If you’re the type of person who doesn’t believe the hype and knows that no one is actually too cool to not rot their brains out with CW shows (no matter how much they insist otherwise), then you might also be familiar with one of the most iconic quotes of all time. As Blair Waldorf once put it in Gossip Girl, “Fashion is the most powerful art there is. It’s movement, design, and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we’d like to be.” And listen–she, as per usual, is entirely correct. Those of us who worship couture know she’s always right. Her passion for the craft and fashion world is beyond sincere. That’s why any aspiring fashionista should find her interpretation of fashion as “the most powerful art there is” as inspiring at the least, and accelerating at the most. That’s why, if you have the necessary ardor for the craft but you’re still wondering whether you have what it takes to become a fashion designer, then this article is for you.
Being a fashion designer mandates a deeply technical skill set–not just a creative one.
The top five skills every fashion designer should have are:
- Basic Drawing, including familiarity with and understanding of anatomical and fabric sketching, in addition to a strong grasp of “fashion art” as a genre by itself;
- Ease with Both Digital and Traditional Art Mediums, referring to the fact that in this technological age, fashion designer should be able to operate on PCs and tablets in addition to pen and paper.
- Sewing, at least on an intermediate level to start, which for fashion designers requires the ability to stitch by both hand and machine.
- Knowledge of Textiles, since they are a science and world all their own, and central to how clothes and accessories move on the body and through the world.
- Graphic Design, the unofficial study and practice of seeing, in addition to the components of visual balance, arrangement, and harmony.
1. Basic Drawing
Many people think all an artist needs are a paintbrush, some paint, a canvas, and the appropriate amount of existential angst to thrive as a creative visionary. Sadly, this isn’t the case. In fact, art is a science all in itself–one that requires a reasonable, related understanding of numbers, measurement, human anatomy, and in some cases, even physics. While more experimental artists might be able to get away with dodging these things altogether, fashion designers, unfortunately, don’t have that same luxury.
That’s because there are industry standards and expectations when it comes to fashion art–referring to the required 2-D versions of each of your designs. While there is wiggle room for each designer to develop their own drawing style, there are also rules–and many of these differ from general art as a broader practice.
Fashion art is its own thing–and even before you can become practiced in that, you’ll first need to have a strong grasp of the more standard elements of art drawing outside of fashion. For example, did you know that the standard human anatomy, especially as artists think of it, is thought to be 7 ½ of the body’s respective human heads tall? By contrast, the standard in fashion drawing is 11 heads, and traditionally mandates more exaggerated proportions on account of the fact that so many models are long and thin. This means that, while in the general art sketch of a human body, the torso will probably come out to be slightly shorter than the bottom half of the body, in fashion art the legs actually take up most of the body’s length.
And this is only one of the many variations involved–even the way faces and hair are drawn between disciplines differs! That’s why its vital fashion designers know their way around figure drawing on a sketchpad. As for the material of that sketchpad, that brings us to the next required skill:
2. Ease with Both Digital and Traditional Art Mediums
You’ve already heard it a million times. We all have. We are living in the technical age, and this fact is extremely relevant to most industries–but especially the more creative and artistic ones.
Before the turn of the century, and even for a short while after, paper and traditional drawing materials were enough for the average fashion designer to get hired, earn their commission, and/or achieve other feats legitimizing them as artists and fashionistas. Now, things are different.
Artists whose respective practices are not centered around or dependent on one specific material are expected to be well-versed in the old, while also equally-versed (if not more so) in the new. In other words, fashion designers in today’s day and age need to be able to work comfortably on both paper and computer or tablet screens. While it’s normal to have a preference, one you’re stronger at, or even materials you lean towards on either, the expectation is still that you can work on both at the sudden snap of a director, designer, or customer’s fingers. This is because fashion art does not require either traditional (paper, canvas, etc.) or digital sketches. Both have their merits in fashion design, and both bring plenty to the table. As a result, fashion designers, on average, are required to be able to do both.
For example, a digital artist can often get away with digital art skills only, whereas a character animator might be expected to be able to work as well with pencil and marker on paper as they would on a tablet. The technological landscape is also always changing and evolving, so being familiar with multiple mediums indicates better ease for you as a fashion designer in transitioning quickly to the next new or big thing.
3. Sewing
If you want to be a fashion designer but don’t know how to sew and aren’t willing to learn, you are in for an extremely rough time. The trajectory to failure and disrepute will be quick, painful, and scarring–far more so than the occasional needle prick or two. Fashion designers sew and modify their own designs in addition to drawing them. It’s hard work, but the process from scratch to finish is one that, paired with pure love for the craft, reflects the marvel of art. For most, it even justifies the grating labor behind it, making everything worthwhile.
In a face-paced, technological, capitalistic world, hand-stitching each section of each and every garment isn’t usually terribly practical or sustainable. Sheerly hand-stitched items are harder and harder to come by for this exact reason, making them rare commodities. That’s where the sewing machine comes in.
Sewing machines do the same job just as quickly, and in the event the person operating it knows what they’re doing, with immaculate precision. Some things, of course, like embroidery or quick fixes, still demand the expert hand-stitch–and that’s why fashion designers are expected to be equally competent in both. Sloppy stitching is more than enough to ruin the craft and reputation of any fashion designer, new or established. That’s why many people who are looking to be fashion designers start with learning and fine-tuning their sewing skills before doing much of anything else.
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4. Knowledge of Textiles
Cloth, like drawing, is its own science. Every fabric is different. Each has different properties, abilities, uses, components, strengths, weaknesses, and more. Durability differs, as does weight, consistency, density, comfort, flexibility, and texture. Before sewing or even imagining garments, it’s important to comprehend the tendencies of each fabric, what they are capable or incapable of doing, when they are necessary or unrecommended, and what benefit or drawback its inclusion adds to your design.
This also makes the creation of the actual clothes, even off the sketchpad, a less frustrating process. You can already know how fabrics are going to interact, what materials you’ll need, and more before even getting started. It also allows you to run efficient and informative diagnostics in the event you run into any complications you did not anticipate.
5. Graphic Design
Yes, graphic design. Don’t worry–no one’s expecting you to be able to design a magazine spread on the fly, but having an understanding of certain components of graphic design, as well as its overarching needs, philosophies, history, and methodology, are the difference between a good designer and a phenomenal one. Little known to most people, many high-level creative fashion executives actually started in graphic design. Some even cite it as the heart of their artistic practice and vision, as well as the key to their industry-wide success.
If you’re unfamiliar with, for example, the likes of the impact and legacy of Andy Warhol, a book providing an overview might be a good place to start. Examining curation in runaway shows, fashion exhibitions, and other types of art showcases will also be useful to the fashion designer in terms of producing clothing, but also in curating a portfolio, photographing clothes, and designing visibly diverse but still cohesive lines. Many place more emphasis on the mall than the gallery, but conflating the two is actually a great way to ensure major gaps in your fashion knowledge, as well as a non-expansive, limited imagination and awareness regarding the art of fashion design itself.
And then, of course, there’s color theory. While fashion designers will find many aspects of graphic design core to their respective practices (for example: typography), a background in color theory is one that’s tough to dodge for graphic designers. Color theory teaches you about how specific colors are made, where they come from, how they clash, how they interact, and more. Here, you’ll find an entire school of thought, rules, and concepts you didn’t even know existed before being introduced to color theory.
Most designers will, at some point, study color theory. Whether this is in the classroom or on YouTube is entirely up to the individual, but what’s important is that it’s learned and integrated by the fashion designer. This means that those who don’t take the trouble to do so will likely inadvertently falter in contrast to those who already have. An understanding of color and what draws the eye will take you far in the practice and business of fashion design.
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Related Questions
How do I find inspiration for my fashion sketches?
Find out what you like, and then go straight to the source. For example, if high fashion in general is your thing, then Vogue should probably be your go-to. If you have specific or hybrid tastes, such as a more alternative version of high fashion, then zeroing in your focus on Alexander McQueen’s designs might be the way to go. By contrast, if you’re about the trendy clothes for the normal person thing, you’ll want to follow tons of successful Instagram influencers. And if you’re going full punk, then street fashion, garage shows, and other more indie sources of inspiration will leave you full and brimming by the time you next reach for your sketchpad.
What materials should I use for the sketches?
This, in part, depends on the type of sketchbook, sketchpad, sketch paper you have. If you have a dry media pad, then water paint will be a disaster. If you have a wet media pad, pencil will probably feel a bit disappointing at times. In other words, there is no one correct answer. You have to figure that out for yourself based on what you like and feel the most at ease with, and make sure you don’t destroy any sketches by accident in the process.
To learn more about how to start your own fashion clothing line check out my startup documents here
Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.
Meet Shawn Chun: Entrepreneur and Fashion Business Fan.
I’m a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a designer or boutique owner at a craft fair, farmers market, retail location or anywhere else I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to retain clients, find good employees and keep the business growing all while trying to stay competitive.
That’s why I created Fashion Business Boss: I want to help fashion business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.