Are you a budding fashion designer, and wondering if you need to know how to sew so that you can get your big break? Is learning how to sew the most important skill you need as a designer? Coming up are a few pointers on this!
- Be Creative
First, to get people interested in your designs, your work has to be creative enough to catch their attention. If you have good drawing skills, come up with a stunning design and put it down on paper! Let every piece that you draw demonstrate your unique style and your attention to detail.
- Create a Portfolio
A portfolio is an absolute must-have for every fashion designer. It should contain all your completed designs, as well as several blank papers where you can sketch ideas as they come to mind. You can also put in little pieces of fabric in your favorite colors, for ‘mixing and matching’ as you sketch.
- Learn the basics of garment construction
Every fashion designer must learn about garment construction, i.e. learning how different pieces of fabric are cut up and put together into a finished piece. This knowledge comes in handy when you have a sit-down with the tailor who will turn your sketches into reality.
- Fabrics and Colors
When you design a garment, you should have an idea of its colors and the material that will be used to make it. Get to know the different types of fabrics, and learn a few basics about color combinations with regards to skin color and body shape.
- Learn a few basic stitches
Yes, you will need to learn to sew a few basic sewing stitches – nothing fancy, though. For example, you may use the basting stitch to put together mock-ups of your designs. Get a small sewing box with different colors of thread, needles, and buttons to help with your designing process.
- Get to know the basics of visual presentation
You will definitely need to learn how to present your ideas to other people. You can sketch them, cut them out and stick the pieces together with glue, pin them up on a board, or stitch the pieces together with basting stitches. Have some colored pencils or felt pens nearby in case you need to add some color to your presentation.
- Keep up with current trends
Getting to know what other designers out there are up to is a great idea, as you will get to know what is trending and selling! Fashion magazines, websites, and YouTube channels are an inexhaustible source of ideas on new designs, visual presentation, portfolio building, and marketing.
- Love what you do!
All the above tips need one more crucial ingredient – passion. Let your love for fashion and your passion for seeing your customers looking good be evident in every piece you design, and you will succeed!
Though knowing how to sew may be helpful for every fashion designer, it is not the most important thing you need to succeed as a fashion designer! Put all the tips above into practice, and your designs are bound to become a hit!
