The Fashion Designer

The Fashion Designer

Graduates of the four - year, full - time Fashion & Design course are trained to work as fashion designers, whether independently or for the industry. The fashion designer has a contemporary sense and knowledge of fashion, together with an ability to
create, visualise and communicate, using their own signature style, fashion concepts and collections which translate ideas into products for the industry, a specific brand or a designer label.

The qualities of a fashion designer

A fashion designer is able to:

• analyze social, cultural and economic developments and translate them for a sustainable fashion industry;
• use intuition and different research techniques to observe and to spot future lifestyles and trends;
• create and visualise a fashion concept as a starting point for the development of a collection;
• translate the spirit of the age into fashion products;
• focus their design for a specific brand;
• develop ideas into paper patterns and technical realizations;
• develop patterns utilizing appropriate technology;
• use a variet y of contemporary media to communicate and present design ideas visually and verbally; use appropriate research techniques to understand brands and markets;
• work independently or as part of a team;
• provide creative coherence and direction within a team;
• op erate as a link between design department and supplier or manufacturer;
• understand the entire production process from concept to execution;
• work within a financial plan;
• operate in an international context.

Employment

Fashion & Design graduates work in t he fashion industry for women's wear, men's wear, children's wear, lingerie or accessories, in the design department of a designer, a brand or retailer. They are also active in associated fields such as print, textiles, and fashion forecasting and other di verse media.