[UNiQFashionista]

I did a search and could not find a thread on fashion designers who dont have degrees.
I always wondered if there were any established FD who don't have degree's in fashion, or don't have degree's at all. I know there are some, but I don't know of any famous ones. Did they all get degree's in fashion?! do you think its a requirement to be a successful fashion designer- or with your own label to have a degree? can an aspiring fd do without?!

[spottie]

What about Halston? Can't remember if he had a degree or not...

[spottie]

Oh, I think I remember that Geoffrey Beene quit med school because he wanted to design. He said that his anatomy classes were quite helpful though

[Honey~Blade]

Rei Kawakubo :P

[UNiQFashionista]

wow interesting, what was rei doing before designing?

[Salvatore]

Didn't Miuccia Prada get her degree in Political Science? I'm not sure if she went back to get her degree in fashion.

[rockitgirl]

I don't think it's a requirement but it definately helps...there is actually at least one thread on here about going to school or not. I don't know any keywords though, I'm sorry...maybe try searching for "school". A lot of interesting opinions were raised in it.

[gius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salvatore Didn't Miuccia Prada get her degree in Political Science? I'm not sure if she went back to get her degree in fashion.

Yes^ that's true. She inherited the family company

Consuela Castiglione for Marni is another example.
And I read from here that Donna Karan dropped out of Parson's to work for Anne Klein and start her own label. She completed her degree afterwards.
I think Marc Jacobs didn't finish Parson's too

[travis_nw8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honey~Blade Rei Kawakubo :P

i don't think she had any formal fashion training- she study philosophy amd then worked as a frrelance stylist.

also i dont think gaultier and mouret had any formal training

[Honey~Blade]

Gaultier apprenticed with Pierre Cardin, but yeah he never went to school.

I believe Vivienne Westwood did not study any fashion design either. Perhaps also Raf Simons, not too sure. I don't know if I'm right but he probably went for an Art major in Antwerp than a fashion one.

Another person who springs to mind also is Hedi Slimane.

[MulletProof]

I believe Christian Lacroix was studying something related to religion before moving onto fashion.

[gius]

Yes, from the looks of it, the designers without a degree are mostly from the 20th century...?
It's the 21st now, so maybe the requirements have changed a bit, but I do believe it's alright to work your way up. Work experience in the end is key

For "now" designers, there are all those celebrity designers, like Sean Combs and J-Lo, and people who have connections, like Trovata. But I guess they are not really good examples...

[lostinemotion]

Calvin Klein got kicked out of F.I.T...
Atleast that's what a few professor's always say.

[sanita13]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gius Yes, from the looks of it, the designers without a degree are mostly from the 20th century...? It's the 21st now, so maybe the requirements have changed a bit, but I do believe it's alright to work your way up. Work experience in the end is key For "now" designers, there are all those celebrity designers, like Sean Combs and J-Lo, and people who have connections, like Trovata. But I guess they are not really good examples...

There are no "requirements" to be a successful fashion designer. A fashion designer gotta have the drive, motivation and the talent to make beautiful clothes. Also a lot designers are self taught, so there you go.

[Missoni~Heiress]

I honestly think that a good designer has talent not knowledge..