Fashion Designers

If you enjoy sewing, you may have taken the first step toward exploring a career in the fashion world. If your skills in garment construction are adequate, the next step may be an attempt at designing and making clothing. Art and design courses will help assess your talent and ability as a creative artist.

If you are able to obtain a summer job in a department or specialty store, you can observe retailing practices and gain some practical insights into the merchandising aspects of the fashion world. Working in a fabric store can provide the opportunity to learn about fabrics and accessories. You may want to visit a garment manufacturer to see fashion employees at work.

You also can attend style shows, visit art galleries, observe clothing worn by fashion leaders, and browse through a variety of stores in which garments are sold. Many useful books and magazines are published about fashion. The so-called fashion industry bible is Women's Wear Daily, a must-read for those who want to be knowledgeable and current in this fast-changing business. For subscription information, visit http://www.wwd.com.

Participate in information interviews with fashion designers. In such an interview—which can be conducted in-person, on the phone, or through video-conferencing technology—you will get the opportunity to ask designers about their job duties, work environment, likes and dislikes about their careers, educational training, and other topics that will help you to learn more about the field. Ask your school counselor or art teacher to help you set up information interviews.

Participate in fashion design competitions that are offered by professional associations, youth organizations, and other entities. Here are two to check out:

• American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, Fashion For All Student Design Competition: https://www.aatcc.org/ffa
• Design-A-Bag Online Competition: https://www.designaccess-fa.com