Good manners, Attitude, Puncuality, Passion, and .........is keywords to success

Fashion Designers So You Want To Be A Fashion Designer?
If you have clicked on this page it may be because you dream of becoming a fashion designer or working in some aspect of fashion. The industry is huge, and always needs and seeks new talent. So your dream is not impossible, but you might want to read further and think about the advice that I'm about to offer you. I don't work in the business, but I've been writing about and observing fashion and its creators for years. The most important thing is to read, read, read. Everything you can about fashion, biographies, magazine articles, everything. Go to your local library and see what books they have about the fashion business, fashion designers, etc. Look through Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Details, and Womens Wear Daily and W if they have them. If you can afford to, subscribe to Vogue (the last time I looked, if you live in the US, a subscription costs $ 12 a year). Harper's Bazaar, W, In Style, Town and Country, and whatever is the hottest magazine at the moment devoted to young fashion. Train your eye. Go to museums and art galleries if you can. Look at as many art books as possible that you can find in the library. When you look at paintings from centuries ago you will be surprised at how many things you see in portraits that have been copied/adapted by modern designers. Or have inspired/influenced them. Looking at works of art is also very important because if you don't have a well-developed sense of proportion you will get used to seeing things put in balance and proportion. And fashion, especially today, is very much about having a sense of proportion and being able to put things together in an original and interesting way. Look at as many art books as you can find, from modern to historic. If you live in New York City (or can visit) go to Gallagher's in Greenwich Village which sells old fashion magazines. If you can afford to, buy as many as you can. Today youngsters don't realize how lucky they are not only to be able to see so many old movies on TV, but to be aboe to rent/buy videotapes or DVD's and watch them at home. I remember when Giorgio Armani showed the jacket of a suit for the very first time that had only one very prominent lapel. Unfortunately I can't remember the thirties film from the US I saw not many months later in which a very sophisticated actress wore a dark jacket with one white lapel. Pia Soli, an Italian fashion journalist and historian once remarked that during a long illness remarked that she watched hundreds of old films "And I can't tell how how many times I saw the inspiration for collections I had seen!" Like so many glamorous jobs to which so many aspire, there's a lot of hard, exhausting work with long hours involved. There's no such thing as overtime, and working on weekends and holidays can be perfectly normal when a collection is being prepared. You also need the hide of an elephant, especially in the beginning, because you may hear so-called "experts" giving you fifty reasons why you'll never make it, mercilessly listing your defects. This is where you have to remember the entire speech that Winston Churchill is said to have made to a graduating class: "Never, never, never, never give up!" Later, if you become successful, beware of getting a swelled head, and remember who your REAL friends are. And that should you make it to the top and slip, you'll meet a lot of people on the way back down to whom you may not have been as nice as you should have. Do you want to design for men, women, kids? Find the nicest shop or boutique in that category and see if you can work there on Saturday afternoons, during vacation. If they won't pay you ask if you can help out. It's helpful to work, at least for a while, in a shop or department store to learn something about clothes, especially the more expensive ones. You should get to know the people you want to design for, their bodies, their needs, likes, and dislikes. Is there a local garment factory you can visit? Do you know any seamstresses who would let you hang out with them, maybe do some errands in exchange for watching them work? You must have a lot of passion if you want to succeed, you should be willing to make sacrifices, and you should take advantage of any opportunity you have to learn more. I used to cover automobile racing, and I learned two VERY important things from two people: Alan Rees, Formula One team manager: "Luck is where preparation meets opportunity." Jackie Stewart, formula Formula One World Champion, after winning the World Championship after an extremely difficult race: "Never, never, never, never give up." (Did he read Winston Churchill?) You need to believe in youself, have self-confidence, but also be realistic. Assuming you have a great deal of innate talent, it's still not enough to ensure success. There are certain things you need to succeed in any field, and here are some of them: Good Manners. They are always in fashion no matter what your contemporaries may tell you. If you live in the U.S. and your local newspaper runs the syndicated "Miss Manners" column please make a point of reading it when it appears twice a week. You won't be sorry, because Judith Martin (aka Miss Manners) happens to dispense her advice with a very acerbic with and she's sure to make you laugh (and you'll certainly learn a lot.) When somebody gives you an appointment, to ALWAYS send a written note expressing your appreciation. If somebody takes the time to answer an E-mail, as I often have, be sure to thank them, and in the mail refer to your request. (Some people receive a lot of mail and can't remember every single person they answered.) When making phone calls to important people try to get the name of the secretary and always ask for her when you call. You'd be surprised how powerful secretaries can be, and if you're polite, they can often be very helpful. And never address somebody by their first name on the first meeting. When you get to know them better wait for them to say, "Please call me Bud." Remember, it doesn't cost ANYTHING to be polite and considerate, and as my Daddy's mammy (yes, he was from Virginia and had a mammy) said: "Politeness will git you fo' the King!" And in his case, it did, King Leopold of Belgium, many manyh years ago..... The golden rule still applies today, treat others as you would like be treated. If you step on toes on your way up things won't be easy for you shoud you later descend as you'll be passing many of those you offended in the past. Attitude. You can't afford it. Being polite and pleasant to everybody, no matter what their position, can't be stressed enough. This doesn't mean you have to become a rug and let everybody walk over you, but it means treating people with respect and expecting them to treat you with the same respect. If an employer has to choose between two equally talented would-be designers the job will more than likely go to the good-natured person. Or the one with the better connections, but unfortunately that's a fact of life and you'd better face it sooner than later. Unless you are super-talented nobody wants to have to work with whiners, complainers, and neurotics. There's so much rudeness and bad manners in our lives today that people won't forget you when you are polite and considerate and say THANK YOU! Punctuality. Making people wait for you indicates that you dont have respect for them or their time. Get in the habit of arriving 10 minutes early for every appointment. You won't have to do that when you hit the top, but then, you won't last long at the top if you start giving yourself airs. Passion. Yes, passion, but not so much for sex as for your work. People who really care about their work, who read up on the subject, who find out everything they possibly can, who never pass up the chance to learn from somebody in the business, are people who succeed. Remember, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Don't limit yourself to fashion per se, learn as much as you can in many areas. Broaden your mind.  Concentration. Life is competitive, and nowhere will you find more competition than in the fashion industry. You need to be sure you know what you want, that you are willing to make sacrifices to achieve your ambition, and to focus directly on your dream. You cannot permit yourself to become distracted.. Taking Care of Yourself It's your body, and your life. Drugs and alcohol may seem to help but you need to keep your eye on the ball. Keep active, eat healthy, and get plenty of sleep. Have fun, but use your common sense. Sense of Humor. Having a sense of humor and keeping your perspective are important, as well as having your priorities straight. Sexual harrassment exists, and a sense of self-worth and humor can usually defuse unwelcome situations. It says somewhere that people who can laugh at themselves live longer. The Future. At some point you may realize that becoming a fashion designer is not going to happen. Take advantage of your exposure to people and get to know as many as you possibly can. You never know when somebody you've met could be the key to your future. If you've read this far, it means you're really interested. If you possibly can, enroll in a reputable fashion school. Save your money for a trip to New York with your mom or a friend. If you love fashion there are many other jobs to consider: publicist, advertising, stylist, photographer, makeup artist, hair stylist, fashion editor. It will take a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and perserverance, but if you really care, you'll make it! Good luck, and let me know how things go...By Saudi Ali, 3.11.2009