Fashion Design
Fashion Design.
(093). We offer two distinct options for anyone interested in learning how to become a fashion designer. For those who want to start a fashion brand, and just want help in the design process, we have a one to one Fashion Design Workshop. For those who want to learn how to become a Fashion Designer without taking a degree, we offer a short Fashion Design Course.
You Dont Need A Degree.
You dont need a degree to become a fashion designer for your own brand. Some of the worlds greatest fashion designers have not been qualified. To be successful you need a passion for design, some flare, an ability to convey your ideas, and an understanding of who your customers are.
Some owner/ designers have great ideas and talent, while others struggle with the creation process. Many are not able to sketch their designs accurately or professionally. And designers are not natural entrepreneurs.
We teach the basics of designing, sourcing and sketching to enable the designer to convey their ideas accurately, succinctly and clearly on paper. We teach how the designer can communicate their ideas to the pattern cutter in order to get it right first time round, so saving a lot of money in the process.
What Does A Fashion Designer Do ?
A fashion designer can be employed or self-employed. Or they can be an owner / designer.
The employed designer has to design according to the brand they are working for, although they may have some say in the design direction.
The self-employed designer may have more influence in the direction of the brand. They may even have total control. Ultimately though , it is their employer who decides.
The owner / designer can dictate absolutely the design direction – As long as they control the finances.
A designer does far more than just design. Extensive research is essential, in front of a computer screen, or leafing through fashion magazines for ideas and inspiration.
But it can also involve much travelling round the world to visit shops, fashion fares, shows and exhibitions. The designer, or their employer may invest in off the shelf research through professionally produced trend reports.
The designer is responsible for buying fabrics and trims, and liaising with the agents. A good fashion designer needs to have some understanding of garment and pattern construction.
How To Become A Fashion Designer
To become employed as a fashion designer within the fashion industry it is usually necessary as a starting point, to obtain a degree following a four year fashion course. A good portfolio is essential in order to get a job. As with any other job, the learning only really begins once they are employed and working alongside experienced designers.
Sometimes it is possible to obtain a fashion design job without having the qualifications and portfolio, but this would be rare. It is unlikely that an employer would employ a fashion designer with little or no formal training, although sometimes a small firm would consider someone who showed design flare.
Short Course.
Our short, intensive fashion design course is intended mainly for owner/designers interested in starting a fashion brand, but without the formal training, to enable them to convey their design accurately to the pattern cutter. But we also have many students who just have an interest in fashion design and would like to pursue the possibilities.
Unless the designer is going to make their own patterns, they need to be able to explain to the pattern cutter exactly what they want. It is very important to interpret the design accurately as it costs a lot of money to have to remake samples.
Our fashion design course is conducted by Emile. He has a fully qualified tutor with over twenty years experience as a fashion designer and has an immense understanding of designing, garment construction, fabrics and sourcing. The intensive five day course is located at our sampling unit in Greenwich.
EMAIL [email protected]
Fashion Design Workshop.
This one to one fashion design workshop is devised for the would-be fashion designer who has the design ideas, but has no experience and does not know where to start or how to bring the designs to life.
We work side by side with the client, using all their own ideas, garments and visual inspirations to prepare professional working design sketches that can be confidently presented to the pattern cutter. We help to develop and perfect your own designs.
We are very flexible re dates and times for these bespoke workshops. If normal hours are not convenient, we can often arrange evening or weekend workshops to suit. Or if face to face does not work, then we can do the workshop via Skype.
The workshops are designed for ordinary, untrained individuals who would like to put a collection of designs together. These individuals have no idea where to start, how to sketch, how to convey their ideas, or where to obtain good quality, affordable fabrics, trims. or services. We are experts in dealing with beginners and startups.
After the workshop, if you would like to take your designs to the next stage by having the patterns cut and samples made, we can help you with that too. We can even supply small production runs.
You are encouraged to bring along any basic sketches and garments of interest that you may have, along with a look book of ideas and inspiration so that we can help you put together your finished professional sketches and technical drawings to present to the pattern cutter, or to the factory.
EMAIL – [email protected]
The fashion design workshop is a perfect, practical introduction to the very fundamentals of fashion designing. Absolutely no drawing skills are required as this workshop is about getting your ideas across with functional drawings rather than pretty pictures. And we can supply design templates to help you do this effectively.
Fashion Drawing.
Many would-be designers are put off designing because they feel that they cannot draw pretty fashion pictures. While this may prove a disadvantage in obtaining a job as a designer in the fashion industry, it should be no handicap for the self employed fashion designer. Obviously a two hour crash workshop in fashion design cannot replace a four year degree course in fashion design, but it does supply real – world experience
Here at The London Pattern Cutter, we dont teach you to do beautiful drawings or how to be a great designer. But we do teach you how to present your ideas in a clear format so that pattern cutters and factories can understand what you want and interpret your designs efficiently without expensive trial and error. We encourage the use of anything that will assist, such as mood boards or existing garments. We also try to assist you with understanding fabrics and trims.
Full Day Fashion Design Workshop.
EMAIL – [email protected]
In this two hour, one to one fashion design workshop with Emile, no previous experience is needed. In fact the majority of our clients have little or no experience at all in fashion. You dont even need a design to begin with. You may have general ideas for designs, or one big idea where you think there is a need that is not catered for. Just bring along your design ideas, images, garments, and general inspiration. If you have some rough sketches, then we can use these as a starting point.
Using his designer background, Emile will discuss and perfect your designs alongside you. He will discuss possible fabrics, trims and stitching details. Using his sample maker and production backgrounds he can advise you on the practicality of your designs, or how you can make them more efficiently.
With his knowledge of suppliers he can help you to source small quantities of fabrics at greatly reduced prices. He can help build your designs and provide professional technical sketches that can confidently be given to the pattern cutter to provide you with a professional factory-ready pattern. A professionally made pattern is absolutely essential to achieve good results from the factory.
In order to prepare for the workshop it is advisable to bring some prepared work with you. The first thing you need is to get your ideas down on paper so that a Pattern Cutter can interpret them accurately. Compile a mood board of ideas and gather together samples of styles that you like. Sketch out a front and back view of each style, along with relevant information. If you are unable to do this, dont worry – Emile will assist you during the workshop.
Maybe you want to start your own fashion brand, but need to develop your design skills. Or maybe you have the passion and flare, but lack the technical knowledge and confidence to get your designs made. Or maybe you want to be a designer, but are not ready to commit four to six years of your life studying for a degree.
We specialise in working with fashion startups and new designers. Our fully equipped sampling unit, staffed by first rate machinists, pattern cutters and technicians complement our fashion design classes.
EMAIL – [email protected]