Help! Fashion or Business in university?

[pout306]

hey everyone! First off I'm new here and this is so exciting!!
ok i have a very important question and I would appreciate it sooooooooooo much if you guys would help!
Ok... So I am currently going into grade 12 (I'm 17) and I really really really want to study fashion, I've wantedto study it since I was in grade 6! I will have to start looking into universities very soon and I do not know if it is smarter to go into business or into fashion..although fashion is what I want to do, I feel like it is so risky going into it because not too many people come out of it with a decent salary. Also, i really want to study at Parsons (then again, who doesnt) or any fashion school if not that one..are they really hard to get into? I'm not amazing at one thing but I'm pretty good at many things. All i want is someadvice because my guidance councilors don't help me and I don't know anyone else in the situation. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rockitgirl]

You know what? This is a question that only you can answer. You have to decide what is more important to you, having a good salary or having a career you have real passion for.

I am 25 and I started making clothes for my dolls when I was 4 and clothes for myself when I was 6. I LOVED fashion, I never wanted to be a model, I always wanted to be the one that made those cool clothes. I have been watching fashion tv shows for as long as I can remember. I too had the same question as you and I thought that I could just make fashion a hobby and go do something else. I found that I was really good at a lot of things and I have tried several different career paths but I've never been truly happy. I have worked in retail management. I have worked in theatre as a stage mananger. I have worked in call centres doing technical support and customer service. I have even spent 3.5 years in University to become an engineer including getting a chance to work as a Teacher's Assistant for a first year engineering course. I was good at every single job and other than the call centres I actually liked most but after all that, here I sit, at 25, with no career, realizing I should be in fashion. BUT I'm glad I didn't go straight into it because I'm afraid I would have strayed away without first testing out other things.

But that's just me, and that's just one story. You have to decide for yourself what you have to do at this point in your life. If you feel too worried to take fashion now then don't, it won't do yourself any good to do something that deep down you think won't work. You need to be confident in your decisions and if fashion is what you are supposed to do you will come back to it at some point. And age doesn't matter in this world, infact hardly any people make it big super young anyway because you really need some life experiences in this business.

You need to sit down and decide what is best for you at this moment in your life. If it changes then do something else later when it is right for you at that time.

Goodluck.

 

[erutuoC]

thank you for the advice, I am as well, in the same situation

 

[yourbestfriend]

im in similar situation but non fashion

 

[Amerzilian]

What should I do?!?

I am stuggled on which colleges I should go.

I want to study business because I want to open my boutique and clothing line.

Tell me if my decision was meeting, I am thinking about going to business college and then I would start opening my boutique. And send out my fashion sketches to manufacture to make outfits for my clothing line and sell them in my boutique.

What do you think of? Do I need to go to fashion and business both schools? Like I would go to business school and take sewing classes near my location and study fabric, textile, etc at home course. Actually, I am from Maryland. Most fashion schools are far away and I can't afford right now. I don't think we have to go to pretigious schools unless for doctor, lawyer, others would be reasonable. so, I need your help to clear with my decision. My decision is like %%$&^%*&(! lol

Beijinhos!

 

[Aindrea]

Business or Fashion Uni?

I've wanted to be a fashion designer for as long as I can remember.. and my parents are OK with that, as far as I know..
But they want me to go to a business school, instead of a fashion uni..

I think they partly don't believe in me, because they want me to get a "proper degree" so I can be diverse/have a fall back option..

I'm quite intelligent, so they probably think I'm wasting it.. because they aren't as creative or appreciative of the arts as me..

I just want some advice. Do you think fashion university is the best way to go? Or would business school give me a business like edge?

I can't imagine being very experienced in fashion design, if I don't learn the ropes first... which I think is what I am most worried about..

 

[softgrey]

i've merged these two because you are both asking essentially the same questions...

 

[katherine]

My friend is in the same position as you. She is going to a regular university and majoring in fashion merchandising. I think if you find a school you are interested see if they have fashion merchandising as majors, and also, I'd go with attending a business school. Even with a business degree, you have the option and opportunity for opening your own boutique - in fact, I'd even prefer it. Sure, having a fashion merchandising one will let you learn the basics of materials and what not, but you can really take those courses outside of college if you need. I think the business one is very important, can be used for a variety of careers, and pretty much fits into what you want to do. It's not like business school can stop you from opening your own place, in fact it is extremely useful and I'd go down that route! That's my take!

 

[voguelover94]

im in the same position as you... but im in year 9 so i have time to think. my parents say they're ok with my choice of career but since i go to a really good high school they want me to take advantage of that and go do something more 'stable'

 

[ms-nietzsche]

I don't think the college you chose will be as important as job and internship experience. In that respect, going to a fashion school might allow you to attain internships easier, assuming the school has a good career center.

 

[Boomer]

Hummm...I went to B school and worked in the industry; but I think the business part is the less important part, because, even though you need to understand how the the fashion business works and marketing and so on, you can pick that up from within a company you are working for and branch out from there...I think the technical part of textiles, design and manufacturing is harder to pick up..You can read a couple of good business books and learn the practical things you need to know without four years of finance and accounting- which is useless in most other fields...I'd look for a good fashion design/merchandising school and pursue an internship if you can- much more to the point, IMO!!

 

[homeboy]

Take your bachelors degree at a Business university, and then take a post graduate course at a fashion college.

 

[Amerzilian]

This or That?!?

I guess we are in the same ship.

My opinions:

Attending businss college and taking some sewing, drawing, fashion courses near my location.

-or-

Taking Academy of Art University online, but I don't know if it would be a good idea to take online. Have anyone who are online students here? If so, let me know how it is going.

Like I said I could not go to NYC, LA, London, Paris, etc... because I have domestic financial right now. So I want to study and work until I get a degree then I will transfer to LA for BFA.

What is your suggestion?

bjs

 

[voguelover94]

well i think maybe the 1st option sounds good

i think thats probably what i would do in 3 years time

 

[Amerzilian]

well i think maybe the 1st option sounds good

i think thats probably what i would do in 3 years time

I am thinking about that, but we will need fashion network, intership, etc... Fashion schools would provide that. Unless if you want to open your own small boutique so the first opinion would be suited, but if you want to be a competitive fashion designer, def going to fashion schools!

To be honest, I think it's ridiculous how could Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Ashlee Simpsons, Gwen Stefani and others open their own clothing line without having a fashion degree, just because they are literally famous. They did not have to go thru in the pain ... in school. I think $ talk ALL...

 

[voguelover94]

^^ famous by association. just ignore them. they're losers.

 

[k-a-t-e]

In regards to your career aspirations I do not think you need to go to College.

As an Entrepreneur concerned with starting your own business, you simply need the tools to allow you to do this.
This involves simple business principles and the knowledge and skills to make your garments and so forth. Therefore it would be time ineffective to go down a traditional Educational pathway.

I would recommend looking at your local Institutions and undertaking a short business skills short course alongside short courses in design and construction. You will also save a lot of money in the long run. You can then get started in the thick of your business, learning as you go since the majority of what you will learn will come through on the job training.

That being said, if you do want to end up working for someone else, I would entirely recommend going through a non-Fashion related Business School.

 

[GirlOfMyDreams]

Take your bachelors degree at a Business university, and then take a post graduate course at a fashion college.

I second that

 

[Boomer]

I agree with K-A-T-E...Undergrad and grad school will set you back five or six years and what, maybe a hundred thousand dollars? This is not the way to become a designer and an entrepreneur, sorry...If you want to work for a fashion house or a retailer, great, but that didn't sound like your goal...Hands on experience, a good portfolio, contacts within the industry are going to matter much more; there are a million kids running around with business degrees who know nothing but how to go to school and pass courses... This is not negativity, btw, I was one of them and was shocked at how unimportant a business degree is out in the real world; the educators will never mention this of course, they lead a lot of people to believe the college experience is all you need... People want to know what you can do and how you can make money for them- practical skills...

 

[Amerzilian]

voguelover94 - Certainly! B)

K-A-T-E - I fully agree with you, but I tried to apply a job for fashion designer and they always asked "experience required" or "a fashion degree." Will they accept me with my non-fashion degree, but with good portfolio?
Actually, I am taking Art Instruction Schools at home course. It's creditable (180 credits.) I am almost done, but I stopped half of lessons because I am now in Brazil, but when I return to USA, I will complete lessons. It will count it as college credits which is good. Yes, I could go to community college for business major and sometimes they have fashion course during winter or summer time -I'd definitely to take it! I am just concerned about my "resume" and where I come from. How, where, & can I contact to fashion industry and show them my portfoilo if they are intesrested my work so I could work for them. I also want to see my clothes on the runway one day! How can I do that? Get a show room, models, fashion designers like LV, Chanel, Dior, and others, and guests to my fashion runway. How can I begin this from the stratch? You tell me! I know I sound such a worry wart! hehehe!

Beijinhos!