Our five-pronged approach focuses on your individual strengths to develop your unique qualities towards making you an exemplary pi- designer.
Shrankhla Verma
01/09/2023
02/07/2025
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Overview:
If you’ve ever wondered what fashion designing really involves, this blog from IIAD breaks it down for you by walking you through the creative and technical sides of fashion. It traces the journey from fashion’s early roots to pioneers like Charles Frederick Worth, showing how it’s evolved with bold trends and social shifts. It discussed design fundamentals, covering sketching, fabric knowledge, illustration, pattern-making, and the full garment creation process. It also touches on future trends, like sustainable and tech-driven fashion, and highlights top colleges in India, making it a perfect starter guide for aspiring designers.
Table of Content:
Fashion is self-expression that constantly adapts and evolves, showcasing its ever-changing nature. Just as a garden blooms with diverse flowers, fashion embraces the beauty of uniqueness, celebrating the kaleidoscope of human identities. It is a mirror that reflects the pulse of society, capturing the zeitgeist and translating it into wearable art.
Just as characters in a story evolve, fashion reinvents itself, redefining beauty standards, pushing boundaries, and challenging norms.
Fashion design is the art of creating styles. Designers draw inspiration from various sources, translate their vision into conceptual designs. Fashion design is a blend of artistry, storytelling, and technical skill. Think of it as painting or sculpting, but instead of creating artwork to hang on a wall or place on a pedestal, fashion designers create art that is wearable. Factors like comfort, fit, and functionality while still being an expression of creativity and capturing the essence of fashion trends.
In the early days, fashion design was like a delicate seedling, slowly sprouting amidst the practicality and necessity of garments. As society started to evolve, so did the need for clothing or evolution of fashion that reflected individual style and self-expression. Visionaries in design became superheroes, and by using their creative powers to shape the way we dress and present ourselves to the world, they became a breed.
Fashion was rather modest and traditional back in the day, with voluminous skirts, corsets that felt like constricting hugs that could collapse your lungs, and layers upon layers of fabric. With the winds of rebellion blowing, the 1920s ushered in the era of the flapper, where women discarded their corsets and embraced shorter hemlines, expressing their newfound freedom. Fashion became a dance of liberation, and the roaring twenties set the stage for more daring styles to come. The flappers emerged as bold, rebellious women who broke free from societal constraints and redefined the very essence of style.
As rightly shown in the series Peaky Blinders, the stylish gangsters who captured our hearts on the small screen. The flappers and the Peaky Blinders alike epitomised the spirit of rebellion of the 1920s with impeccably tailored three-piece suits; their style choices challenged the established order and made a bold statement.
Enter the 1960s, when bold prints, vibrant colours, and unconventional designs became popular. The 1960s were when fashion took a psychedelic trip down the rabbit hole. Mini-skirts, bold prints, neon hues, and swirling colours became the norm, reflecting the spirit of the counterculture movement and breaking all the rules of fashion. It was as if the fashion world had taken a joyride in a groovy, tie-dyed VW van!
Fast forward to the 1980s, when fashion was all about excess. Big puffy hair, power suits with shoulder pads, and blazing colours that could be spotted from space. It was a time when fashion dared to be bold, unapologetically embracing the mantra, "More the better!"
Cut to now, in the present day, and we find ourselves in an era where individuality reigns supreme. Through the ages, fashion has been a reflection of our culture, our dreams, and our desires. It has the power to unite, to provoke, and to inspire.
During the extensive evolution of fashion over the years, there were visionary individuals who believed in infusing the energy of the era into the very fabric of clothing. They discovered that if the skirts were folded a certain way or of a certain length, paired with the right neckline tops, they could create a new wave in fashion.
These pioneers of fashion design understood that garments could be more than just functional pieces! Instead, they could be vessels of self-expression and convey the spirit of the times. Through their innovative designs and attention to detail, they left a mark on the fashion landscape, shaping trends and inspiring future generations of visionaries. Their creative genius and ability to capture the essence of an era made them true trailblazers in the world of fashion design.
Charles Frederick Worth, the first fashion designer in history, transformed the industry in the 19th century. Known as the "father of haute couture," he elevated fashion to an art form with meticulous craftsmanship, luxurious fabrics, and personalised designs. Worth's innovative approach shaped the modern fashion landscape and laid the foundation for the industry's evolution.
In the mid-1800s, Worth established his fashion house in Paris, where he introduced the concept of presenting seasonal collections and dressing clients in his own creations. He collaborated with clients to create personalised garments that reflected their individual style and personality, marking a shift from standardised attire. He played a significant role in establishing Paris as the fashion capital of the world. Charles Frederick Worth's legacy as the first fashion designer set the stage for the modern fashion industry we know today.
Becoming a fashion designer requires a combination of creativity, technical skills, industry knowledge, and a passion for fashion. It is a competitive field, but with dedication, continuous learning, and a strong portfolio, aspiring designers can carve their path in this exciting and dynamic industry.
Pursuing a formal education in fashion design, such as a degree or diploma programme, can provide a solid foundation. Courses typically cover design principles, garment construction, patternmaking, textiles, and fashion history. Internships or apprenticeships with established designers can offer practical experience.
Developing a strong sense of creativity and an eye for aesthetics is essential. Technical Skills: Proficiency in technical aspects of fashion design is crucial. This includes sketching and illustration skills to communicate design ideas.
Fashion designers should have a good understanding of historical and cultural influences on fashion, as well as the ability to forecast future trends in fashion.
Knowledge of the business side of the fashion industry, including marketing, sales, and production. Understanding target markets, consumer preferences, and budgeting can contribute to building a successful fashion brand.
Fashion designers need strong communication skills to effectively convey their design ideas to clients, manufacturers, and team members. The role and responsibilities of a fashion designer can vary, but the basics involve:
Fashion designing is a creative field that depends on the creativity of the designer, yet there are certain principles that guide the designer throughout and help them make their designs more appealing to the public. Here are a few principles of fashion design that every aspiring designer must know:
Proportion and balance are the keys to a perfect design, as they make the design more visually appealing and are a guide to setting the piece of clothing in just the right place. Closely related to this principle are harmony and unity, which work in a somewhat similar manner as the above and make sure that the garment gives out a cohesive message.
Emphasis and focal point, as the very name suggests, are the main attraction points of the design, and the main element of the design should be enhanced through the use of colours, patterns, and more to draw attention to it. The principles of proximity and negative space define the relationship between the various elements.
Creativity and innovation are the sole ingredients of fashion design, which helps the designers create groundbreaking designs, but while designing, the functionality and practicality of the design must also be kept in mind so that the design is wearable and comfortable along with being stylish. So to speak, the functionality principle keeps a check on the creativity of the designer.
The field of fashion design stands on the foundation of certain elements such as colour, line, shape, texture, balance, proportion, space, rhythm, movement, etc. These elements give life to the creativity in the head of a designer as these are the elements that are mixed, matched, and manipulated by the designers to create fashion that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional.
The process of fashion design involves several stages that designers go through to bring their ideas to life. It starts with research and inspiration gathering, followed by sketching and creating the initial designs that they thought of. It is followed by fabric selection, pattern-making, and garment construction. Developed prototypes are refined through fittings and adjustments.
After the final design is determined, production and manufacturing processes begin, including sourcing materials, cutting, sewing, and finishing. In the final step, the finished garments are presented through fashion shows, exhibitions, or retail channels.
Throughout the designing process, the designers collaborate with various professionals, including pattern makers, seamstresses, and stylists, in order to ensure their vision is translated into a tangible and marketable fashion product.
Fashion illustration is the art of visually representing fashion designs through drawings or sketches and involves capturing the essence of a garment, showcasing its silhouette, fabric details, and overall aesthetic. Fashion illustrators use various techniques, such as watercolours, markers, or digital tools, to create their designs. Whereas technical drawing in fashion design focuses on creating detailed, precise, and technical representations of garments. Includes creating accurate flat sketches, construction details, and measurements. They are essential for communicating design specifications to pattern makers, manufacturers, and seamstresses and ensure accurate reproduction of the design during the process
Fashion designers rely on a variety of tools and equipment to bring their designs to life. These tools include basic supplies like sketchbooks, pencils, and markers for beginning design concepts. Pattern-making tools such as rulers, curves, and measuring tapes help create accurate patterns. Sewing machines, sergers, and irons are essential for garment construction. Cutting tools like shears and rotary cutters ensure precise fabric cutting.
The mannequins help in draping and understanding and rectifying garment fitting. Other equipment includes fabric scissors, pins, needles, thread, and various fasteners like zippers and buttons.
Technology has also become a vital part of fashion design. Computer-aided design (CAD) software, digital sketching tablets, and printers are used for digital pattern-making and creating technical specifications. These tools and equipment empower fashion designers to translate their ideas into garments with precision and efficiency.
Knowledge of fabric is crucial for fashion design as it directly impacts the appearance, drape, and functionality of garments. Factors such as texture, weight, stretch, and durability influence how a fabric interacts with the body and affect the overall fit and comfort of the garment.
Understanding different types of fabrics enables designers to make informed decisions about which material will fit their design vision the best. The knowledge of fabric enhances the overall quality of the design. Since the right fabric is used for the right occasions, it will meet the desired aesthetic and all the requirements of the envisioned design.
The field of fashion design offers a range of exciting career opportunities and not just the traditional view that we have of fashion designing or creating apparel designs and their labels and brands.
Fashion designers can work in various capacities. They can specialise in specific areas like accessory design, focusing on creating handbags, shoes, or jewellery. Some designers work in costume design for film, television, or theatre productions.
Fashion illustrators use their artistic skills to create visual representations of fashion concepts. They can pursue careers in fashion merchandising , trend forecasting, textile design, fashion styling, or fashion journalism.
Other careers within the field include fashion marketing, fashion consulting, fashion entrepreneurship, garment buying for firms, and working in fashion production and manufacturing. The fashion industry offers diverse career paths that cater to individual interests and strengths within the realms of design, production, marketing, and promotion. It is a field worth exploring if you love fashion.
The educational and professional pathway in fashion design basically involves pursuing a formal education in the field, which can be achieved by enrolling in fashion design programmes or obtaining a degree from reputable fashion design institutes or colleges.
During the course of study, students gain knowledge regarding the essential skills required in the field of fashion design. They are also provided with opportunities for internships, apprenticeships, and industry collaborations to gain practical experience.
After completing their education, individuals can enter the professional strata by seeking employment with fashion brands, design houses, or starting their own labels. A strong portfolio, networking, continuously developing skills, and staying updated with industry trends are the keys to progressing in the field and securing higher-level positions.
Some of the best colleges to pursue fashion design in the country are:
A degree in fashion design provides a concrete foundation of knowledge and skills, including design principles, garment construction, and fabric understanding, enhancing creativity and technical expertise in the field. It carves a path with diverse career opportunities, provides access to industry resources, and increases your chances of securing higher-level positions and earning potential.
The salary of a beginner fashion designer from a reputable college in India depends on various factors such as talent, creativity, experience, city, company, and job role, but on average, entry-level fashion designers in India can expect a salary range of approximately INR 2.5 lakhs to INR 5 lakhs per annum. It is bound to increase with experience.
Top recruiters of fashion designers include retail giants such as H&M and Gap, fashion brands and labels, fashion design houses, and e-commerce platforms to name some.
Fashion designers, regardless of their experience level, should prioritise certain tips and practices that will help them in the long run.
A fashion designer should have a strong hold on their sketching, be able to effectively communicate their ideas, and be open to feedback and criticism for growth. Building a strong network of professionals to bring their designs to life requires staying up-to-date with current and changing trends so that they can cater to exactly what the client demands.
For that matter, they should also be abreast of the new technology in the field, as it will only help them be more efficient and refine their work. Lastly, a designer must continue to work on their innovative skills and may even try to develop a unique style of their own, as that is what their profession solely depends on.
Want to become a fashion designer after 12th? Read this comprehensive guide on the steps to follow.
The future of fashion design holds exciting possibilities, driven by technological advancements and changing consumer demands. The future of fashion design is likely to be characterised by innovation, sustainability, technology integration, and a heightened focus on individuality and inclusivity, which will lead to an increase in demand for more creative heads within the field.
In recent years, fashion has levitated towards sustainability, unisex designs, and minimalistic aesthetics. Fashion and brands now embrace eco-friendly practices, allowing garments to flourish as conscious works of art. Unisex designs and gender inclusivity are blurring the traditional boundaries in fashion. Minimalism reigns supreme, similar to a canvas where every brushstroke holds purpose and meaning.
The future of fashion will go hand-in-hand with creativity and technology. Fabrics infused with smart technology offer a sensory feast, transforming fashion into a captivating experience.
Fashion may become a harmonious fusion of style and functionality. For example, a garment that adapts to changing environments, like a second skin that protects, warms, or cools as needed, advanced materials—like a tapestry of wonders: self-cleaning fabrics that resist stains, garments that respond to touch and light, or garments that change shape and color with a simple command—textiles that harness solar energy, shimmering like a celestial ballet, or bioluminescent materials. The possibilities are endless.
Brilliant minds eagerly await the embrace of future technology, waiting to unleash their creativity and lead the way in shaping trends.
Check out this list of top 10 fashion design colleges in India
Check Out What’s Next // Explore Beyond This Article
While this article explores visual merchandising in-depth, fashion enthusiasts can also consider exploring the difference between fashion design and textile design and a spotlight on silk saree brands.
Explore Shrankhla Verma's take on the role of design in visual communication. If you're considering a career in fashion, get inspired by our magical Fashion Graduate Show 2023 at IIAD. For more valuable insights on developing your brand story, be sure to explore IIAD Design Talks.
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