Catherine Olivia asked:


The world of fashion design encompasses more than design. If you love the world of fashion and want to make your mark on it there are many other ways to do it other than to become the next Vera Wang.

Fashion design schools offer courses in fashion and retail management, fashion merchandising and fashion marketing.

If you can't design fashion but have an eye for putting the look together and knowing intuitively what the next "hot" look will be, perhaps you'd want to look into a fashion design school with an eye towards becoming a fashion purchasing manager in the retail sector.

Every big department store such as Nieman Marcus and Saks has fashion buyers. Everything that is in a department store that is offered for sale was picked out by a buyer.

These fashion purchasing managers or fashion buyers choose and buy the products that are sold in retail stores. Imagine for a moment attending the latest fashion shows in the US and Europe. Seeing first hand the latest fashion offerings of the big name couture design houses such as Lauren, Dior, Gaultier, or the ready-to-wear collections of Balenciaga and Herrera.

Don't think for one minute that the life of a fashion buyer or fashion purchasing agent is all glitz and glamour and hobnobbing. A fashion buyer must have a solid education and expertise in sales and store management.

Fashion buyers are usually graduates of a fashion design school and are hand selected by stores such as JC Penny to enter their training programs. They need a bachelor's degree in marketing and merchandising. Some stores require that a buyer hold an MBA.

There is a hierarchy that is followed in fashion buying. Generally stores will hire new employees as junior buyers to help associate buyers. A fashion buyer usually starts out responsible for one or two different fashion brands. It may take years of experience before associate buyers become senior fashion buyers.

Fashion Buyers must be able to develop strong working relationships with manufacturers reps. They must be able to negotiate prices and be able to communicate with a wide variety of people. Strong work ethic and a positive attitude are also required.

Catty asked:


A lot of student who graduated from fashion design school somehow has expectation of having their own fashion design business. Some of them may want to be a designer and just want to have own little studio then taking the job from outside, mean while some other want to join reputable fashion design schools or institutes or even work for the company which can pay highest income. However, the fashion business today has more variety of options. As the fashion business actually can be started from very small scale like family business where one or two family member could set up by using only little budget, to the very large fashion items manufacturers.

There are so many business owners who are now are very successful and are the owner of very famous fashion design companies, and these people started their business only from home business. However, it is fairly to say that at present time, there will be only a little chance for the home business to become success without having huge amount of money. Therefore, many of graduates who finish from good fashion school and they also paid the expensive tuition fee may not want to go back to start his/her own home business for just to get a little of money.

Even though the key of success seem to be the money that designer have to invest on the business, but in fact, the most important thing that is really keys of the success is the idea of the design. No matter the size of the business that you have just started, it is very important for you that you have to find the chance to get your design out to the public and if your design are acceptable by the market, then you will have more work as well as possibility to expand your business.

There are so many for example of the people who just started from very small home business but finally gain reputation from their design and it means that you can gain reputation by doing in the same way too!. The most effective way to present your design items to the word it the internet. If we were in ten years back from now, I would say that there is very least chance for small business to compete with giant companies because there are very limited channel for small business to present products to public.

But now we are in internet age, where everything is possible and the competitive advantage is no longer limited by the size of the business at all. There are places on the internet to present your work and also not just to present and you can sell them on line as well. There are also many of online auction site that you can capture the market and sell your products. It is the place where any one who wants to sell not only fashion item goes and present the design to people all over the world. Now it is you decision if you are one of the people who want to start up your fashion design career and want to gain competitive advantage of your design.

Paul P. Duxbury asked:


You may have the talent and the unique sense for fashion but without structured training, you might well fail to truly understand and explore many of your gifts. Some wouuld argue that, one's success in the field of fashion relies partly on your choice of school. In this article, we will provide you with the basic criteria you can use in exploring your options in terms of the various fashion design schools.

This is one of the main considerations that will have a large impact on your choice of Fashion Design School. The sad truth with fashion design schools is that they are so few in number and amongst this relatively small number there are a handful of Fashion Design Schools that can truly deliver efficient education.

As with so many other things, the lower cost fashion design schools can only be considered of value if they can give effective learning. However, this is rarely the case though because, with lower fees, generally comes a lower quality of education. Primarily the reason is that these schools cannot afford to employ the quality of professional teachers. Therefore, they settle for people who can teach at a basic level but who do not necessarily have the professional knowledge and skill to be truly effective teachers. If you do your research you will be able to find some well-performing fashion design schools that will suit your means.

In the fashion industry, it is well recognized that certain Fashion Design Schools specialize in certain areas and you need to be aware of this when making your choice.

The first thing you would want to do is to study the nature of the fashion design school. What fields does it cater for? What courses does it focus on? What is their main emphases in delivering their courses or programmes? These are among the many things that you should give serious consideration to because the fashion design school that you choose will have a large influence on your career in the future.

One of the best determinants for your choice of school is ensuring that you know their reputation. A qulity fashion design school is one that makes itself renowned in the world of fashion through their teaching and also through what former students say and do. Does the school you are considering participate in fashion design school competitions? This would be a very clear indication of fostering excellence in the industry and the commitment of the Fashion Design School to the very highest levels of education.

To ensure that you are able to truly develop your abilities you must therefore find a school that focuses on your own field of specialization.

You need to consider the overall Curriculum which the school offers. As with college education, you must also check out the curriculum offered by the schools of fashion design that you are considering. To do this properly you should compare the curriculum from various schools and decide which you think would best fit in with your own preferences.

You also need to ask about and consider the ratio of teacher to students. The size of a class per teacher can indicate two things; the school is either too popular or it is underfunded. The reality is that, the larger the size of the class the more likely that the education provided will suffer. It is often better to choose between schools with relatively fewer students since this will normally indicate that the teachers can better focus on the individual students.

These are only some of the major points which you need to consider in making your choice of fashion design school. As for your final decision well it has to feel right to you because it is an important decision that you are making which can have a major impact on your future and your career.

Milafel Hope Awe asked:


With over a hundred, or even thousands, of interior design schools all over United States and Canada, absolutely finding the best one would be like looking for that tiny needle in a haystack.

All these schools are located in different locations geographically, and there will definitely be differences in the feel, aesthetics and atmospheres of each school. An art industrial design school in Los Angeles will differ greatly from an interior design school in San Diego, California. These schools will differ in the manner of course loads, students enrolled in the institutions and will also offer different degrees of education in their interior design programs.

So with every other design school, different institutions have different campus sizes, varying numbers of registered students, assorted methods of housing and will require a varied amount of money for cost of education. A hair design school located in Brattleboro, Vermont will differ greatly from a hair design school established in Louisiana. The education offered in one institution is not the same as that in another establishment. The basics on the program majors may be the same but the manner of teaching and the specifics are sure to change greatly from one school to another.

Programs that are offered in floral design schools in Kansas will vary from those offered in other floral design schools located elsewhere. This is also true for set and fashion design schools. A set design school in Seattle or a fashion design school in New York will have an immense difference in size, atmosphere, financial costs and in other aspects when compared to a school in other locations in the country. The hours that students need to log might also show some differences in diverse places.

Variations in these aspects will factor into any prospective student's decision when it comes to choosing design schools. Any student has different requirements and criteria when it comes to picking the school that best fits him and his financial situation.

A student will choose a school depending on the location, depending on whether his choice leans toward a school near his home or far from his present location, the student might choose a school that is only a short commute from his home or a school that would require him to relocate and perhaps live in an on campus apartment.

Another factor in choosing a design school is the level of degree offered. Depending on whether the student wants to study in a program for a certificate, a diploma, an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree in design, the student will pick a school that offers this specific degree.

Another factor is the cost of the education, whether it is affordable or expensive. A student would normally have to choose between private institutions and public schools. A private institution is generally more expensive when compared to a public school.

The size of the school is also a consideration. A prospective student will choose a school depending on whether the student will favor a school that represents a close knit community and cater to only a limited number of students or whether the student prefers to remain as an anonymous member of the population in a large university.

The feel and the atmosphere of an institution are also other criterion that needs to be thought of. A student may want to be enrolled in a school with a very relaxed atmosphere or he might go for the other end of the spectrum and enroll in a school with a rigid academic schedule. It all depends on the student's preferences.

The only thing that all these design schools have in common might be their offerings of basic knowledge and fundamental skills in interior design and other specific disciplines. A student may opt to register in any one of the hundred or so design institutions depending on the different merits of these establishments.

Ronald Piper asked:


Do you know how to sew?

Do you enjoy creating designs?

Do you love following or changing patterns to come up with a piece of clothing?

If fashion is simply just your passion, then you might just be right for a fashion design school.

Here are some reasons why you should attend a fashion design school:

1. You will learn about the most up-to-date styles that many people would consider buying.

2. If you are unsure whether you will be able to make a living out of your interest in fashion,

your level of confidence will greatly increase once you obtained a degree.

3.Studying about and later working on, a field that you love is very rewarding.

4. You will learn about the various principles behind the patterns you have worked on in the

past, as well as the ones you will be working on in the future.

5.You will also be knowledgeable on mixing and matching colors to magnify the shape and cut

of your creations.

6. You will know more about keeping your clothes together – other than just stitching! Talk

about endless possibilities.

7. Fashion design school will expose you to different kinds of people, working with them,

incorporating their ideas with your own, and developing relationships with those who share

the same feeling toward fashion.

8. These relationships will set the foundation for meeting potential employees, employers, or

business partners; all whom you will need when you start your foray into the fashion world.

There are numerous fashion design schools globally. Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, found in London, is considered by some as the most famous of them all. Other world-renowned schools are The Royal College of Arts in London, the London College of Fashion, Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, AIU in Los Angeles, and Parsons The New School for Design in New York City.

Most courses in the schools mentioned above last for about three years.

The next question, however, will be, how do you choose the best school for you?

Here are 10 helpful tips to help you in your decision making:

Tip#1- – Determine what you would like to major in. From there, search for a school that offers

the program that you like.

Tip#2- – Have a list of criteria that you would like to take a look into in your search for the perfect

fashion design school. These criteria may include program offering, major and minor

subjects, costs, location, placement record, and many more.

Tip#3- – You may now construct a list of candidate fashion design schools.

Tip#4- – Gather all necessary resources and information about each of your candidate

school. Find their websites and research.

Tip#5 – - Narrow down your list further by using the criteria you have set in Tip#2.

Tip#6 – -Inspect the schools left on your list. It would be good if you can visit these schools

personally. But if not, try to obtain a video or look for a virtual tour in their websites.

Tip#7 – - File your application to the schools that met your criteria.

Tip#8 – -While waiting to hear from the schools you sent your application to, search for

scholarship grants in the Internet.

Tip#9 – -Make your final decision based on the responses you got from the schools that you

applied to, as well as the scholarship grantors' response. Carefully review your notes,

consider funding, and finally, decide.

Tip#10 – -Get ready to embark on a journey that you have never quite experienced before!

Off you go to the one of the best fashion design schools in the world!

Dexter James asked:


The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) is one the most important trade associations in America and the world. Its main motive is to promote American art and culture using fashion as a tool. Thus the purpose behind its foundation has turned out to be successful venture as it has achieved its goal handsomely.

Since 1962, when it was founded, it has remained one of leading fashion associations committed to the cause of bringing excellency in fashion arts. It has been successful enough to enhance the aesthetic and artistic quotient in the field of fashion design and accessories.

By nature, it is a non-profit trade association. Basically, its main task is to provide right direction to all the aspiring, talented and enthusiastic fashion designers who have the potential to emerge on the horizon of fashion.

For the better implementation of its strategies and to gain the maximum benefits of its mission, the CFDA starts functioning from the very basic level. It provides help and support, by all means, to not only the students of universities but it uses its resources in the high schools too.

The membership of Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) counts more than 300. All of them are leading and famous fashion and accessory designers of America. Most of them were noticed in their aspiring age, thus picked up by the association for their better grooming.

The fashion association has developed a very strong tie-up with Vogue. Apart from working together on fashion front, they raise funds to fight HIV and AIDS. Also the association works for the cause of ****** cancer under the banner of Fashion Targets ****** Cancer. The CFDA's members take active parts in such human-friendly works.

Moreover, the fashion association gives an annual award to recognize the impressive works done by a fashion designer in the field of fashion. The annual CFDA Fashion Awards are given under various categories such as menswear, womenswear and accessories. Also, the association promotes fashion journalism. Thus it gives awards in the fields of journalism also.