Fashion Design Course

290. We offer two distinct options for anyone interested in learning how to become a fashion designer. For those who want to start a fashion brand, and just want help in the design process, we have a one to one Fashion Design Workshop. For those who want to learn how to become a Fashion Designer without taking a degree, we offer a short Fashion Design Course.

You dont need a degree to become a fashion designer for your own brand. Some of the worlds greatest fashion designers have not been qualified. To be successful you need a passion for design, some flare, an ability to convey your ideas, and an understanding of who your customers are.

Some owner/ designers have great ideas and talent, while others struggle with the creation process. Many are not able to sketch their designs accurately or professionally. And designers are not natural entrepreneurs.

We teach the basics of designing, sourcing and sketching to enable the designer to convey their ideas accurately, succinctly and clearly on paper. We teach how the designer can communicate their ideas to the pattern cutter in order to get it right first time round, so saving a lot of money in the process.

A fashion designer can be employed or self-employed. Or they can be an owner / designer.

The employed designer has to design according to the brand they are working for, although they may have some say in the design direction.

The self-employed designer may have more influence in the direction of the brand. They may even have total control. Ultimately though , it is their employer who decides.

The owner / designer can dictate absolutely the design direction - As long as they control the finances.

A designer does far more than just design. Extensive research is essential, in front of a computer screen, or leafing through fashion magazines for ideas and inspiration.

But it can also involve much travelling round the world to visit shops, fashion fares, shows and exhibitions. The designer, or their employer may invest in off the shelf research through professionally produced trend reports.

The designer is responsible for buying fabrics and trims, and liaising with the agents. A good fashion designer needs to have some understanding of garment and pattern construction.

To become employed as a fashion designer within the fashion industry it is usually necessary as a starting point, to obtain a degree following a four year fashion course. A good portfolio is essential in order to get a job. As with any other job, the learning only really begins once they are employed and working alongside experienced designers.

Sometimes it is possible to obtain a fashion design job without having the qualifications and portfolio, but this would be rare. It is unlikely that an employer would employ a fashion designer with little or no formal training, although sometimes a small firm would consider someone who showed design flare.

Our short, intensive fashion design course is intended mainly for owner/designers interested in starting a fashion brand, but without the formal training, to enable them to convey their design accurately to the pattern cutter. But we also have many students who just have an interest in fashion design and would like to pursue the possibilities.

Unless the designer is going to make their own patterns, they need to be able to explain to the pattern cutter exactly what they want. It is very important to interpret the design accurately as it costs a lot of money to have to remake samples.

Our fashion design course is conducted by Emile. He has a fully qualified tutor with over twenty years experience as a fashion designer and has an immense understanding of designing, garment construction, fabrics and sourcing. The intensive five day course is located at our sampling unit in Greenwich.

This one to one fashion design workshop is devised for the would-be fashion designer who has the design ideas, but has no experience and does not know where to start or how to bring the designs to life.

We work side by side with the client, using all their own ideas, garments and…