FASHION DESIGNING

Fashion is a huge industry in India. With globalisation the most famous Indian Fashion has got a wider platform to display their talents and introduce the 'Sari' to the world. India was always known as a country of jungles, snakes and poverty. But this has changed over the last decade. One of the reasons of India being competing in the race among the leading countries of the world is because of its sudden burst of fashion exposure - both within and beyond the country.

India is a diverse nation and does not have one particular style to call its own. However, fashion in India had mainly placed itself on the map creating its own unique identity of FUSION - the beautiful blend and combination od various dressing styles in the country. Right from the most old and traditional salwar kameez or sarees to churidars, kurtis, the semi formal way of wearing it over trousers or jeans, capris and the higly elegant and contemporary style of draping sarees, from simply cotton blouses to halter-neck, puffed sleeves, deep necks, and lycra-fitted blouses. Apart from regional attires and even including the Bollywood element also holds a domineering part in Indian Fashion style.

Fashion design serves as the applied art devoted to the designing of clothing and lifestyle accessories. This art is very much influenced by cultural and mostly social attitudes and has evolved over time and place. Fashion designing today in India has come a long way from the designer clothes worn by the royalty of the ancient world to the haute couture products of the present.Fashion designing today in India is one of the most lucrative, appealing, glamorous and exciting career options in today's world. If one has the quest for creativity, style and originality, a career in fashion designing is the one tailor made for you. On one hand, the fashion industry satisfies both the creative fancies of the industry and the materialistic needs of the people. On the other hand, it promises glamour, fame, success and a high pay package to the talented people.However, it is also a demanding career, as fashion designers need to combine their creativity with managerial skills to sustain in this industry. Thus, if you can create magic with colours, shapes and designs, then just obtain a professional course to begin a successful career in the alluring world of fashion designing.




Step-by-Step
To start a career as a fashion designer, two types of qualifications are required, that is, natural and acquired.

• Natural: this skill set would comprise of a decent aesthetic sense, colour expertise, good taste and sense of trends and fashion. An eye for detail, knowledge of fabrics and so on is a big plus for those serious about a career as a fashion designer.


• Acquired skills would be the qualification from a decent, recognized fashion Institute. One can enrol for either a full-time course or a part time certificate course. Students usually take these up after their 10+2 level. Not that the courses are not available for graduates or people with higher qualification. There are several short-term certificate courses that are offered by the same fashion institutes for super specialization, on part-time basis. These courses equip you with technical and creative thinking skills.

Start Early

• The word 'fashion' immediately conjures up images of glitz and glamour. The onset of the International fashion market in India has given an impetus to the fashion industry which has emerged as the booming industry and a career as a fashion designer is like a pot of gold. So, many young people who are attracted by these attributes decide to foray into the fashion industry.


• While the academic requirements are not very high, you need considerable aptitude and talent to be labelled “designer” material. You must be highly creative to combine colours, shades and textures and express your ideas through sketches.


• Your race for admission into a reputed fashion school will begin straight after school. Subjects like drawing, painting, home science and computer graphics will develop your creativity.


• By the time you finish the course you will have mastered the step-by-step making of a garment: from designing to pattern making, production and even marketing.

Some fashion academies extend merit based scholarships. These scholarships usually waive off payment of tuition fee only. These waivers continue in the subsequent year(s) on the condition that the awardees academic performance meets the prescribed standards of achievement.The criterion of these scholarship programmes is based on the annual income of the eligible student's parental annual income. There are a few scholarships sponsored by reputed companies for meritorious and financially deserving students. Scholarship awardees also get educational loan facility to cover other payable fee and expenses.



In India, the fashion industry has just begun to come of age, as it is still in its fledgling stage. This industry has been offering plenty of opportunities for talented hard working and enthusiastic people. Prospects for fashion design graduates are pretty good thanks to the huge and still growing demand for "designer wear" and the equally outsized quantity of exports.After successful completion of the course, you can remain self employed.Alternatively, several export houses, garment store chains, textile mills, leather companies, boutiques, fashion show organizers, jewellery houses and media houses recruit professionals interested in a career in fashion designing.



The Starting monthly package can be around Rs.10, 000 to Rs.15, 000. With experience one will acquire maturity in designing skills and a few years down the line your salary would be in the range of Rs.30, 000 to Rs.40, 000 per month. Of course, if you become a reputed designer you could demand the world.Great fashion designers form the salary always shows an upward moving trend. However, hard work and a conscious effort to update the latest trends in the fashion industry are imperative.



Economically India is progress is very much rapid today with even better future prospects. Therefore, the country today are witnessing rapid growth in many sectors which includes the fashion industry.Indian fashion is gaining very much popularity abroad because of cheap labour and excellent craftsmanship. Many top Indian designers are now catering to the growing international demand for even the quality fashion products and accessories. In addition, for the demand for Indian garments, designer saris and textiles are also of great demand.Many individuals mostly choose careers in fashion designing today as there are many areas of work and countless opportunities within this field.



The scope for fashion design jobs in India is immense as Indians have increasingly become more fashion conscious and seek to enhance it in every way. Clothing companies need to hire people in a variety of jobs, ranging from fashion designers, textile designers, models, retailers, buyers and merchandisers, to provide end-to-end solutions to their clients. According to a recent study and estimated the India's fashion designing industry aims to grow to Rs.1, 000 crores from the current to Rs.180 crores within the next 5 to 10 years.

Fashion Designing Ritu Kumar Ritu Kumar has been designing the wardrobes of the three winning Miss India's , for their participation in International Beauty Pageants (Miss Universe , Miss World and Miss Asia Pacific respectively ). In April 2002, Ritu Kumar launched her new sub brand, 'LABEL'. 'LABEL' cater today's woman, who is been increasingly independent, discerning and global. It is a modern offering, focusing on the cut, color, drape and feel of the garment. This brand has a universal appeal aimed at today's mobile lifestyle. It is fashionable, affordable and like all Ritu Kumar products, it is of the highest quality. Ritu Beri She is known as the first Indian designer to present a collection in Paris. There is no comparison for her style and elegance. Today her designs have become a highlight in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, USA, London and Paris. Ritu Beri's ready-to-wear line is very much impressive couture collection that had the French media raving about her. She is one of earliest fashion designer whose collection has made it quite big internationally. Ritu started her illustrious career in fashion when she created her first line of clothing in 1990, called Lavanya. It was a complete success for Ritu in India and on the international market, with the range selling out very quickly. Rohit Bal Titled as the 'India's Master of fabric and fantasy' by the Time magazine in 1996. Rohit Bal's sense of aesthetics is finely honed, and each of his creations is handcrafted to perfection, with meticulous attention to detail. He has access to the best the industry has to offer in terms of materials and workmanship. From villages where local craftsmen weave dreams with magic fingers, to factories, workshops and outlets where retailers jostle for survival, to the opulent grandeur of glitzy boutiques and malls at the best addresses in the big cities of high fashion, Rohit Bal can lead one to the doors of discovery, and he holds the key. Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla 'The boys', as the twosome of Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla are known in the fashion circuit, can be considered among first names in that made it big, by way of success, attention, fame and hype. It is a creative alliance that exudes attitude and talent. They were one of the first to display their creations at Harrods. Ever since, the Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla show is a much awaited, though not so frequent event. Though they lack in professional training, they push ethnic fashion to the limits, almost to the dictates of their fancies. No wonder they claim that they do not make garments, they make heirlooms. Wendell Rodricks Designer Wendell Rodricks started out as a catering graduate but found fashion designing was more suited to his palate. His minimalist chic style is a rage among Indian clothes lovers and he is known for his passion for white. He has written special features for Apparel, regular columns for Femina, Goa Today and freelance fashion journalism in major Indian news media. The multi-talented designer`s are the one who work includes theatre design, advertising styling and forecast portfolios. Manish Malhotra Manish Malhotra forayed into Bollywood by designing for Juhi Chawla in Swarg. Today, at 34, his name is synonymous with style in Hindi films. He is the one who has been revolutionized the fashion industry scene in Bollywood by envisioning a 'look' for the character. His tenure as a costume-designer has seen him clothe most of the leading actresses in the film industry from Sridevi, Urmila Matondkar, Karishma Kapoor, Kajol, Raveena Tandon, Manisha Koirala, Madhuri Dixit, Twinkle Khanna, Shilpa Shetty, Kareena Kapoor, to Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta. High on his success, Manish Malhotra decided to branch into mainstream designing in 1998 with his high-profile couture store Reverie - Manish Malhotra. He has done several wedding trousseaus for reputed families. His popularity soared during this period when he was exclusively asked to design clothes for Michael Jackson for his appearance during the Bollywood Awards held in New York. The performer was so please that he requested Manish to design outfits for his show in Munich and to design clothes for his children.

Better prospectus are been estimate both in terms of salary and growth of fashion design jobs is enormous and extends beyond India's markets to international markets too. Indian fashion designers are doing very well in almost all countries in and around the world and hence the scope has broadened for students of fashion designing.

Fashion designers such as Ritu Beri, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal, Satya Paul and Tarun Tahiliani are known worldwide. Many Institutions are been providing training to potential fashion designers to expand their talent and become entrepreneurs in the fashion world. The India Fashion Week has become an very popular international fashion event, with buyers from international stores making an appearance to transact business.With more and more Indians dressing up and focused on looking good, there is an increasing awareness about fashion in India. The Indian fashion industry is booming and as the domestic Indian Textile market is been worth $25 billion today and is also growing at an annual rate of 15-20%.