Fashion designers are commercial artists who create clothing advertisements for newspapers, magazines and television spots.
Fashion designers illustrate brochures, pamphlets and catalogues. They sketch the new fashions shown in photographs or worn by mannequins or live models in such a way as to attract the attention of readers or viewers and stimulate their interest in purchasing the garment.
Fashion designers need to pay special attention to small details that may easily be overlooked, since these are the very things that may make the garment more attractive to the buying public. They constantly strive to see fashion in original and interesting ways and often work with advertising personnel to develop new approaches to promotion.
Satisfying Aspects
- seeing your ideas come to life
- being the first to see new fashion trends
- doing creative work in pleasant surroundings
- the excitement of working in the changing world of fashion
Demanding aspects
- working overtime to meet seasonal demands
- constant struggle to find new approaches
- very strong competition
- working under pressure
Requirements
A fashion artist should:
- have artistic ability;
- show good taste;
- have a vivid imagination;
- work well under pressure;
- be able to visualise ideas on paper;
- be adaptable;
- have ambition and persevere;
- show good business sense;
- have a well-developed sense of responsibility;
- have good vision;
- have a good sense of colour;
- have an eye for small detail.
School Subjects
National Senior Certificate meeting degree requirements for a degree course
National Senior Certificate meeting diploma requirements for a diploma course
Each institution will have its own minimum entry requirements.
Compulsory Subjects: None
Recommended Subjects: Visual Arts, History
Training
Degree: Art and Fine Art, Art History etc - all universities. Fashion Design - UJ.
Diploma: Fine Arts - CUT, DUT, TUT, VUT.
Fashion - all universities of technology.
Employer
- publishers of newspapers and magazines
- television stations
- retail and departmental stores
- clothing manufacturers and wholesalers
- advertising agencies
- mail order houses
- speciality clothing shops
- self-employment, with enough experience, initiative and capital, can start own business, for example a boutique
Contact
Textile Federation
P O Box 53
Bruma, 2026
40 Seventh Avenue
Edenvale, 1609
Tel: (011) 454-2342 Fax: (011) 454-2342
www.texfed.co.za