Fashion industry is a rather competitive and diverse field, which means that skills are crucial to succeed in it. Apparel designing courses provide aspiring designers with all that they require to develop their ideas into reality. These courses aim at creating a solid background in the technical as well as the artistic part of fashion design to equip the students for the fashion world. In this article, we are going to look at the five skills that you are likely to acquire when you enroll in an apparel designing courses.
1. Understanding of fabrics and the choice of textiles
One essential aspect that you will be exposed to when studying apparel designing courses is the fabric knowledge. It is important to know various kinds of textiles, their characteristics, and how they affect the body when wearing clothes.
In the course, the students are also taken through different fabrics, both the natural fabrics such as cotton, silk, and wool and the synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon. You will also understand how to select the fabric that will be suitable for the design the intended season and for the target market. This knowledge is crucial when deciding on the texture and drape of the final product as well as the durability of the product.
For example, when creating a summer collection, the designer has to know what kind of fabrics are suitable for hot weather, whereas, when designing evening wear, the designer has to use such fabrics as velvet or satin. When it comes to choosing fabrics, you will be able to come up with designs that are not only good to the eye but also comfortable and functional for the end consumer.
2. Pattern Making and Garment Construction
Pattern making is the layout of any garment that is to be produced in the market. It is a skill that turns a designer’s drawing into a tangible object that can be worn. Apparel designing courses pay a lot of importance to the details of pattern making right from the basic block to the pattern of the intricate designs.
Students are able to develop good patterns that are accurate and well fitting which is an important step in garment making. This entails the knowledge of the body measurements, grading and how to manipulate the pattern in order to get the required style. Pattern accuracy is the key to a good fit of the garment, which makes this skill essential for any designer.
Apart from pattern making, garment construction is another area that is taught in the apparel designing courses. This entails the sewing skills that are used in construction of a garment for instance stitching, hemming and finishing. You will also discover the need for seam allowances, lining and how to make a garment have a certain form and structure and retain it for as long as possible.
3. Sketching and Fashion Illustration
Before a garment is made, it is simply a sketch or fashion illustration on paper or on the computer. This skill is very important during the early stages of the design process because it allows the designers to think and communicate their ideas.
In apparel designing courses, the students are trained in manual illustration as well as computer aided illustration. You will be able to make clear sketches of the ideas and the garment, its form and other characteristics. This skill is not only beneficial for oneself but also when it is necessary to convince clients, co-workers, and manufacturers.
In addition, fashion illustration is helpful in the generation of several concepts that can be incorporated into the final design. It is a fun process that enables designers to experiment with the colors, textures and styles refine the ideas and create more polished and commercial looking designs.
4. Fashion and the Market: Trends
Any designer should have information on the fashion market and the trends that are prevalent in the market. Fashion designing courses may include units on fashion trends, consumer behavior and market research so that the students can be in a position to develop designs that will be accepted in the market.
In the course, you will be able to examine the current trends and their analysis on the global level as well as in the Indian market. This involves the assessment of fashion shows, magazines, social networks, and other trend indicators. Moreover, you will discover the periodicity of fashion and how to predict future shifts in the consumer’s behavior.
By learning market analysis, you will be in a position to develop collections that are not found in other stores and at the same time there is a market for those collections in the market. It is crucial for those who are going to start their own fashion line or work for a fashion company as the information about the market will influence the success of a designer.
5. CAD and Design Software
CAD is a necessity in the present-day world, and every designer should be conversant with it in the present-day world. Fashion designing courses have also begun to incorporate digital design skills whereby the students are able to draw technical flats, virtual models and even 3D models of the designs.
CAD is a very useful tool that is used in the designing process and it allows the designer to make changes and modifications to the design without having to make a physical model. Students learn how to use these tools to manipulate the pattern, color and texture and how to turn the model in order to view it from a different angle. This is not only useful in the creative process but also in the actual process since it is easier to explain to the manufacturers and clients.
In addition, digital design skills are perceived to be relevant in the industry because they allow designers to operate at the pace of the emerging trends and meet the international demand. CAD software is an application that will assist you in gaining technical skills that will assist you to compete in the current world.
Conclusion
Fashion designing courses are very comprehensive and varied in nature and help the students face the various prospects and issues in the fashion world. The skills that you will learn from fabric knowledge, pattern making, digital designing to market analysis are crucial in fashion business. If your goal is to start your own label or work for a famous fashion house, these courses offer the basics that will help you make your visions come true. When you choose to take an apparel designing course, you are on the right track to becoming a professional and a jack of all trades in the fashion industry.