, being a
fashion designer brings you more than mere self-satisfaction. Top designers
enjoy fame and fortune.

With a workable game plan, all these are within reach. Remember to keep
yourself motivated and be willing to learn continuously.
How Much You Can Expect to Earn, Pros and
Cons

Working for others usually pays less than working for yourself; but this may not
be true if you have attained a senior position in a top fashion house. Here are
some comparisons between the two:
Working for Others

o Steady income;
o Entry-level designers earn $20,000 to $35,000;
o Senior designers earn $80,000 to $200,000;
o An excellent way to learn from fellow designers and your employer;
o A great way to network with like-minded people;
o Need to follow the style guidelines, so highly creative people may find it
quite limiting; and
o Instead of you, credits go to your employer
Working for Yourself

o Income may not be as steady as working for others;
o New self-employed designers may not earn sufficiently to cover
expenses in the first year of business;
o The sky is the limit in terms of earning potential;
o Freedom to express your creativity; and
o Credits go directly to you and your team


Gaining Experience

OK, I know youre ready to roll. At this point, I assume you already have actual
experiences in designing apparels, because youll need to include some of
them in your portfolio.
Locating Employers

First things first, you need to locate companies that hire fashion designers. You
can use several approaches to locate apparel companies, fashion designers
and fashion recruiters:

o Use local directories, such as The Yellow Pages, local publications and
local Chamber of Commerce; or
o Use the Internet

Some Internet resources to begin with:

24 Seven, Inc. (fashion recruiter)
http://www.24sevenonline.com

Fashion Career Center
http://www.fashioncareercenter.com

Fashion.net Employment page
http://www.fashion.net/jobs/

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

According to Laura McCann, president of Zweave, Inc.
http://www.zweave.com, a company that provides IT management services
to the apparel industry, there are several types of fashion employers:

o Vertical retailers;
o Manufacturers;
o Textile companies;
o Trend services; and
o Print studios


She also said that product-driven companies with many product lines tend
to hire more designers.

ABOUT ZWEAVE.COM: It is a company with a proven record of success in
product development, design and marketing of private label apparel for
major retailers and manufacturers, such as The Limited, Lerners, Victoria
Secret Catalogue, K-Mart, Paul Harris, The Avenue, Fubu, Gutter Gear, etc.

Career Choices

As a beginning fashion designer, you have several paths to choose. Each has
its own pros and cons, so Id suggest that you carefully assess your strengths
and weaknesses. Most entry-level positions are technical positions, which
require strong technical skills rather than creative skills.

o Junior Designer
A junior designer is responsible for cutting the initial flat pattern and
assembling the selected fabrics for the approved styles. This position is
ideal for a well-rounded beginner with strong skills in pattern making and
cutting.

o Sketching Assistant
A sketching assistant is responsible for making technical sketches based
on the approved drawing of the approved styles. This position is ideal for
those with strong skills in drawing and pattern making.

o Cutting Assistant
A cutting assistant helps fashion designers by cutting the fabrics based
on the flat patterns and specifications required. This position is ideal for
those with strong skills in pattern making and body anatomy.

o Manufacturing Assistant
A manufacturing assistant helps fashion designers and the
manufacturing division by working closely with the team consisting of
junior designers, sketching assistants and cutting assistants.

HINT

Please note that these descriptions are not written in stone. In many
companies, the tasks overlap significantly. Make sure that you are

prepared to perform any duties required by continuously polishing your
skills.

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

The biggest division in fashion designing career is between being a
creative designer versus a technical designer.

The creative designer comes up with the entire look, color scheme, and
identity of the collection. They typically execute only the initial looks.
Whereas the technical designer does the first draping and pattern
making; they do the engineering part, and often the result is quite
different from the original scheme.

www.ullabazant.com.

I spent many years as a sales rep for high-end accessories
manufacturer. As a result, I developed close relationships with
established designers and manufacturers. Over the years, they came to
depend on me to provide them with important industry information and
they were very receptive to my product development suggestions.

After 7 years, I was approached by one of them about a design position.
I jumped at the opportunity! That was five years ago and I have been
actively designing ever since.

www.aimeecapobianco.com.

I broke into this career through retail exposure. I worked in a top
specialty store to learn whats hot and whats not, what works and why,
and ultimately whats missing.

! Alexander Julian, winner of five Coty Awards, every major
design award in mens wear and the youngest inductee to the
Coty Fashion Hall of Fame in 1980.


Rsum

Although rsum is necessary, it is not the most important part in applying for a
fashion-designing job. Portfolio is. We will discuss how to compile an attractive
portfolio in the following section.

There are two ways to arrange your rsum: professionally or chronologically.

Professional Rsum

This type of rsum focuses on your professional experiences instead of
chronological organization, which may or many not place them at the spotlight.
Particularly in fresh graduates rsums, however, professional rsum may not
be appropriate due to the limited experiences.

Another proven way is to include your internship and related experiences as the
focal point. Dont be shy to elaborate the job descriptions in order to provide a
clear picture of what youve done and are capable of doing.

Chronological Rsum

In this type of rsum, you arrange professional and educational experiences
chronologically. This way, a prospective employer can see what youve done
previously and for how long.

TIP

While its not recommended for those who have already had experiences
in the field, a chronological rsum is ideal for fresh graduates and
those who have limited experienced.
Portfolio

As in other creative professions, portfolio is the most important part of your job
application. Many fresh graduates and career-changers are so talented that
they can be accepted for positions higher than entry level posts.

Therefore, make sure that you provide the best samples of your works include
the followings (at minimum):


o Two original design drawings (by hand or CAD) along with information
about color and fabric choices; and
o Two flat renditions of the designs (also called patterns)

If time and resources permit, you may also include actual fabric choices and
fabric assembles.

TIP

How you package your portfolio also matters. Make sure to use an
attractive professional-looking folder to keep all your samples. As it goes
without saying, an employer prefers to hire an organized person.
Interviewing and Presentation Skills

The interview stage is used to assess your compatibility with the company. To
score it, all you need to do is present yourself in a positive light. Showcase
your willingness to learn, hardworking attitude and creativity.

TIP

To impress the interviewers, you may want to include fashion
terminologies from your vocabulary bank along with historical facts
pertaining to modern fashion industry. If youre good in memorizing
numbers, mention the years in which the milestones occurred.

Some employers ask you to draw a design sketch based on their preferences.
The purpose of this test is to evaluate your originality, creativity and ability to
create something out of nothing within short notice.

Therefore, make sure that you understand:

o Apparel classifications (familiarize with the terminologies);
o Trends (colors, fabrics and materials);
o Drawing (most likely youll need to draw the sketches by hand instead of
using CAD software); and
o Pattern-making (based on the sketched designs)


Internship

Internship with fashion companies and design studios are rarely advertised;
therefore, you need to look for an internship or entry-level job by yourself.

There are many ways to begin the search:

o Contact local fashion designers and apparel companies (use directories,
refer to Locating Employers section above);
o Network locally (attend local Chamber of Commerce, church and civil
service meetings);
o Post Internship or Position Wanted ad in local media or Web sites (for
very little money or even free); and
o J oin organizations where creative people mingle (like-minded people
usually mix together)

TIP

Be nice to people youve just met. Youll never know who may go home
and pull some strings to recommend you to decision makers and
influential people in the industry. New York City offers the best internship
and entry-level opportunities.

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

Designers do not typically recruit on college campuses like in other
majors. So you may want to go to NY City and stay there for a while. If
you are not in the city for them to contact, they assume you really arent
available and since the city has so many talented people, they dont have
to go looking for you.


I broke into this career by enrolling in a short course to learn the basics,
accepting a minimum wage jeweler position, which provided training and
did piece work for other jewelry designers, while I developed my own
designs and began producing and marketing through art/craft shows,
wholesaling and eventually through my Web site www.jennsjewels.com.


Practice makes perfect. Read, study and practice. Finding an apprentice
program is difficult but it is the best way to learn

! Jennifer Dewey, a fashion designer specializing in precious
metals and gemstones. She sells her products via
www.JennsJewels.com and works closely with other jewelry
designers, such as Thomas Mann and Margo Manning.

Starting Your Own Studio

Making the decision to start your own design studio might sound a bit
intimidating. Youll be alone in making things work: from having your business
listed in the local Yellow Pages to making sure that the clients pay their bills on
time.

There are many things to consider:

o Am I the entrepreneur type? How can I assess it?
o Who can help me if I have questions?
o Where can I find a business mentor?
o How can I know which specialty fits my skills and the market?
o Who are my competitors?
o Should I have a partner?
o What business format is suitable for me?
o How can I manage the business side of the studio?
Is Entrepreneurship for You?

This is the first question you must ask if youre serious in going the path less
traveled: opening your own fashion studio. Therefore, you should approach it
scientifically, rather than instinctively.

One of the best and proven methods to assess ones inventory of interests is by
taking Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Local colleges usually have a
career center that provides career counseling to their residents. A trained
counselor should be able to administer the assessment test free of charge.

For a quick look at how the test looks like:


Whats Your Personality Type Quick Quiz
http://www.personalitytype.com/quiz.html

TIP

The test merely shows your skills inventory. It should never be used as a
prediction of your success or failure in the field. If your motivation is as
high as the Himalayan Mountains, nothing can stop you from achieving
your peak.

Another way to find out whether youre ready to go solo is by answering these
eleven questions honestly. Write down the answers, so youll remember.

Question One:
Do you have the financial resources to cover the first year expenses of
your business?

Be ready for the unexpected. Most new businesses must start from
scratch without any client base. Making sure that you can cover at least
the first year of your business, if it hasnt made any profits yet, will give
you the much-needed peace of mind to focus on the new business.

Question Two:
Can you take risks (both major and minor)?

As an entrepreneur, you will need to make all sorts of decision, both
major and minor from early in the morning to the moment you call the
day. If you have assistants, you will need to make decisions for them as
well, which means that youre taking responsibilities and risks for
everybody.

Question Three:
Are you self-motivated and self-disciplined?

If you think working by yourself means that you can wake up late and
finish early, think again. Most self-employed people work more than ten
hours a day, particularly in the first few years of their business.
Remember, if you dont work, you wont be receiving any income: unlike

working for others, in which youll be paid for your time regardless of the
outcome for the day.

Question Four:
Are you comfortable working directly with clients?

Working directly with clients can be quite frustrating because they will tell
you like it is. Many clients are nice, so its very fulfilling; but not all of
them are like that. It is unlike working for others, in which your supervisor
is usually very encouraging in order to boost your morale.

Question Five:
Do you have the trade skills to serve your clients?

Be honest. You may feel you are the best designer in the world. How do
others think, really? Find some unbiased people (not your family or
friends) who will tell you like it is.

Are your works good enough for a professional? If not, find out what
they think your weaknesses are (but dont take them personally). Use
their opinions to upgrade your skills.

Question Six:
Whats your specialization?

A specialization distinguishes you from your competitors. The ideal
specialization should be the one that youre very comfortable of doing
and has a large market to make money.

Question Seven:
Can you toot your own horn (to market your services)?

Unless youre proud of your work and willing to toot your own horn about
being a self-employed designer, the business is unlikely to succeed. You
might encounter some people, who are close to you, that may become
skeptical when you tell them about your new profession. But always
remember the following!

REMEMBER


You deserve to pursue the career of your dreams. If some
skeptics say youre not good enough and cant make a living
out of it, keep your chin up and walk away. Youre proud of
what you do and you can prove it by your works.

Question Eight:
What are your personal and professional strengths that you can bring to
the business?

Be honest. Create a list of your personal and professional strengths that
you can bring to the fashion design business. You may want to create a
few categories, such as personal traits, trade skills, business skills,
marketing skills, communication skills, etc.

Question Nine:
What are your personal and professional weaknesses that you may bring
to the business?

Be honest, very honest. Create a few categories (see Question Eight) to
begin.

Question Ten:
Can you identify opportunities to grow your business?

Look around and ask questions. Be brave to see beyond the surface.
Look within and without. Identify anything and everything that may
increase your opportunities to grow your business. Some considerations:
number of competitors in the area and their specializations, new niche
markets, etc.

Question Eleven:
Can you identify threats that can harm your business?

Opportunities may turn around and become threats. Basically there are
two types of threats: direct and indirect. Carefully screen an opportunity
to see if its really an opportunity or a threat.


TIP

Use these questions to reflect before making a long-term commitment to
running your own fashion studio. Most people fail because they
undermine the commitment and needed self-drive to make a business
successful, not because theyre not good enough technically.

Resources

To begin with, you might want to consult the following Web sites before getting
into the details of setting up the business. These sites provide free information
that you can use right away. Some even provide free mentoring service to learn
from those who have talked the talk and walked the walk which is invaluable.

My Own Business
http://www.myownbusiness.org
Provides a free online course on starting a business, which comprises of
11 sessions that you can take in any order.

Online Small Business Workshop
http://www.cbsc.org/osbw/workshop.html
A Canadian Small Business Association which offers free information
on various aspects of starting a business.

Small Business Association
http://www.sba.gov
Numerous resources on how to start and manage your business. Free
classes are also offered in various locations.

Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
http://www.score.org
A network of retired executives who had walked in your shoes. Theyd be
happy to answer your questions personally. Its a great place to find a
business mentor with whom you can exchange ideas and learn.

Choosing Your Specialty

Id suggest that you carefully choose the specialty of your business. Make sure
that your interest has a large enough market. Many designers prefer to work

with female clients because they are the largest (niche) market. Designing
womens apparels also give you a lot of freedom to be creative.

Some TIPS to help you choose the specialty of your business:

o Familiarize yourself with the various apparel classifications (refer to the
above section);
o Assess your interests and skills in designing and producing (which types
of apparel can you design and create more at ease);
o Find your strengths (sometimes what you like best is not something you
can do best);
o Listen to what (unbiased) people say about your creations (do they love
your evening dresses better than those career suits?); and most
importantly
o Listen to your heart: how youd like to be known as? An haute couturier?
A handbag designer? Or someone else? What is your identity?

AN EXPERTS ADVICE:

Abercrombie and Fitch have been extremely successful, especially with
the Generation Y Group. They realize that kids (with a lot more
discretionary income than most adults) have a need for tribal identity.
Most successful retailers understand this need for identity and nurture
it.

Retailing to both Generation X and Baby Boomers have realized that as
people age, they have similar needs and wants in clothing and other
products. Thus, if a new designer properly segment these wants, he or
she will be successful.

! Laura Portolese Dias, Academic Director of The School of
Fashion, The Art Institute of Seattle

Fashion designers do have a choice over which specializations or
categories they are designing because they need to be passionate about
what they are doing. Being a fashion designer is driven by what you want
to design. We do about 80 percent dresses because that was what I
always dreamed of since I was a child, so it is natural for me to
specialize in them. Your choice depends on where your talents lie.


! Karen and Warren Hipwell, Founders of Karen Warren Ltd.

Market Research

Market research may sound a bit intimidating and may make you consider
hiring a professional. While it is always recommended to consult an expert, you
may be able to perform your own simple market research.

In order to make wise decisions when working for yourself, choosing a suitable
and profitable specialty, and choosing a niche market, here are some TIPS to
get you started:

o Survey at least ten competitors in your area (your competitor is a
designer who specializes in the same specialty as you do); and
o Survey at least ten retailers in your area that sell products in which you
intend to specialize in

Now, what to look for? You will need to obtain information on their:

o Location (which part of the city says a lot about the consumers);
o Captured market (existing clients);
o Interior design (upscale or mediocre style?);
o Work quality (high or mediocre quality);
o Customer service (how did they carry their image?);
o Price (price tells a lot about the consumers as well); and
o Others

To find their:

o Strengths (the positive elements of their products, service and market);
o Weaknesses (the negative elements);
o Opportunities (what you can do to beat them); and
o Threats (the things you should be aware of)

After you collect the information, use it to analyze your and their positions. Here
are some suggestions on performing the analysis:

o Recognize patterns;
o Recognize similarities;
o Recognize irregularities;

o Recognize distinguished elements; and
o Recognize unique features

OK, if you have finished with the analysis, now its time to relate the findings to
your situation. Make thoughtful decisions based on this research for it might be
your key to finding your niche and becoming successful. To get a larger picture
of the business, repeat the procedures as necessary.

TIP

Always write down what you find. This way, you can easily refer to them
when comparing the findings and make a thoughtful analysis.

Business Legal Structure

Your business legal structure will affect how you run the business: its costs,
taxes, and liabilities for any occurring debts. Id suggest that you consult a
lawyer and an accountant for their professional opinions.

Most likely, in the beginning, you will be working by yourself or with one or two
partners. If this is how youre going to structure your business, a sole proprietor
or a partnership (LLP) is probably a good choice. (As if it wasnt reiterated
enough, I suggest consulting a lawyer and an accountant to be sure as every
persons needs are different.)

Here are some good Web sites on this topic:

Nolo.com Small Business Legal Structure page
http://www.nolo.com/lawcenter/ency/index.cfm/catID/19B45DBF-E85F-
4A3D-950E3E07E32851A7#5DE04E60-45BB-4108-
8D757E247F35B8AB

PowerHomeBiz.com Legal Structure of Your Small Business page
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/legal.htm

TIP

No reference can substitute the advice of a professional. Reading
materials are intended to help you better understand how one legal
structure differs from the others. Its better to be safe than sorry.

Partnership?

Partnership can be a blessing to speed up the growth of your business if a clear
division of labor is properly discussed beforehand. There is an old saying that
says (anonymous):

The more heads and hands, the more things can be done and
overcome.

The more heads and hands, there will be more ideas and more
disagreements.

Ideally, all partners sign a partnership agreement to eliminate future
confusions that may lead to legal suits. (Again, Id suggest consulting a lawyer
before signing anything.)

Some ideas on what to include in a partnership agreement:

o How responsibilities are divided among partners;
o Who will make day-to-day decisions (specify the types of decisions);
o How profits will be distributed (percentage of earnings); and
o Other specified roles that each partner will be expected to perform

TIP

Choose people with whom you can work well professionally as your
partners. They may or may not be your close friends or family members.
Since the well being of your business is very important, never choose a
partner based on your personal relationship.

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

If you are not good with the business aspects as most creative types
are notyou have to get a partner to handle it. Thats the biggest bit of
advice I can give.

Also, you need to be willing to risk everything despite a huge chance of
failure. You have to be crazy. You have to be able to deal with

unbelievable stress, and fear. Its a scary journey and you have to keep
believing it will eventually be worth it.

www.ullabazant.com.

Setting Up the Studio

In setting up a fashion studio, there are three types of workspace that you must
carefully design for functionality, comfort and image.

o Customer space;
o Working space; and
o Management space

Customer Space

The front part of your studio is what your customers will see. If its a home-
based studio, make sure that it is the first part of the working space that they
see as soon as they open the door. A strong image of style and professionalism
in the interior design is highly recommended to project a positive vibe.

Decorate this space with fashion gimmicks and some stylish mannequins with
your new designs. If you intend to sell ready-to-wear apparels, place them here
as well. Whenever possible, separate it from the working space.

What you need in this room:

o Several comfortable couches and chairs;
o A coffee table;
o Some mannequins (with or without adjustable measurement feature);
o Portable fitting room or divider;
o Body-length mirror;
o Fashion gimmicks as decorators;
o Telephone; and
o A sketching table or desk


TIP

If you have the financial resource, it would be recommended to hire a
professional interior designer (or decorator) for this room. For a bargain,
you may want to try talented interior design students or interns.
Remember, your image as a fashion designer partly depends on it.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

If you use pre-owned items, you may expect to spend at least $800 to
$1,000. If a professional interior designer is consulted, the price varies
greatly. An expenditure of $4,000 is expected.

Working Space

This is the place where all the dirty works will be conducted. A good workflow
design is a must to ensure maximum efficiency; the design comes second.
Make sure that you arrange the furniture properly, so your workflow will not be
affected.

Items you must have in this room (at minimum):

o Mannequins with adjustable measurement features;
o Sturdy large table (length varies, but make sure that it can accommodate
at least one full-length long dress);
o Cabinets;
o Sewing machine;
o Proper lighting;
o Measurement tapes;
o Two pairs of scissors (at minimum);
o Markers (various types);
o Needles;
o Thread; and
o Manila paper

TIP

The cutting table doesnt need to be fancy or expensive. You can use a
pre-owned dining table to begin with. Extend its length by placing a piece
of smooth plywood on top of it, if needed. Make sure that it has a
smooth surface (not to scratch the fabric).


This room doesnt cost much because you can use existing or used
furniture pieces. Anywhere from $200 to $1,000 is needed for the set-up.

Management Space

The ideal place for a management space is in between customer space and
working space, because that is where youll make careful rendition of the
design, using either computer (CAD) software or by hand. This is also where
youll make calculations of fees to charge, earnings and expenses (or even
payroll, if you have assistants).

In short, this is your office.

Like in any other office, it should have at least:

o Workstation or office desk;
o Telephone line;
o Computer;
o CAD software;
o Fax machine; and
o Stationery

TIP

You might consider combining management space with either
customer space or working space, if square footage is an issue.


The most expensive item in this room is the computer and the CAD
software. With the declining price of new computers, we can now get a
fairly sophisticated PC desktop or laptop for slightly over $1,000.

Pricing Your Services

OK, lets start with the two possibilities: you can either create custom-made
clothes or sell Ready-to-Wear lines under your brand.


Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. The two major
disadvantages that may hinder new designers to start RtW lines are the high
cost of mass production, which contributes to higher risk, and the level of
difficulty in breaking into it. Unless youre well covered financially (as companies
have 30 to 90-day payment turnaround time) and have received actual orders,
Id suggest not walking this path.

Creating custom-made apparels allows you to focus on one piece of clothing at
a time. The risk, therefore, is much lower and since you have direct contact with
the clients, you can be confident about receiving the payment after each piece
is completed.

Custom Made

Nobody can tell you how much you should charge your clients. Its completely
your prerogative.

TIP

Id suggest that as a beginner you carefully research how other
designers in your area charge. You can simply call them up saying that
youre a prospective client and are comparing prices of several
designers. Its called business intelligence.

Another way to set up your rates is by multiplying the total hours needed to
complete an order from start to finish with your estimated hourly rate. An
estimated hourly rate is the price you give for an hour of work.

For instance, as a new designer your estimated hourly rate is possibly
somewhere around $15 to $40 (depending on various factors, including
experience, types of client, and location). Take $20 as an example, and then
multiply it with the total hours you will be working on a piece of garment.

If it takes you 15 hours to complete it, your rate will be:

15 hours X $20 =$300 plus accessories (such as expensive buttons and
belts)


TIP

Give some room for alterations and other unexpected activities, such as
travel time to purchase supplies pertaining to the particular order.

Sell Ready-to-Wear Apparels

Most likely, if you make RtW clothes, you either sell them yourself or have other
retailers sell them for you. Whichever route you choose, pricing RtW lines must
be done carefully due to the many types of expenses and, possibly, many
unexpected costs.

What to consider in calculating expenses of a batch of RtW pieces:

o Total raw material expenses (fabric, thread, buttons, etc.);
o Total electricity and gas used during the period of production;
o Total transportation expenses during the period of production (including
to and from suppliers of materials);
o Total labor expenses (payroll); and
o Total administrative expenses (telephone bill, payroll, etc.)

Now that you have the grand total, calculate the profit margin mark-up, which is
usually anywhere from 10 to 50 percent. Again, this figure is solely your
prerogative.

TIP

The lower the costs are, the higher your profit can be. Always negotiate
for a better price for the raw materials.

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

Make sure that you have sufficient funds in the event you get a big order
right off the bat.

! Shawn K. Lively, Founder of Charmed Im Sure
www.charmedimsureboutique.com, a home-based boutique that
produces charm bracelets and personalized cigar box purses.


Roads Less Traveled

Most fashion designers, who work for themselves receive orders from individual
or corporate customers, create the designs and manufacture them into actual
products. Some, who take their business differently, provide the following
services:

o License their designs to corporations (and earn royalties from them); and
o Provide consulting (a.k.a. freelance) services to corporations that need
on-going or occasional assistance

AHA MOMENT!

In the above professions, you dont need a studio, workshop or your own
showroom, which is a huge cost-saver.

TIP

Regardless of the road you choose, an entrepreneur is an entrepreneur.
You are your own boss! Your success is in your own hands, literally.

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

I found out that if I worked freelance, I could make five to ten times as
much for the same work, which was scary at first but much more
challenging and rewarding.

Also, I didnt want the influence of an employers design and I am just too
independent.

I usually sell the rights or partial rights for publication of the design. This
allows me to sell the same design more than once to different sources
and leaves the door open for licensing opportunities.

! Kathy Peterson, Fashion Designer, Author and TV/Radio
Personality www.kathypeterson.com


Being Successful

There is no definite recipe for success other than an optimal and balanced
execution of internal and external resources. Some examples of what I meant
by it:

o Your personality traits must be in alignment with success traits (you can
have all the good traits but if you dont have the traits that can make you
successful, your battle is an uphill one); and
o The quality and quantity of your business stakeholders must be in
alignment as well (how many people know about you is as important as
who these people are)

To put it briefly, what you have must match with what you can deliver (and be in
the future).
Success Traits

Three of the most important success traits are: perseverance, entrepreneurial
spirit and customer service.
Perseverance

Needless to say, this is the ultimate success trait. Remember:

o Failing is a part of life, no biggie;
o The more you fail, the more you learn how to succeed;
o It is not important how often you fail, but how you rise from each fall; and
o Each fall takes you one step closer to success

TIP

Five to ten years is not uncommon for a new fashion designer to make
her mark. Do you think you can take it? If not, you better reconsider your
choice.


Entrepreneurial Spirit

Many extremely talented designers (some with several awards in their rsum)
fail because they dont know how to do business. They are creative and artistic,
but dont really know how to keep their clients satisfied or to manage their
business.

An entrepreneur is an artist, too. At the same time, he must be creative and firm
in running the business, if he intends to earn sufficiently for a good living. So,
what does entrepreneurial spirit mean and how can one attain its highest
level?

Entrepreneurial Spirit Defined

Having your own business requires more than your present resources. It
demands lasting commitment to focus and self motivation. The flame set
ablaze in the beginning must be maintained for as long as possible. This is
what I call as preserving your entrepreneurial spirit.

TIP

A genuine entrepreneur sees both the positive and negative aspects of
every transaction. Overly positive or otherwise will do more harm than
good. Successful entrepreneurs are known to be both realistic and
pragmatic, who possess a unique touch in converting an idea into
realization.

Maintaining Your Entrepreneurial Spirit

How, then, can you maintain it? Here are some suggestions to begin with:

o Adopt an entrepreneurial lifestyle (make it a part of your everyday
activities, Ill explain it later); and
o Adopt an entrepreneurial mindset (Ill explain it later)

HINTS

What is entrepreneurial lifestyle ?

An entrepreneur always seeks opportunities, always remembers that
life is worth risking, and always realizes that failure is a possibility.

Therefore, her activities (both personal and professional) usually reflect
such traits.

For instance, everywhere she goes she hands out her business card and
chats about what she does. When she makes new friends, she realizes
the potential to take it to professional and profit-making levels in which
a friend may become a business partner when the time is right. Of
course, sincerity in friendship is the key and business shouldnt be
the only reason why you go out and make new friends.

What is entrepreneurial mindset ?

Here, having a mindset means having a particular view about yourself
that youre proud of. In this case, it is your entrepreneur side. It means
being highly analytical and objective when it comes to locating,
searching and making profitable decisions for your business. Always
remember your financial and/or career goal(s) whenever you find an
obstacle. This should keep your confidence intact.

Customer Service

Excellent customer service pivots around the needs and wants of the
customers, not yours. You are identical with your business, so whatever you do
would enhance or impair your existing professional image.

Make sure to implement these three basics of Customer Service in your
relationship with your customers:

1. Find out what the needs and wants are and how to fulfill them;
2. Be proactive in improving your services, always looking for ways to
satisfy customers; and
3. Prevent and resolve mistakes and misunderstandings

TIP

Many businesses dont take their customer service seriously. They think
that a good product is sufficient to keep customers coming back. If youre
still unsure of what good customer service constitutes, you might want to
consider taking short workshops or seminars on this topic. There are
also many books that cover it.

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

An understanding of endurance, perseverance and grace is key to
achieving success in life and career. These qualities will assist you
during the high and low periods.

I realized the importance of seeing my accomplishments as a lifes
work, rather than as a quick shooting star.

! Elisa Victoria Jimenez, an accomplished fashion designer who is
renowned for her unique sense of style based on hunger and
ability to transform fabric into wearable mythological fashion.

Promoting Your Business

This part is, indeed, the most challenging. You can expect to spend a great deal
of time and expenses for promotion just to get the words out about your
services. Unless youre committed in promoting your business, its very likely
that your business will get stuck with limited or diminishing orders.

The following methods are proven, meaning that many fashion designers have
used them with excellent results. With your entry-level budget, I wont
recommend placing expensive ads in glossy magazines. Those are for
established designers.

Here are some low-cost promotional strategies you can include in the marketing
plan:

o Get free coverage by local media (its called publicity);
o Participate in trade shows (also called fashion weeks);
o Get listed in merchandiser marts;
o Introduce yourself on Buyers Open Calls day; and
o Appoint a manufacturer representative
Publicity

Publicity. What does it mean to you? News conference? Being interviewed by a
popular talk show host? Called by Oprahs producer for their upcoming show?
Yes, youre correct but, still, you have so many questions about publicity:


o Whats the difference between publicity and advertisement? Arent they
the same?
o How can I get covered by the media? Do I have to pay to be on top
shows, like Oprahs?
o When is appropriate to invite the media to a news conference?
o What are the most cost-efficient strategies to get media coverage?

First of all, let me assure you that a great publicity can generate more
orders than you have ever imagined. While ads can help with the branding
process of a product, publicities help with the building of reputation. The logic is:
if the media is interested in covering it, then it must be something really special.
Because you never pay for publicity, the media is some sort of a guarantor
that youre worth the coverage. Also, because you never pay them, the scale
tips towards them. They have the position to select who they want to cover, for
how much space and when.

To get coverage, lets discuss the three important aspects of a successful
pitch to the editor. Well discuss the four types of pitching strategies later.

1. Content - Focus on people. Dont focus on your business. Instead,
inform and educate the medias target audience of how you and your
business can help them fashion wise. Focus on newsworthy benefits,
new trends, lesser-known facts, charity events, public services etc.

TIP
How do I know if a piece of news is newsworthy? Simple, if it
gives value to a lot of people. After all, media circulate to make
money.

2. Timing - Know when to pitch. Good timing is important. Because the
fashion industry might not sound as important as homeland security
issues, for instance, the media might probably not select your pitch if
there is a terrorism threat in your city. Therefore, before you send out
your pitch, do your homework. Is it a good timing?

3. Package - Know how to pitch. The package of your pitch is as
important as the content and timing. Good and concise writing is the
most important element in a news release.


TIP
The ideal length of a news release is 250 to 300 words. Limit
information to one or two paragraph to answer each of the What-
Who-When-Where-Why-and-How questions.

Depending on the type of news youd like to convey to the media, you have the
options to choose one of the following four strategies, which can be used
concurrently. Make sure that you follow the above three important aspects of
successful publicity for better results.

1. Written News Release. It is the most common way to pitch to the
media. You can write a release for almost anything newsworthy. Some
ideas to begin with:

o New fashion trends;
o New lines for the upcoming season;
o New services or products;
o Awards won (or nominated);
o Charity events;
o Anniversary of the studio;
o Celebrity clients (with their permission, of course);
o New hires or partners; and
o Trends seminars

2. Written Media Kit. It is basically a compilation of coverage clips by
other media and historical information about you and your company. It is
usually sent out to local and industry media to be kept by the journalists.
When they need experts for a story, they can look it up and contact you.

3. Written and Visual News Conference. It is perfect for TV coverage.
Therefore, the event should be TV-genic, such as runway shows or
demonstration of new products worn by models. Unless a news
conference is very valuable for a story, most media have limited budget
and resources to send their journalists for spending at least a couple of
hours at your premises.

4. Written and Verbal Media Advisory. Get visibility by the media. Let
them know that you exist, so they can contact you for expert advice.
After sending off a media kit, follow-up periodically. Update the media of
latest developments, trends and upcoming important events in fashion

industry. By not limiting your advisory to your own business, journalists
will recognize you as an expert in the industry, as a trendsetter.

TIP
There is no way to ensure media coverage after a news release is
distributed. You can expect to increase the chance of coverage by
tailoring each release to fit the medias target audience. This, of course,
can be time consuming if youre distributing to hundreds of media
simultaneously.

Id recommend that you write a few releases with different angles: one
for local media, one for trade magazine, one for consumer magazine and
one for broadcasting media. Since its easier to get coverage by the local
media, start from there.

MORE TIPS

Using a third-party news release distribution service doesnt guarantee
coverage. A dedicated and experienced publicist, whose service you
can outsource, might be a better choice. The only catch is that its
usually quite pricey.

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

Hire a publicist, get exposure that way. Editorials and blurbs are far
more credible than ads.
! Vivek Nagrani, Founder of The Ovadafut Hosiery Company

About Vivek: He started his fashion company from complete scratch
with no contacts or training and created a line of contemporary mens
hosiery, which is made in France and Italy. Their products are available
at Nordstrom department stores and other upscale mens stores
throughout the United States, Canada and London.

My partner and I tell everyone about what were doing; you have to
shamelessly promote to everyone. You have to create a buzz, and if you
dont have tons of money for advertising and PR, you have to do it
yourself.

www.ullabazant.com.


PR Web
http://www.prweb.com
Free Web-based news release distribution.

PR Newswire
http://www.prnewswire.com
News release distribution service for a fee. You can choose nationwide,
regional or industry-specific distribution points. For an additional fee, you
can be included in their expert database (when journalists submit their
query, youll be informed so you can contact them directly). It is, indeed,
one of the best resources so far.

Trade Shows and Fashion Weeks

Trade shows and fashion weeks are excellent to take your business to the next
level. In these events, buyers come from all over the world to find out whats in
and what are worth purchasing. Participating in these annual events put you in
an equal position with experienced and larger apparel companies.

Here are some online resources to begin with:

About.com Fashion fashion weeks page
http://fashion.about.com/cs/fashionweeks/index.htm
Covers some of the most prestigious fashion weeks.

Apparelnews.net Fashion Trade Show page
http://www.apparelnews.net/TradeShows/
Covers tons of fashion weeks worldwide. Make sure to visit this page.

First Fairs Fair (fashion search result)
http://www.f3.com/newsite/search_result.asp?RIC_SEMP=fashion
Covers tons of fashion weeks worldwide, including niche-specific
classifications.

AN EXPERTS ADVICE

The New York trade shows are the most important ones. We started
our business by going there and putting ourselves to the test.


Even if you are not selling, it is the easiest way to meet and talk to
people in the industry. By attending these events, you will find out very
quickly if you are happy in the industry and passionate about it.

! Karen and Warren Hipwell, Founders of Karen Warren, Ltd.

I pounded the pavement. I faxed every company I could find. I hung out
in the garment district buildings and talked to people. I went to MAGIC
trade shows in Las Vegas twice a year to meet people. Eventually I was
getting referrals and didnt need to market myself anymore.

www.ullabazant.com.

Get Listed in Merchandiser Marts

A fashion market is a place where wholesale sellers and buyers meet and make
transactions. Basically, it works just like any other market. It is similar to fashion
week in many ways except for it is permanent. (Note: fashion weeks and trade
shows are annual events.)

California Fashion Market
http://www.californiamarketcenter.com

Dallas Fashion Market Center
http://www.dallasmarketcenter.com

Fashion Market of San Francisco
http://www.fashionsanfrancisco.com

Buyers Open Calls

Most large department store chains and specialty stores have the so-called
Buyers Open Calls day. On this day, which is usually once a month, buyers
open their doors to manufacturers and their representative, introduce
themselves and propose their products for selling them.

They usually bring the following items for consideration:


o Actual samples of each product; and
o Official proposal (covering proposed delivery terms, pricing, and
manufacturing conditions)

Should a buyer show interest in the manufacturers products, he or she usually
asks for a few days time to discuss their interest with the decision makers
(fashion directors and their team). This is a good sign!

TIP
Many buyers consider manufacturing conditions seriously. Questions
regarding where the products are manufactured physically (country of
origin) and who work in the factories (are there under-age people?) are
often asked. Make sure to answer them honestly as they may visit your
plant for assurance.

MORE TIPS

Where can you find information about Open Calls day? Call up the
corporate number of the stores youre interested in (make sure that they
carry lines of the classifications and themes that you specialize in). Ask
for information on Open Calls day. It might not be advertised, but trust
me, most large department stores have it.
Manufacturer Representatives

Consider hiring a representative (or representatives) to help with the marketing
aspect, so you can focus on what you do best: designing and manufacturing
high quality products. A manufacturer representative may represent you in the
negotiation phase with buyers.

You pay for her services after a sale is closed, so this system pays by itself. In
many cases, she also helps you in finding buyers by:

o Setting up her own showroom to showcase manufacturers products;
o Attending trade shows around the country (and around the world, if the
products are available for export); and
o Promoting manufacturers products through various professional publicity
and marketing efforts


For her services, a percentage of the transaction is provided for each
successful closed deal. The figure depends on various factors, such as:

o Quantity; and
o Total amount

Id suggest that you carefully screen potential manufacturers for their
experiences and quality of services. Some questions to ask in the selection
process:

o How long have you been in this business?
o Whats your last years volume?
o Where have you successfully placed your clients products?
o Who are your existing clients? Can I contact several of them as
references?
o What are your plans in promoting our products? Why did you decide to
do so?
o How much do you charge? (Compare this information with other
representatives.)
o Do you represent clients for export as well?

TIP

A representatives experience and reputation are very important. Make
sure to check these aspects by carefully screening them and contacting
references. If you belong to professional organizations, ask around.
Sometimes a positive word-of-mouth is what you need to be convinced of
your hiring decision.

Outsourcing the Manufacturing

If youre not comfortable in manufacturing your own designs, consider
outsourcing. After carefully selecting the most appropriate outsourcer, you will
need to furnish them with the pattern and spec sheet of each style
manufactured.

Here are some aspects to consider during the selection process:

o Price per piece;
o Freight and handling fees (if any);

o Payment terms;
o Quality (make sure to give a test order);
o Names and locations of existing clients; and
o Testimonials and references from satisfied clients

TIP

Many apparel companies outsource to overseas companies. If you
decide to do so, you will need to be familiar with the importing guidelines
and the exporting regulations of the country of origin. The United States
imposes trade quota over textile and apparel products; therefore, it
is best to consult a professional export-import expert prior to
embarking on outsourcing.

WHERE CAN I FIND MANUFACTURERS THAT ACCEPT OUTSOURCING
JOBS?

OK, there are several ways to do so. If youre considering local
companies, you might want to consult the trade organizations pertaining
to the apparel classifications that you design (refer to the following
section). They have a list of manufacturers, from which you can expect to
locate those that accept outsourcing jobs.

If you are considering overseas manufacturers (mostly for cost reduction
purposes), contact the corresponding embassies or consulates for leads.
You may want to expect receiving a list of local trade organizations that
will direct you to the manufacturers in that specific region.

Joining Professional and Trade Organizations

J oining professional and trade organizations is invaluable for your career. It
provides growth, networking and learning opportunities that you wont find
elsewhere.

Before joining an organization, make sure that you have studied and
understood their:

o Mission statement;
o History (when and how it was established, any historical events that
triggered the founders to establish, etc.)

o Benefits for members;
o Membership requirements;
o Membership directory (list of existing members);
o Professional or trade activities (workshops, seminars, expos, etc.);
o Periodical networking activities (monthly meetings, cocktail parties, etc.);
o Trend creation activities; and
o Social and legislative activisms to help the industry
Organizations for Small Businesses

Id recommend that you become an active member of your regional chamber of
commerce. Youll be updated of latest regulations pertaining to your business
and businesses in general as well as have the opportunity to network with the
members who may have become your future business partners.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Member Directory Search Page
http://www.uschamber.com/chambers/chamber_directory.asp

Benefits of Chamber Member Page
http://www.uschamber.com/chambers/membership/benefits.htm

Professional Organizations and Trade Associations

The following organizations are professional organizations and trade
associations that influence the legislative and trade regulations as well as the
on-going learning, promoting and networking opportunities.

American Apparel and Footwear Association
(American Apparel Manufacturers Association merged with Footwear
Industries of America in 2000)
http://www.americanapparel.org

1601 N. Kent Street
Suite 1200
Arlington, VA 22209
1-800-520-2262
1-703-522-6741 fax

The Council of Fashion Designers of America
http://www.cfda.com


1412 Broadway
New York, NY 10018
1-212-302-1821
1-212-768-0515 fax

The Fashion Group International
http://www.fgi.org

597 Fifth Avenue, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10017
1-212-593-1715
1-212-593-1925 fax

Garment Industry Development Corporation
http://www.gidc.org

275 7th Ave, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10001
1-212-366-6160
1-212-366-6162 fax

International Association of Clothing Designers and Executives
http://www.iacde.com/english/index.htm

34 Thorton Ferry Road #1
Amherst, NH 03031
1-603-672-4065
1-603-672-4064 fax

International Directory of Design: Apparel and Fashion
Organizations in the USA
http://www.penrose-press.com/IDD/org/unitedstatesfash.html
A long list of apparel and fashion organizations in the United States and
a few other countries.


Keeping Up with the Trends and Industry News

Successful professionals and businesspeople keep themselves updated with
the latest news and trends. Keeping yourself abreast with whats happening and
whos who in the industry is a favor you need to give yourself in order to stay
afloat and get noticed.

International Fashion Weeks

Fashion week is when both manufacturers or designers and buyers come
together in trade shows or expositions. Here new trends can be easily spotted,
negotiations started and deals closed.

New fashion designers will find such events highly inspiring. Whenever youre
ready to market your own lines, contact the coordinator to register as an
exhibitor.

Hong Kong Fashion Week
http://www.hkfashionweekss.com/indexms.htm

Intermoda (Mexico) Fashion Week
http://www.intermoda.com.mx

London Fashion Week
http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk

Milan Fashion Week
http://www.cameramoda/eng/default.htm

Mode a Paris
http://www.modeaparis.com/va/index.html

The New Mart (Los Angeles)
http://www.newmart.net

New York Mercedes Benz Fashion Week
http://www.mercedesbenzfashionweek.com


The Super Show (sportswear, Las Vegas)
http://www.supershow.com

Industry News and Trends

The following Web sites cover the various aspects of the industry, including
news, market and business trends. Most of them provide complimentary
services, while some require subscription to access the information.

TIP

Womens magazines are good sources to see what the trends are. One
thing you must remember is that they are intended for customers, not
designers. As a member of the industry, you need information pertaining
to professionals.

Apparel News
http://www.apparelnews.net

FashionWindow.com
http://www.fashionwindow.com

Ganoksin.com (Fashion J ewelers Community)
http://www.ganoksin.com

J ust Style
http://www.just-style.com

The Look Online
http://www.lookonline.com

Lucire, The Global Fashion Magazine
http://www.lucire.com

Stores Magazine
http://www.stores.org

Visionaire (the ultimate fashion trends publications)
http://www.visionaireworld.com


Womens Wear Daily
http://www.wwd.com


Success Profiles

Ulla Bazant

Fashion Designer (Womens), Entrepreneur
Ulla Bazant New York
New York, NY
www.ullabazant.com

What She Does:

Ulla calls herself a fashion designer and an entrepreneur. She has been a
designer for her entire career, having started in textile design and then
launching a successful freelance studio in 1999 called Shack of Style, Inc. In
early 2001, she embarked on starting her Ulla Bazant of New York, which was
her life-long goal.

Ulla was born in Warsaw. She grew up in Warsaw, North Africa and Germany.
She moved to the United States with her family as a teenager. Now she lives in
Manhattan.

Where She Studied:

Ulla is a cum laude graduate of the world renowned New York Fashion Institute
of Technology, where she won prestigious design awards. She holds degrees in
fashion design with specialization in art and intimate apparel, and in fabric
styling.

Her Achievements:

She won many prestigious design awards from NY Fashion Institute of
Technology.

Photo by
www.UllaBazant.com

How She Broke Into the Field:

In Ullas own words

Wanting to be a fashion designer, I went to FIT to learn more about this
profession. After graduation, it was difficult to get a job, which took me several
months.

My first job was as a textile designer. Such jobs dont pay much, are stressful
and didnt attract me much. I got fired, and then I started my own textile design
studio by pounding the streets in the Garment district.

People would give me a trial project to do for one of two reasons: they
happened to be in a bind and needed something overnight and were desperate
enough to try someone new, or they were trying to go out with me. When I
could actually do the work meaning that they could sell my designsthey
were stunned. Im not just guessing that: that is what they told me. So thats
how I built my first client base.

From there, I expanded into being a designer for several companies. I hired
assistant designers for a while, but eventually, I realized that it was time to start
my own line. My boyfriend quit his business; we borrowed a bunch of money
from the bank, and got to work. A year later, we were about to open a store with
our own Spring 2003 collection.

Survival Tips:

Think long and hard about going into this industry. Its a horrible industry and I
cant recommend it to anyone. In the beginning, its low paying, unethical and
nasty. But if you have an insatiable desire like I did, youd better have a thick
skin.


Aimee Capobianco

Fashion Designer (Vintage Handbags and Accessories)
Manufacturer
Aimee Capobianco, LLC
Burlingame, California
www.aimeecapobianco.com

What She Does:

Aimee designs and manufactures vintage handbags and accessories. Her
designs incorporate vintage detailed applications, such as glass/crystal
beading, embroidery, painting, needlepoint and long stitching. They are made of
high quality materials, such as raw silk, satin, silk velvet and goat suede skins.

Where She Studied:

Aimee spent many years as a sales representative for high-end manufacturer of
accessories. As a result, she developed close relationships with established
designers and manufacturers. Over the years, they came to depend on her to
provide them with important industry information. They were very receptive to
her product development suggestions.

After seven years, Aimee was approached by one of her designer clients about
a design position. She immediately jumped at the opportunity. That was five
years ago and she has been actively designing ever since.


Aimee moved to Northern California where the opportunities to design for a
firm, similar to the one she had left in LA, were very limited. After doing several
freelance projects, she decided to go out on her own. She started her own
business with the support of a factory in India that she had developed a
relationship with during her days in Los Angeles.

Photo courtesy of
Aimee Capobianco

Survival Tips:

In order for a person to have a successful career as a designer, I think it is
important to first be exposed to all aspects of the business. It helps to have an
understanding of the manufacturing process and sales techniques to create a
viable product.

Jennifer Dewey

Fashion Designer (Jewelry, Accessories)
New Orleans, Louisiana
www.J ennsJ ewels.com

What She Does:

J ennifer is a jewelry designer who works for herself and for other designers,
such as Thomas Mann and Margo Manning. She has been in the business for
approximately six years.

Where She Studied:

She learned this trade through self-study and apprenticeship, with occasional
training sessions in specific areas. She is a bachelors degree holder --majoring
in Communications with minor in Psychology from Ripon College, where she
also attended art courses.

J ennifer was exposed to arts as a part of the many disciplines in Liberal Arts
education. Her visits to China, J apan, parts of Europe and Brazil also influenced
her learning and artistic appreciation. She hopes to continue traveling, which
she believes helps her better appreciate others similarities and differences;
thereby fostering a more harmonious and peaceful world.


I broke into this career by enrolling in a short course to learn the basics,
accepting a minimum wage bench jeweler position which provided training and
doing piece works for other jewelry designers, while I developed my own
designs and began producing and marketing through art/craft shows, wholesale
and Web site.

Survival Tips:

Photo by www.J ennsJ ewels.com

Discipline is essential. Im still struggling with this, as it is necessary to be both
right and left-brained as an entrepreneur in this field. Creativity plus business
sense and the ability to market your products are essential. It is often quite
difficult for artisans to grasp the business side of things and this is why many
cannot make a career out of their art. What you cannot do hire someone to
do it!


Karen and Warren Hipwell

Fashion Designer (Womens)
Work-at-Home Entrepreneur
Karen Warren, Ltd
Marshfield, Massachusetts

Their Stories:

Boston Business Journal
http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2003/02/10/smallb1.html

Senior Citizens
http://www.seniorcitizensmagazine.com/03_12december/Page_17.htm

What They Do:

Karen Warren, Ltd, is a fashion design form specializes in contemporary
designer clothing, including womens dresses, skirts, blouses, pants and
accessories. The founders Karen and Warren Hipwell-- work out of their home
in Marsfield, MA, where they live and work with their twins, Liam and Olivia.
Now their line is carried nationally by 110 boutiques.

Where They Studied:

Karen Hipwell has been designing clothing since she was in third grade. She
later studied fashion and design at the School of Fashion Design on Bostons
Newbury Street, where her talents were highly recognized.

Prior to becoming Karens husband, Warren Hipwell was her partner in the
start-up phase. He took Karens first line of clothing to the fashion shows in New
York City in 1989 where he received nearly $35,000 in orders. He was a former
Emerson College student.

Photo courtesy of Karen and
Warren Hipwell


Their Achievements:

Karen won School of Fashion Designs Outstanding Alumni award.

How They Broke Into the Field:

Even prior to graduation from fashion school, Karen was hired as an assistant
clothing designer for a Massachusetts company that sold moderately
sportswear fashion. When the company was sold to Leslie Fay, she left to
pursue her career as an independent designer.

Warren started out in a communications career but found himself in a new role
as the companys representative when he took his fiancees designs to New
York trade shows.

Survival Tips:

The quickest way to fail as a fashion designer is to get into a rut and not listen
to the customer. Its hard to hear criticism, but if you dont listen to the
customers and retailers then youre not providing good customer service and
you will fail. Many people become self-absorbed as designers and lose touch
with what people want.

Elisa Victoria Jimenez

Fashion Designer (Womens)
Multidisciplinary Artist
New York, New York

Her Stories:

Papermag.com
http://www.papermag.com/stylin/fashion/shows/03spring/new_york/elisa_jimene
z/elisa_jimenez.html

Microsoft.com
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2003/Feb03/02-13Butterfly.asp

What She Does:

Elisa is known as a successful fashion designer based in New York City. With
her background as an interdisciplinary artist, her designs are pulled from other
disciplines and genres in order to manifest a cohesive concept and philosophy.
Her designs are renowned for their radical feel, in which mythical qualities are
transformed into wearable artistic pieces.


She accidentally stumbled into this field but she had always been raised with
the idea that who she was and what she did was going to depend on the way
she was going to make money for herself.

Photo courtesy of Elisa J imenez
Dress by Elisa worn by model

Survival Tips:

My biggest advice for anyone attempting to live more is to listen to your own
vision, stay true to the best parts of yourself while being open to allow yourself
to change.


Alexander Julian

Fashion Designer (Mens)
Five Times Coty Award Winner
Youngest Inductee to the Coty Fashion Hall of Fame in 1980
The First American Clothing Designer to Create Exclusive Fabrics
Colours by Alexander J ulian
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
www.julianstyle.com

What He Does:

Alexander J ulian is a successful and one of the
most talented American fashion and textile
designers.

He also designs a full range of home products,
such as paint, carpets, rugs and lamps to
award-winning furniture.

Where He Studied:

By the age of 16, Alexander had tried his hands on clothing design at his
parents clothing store J ulians College Shop, which served as his virtual
classroom. By 19, he opened his own boutique Alexanders Ambition in
Chapel Hill. He studied at University of North Carolina.

His Achievements:

At the age of 29, he won his first of five Coty Awards for Outstanding Mens
wear in 1977. In 1980, he became the youngest inductee to the Coty Fashion
Hall of Fame.

He has won every major design award in mens wear, including nine times on
the International Best Dressed List and a special Coty Award for Textile Design.
His movie and TV credits are as long as his list of achievements. Among them
are Paul Newman, Cosby, Michael J . Fox, J erry Seinfeld and J ason Alexander.

Photo by www.J ulianStyle.com

He also designed the uniform for the basketball team of his alma mater the
University of North Carolina.

He is the first fashion designer to be rewarded by the American Society of
Furniture Designers.

How He Broke Into the Field:

His exposure to retail since an early age gave him the learning opportunities to
see whats hot and whats not, what works and why, and ultimately whats
missing.

Survival Tips:

Working for yourself makes you ultimately responsible, the buck stops here.
You market through networking, and as far as finding clients, you have to
pursue them relentlessly.

Shawn K. Lively

Fashion Designer (Womens Handbags)
Work-at-Home Entrepreneur
Charmed Im Sure Boutique
Austin, Texas
www.charmedimsureboutique.com

What She Does:

Shawn designs personalized cigar box purses at home so she can be at home
with her children.

Where She Studied:

She has a degree from California State University at Northridge but she learned
more about arts and her artistic side when she renovated and ran an art gallery
from 1992 to 1994.

Her Achievements:

Being able to be a stay-at-home mom who operates a thriving business at the
same time is a true passion-come-true.


Shawn began creating charmed bracelets and cigar box purses as a hobby. So
when many retailers approached her, she had to start a business.

Survival Tips:

I personally keep up on current fashion trends and try out different styles on all
of my friends to find out what they love and what they hate. I gear my style

Photo courtesy of Shawn K. Lively
From left to right: Karen Baumli, Shawn K. Lively
and her designs

towards 30 to 40-year old women. J ust basically knowing what is out there and
updating as you go along makes all the difference. Personally speaking you
need a lot of drive and determination to succeed in this business.

Vivek Nagrani

Fashion Designer (Mens Hosiery)
The Ovadafut Hosiery Co.
New York, New York
www.ovadafut.com

What He Does:

Vivek designs mens hosiery (socks),
which is made in France and Italy and
available in upscale mens stores in the United States, Canada, London,
France, Italy and J apan.

His Achievements:

He started from complete scratch with no contacts or training in fashion. Now
his products can be found in the finest upscale stores. In the United States, his
line is available at Nordstrom department stores.

How He Broke Into the Field:

He created his first line and called the stores he liked to shop at. He started with
smaller boutiques, which are more open to doing new businesses. He also used
direct mail because its inexpensive and hired a publicist to get exposure
through blurbs, which are more credible than ads.

Survival Tips:

Give your customers what you say and they will appreciate it. False
expectations lead to big disappointments.

Model Sophia Hinnant in Redford
Photo by www.Ovadafut.com


Kathy Peterson

Fashion Designer
Craft Designer
Book Author
TV Show Host
Columnist
Consultant
Kathy Peterson Productions, Inc.
Tequesta, Florida
www.KathyPeterson.com

What She Does:

She designs fashion and crafts for books, publications, TV and manufacturers.
She sells rights or partial rights for publication of the design. This allows her to
sell the same design more than once to different sources and leaves the door
open for licensing opportunities.

Where She Studied:

She is self-taught in design and sewing. She began manufacturing vintage
clothing in 1977 as a hobby. She graduated in 1980 with a Bachelors degree in
Recording Industry Management.

Her Achievements:

Kathy was nominated Craft Designer of the Year in 1998. Her byline has
appeared in 16+publications and four books (see below). All books are
available via her Web site.

Photo by
www.KathyPeterson.com



I was lucky to hook up with wire and fabric manufacturers that design fashion,
accessories and home dcor designs for publication and advertising. I was
approached by two book publishers who liked my works as well as a number of
magazine editors and TV producers.

Survival Tips:

Three important tips for new designers:

First, be patient,
Second, dont wait but look for opportunities and
Third, be a trendsetter not a follower.


Other Fashion Careers

StyleCareer.com publishes the following eGuides to help you breaking into and
succeeding as a:

o Fashion Designer
o Fashion Writer
o Fashion Photographer
o Image Consultant
o Interior Decorator
o Model
o Modeling Agency
o Spokesmodel
o Stylist
o Talent Scout

All titles are available in 2003 via:

StyleCareer.com
http://www.stylecareer.com

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