Advice: Education & Career Goals (PLEASE READ POST #1 BEFORE POSTING)

[kitty87kat]

I need some advice! I am currently studying fashion merchandising. This is my first year studying it. I am taking a design class that I have a project in where I need to design my own line of clothing and I am having difficulty sketching and coming up with new ideas. I've never drawn before or ever taken any art classes. Does this mean I could be studying the wrong thing? Should everything be coming to me more naturally?

It helps to just draw the clothes on croquis instead of drawing the whole figure, that way you just focus on the clothes and its easier if you haven't drawn before.

here's a croquis: http://fidm.edu/academics/majors/fashion-design/articles/how-to-sketch/print_croquis.html

 

[everybrightstar]

Moving Overseas for Fashion?

Hello,

I need some advice and help.
Firstly - summer schools for fashion? Are there any around, I was looking at LCF but you need to be 18 and I don't turn 18 until this August. So know of any others? or any fashion programs that last around that long?
Also moving overseas, anyone who has done this, are you glad you did? I live in a city that is not very fashion forward in Australia. I've looked at Melbourne and Sydney at studying at The Whitehouse Design and they offer barely any courses compared to overseas. I'm a UK citizen so I want to go over for about three months and then take it from there, depending on what happens. I am already applying for jobs, even though it's hard to get one when your overseas. I would really like to work and study, but I don't know of any fashion study courses around in the summer that go longer than just a week - some fashion schools offer as a short course option. Keep in mind I'll be 17 still.
I have completed four subjects for a journalism degree I was accepted into uni for, but i deferred a semester and really want to maximise this time and opportunity. So to sum it up, fashion courses for 17 yr olds in London over the summer? Any extra advice? Oh and in Australia students can be subsidised by the Government, do UK have this and what's it called (remember i'm a citizen)? Any other information? Oh and those who have moved overseas - is it better to go through an organisation (such as BUNAC or IEP)?

Thank you,

 

[BetteT]

I can direct you to a thread about summer programs. Read through it ....there might be something in there about London schools and there are several other ideas in there, too.
Home Study, Summer and Online/Virtual Fashion School Courses

In NY ... Parsons ...which might not work for you , but here's a thread about it:
Parsons Summer Intensive Studies

 

[superbeautiful]

There are times when I get really upset about where I am in school right now. I started off in FIT as a fashion design major. I liked it but I think the combination of not adjusting to the city and unsure of if I wanted to continue fashion scared me so I left. I started taking classes at a "regular" university and I liked it. I liked that I was not just limited to fashion and drawing classes and that I could take classes in so many different fields. I like to be educated to learn about academics, but there are times when I look back at my time at FIT and it hurts. I hate to live with regrets but I feel as if the further I get into school the more I worry about making a mistake. I see the work that my old classmates are doing now at FIT and I wish I could be doing that. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I stayed at FIT and I always think about going back. However, I don't want to go back only to come back again. I've been going through this dilemma for almost 2 years now and it bothers me. I feel as if no matter what side I'm on, I'm always unsure. Sigh..

Sorry for the rant. I just needed to get it out.

 

[BetteT]

First of all ... education is good ... any education. Secondly, if you are nor committed 100% to fashion as a career ... then fashion school could be a waste of time. So I don't think you did the wrong thing.

There are still lot's of careers in fashion that don't need you to be educated at a fashion school ... so take the time to figure out where your interests and talents are by continuing in general academics and sooner or later it will become apparent what you would be happiest doing, as a career.

About the only thing that you need fashion school for is being a desinger. Here's some ideas of things you can do in fashion that don't require a fashion school eductaion

Publishing .... fashion editor/stylist, managing editor.
Journalism ... writing a column, reporting ... writing skills essential.
Buying ... working in retail, need good math and business skills and a good eye for what sells in shops.
Merchandising .... similar, but more geared to statistics and profit & loss.
Freelance stylist/ makeup artist/ photographer ... need good business and marketing skills, some talent and and a good education in art and history a plus.
Marketing and Advertising ... creative but also need good business skills.
Public Relations ... need to be able to write well, like social settings, be able to work under changing pressures.

We have threads about all of these occupations and more, right in this forum ... if you want to know more about each profession. And we have a thread about "What Career for Me" ... which lists these and more ideas.

 

[superbeautiful]

That's the thing though, I have only ever been interested in fashion design. If I was interested in merchandising or another path, things would have been a lot easier since it would have been simple to merge the both. I feel like I am on two total different extremes of the pole here. Just when I feel as if I want to do one thing, I always get double minded. I have tried to apply for internships with design houses to maybe give me a taste on how work in the industry will be but getting internships with fashion design is hard since they always want lots of experience and since I am no longer linked with FIT. I appreciate your advice though BetteT.

 

[pomegranates]

everybrightstar, LCF (maybe CSM as well) do short courses for 16-18 year olds, but obviously short course = a week or so long. And I'm sure how great these are.
Are you only interested in journalism? If you are also considering fashion design/illustration, then a non-specific art/design course is a possibility.

Also, if you have some sort of experience or very determined/hard working and not too picky, you could get an internship in a small designers studio - great thing about London, there are new designers popping up everywhere and they survive on interns.

I suggest you go at it alone - no agencies, they just suck up your money. It always helps if you have friends/family because London can be tough if you don't know anyone, but I'm sure you will meet similar minded people if you find a course.

 

[Nonobstant]

Here is my point; I want to become a makeup artist, and I've found a school which proposes exactly what I want. It's a short (1 year) and very concreet formation about professional makeup (for the cinema, tv, and fashion industry). But the point is that formation is more restrictive and I could have difficulties finding a job. Plus, the school is private so the formation is expensive.

Whereas my family is pressuring me to choose another formation, much more scholar and general, dealing not only with makeup but with massage, nails and body care. Because it's obviously the safest formation to do if I want to find a job. But I'm not sure to be as motivated for that one...

I need to remain realistic!! I want to earn money and make a living by my own, but I don't want to end with doing everyday-like makeup for clients in Sephora, Mac beauty centers etc...I want to create and/or realize original makeups, like what we see on some fashion shows...I consider it as an art.


What am I to do, I MUSTN'T do the wrong choice...

 

[BetteT]

I don't know how it is in France, where you are ... but here in the U.S., it takes years for makeup artists to get to the point that they are doing makeup in magazines an in fashion shows ... at least as the key makeup artist. All of them dream of this world, but almost none of them ever get to do that kind of work. And it is not how you make your money ... acutally ... it pays very poorly.

Most makeup artist start their careers in Sephora, behind a department store counter selling makeup or doing weddings, because it's impossible to make a living doing magazines and shows and nothing else. These glamor jobs are just to build your portfolio and resume ... you make you money doing things like catalogs and advertisements ... which is not creative at all. You must just produce what the client wants. If you get lucky, and make the right connections, you could get hired for TV or films ... but that is not as creative as you think, unless you go into special effects makeup (which is another career, altogether).


Then, it's extremely competitive to get the "glamour" jobs you probably want ( the ones that don't pay you much) ... and you have to have a solid foundation of the best portfolio, a good reputation and lots and lots of connections in the fashion world to even get noticed. What you want to do is not a realistic outcome ... it's once chance in thousand and you must do a lot of other types of jobs to support yourself.

Therefore, ... your parents are right. You need to have some backup plans and the more you know, the better chance you will be able to support yourself in the beauty industry.

You can always do the creative stuff by testing with photographers and sometimes that can work into opportunities. That is done on your own time, using your makeup (which is at your own cost) but it's the fun part of working in this business. And you always will need to test to keep your portfolio updated.

There are a few threads here about all of this:

• Becoming a Makeup Artist - training, schools and breaking into the biz,
• About Your Portfolio and Testing, for Freelance Stylists, Hair/Makeup Artists etc.(needed if you want to work in fashion as a freelance makeup artist)
• Freelancers (Stylists, Makeup Artists, Photographers, etc.) - Marketing Yourself (it's your own business and you must find work every day ... this is how we do it).
• Creative Agencies ... Representation for Stylists, Photographers, Makeup Artists, Etc (sometimes, if you get good enough, you can get an agent and they will send you out on jobs),

I suggest that you read these ... they will give you a bit of insight as to how it will work and what to expect if you decide to become a freelance makeup artist.

My suggestion ... take the more extensive course and you will have something to fall back upon, if you don't get anywhere in your freelance career. Remember ... most fail, and those that make it ... do more mundane work most of the time. Only the top 1% (or probably les) actually find fame and fortune and get to be creative all the time. Maybe you can make it ... but it won't be easy and you will need to support yourself in the meantime.

 

[Nonobstant]

ooh...yeah, indeed I've decided I was going to do the more general formation to then work in a beauty shop, and only then, complete my knowledges by doing that formation of professional makeup artist...so that I will have something to do a living. And I will see what opportunities I can grab...
Well, I think I may do unpaid work to develop my artistic skills and build, as you say, a portfolio.
I hope I'm not too centered on the artistic side to do beauty shop jobs...
Well, tomorrow I'm going to attend some courses given at that makeup school, in order to be well aware of what it is going to be like...
Thanx a lot for your advices! The links you gave me are pretty useful!

 

[missnyc]

Hey guys, I heard that Anna Dello Russo is an Art Historian specialized in Fashion History. Is that a degree or what? I'm studying Art History and I'd like to know how to get involved in fashion from my degree... Thank you!

 

[BetteT]

Here's thead about that topic: Art History - where can you go from here?

 

[missnyc]

Thank you so much BetteT

 

[Dija]

Hello everyone! I do need a bit of advice when it comes to school, so I'm hoping someone will help me out a bit.

I graduated this year studying Journalism, but it's not what I want to do. My goal is to become either a buyer or a booker for a modeling agency. I know that you don't necessarily have to go to school to become a booker, but I feel that going to university would help me in the long run.

I'm stuck because while studying Journalism in college, I was not happy at all. I hated it and didn't care and just wanted to get it over with. I really want to study Fashion Communications at Ryerson, but I don't think my marks are good enough. I regret having that kind of attitude because now I'm afraid I won't be able to get into university based on my college marks. I'm currently upgrading my high school marks to better my chances. Should I continue trying to go university, or should I still pursue my future career with my current diploma?

 

[BetteT]

A buyer requires a knack and training in math, budgets, statistical trends, etc. .... so that's a whole other feild of study. Fashion Merchandising is the course for this, I beleive ... a buyer usually works for the head Merchandiser.

A booker .... usualy you just need connections, a lot of knowlege about how modeling works and a good business head ... and connections to people who hire models (retailers, designers, publicists sometimes, etc.). Schooling doesn't seem to matter ... experience and having good connections does.

There are threads about both of these professions ... what you need to study, what they do, how you get started in them. Just do a search of this forum (Careers, Education) using the keywords buyer and booker ... you should find both of them easily.

 

[violathebee]

Advice needed- after getting a B.A. at a four year university

Hello everyone! I am currently a third year economics major at a top 25 university in the US. Since I only have one more year left, I can't help but stress about my future! I know I want to become a buyer or work in fashion business, so I've been thinking about doing more school after I graduate from my university. Would it be better for me to go to to FIT and receive a second degree/BA in fashion merchandising? Or should I go to graduate school and receive a MA in fashion studies at Parsons?

 

[BetteT]

I can't answer your question about school, since I don't know if additional schooling is even required to get into a position as an assistant buyer ... I'm thinking that a 4 year degree in any related feild is probably enough. You just need to be able to have a decent knowlege about how statistical trends work, p&l, etc. ... and have a decent eye for current fashion. See this thread ... you should be able to gain some insight if you read it all: Becoming a Buyer?

Also ... don't forget ... you'll probably benefit by interning (in a buyer's office in some retail store) and you can probably do that this summer, if you get on it right away. Interning is the gold standard for fashion ... it's almost expected.

 

[blackkohl]

Hello,
I have loved fashion for a long time and I would love to work in the fashion industry in the future. Fashion journalism sounds like the perfect career path for me as English has always been my forte. I think that it would be fantastic to work as a writer for a fashion magazine and to be able to combine my two passions: writing and fashion.

However, my parents would never let me go straight off to a fashion/arts college to do a BA in Fashion Journalism, as they want me to follow in their academic footsteps and go on to Oxbridge. I would love to go to the likes of Oxford or Cambridge to study English, or English combined with, say, Latin or French. However, if I were to be academic and not complete a BA in fashion journalism, then would that scupper my chances of being able to work in the fashion industry in the future? I've looked at some fashion colleges on the internet and I've learnt that I could go to the London College of Fashion to study an MA in Fashion Journalism. That would be OK with my parents because I would have completed a respectable degree at a respectable university beforehand... but would that be good enough to help me go into the world of fashion magazines and journalism, or would it be better for me to drop the idea of academia altogether and just go straight to fashion college (against my parents' wishes)?

Also, can anyone think of any general, non-academic skills that are required for work in fashion journalism? (Apart from networking, as I already know that that is valued in the industry.)

Sorry if this hard to understand (I'm in a rush) or if somebody has already asked a question that is virtually the same; I haven't read through the entire thread!

 

[BetteT]

Moving this from the How to Get a Job at a Magazine thread to this thread where it's more applicable, since you are still just trying to decide what shcool to go to and not ready to enter the work force.

Who is paying for the education? If it is your parents, then I suggest that you do as they wish and find a way to customize it to your goals. And it sounds like you have found a good way ... a compromise by going to fashion school after you graduate from a standard UNI.

And won't you learn how to write better by studying Englsh (including literature and compostion) and other languages? Won't you be come more well rounded and knowlegeable about the world? All or that can help you become more objective and a better journalist.

Journalism is journalism ... there's nothing special about "fashion" journalism ... you still need the same skills. I'm not familiar with the curriculum at those schools, but can you take general journalism courses to supplement your regular classes? As a regular journalist, you still have to write well, be able to fact check and be able to capture your readers' interest. All journalism requires research, so you will always learn about your particular subject as you go along. There is no reason you can't become a great journalist who happens to know a lot about fashion and who gets a job at a fashion magazine. Fashion magazines don't necessarily hire just "fashion school" graduates, More often than not, .. people come from other walks of life and with varyinig educational backgrounds.

You need to understand that anything in fashion is extremely competitive and it's always good to have a back up ... because most people don't make it in fashion ... even if they are well educated. So, again, getting a proper education that is broader in scope can help you in fashion or any other type or journalism and prepare you for anything that might come your way.


I suggest you stay with your parent's plan ... it's more likely to bring you success in some career, if not you chosen career of fashion journalism. You never will know where life will take you and you won't limit yourself this way.

Of further interest to you, here is our thread about a career in Fashion Journalism.

 

[Minimalist]

Hello,
I have loved fashion for a long time and I would love to work in the fashion industry in the future. Fashion journalism sounds like the perfect career path for me as English has always been my forte. I think that it would be fantastic to work as a writer for a fashion magazine and to be able to combine my two passions: writing and fashion.

However, my parents would never let me go straight off to a fashion/arts college to do a BA in Fashion Journalism, as they want me to follow in their academic footsteps and go on to Oxbridge. I would love to go to the likes of Oxford or Cambridge to study English, or English combined with, say, Latin or French. However, if I were to be academic and not complete a BA in fashion journalism, then would that scupper my chances of being able to work in the fashion industry in the future? I've looked at some fashion colleges on the internet and I've learnt that I could go to the London College of Fashion to study an MA in Fashion Journalism. That would be OK with my parents because I would have completed a respectable degree at a respectable university beforehand... but would that be good enough to help me go into the world of fashion magazines and journalism, or would it be better for me to drop the idea of academia altogether and just go straight to fashion college (against my parents' wishes)?

Also, can anyone think of any general, non-academic skills that are required for work in fashion journalism? (Apart from networking, as I already know that that is valued in the industry.)

Sorry if this hard to understand (I'm in a rush) or if somebody has already asked a question that is virtually the same; I haven't read through the entire thread!

Hi, I was in your position last year when it came to choosing which subject to study. I intend to go into fashion journalism as well, but after doing research (talking to journalists employed by magazines, freelance and those in the PR industry) I realised a 'basic' English degree is a better foundation. I'm now at the end of my first year of a BA English Language and Literature degree, certain that I will learn skills required for journalism of all kinds and skills that are also lucrative for the PR industry. I cannot decide at the moment between PR or journalism - either way, I will select to study a MA in the subject that I aim to make my career.

Hope this helps, do not hesitate to message me if you're interested in asking me something.