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Friday, May 7, 2010

High Heels, High Hopes, and the Role of Fashion Design Schools

The fashion world has long been filled with glitz and glamour. The ramp for models is always long, dramatic, and well-lighted. The walk is certainly a walk for fame, fortunately for aspirants but sometimes leading to a walk for shame. Who is behind all these promises and/or even breakdowns? No less than the fashion designers.

What, exactly, does a fashion designer do?

Basically, with streaks of talent, creativity, and sensitivity, fashion designers, as if influenced by Rumpelstiltskin, craft accessory and clothing sketches. They usually concentrate in one nature of accessory or garment such as women's or men's apparels, swimwear, lingerie, children's garments, handbags, and even shoes. They, sometimes, lead the groundwork of the creation and promotion of their creations.

Famous fashion designers prefer to be self-employed and they cater for the request of their clients. Some cater to high-fashion department stores or to specialty stores. They establish fashion statements by setting the colors, silhouette, and type of materials that are worn each season.

There are also some designers who are employed by manufacturers of clothes. These designers just adapt fashion statements set by other designers for the market. However, there are small manufacturers who just purchase or copy designs.

Both designers sketch unique garments and follow certain trends in fashion. Likewise, both need assistants who should get used to the fast-paced schedule of the fashion business.

In detail, these designers execute the following tasks:

• Draw their unique designs.
• Create patterns for sample garments.
• Choose textile and add-ons (accessories).
• Apply tailoring and basic dressmaking principles along with draping techniques and flat pattern works.
• Fit and alter the completed product, if necessary.
• Set-up a fashion show.
• Compare the performance of the merchandise against the competitors.
• Keep self up-to-date of latest fashion trends thru magazines and other fashion shows.
• Have frequent trips to fabric showrooms to keep self updated of latest type of fabrics.

Actually, fashion designers can be categorized as follows:

1. Lead or Head Designers
They take care of the executive and creative tasks.

2. Assistant or Apprentice Designers
They usually make patterns and sample garments. They may also teach sample makers how to make patterns and designer garments.

3. Specialty Designers
They coordinate with other designers about special lines of garments.

4. Costume or Theatrical Designers
They usually create costumes used in theater and movie productions on a contractual basis.

The foundations for their creations are their knowledge, skills, and abilities honed in fashion schools and trainings in the long run.

• Basic Design – This refers to technical know-how included in the creation and use of technical blueprints, drawings, plans, and models.
• Idea Production – This is the ability of designers to approach problems creatively and resourcefully.
• Dynamic Learning – This is being able to analyze implications of new information and materials at hand.
• Operations Scrutiny – This is considering requirements of products to execute a design.
• Uniqueness – This pertains to unusual cleverness vis-à-vis trying situations.
• Harmonization – This is being able to having good coordination with others.
• Visioning – This is being able to see how an organization works under real conditions.

The talents and skills of these artists are really important in the fashion industry. The work requires an eye for a striking creation and business management. Thus, aside from the portfolio of their usually creations, formal education help these designers acquire the secrets of the trade in this business. In fact, graduation from a college or school that provides training on fashion and design is highly recommended in the industry, to keep incoming designers updated on the advent of new techniques and technologies.

However, some leaders of this industry view vocational training schools and community college as more capable of producing competent artists because these institutions work along with clothing industries.

Vocational schools provide trainings in sketching, draping and grading, pattern making, garment construction, textiles and trimmings, costume history, principles of design and color; and how to plan and market seasonal fashion lines.

High school students inclined in fashion and design should finish basic courses in arts, sewing, mathematics, speech, English, and business.

Usually, vocational institutions provide a two-leveled program with certificate that is consonant to the degree in Associate of Arts. For those who want to enter the fashion field immediately, a first level certificate of proficiency is provided. The next level of proficiency, the second-level requires a greater time of completion. But upon graduation, artists are considered competent enough to aim for positions as Assistant Designers. After all the necessary formal trainings and specializations, those who have the guts and high hopes spin gold fabrics!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

The Wind Inspires it All: The Driving Force Behind Chicago Fashion Schools

Chicago, the "windy city" is known for its multicultural population as well as its dramatic architecture and love for the arts.

In detail, Chicago has:

1. at least 3 million people
2. harbors, parks, beaches, clubs, and ethnic restaurants
3. 29 miles of lakefront, museums, neighborhood festivals, and cultural attractions

People visit the city as often as winds do. Also, tourists favor the mid-western hospitality of the people. They also share stories of their enjoyment in going to exhibits in museums like Degas, Monet, and the whimsical "Cows on Parade" of Summer 1999.

The businesses blended with the multicultural aspects of the city are said to be the driving "winds" that spur creativity among people who visit or study in Chicago. As always, it is inevitable to have fashion schools within a city that celebrate and support the arts and dynamism of culture.

The following are some featured fashion design schools in Illinois:

1. The International Academy of Design and Technology is located in Chicago.

The institute offers the following degree programs:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts, Major in Fashion Design and Marketing
• Associate of Applied Science in Fashion Design and Marketing

The curriculum of Fashion and Design assimilates the study of new trends and innovations in the thriving international industry of fashion with the mastery of traditional skills, thus providing a holistic background to both fashion amateurs and masters alike when it comes to designing.

• Bachelor of Arts, Major in Merchandising Management
• Associate of Applied Science in Merchandising Management

The program of Merchandising Management provides students and professionals as well as with the opportunity to contend within the job market by integrating theoretical concepts with practical implementations. However, students can rest assured that after graduation their skills on developing suitable visual displays, and utilizing appropriate business practices and scales are honed to help them achieve profitability in the long run.

2. The Illinois Institute of Art is primarily situated in Schaumburg. The degree programs they offer vary by location.

The Illinois Institute of Art is, basically, an association of schools in different locations. Collectively, the Art Institute is considered as a leader in the area of applied science education.

Their courses such as Fashion Marketing and Fashion Design are restructured on a regular basis to reveal ideas garnered from industry advisors, leaders, and employers for relevance and practical applications in the marketplace.

The Art Institute also possesses seasoned faculty members who are also affiliated to the local community of functions. Thus, this provides students with plenty of occasions for consultation with industry professionals and practicing designers. As students' knowledge and skills improve through the programs, they are required to plan an initial design and execute it into a finished product to cap their stay in the institution.

3. International Academy of Design and Technology

The school has campuses in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Orlando. They provide program areas and a variety of degree levels designed to fit your unique career track. In detail, they offer:

• Diploma in Fashion Design
• Diploma in Merchandising and Fashion Marketing

These are only three among the plenty list of schools in this city. The decision now lies in your hand. Within the "windy city" are competitions and strict trainings from various places in the job arena. Where do you think the "will of the wind inside you" will bring you and your high hopes of hitting it big in the fashion industry?

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Toronto: Within Canada's Largest City Comes Great Fashion Design Schools

Toronto is often mistaken as Canada's capital maybe because this capital city of Ontario has the largest population in the entire country. The city prides of a theater scene that can compete against those of New York and London.

Moreover, the city houses the Royal Ontario Museum, which is the largest in the country and its skyline also boasts of CN Tower, the world's tallest structure. If housing the tallest and large structures is not enough, how about the city serving as hosts to topnotch American filmmakers? Toronto serves as venues of the Neilson Park Creative Center and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art.

As an additional benefit, you will realize that the city is bustling with action as most popular attractions are within walking distance. In other words, a short stride will bring you to the waterfront, thousands of hotels, sports venues, along with restaurants that serve fine cuisines, to name a few. Thus, it suffices to say that the city is one heck of a cultural center.

These things show that the city, indeed, support and celebrate the arts, which in turn provide inspiration for the creative minds.

And while referring to arts, it is inevitable that the fashion industry takes a spotlight. Arts and fashion are closely related because of the one concept and that is design. If you are creative, love the arts, and appreciate the dynamism of culture, Toronto's fashion schools can provide you with the training for the exciting career in designing and the arts.

Why Toronto is a great place for fashion design students?

The Neilson Park Center serves as a haven to the Rugcarfters of Etobicoke, the Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinning Guild for anyone interested in textiles, especially fashion design students.

Aside from this cultural venue, there is an array of opportunities for fashion designers who do not become famous. With artistic talent and creativity, fashion designers can work in a fashion illustration or textile design, work for a garment manufacturer, or get into advertising or even retail purchasing. For business-minded individuals, they can blend their skills in fashion design with courses in business to prepare for a career in management, say fashion wholesale or retail.

The competition among retailers make the city an affordable place to shop, and this fact can be considered as a bonus for starting fashion designers. Also, designers can work their creative minds on designing labels and bottles for rums aside from apparels. This works in Toronto, too.

Now, if you have been dreaming or are already convinced of going to a fashion school in Toronto, you can make it into a reality. Check out a couple of fashion schools in Toronto that provide courses in marketing, fashion design, and merchandising:

1. International Academy of Design and Technology
The school has campuses in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Orlando. They provide program areas and a variety of degree levels designed to fit your unique career track. In detail, they offer:
• Diploma in Fashion Design
• Diploma in Merchandising and Fashion Marketing

2. Art Institute of Toronto

The school focuses on the business and creative aspects of the fashion design industry. The institute also promises that career support shall be available after finishing programs in:
• Fashion Design
• Fashion Merchandising/Marketing

The city is large so you can survey more schools. Your guts and your dreams are all that you need to do to hone your creative self in this thriving city.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Toronto: Within Canada's Largest City Comes Great Fashion Design Schools

Toronto is often mistaken as Canada's capital maybe because this capital city of Ontario has the largest population in the entire country. The city prides of a theater scene that can compete against those of New York and London.

Moreover, the city houses the Royal Ontario Museum, which is the largest in the country and its skyline also boasts of CN Tower, the world's tallest structure. If housing the tallest and large structures is not enough, how about the city serving as hosts to topnotch American filmmakers? Toronto serves as venues of the Neilson Park Creative Center and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art.

As an additional benefit, you will realize that the city is bustling with action as most popular attractions are within walking distance. In other words, a short stride will bring you to the waterfront, thousands of hotels, sports venues, along with restaurants that serve fine cuisines, to name a few. Thus, it suffices to say that the city is one heck of a cultural center.

These things show that the city, indeed, support and celebrate the arts, which in turn provide inspiration for the creative minds.

And while referring to arts, it is inevitable that the fashion industry takes a spotlight. Arts and fashion are closely related because of the one concept and that is design. If you are creative, love the arts, and appreciate the dynamism of culture, Toronto's fashion schools can provide you with the training for the exciting career in designing and the arts.

Why Toronto is a great place for fashion design students?

The Neilson Park Center serves as a haven to the Rugcarfters of Etobicoke, the Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinning Guild for anyone interested in textiles, especially fashion design students.

Aside from this cultural venue, there is an array of opportunities for fashion designers who do not become famous. With artistic talent and creativity, fashion designers can work in a fashion illustration or textile design, work for a garment manufacturer, or get into advertising or even retail purchasing. For business-minded individuals, they can blend their skills in fashion design with courses in business to prepare for a career in management, say fashion wholesale or retail.

The competition among retailers make the city an affordable place to shop, and this fact can be considered as a bonus for starting fashion designers. Also, designers can work their creative minds on designing labels and bottles for rums aside from apparels. This works in Toronto, too.

Now, if you have been dreaming or are already convinced of going to a fashion school in Toronto, you can make it into a reality. Check out a couple of fashion schools in Toronto that provide courses in marketing, fashion design, and merchandising:

1. International Academy of Design and Technology
The school has campuses in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Orlando. They provide program areas and a variety of degree levels designed to fit your unique career track. In detail, they offer:
• Diploma in Fashion Design
• Diploma in Merchandising and Fashion Marketing

2. Art Institute of Toronto

The school focuses on the business and creative aspects of the fashion design industry. The institute also promises that career support shall be available after finishing programs in:
• Fashion Design
• Fashion Merchandising/Marketing

The city is large so you can survey more schools. Your guts and your dreams are all that you need to do to hone your creative self in this thriving city.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Moda de Italia: All about Italian Fashion and Design Schools

If England has Rumpelstiltskin who spins gold fabrics, Italy has Count Giorgini who spun the fabrics of the fairytale story of Italian Fashion. The remarkable date was on February 25, 1951 when a fashion show was staged by the Italian legend in front of a global audience in the beautiful city of Florence.

What has the Count done for fashion in Italy?

Count Giorgini revived the fairy tale ambiance of the elitists by setting up his own palace as a place for fashion shows, thus providing courtly scenery for the production of fashion anthologies. In other words, members of the high society themselves, who wore the dresses that were considered fashionable during those times, took part in epitomizing the standards of fashion and beauty. From then on, the trend of presenting fashion for the nobles and by the nobles was evident in courtly rooms of their own museums and/or abodes alongside erected sculptures of this kind of fame.

He and his class have made a clear statement that dress can be a medium to assert one's individuality. Subtly, he communicated that fashion can be a language of desire. Furthermore, fashion can be a game of emulations, erotic domination, and flirting glances.

There was also a time when even cinema was predisposed by Italian fashion. The nuptials of Tyrone Power and Linda Christian in the year 1949 created a stereotyped yet fantastic image of Italy as the Land of Love, of Art and the Beautiful as the bride chose a dress made from Italy. Dress served as an object of charm that can make beautiful transformations to an individual, just like in well-loved fairy tales.

In the 1960s, about the same time when London took the spotlight in the world of fashion, every majestic way of life in Italy has crumbled. During the industrial boom, social status and social roles were also revolutionized. Novice fashions in produced garments flowed into the marketplace and women around the world started to realize that they could dress stylishly at a low price.

Global recognitions for Moda de Italia garments were gained with the success of Prêt-à-porter" between the 1970s and 1980s. These were the years when Milan grabbed the attention of the world and transformed itself into a fashion landmark. Until now, topnotch fashion designers continue to create fashion statements from the mini-skirt to denims or blue jeans and other various evolutions continue to enchant the world.

Now, consider the following institutions that have been established to serve as citadels that provide artists who can revolutionize the world:

1. Moda Altieri, Accademia Altieri is located at 00187 Roma, 50 San Nicola da Tolentino (info@accademialtieri.it; http://www.accademialatieri.it).

2. Academia d' Belle Arte di Viterbo is located at 01100 Viterbo, 17 Col
Moschin (abavt@tin.it).

3. Accademia Europea d' Moda e Costume d' Franco Reale is located at
00186 Roma, 35 Lucina at Piazza San Lorenzo.

4. Accademia Internazionale d' Alta Moda ed' Arte del Costume Koefia is
situated at 00192 Roma, 203 Cola di Rienzo.

5. Istituto Carlo Secoli can be found at 20154 Milano , 5 G. Prina
(info@secoli.com).

6. Istituto Europea d' Design lies at 20123 Milano, 1 Giardino.

7. Istituto Italiano di Fotografia (Italian Institute of Photography) is situated at
20144 Milan, 13 Forcella.

8. Istituto Superiore di Alta Cataldo lies at 00184 Roma, 204 Nazionale.

9. Polimoda campuses at 501443 Florence, 77 Pisana in Villa Strozzi (info@polimoda.com; http://www.polimoda.com).

10. Scuola Progettisti di Moda, Universita degli Studi di Urbino can be found
at 61029 Urbino (PS), 54 Bramante (scuola.moda@uniurb.it).

It suffices to say that the fashion of Italy has evolved from a sense that dress confirms how one is situated in a social status into an instrument that can create the appearance of a beautiful city and presently a place of creativity and competency.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

London Design Updates: Bridge May Tremble But Not Fashion Schools

Have you ever heard a brave forecast such as this?

Now on a lighter note, consider this: Ramps are more dramatic than bridges. How come? This is because ramps have provided the world with classic items of Burberry to more liberal creations of Jimmy Choo. And these ramps were made sturdy primarily by London fashion design schools. Top fashion designers like Clements Ribeiro, Alexander McQueen, and Sophia Kokosalaki would agree just the same.

What makes it great about earning a degree from a fashion design school in London?

London lies in the central part of England. This is one of the busiest cities in the world. It has taken part in many revolutions. The well known of these revolutions is the so-called the Industrial Revolution.

As years went by, London, during the 19th century, received the spotlight for men's fashion statements under the headship of dandies of Regency including Beau Brummell. Not so long after, around the mid of1960s, London was, once more, for a moment the heart of fashion statements and influence.

London nowadays also lies in the heart of the fashion industry. The same city that has revolutionized many aspects and statements in the fashion industry years ago is the same city that continues a legacy for styles and prevailing modes of life. The key now lies to the competent trainings designers undergo in various fashion institutions and even in the marketplace.

In fact, whatever you want to earn: a specialist course, a fashion school certificate, or a university degree, you will definitely find a school in London that can give you the edge and the guts to get along well with other topnotch designers. Moreover, though there are a thousand of schools all around the world, it is a fact that the UK retail garment market provides training opportunities for high-end fashion, mass market, and even Asian imports. In fact, the market shares a projected $ 50-billion sale, 75% of which account for women's and children's clothing.

If you want to immediately run for a job-entry, a summer program or a year at a London fashion school can provide you with fashion skills that are already in the entry-level. If you are still on a shaky ground, consider enrolling in some international schools with campuses in London.

The following lists of schools have links that will provide other information about some schools in UK:

1. The Royal College of Arts is a school of textiles and fashion (http://www.rca.ac.uk/ UK).

2. London College of Fashion is an international institution for technology, design, sales and administration in the textile, accessories, footwear, and fashion industries (http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/).

3. Manchester Metropolitan University offers degree courses including fashion, textiles and textiles for fashion, embroidery, and even fashion design with technology (http://www.artdes.mmu.ac.uk/).

4. University of Westminster, located in Harrow, UK, offers a degree in BA
Fashion Design (http://www.westminsterfashion.com/)

5. London-Milan 2006: The Dual City Summer Sessions offer both novice and advanced courses. Campus in Milan is called Domus Academy in Milan and campus in London is the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and (http://www.london-milan-courses.com/).

No matter what type of school lands as your choice, you can rest assured that you have three-fold benefits: style is globally-renowned, schools have international connections, and the language used is universal, that is English. Thus you can take carry your portfolio with pride.
You can say that a London fashion degree is a passport recognized by the world and its diverse fashions. History, indeed, repeats itself.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Basic Criteria for Choosing Your Fashion Design School

School, obviously, is the one main vehicle where you can acquire basic and formal training. This is true to all fields and industries. And as such, the fashion industry does not escape this reality.

You may have the talent and the unique sense for fashion but without structured training, you might fail to understand and explore more on your gifts.

Besides, one's success in the field of fashion relies partly on your choice of school. In this article, we will give you the basic criteria you can use in exploring your options of fashion design school.

Cost- This is one of the main considerations that largely affect your choice of school. The sad truth with fashion design schools is that they are too few and among the relatively small number are the handful schools that can truly deliver efficient education.

As with many other things, low cost fashion design schools are good but only if they can give effective learning. This is rarely the case though. Often, with lower fees, lower quality of education may be had. This is due primarily to the reason that such schools can't afford higher paying professionals to provide them with man power. Thus, they settle for people who can give service at a low price. Don’t let quality suffer over the limit of your budget. There will always be some well-performing fashion design schools that will suit your means.

Area of Specialization- In the fashion industry, it is well recognized that one should have special fields where they are greatly inclined to. This must be triggered or further supplemented by the fashion school of 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? What courses does it focus on? What are their main emphases in delivering the art? These are among the many things that you should give intense consideration since the fashion design school that you will be choosing would largely influence your career later.

The best aid for your choice of school is to know its reputation. A self respecting fashion design school is one that makes itself renowned in the world of fashion. Does your school of consideration participate in fashion school competitions? This would be a sure mark of fostering excellence in the industry and the school's commitment for brilliant education.

To maximize your strength, you must therefore find a school that focuses on your own field of specialization.

Considerations on the Curriculum- As with college education, you must also check into the curriculum offered in the school of fashion design. To get the best offered in your spectrum of choices, you can compare curriculum from various schools and decide what you think would best fit in your preferences.

Ratio of teacher to students- The size of a class against a teacher means two things- the school is either too popular or it’s the other way around. Nevertheless, the larger the size of the class the more likely would education suffer. It is often better to choose between schools of relatively fewer students since this will normally have the implication of focusing better on the students.

These are only some of the major points to consider in choosing your fashion design school. As for your final decision, your best judgment must out rule any doubt.