Fashion designers without a degree?

[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

 

[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]

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]

Rei Kawakubo

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]

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..

 

[*Happiness*]

book smarts isn't always the best.

 

[lostinemotion]

yeah. well, i definitely can say that i have witnessed people in fashion school who got more out of it because they had the passion inside of them, then on the other end, there were girls just doing it because their parents want them to go to school...for anything.
i know lots of designers that end up dropping out of school because you get opportunities being in school.
it depends on how you want to enter the industry to. do you want to come out with your own line right away or work under someone?
I think that basic skills and understanding of construction are the most important things. I've interned with girls that never had any college education and it was a big struggle.
Maybe taken the basic classes like draping and patternmaking are key...

 

[Missoni~Heiress]

I think designing is alot like being an author... many teachers want you to be more like someone else instead of just expressing yourself... if you really want to be a designer bad enough you would have a general knowledge of what does and doesnt work in the haute couture shows etc... i dont think a degree is needed... im a designer and i dont have a degree

 

[softgrey]

what????
since when???...you are NOT a designer...
you are NOT an author...
you are DELUSIONAL....ENOUGH......

 

[softgrey]

Donna Karan dropped out..
but eventually got an honorary degree...

i think calvin dropped out too...


but that was a VERY different time and the competition was not as stiff..
things don't work the same way these days...