Some opinions please...

[Lagstar]

First post!

Anywayz.. I'm at a bit of a crossroads at the moment with furthering my career in fashion. I'm currently studying Fashion Design, in an accelerated one year course. I'm nearly at the half-way point, and its been non-stop stress from the beginning. The director and main instructor at the school is moody and volatile, two of the other teachers are damn near useless, but at least our patternmaking and sewing teacher is brilliant, as is the illustration teacher. I won't go into detail, but every day is hell and half the time we're expected to teach ourselves! Constantly two of the teachers tell us to 'work it out ourselves' if we approach them with a query or problem. Anyway... I have basically learnt all the information I need, and the next 6 months will be spent putting it into practice. I have already constructed 10 garments, and am confident in all the following aspects:

Design and illustration
Trend analysis
Mood board creation
Body measurement
Fabric sellection
Pattern Making
Trade sketching - on computer and by hand
Industry spec sheets and manufacturer instructions
Toile construction and adjustment
Garment styling and catwalk presentation
Speaking in front of a judging panel
Graphic Design
Brochure Design

I'm sick of the way we're treated at the school and the unreasonable deadlines we're given. I'm seriously considering leaving.
I have a few thousand in savings, and have someone who is willing to possibly invest if I can present a suitable concept.

Do you think the above skills are enough to drop out of my course and start my own label? I believe I have the talent to present a brand image that will sell. I'm on the edge, and wouldn't mind some outside opinions.

Cheers!

 

[simonewilliams]

its a one year course? if you're almost done then finish it off...its for your own future after all....why stop now just because of some bad experiences...in business you'll get worse. At the end of the day its your choice though...only you can make it.

 

[Lagstar]

Well, its half-way through. I don't want to divulge too many details about the school so I won't mention location. However, I don't think anyone can understand what we're put through in this course if they havn't been through it with us. The director is happy as Larry one minute, and calling everyone offensive names and swearing the next. He threatens to fail us constantly for ridiculous things, and did actually fail myself and 5 other classmates today in one subject, simply because we didn't hand in spec sheets which he asked us to revise - and wanted next week! Not today! But thats not how he remembers it..
Two of my teachers simply seem dissinterested in teaching anything. We're expected to work a lot of things by ourselves and I'm growing sick of it. I paid thousands of dollars for this course and expect to be taught. I may as well go buy a few books and teach myself.

 

[Lena]

stick with what is good in your school (pattern cutting) finish your course and then you can see from there..
it takes quite lots of money to start up your own line maybe it shuld be better to intern and start from there

 

[Stylebites]

He threatens to fail us constantly for ridiculous things, and did actually fail myself and 5 other classmates today in one subject, simply because we didn't hand in spec sheets which he asked us to revise - and wanted next week! Not today! But thats not how he remembers it..

Even though it could breed bad blood, you might think about taping your lectures/classes from now on. If something like this happens in the future you can go back and listen for the proof you need to make a formal complaint to the school management.

Ask before you start taping though. It's not a stealth operation, just a "learning tool"...hahaha