How does a fashion designer contribute to our society? A fashion designer contributes to our society, because they influence the way we dress. They "capture" the mood of the moment. A good fashion designer can change the way women and men dress and see themselves for many years, and when women and men see themselves different and live different, then this impacts society. Here are some designers that not only changed fashion, but changed the way women saw themselves and their lives.
Paul Poiret. At the beginning of the twentieth century this designer released a collection of dresses based on the Ballet Russe costumes from "Scheherazade" which took Paris by storm. He made a collection of light as feather chiffon dresses in a shorter above the ankle length and worn with harem pants and ankle length straight tight skirts. This collection led Mary Phelps to create her most famous invention, the bra, and almost overnight women were freed from the torture known as the corset. His collection also raised hemlines, raised waistlines, and put women in pants in a way that was feminine and not awkward and ugly like the bloomers of the past. He changed the way women dressed and changed the way they lived their lives once they discarded their corsets.
Coco Chanel. She developed the concept of separates and sportswear as day wear. She was an active imaginative modern woman in every sense of the word. She took the last vestiges of 19th century ornateness and tossed it aside. She took most of the old fashioned rules of so-called correct dress and tossed them aside, ushering in the strong, athletic, intelligent career woman of the 1920's flapper era. She raised hems to above the knee, something unthinkable less than 25 year before. She also encouraged women to be as active as possible, athletically and socially.
Yves Saint Laurent: He made men's wear become women's wear. He made men styled suits, but tailored them for a woman's body and made them feminine, but without the loss of seriousness. He made trousers and pants acceptable everywhere, and made some of the finest business women's clothing ever made. He pioneered the "pant suit" for women and before long knock offs of his designs were available in all price points, from cheap to expensive and women never ever went back to fussy little housedresses.
This is a mere overview. There are others, but this might give you an idea of what to look for. There's plenty of information out there, try reading up on a designer, the era he/she worked in and research outward from there. You'll have more luck with past designers than present designers; today it's more about the bottom line than about changing the world. • 9 hours ago
WHAT DOES A FASHION DESIGNER DO?
FASHION DESIGNERS create clothing and accessory designs. They may plan the production and marketing of their creations. Designers specialize in one type of garment or accessory such as men's or women's wear, children's garments, swimwear, handbags, or shoes. Some high-fashion Designers are self-employed and design for individual clients. They make fashion news by establishing the silhouette, colors, and kinds of materials that will be worn each season. Other self-employed, high-fashion Designers cater to specialty stores or high-fashion department stores. They design original garments as well as follow the established fashion trends. Designers who work for apparel manufacturers do less original work; they adapt fashions set by other Designers for the mass market.
Designers' Assistants in apparel manufacturing are exposed to the fast pace of production schedules while performing routine aspects of the job. Assistant Designers acquire the knowledge of what creations will sell at a profit in an intended market, within a defined price range, at a particular time of the year. They learn the personality of firms, types of stores that buy the merchandise, and the age and tastes of the stores' clientele.
Fashion Designers perform the following tasks:
* Sketch their ideas. * Draw and cut patterns to create sample garments. * Select fabric and trimmings. * Combine basic dressmaking and tailoring principles with flat pattern work and draping techniques. * Fit and modify the finished garment. * Arrange showings for press and buyers when the sample garment line is ready. * Compare merchandise with those of the competitors. * Keep current on trends by reading trade magazines and attending fashion shows. * Visit textile showrooms to keep up to date on latest fabrics.
A large manufacturer generally has a Head Designer and several assistants. Many small firms do not employ Designers but purchase ready-made designs or copy higher-priced designs.
Head Designers are responsible for executive and creative functions. They supervise design room staff. Those with less experience may be responsible for small divisions or specialized garments.
Assistant Designers are generally all-around assistants to Designers. They make first patterns and samples or may supervise sample makers.
Specialty Designers work with other Designers to coordinate special lines of clothing, such as sweaters. They often arrange for styles to be made in foreign countries.
Theatrical Costume Designers create costumes for movies or theatrical productions, usually on a contract basis.
WHAT SKILLS ARE IMPORTANT?
Fashion Designers frequently use the following skills, knowledge, and abilities:
* Design - Knowledge of design techniques, principles, tools and instruments involved in the production and use of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models. * Idea Generation - Generating a number of different approaches to problems. * Active Learning - Working with new material or information to grasp its implications. * Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design. * Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem. * Visioning - Developing an image of how a system should work under ideal conditions. * Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
WHAT’S THE WORK ENVIRONMENT?
The work environment for Designers varies. Some Designers work in quiet, spacious, well-lit, and well-ventilated areas. Others may work in small areas close to crowded workrooms. Designers work independently but spend much of their time coordinating their work with workroom personnel, buyers, sales personnel, firm members, patrons, and other artists. Designers may travel out of the country for showings, conferences, or shopping. They may work under pressure for long periods to meet deadlines and budget limitations. Many Designers are busy all year preparing styles for the following seasons. Others work intermittently and are laid off when a line is completed.
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The figures represent the broad occupational group, Designers, Except Interior Designers, which includes Fashion Designers. Occupations in all areas of the design field are expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2008. The estimated number of job opportunities from 1998 through 2008 is expected to total 12,200. Despite the above average growth, applicants can expect keen competition for jobs as Fashion Design appeals to many.
Trends
Demand for Fashion Designers should remain strong, as consumers hungry for new fashions and apparel styles will spur the creation of new clothing and accessories.
.Fashion designers design men's, women's, and children's clothing and clothing accessories. Most work for large manufacturers producing designs for a mass level. Some self-employed high-fashion designers have specialty shops as clients, and still others cater to individual clients.
Fashion designers must have well-developed artistic abilities and a desire to create. They need to have self-discipline, imagination, and persistence. It is also important for them to be able to work independently and to effectively communicate their ideas in written, verbal, and visual ways. Problem-solving skills are essential, as well as sharp business and sales ability for those who start their own business or do freelance work. Above all, a strong esthetic sense is the most important trait a fashion designer can possess. When hiring fashion designers, employers require candidates to have a 2- or 4-year degree from an accredited school. Candidates should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the fashion world such as textiles, fabrics, and ornamentation, as well as an understanding of current trends. For those interested in freelance work or business ownership, courses in business management, marketing, and art are recommended.
A fashion designer contributes to our society, because they influence the way we dress. They "capture" the mood of the moment.
Intro: The Fashion Designer profession has recently emerged as one of the most sort out careers among the youths. These youths have their own creative style of dressing and believe in setting a trend rather than following a trend set by others. A career in Fashion Design not only involves meeting glamorous people and interacting with rich and famous but also gives an impetus to the creative flair of the people who possess a sense of style. The major functional areas in the industry are designing garments, cutting the cloth, sewing the pieces together and finally merchandising. Popularizing and marketing of the various styles and products is done through ramp shows and fashion write-ups.
Requirements
A Fashion designer should be artistic and creative. They should be able to express their ideas in sketches. They may not be a brilliant artist but must be able to combine colors, shades, and tones. Designers have the flair for creating with fabric and know how to use textiles effectively. Designers need to have visual imagination and the ability to think in three-dimension to translate into garments what they visualize.
Description
For most, the best way to start your fashion design career is with a fine arts degree in fashion at a well-respected school or college. Most fashion programs are three to four years long and consist of classes in study drawing, color composition and form, as well as development and training in pattern making, draping and cutting techniques. They design clothing and accessories. Also creating original garments or design garments that follow well established fashion trends. They may develop the line of color and kinds of materials.
