Persuing a career in fashion design!

HoldOnTight

Hi,

I'm currently doing my BComm in UCD but have had an interest in fashion design for quite a while now. I've contemplated dropping out, preparing a portfolio and applying to art college but, after months of going back and forth, I decided to stick with the BComm and persue fashion after I graduate. I plan on taking some summer courses in sewing and dress making and I have a large pile of sketches and drawings that continues to grow. I was hoping some of you could suggest some good fashion design textbooks that would get me on my way. I'm pretty good at the whole sketching aspect of design so a book that concentrated on the more technical aspects of the design process (such as different textile effects, sewing, fitting) would be preferable.

Also, I was hoping people could tell me about possible internships with designers after I graduate. Is this a common thing? Particularly because my area of qualification would be commerce (probably marketing) and not fashion?

Thanks in advance

HOT

Dudess

Not gonna lie to you - very hard to get into. The best places to study it would be NCAD or Limerick but would you be willing to do a four-year/three-year course after you complete your commerce degree? Would you maybe consider going to the UK to do a postgrad?
It's also very hard to get into those courses, but you could do a PLC course - probably a number of them in Dublin. My friends did the two-year one in Cork College of Commerce. They found it excellent in terms of the amount of hands-on training. That might be the best option, because even doing a degree won't guarantee you a job so it might be a waste to do so. Whereas the PLC courses are shorter. And you'll always have your BComm to fall back on. In fact there are a number of business modules on the NCAD course, which you'd have already covered anyway.

Diairist

If you're in Dublin look at the top floor in powerscourt townhouse centre of a Saturday. They have a cubby hole of a place on the Clarendon Street side that seems to be a hodge podge of tiny stalls of accessories and once off dresses / frocks / stuff. If you asked the sales persons there they might tell you about their career to date & opportunities.

(then if you want to have a little cry look at the women customers elsewhere and see how a badly cut outfit with a tweed patch pocket sewed on at an angle costs so very much more than the mere Savida outfit.)

IMHO the 'stuff' sold on Saturdays looks brilliant. Never bothered to look at prices.

spinandscribble

getting an internship without experience or suitable qualifications (ie. something solid behind you) would be nearly impossible. i'd suggest if you're really serious about this you should do a plc and try to get into limerick or ncad. you could try england as well. the skills wont just come from reading a book and a teacher would be better.

dellas1979

Closing date for all first year courses in Art and Design has come and gone (1st Feb) and there is no late date so maybe get your portfolio ready and try for Sept 2009.

Pythia

Have you looked into the Grafton Academy? They do all sorts of courses.

http://www.graftonacademy.com/

allabouteve

HoldOnTight wrote: »

Hi,

I'm currently doing my BComm in UCD but have had an interest in fashion design for quite a while now. I've contemplated dropping out, preparing a portfolio and applying to art college but, after months of going back and forth, I decided to stick with the BComm and persue fashion after I graduate. I plan on taking some summer courses in sewing and dress making and I have a large pile of sketches and drawings that continues to grow. I was hoping some of you could suggest some good fashion design textbooks that would get me on my way. I'm pretty good at the whole sketching aspect of design so a book that concentrated on the more technical aspects of the design process (such as different textile effects, sewing, fitting) would be preferable.

Also, I was hoping people could tell me about possible internships with designers after I graduate. Is this a common thing? Particularly because my area of qualification would be commerce (probably marketing) and not fashion?

Thanks in advance

HOT

I think anywhere in Europe you would need a college level qualification to gain any kind of internship/apprenticeship.

However, in the 90's I spend 3 years working as a model in Tokoyo, and most of the designers there took their apprentices on on the basis of their sketch portfolio, sample pieces etc. Most apprentices were western as well, but the Japanese people I met working in the industry WERE graduates. There was a definite bias in favour of Europeans.

shazpunk

Pythia wrote: »

Have you looked into the Grafton Academy? They do all sorts of courses.

http://www.graftonacademy.com/

I've studied here and loved it! The great thing about Grafton too is you get to know alot of people in the business, and thats the only way you'll make it I'm afraid to say. Iregardless of how good you are, if you don't know people, you wont go very far. Also, keeo an eye out for any label launches or anything along that line, get your blagging hat on and go make your careere

blaisepascal

Hi,

I'm completely in your situation as you had described below (I know some years ago at leats:)) I was wondering what did you apply for in the end?? I'm currently looking at courses in DIT, Dublin Institute of Design and the Grafton Academy. Let me know as I would be so grateful for a response!

Thanks!

HoldOnTight wrote: »

Hi,

I'm currently doing my BComm in UCD but have had an interest in fashion design for quite a while now. I've contemplated dropping out, preparing a portfolio and applying to art college but, after months of going back and forth, I decided to stick with the BComm and persue fashion after I graduate. I plan on taking some summer courses in sewing and dress making and I have a large pile of sketches and drawings that continues to grow. I was hoping some of you could suggest some good fashion design textbooks that would get me on my way. I'm pretty good at the whole sketching aspect of design so a book that concentrated on the more technical aspects of the design process (such as different textile effects, sewing, fitting) would be preferable.

Also, I was hoping people could tell me about possible internships with designers after I graduate. Is this a common thing? Particularly because my area of qualification would be commerce (probably marketing) and not fashion?

Thanks in advance

HOT

Twee.

Thread locked, please don't resurrect 8 year old topics, just start a new one.