Blurring Fashion Design and Marketing


pic_blurring-fashion-design-and-marketing.jpg
by Sarah Clark
Fashion School Review Columnist

April 14, 2008


Send Article to Friend Send to a friend | Printable Version

Launch Your
Fashion Career
from
The Art Institutes

The Art Institute
If you're considering a career in fashion design, you'll need to learn about fashion marketing. Sometimes the line between the two gets so blurry, it's hard to know where one ends and the other begins.

Is Tom Ford's success due to his marketing savvy or his genius as a fashion designer? If success is perfectly tied to fashion design talent, then why isn't the celebrated, award-winning designer Olivier Theyskens a household name? Why are more and more non-designers like Sarah Jessica Parker and Gwen Stefani issuing their own clothing lines?

Why Fashion Marketing Matters
The answer to these questions can be found in the offices of marketing vice presidents of fashion houses around the world. More and more of the clothing design industry seems to revolve around fashion marketing. Some may say it's good, others that it's unfortunate. What's clear, however, is that fashion design students need to fold a fashion marketing course or two into their studies.

Today it's no longer enough to invent gorgeous new lines, textures, and silhouettes. If a clothing designer wants to make it big in the fashion business, they've got to learn how the business of fashion works. They need to understand what branding means, and how to use it to transform their talent into a global brand.

Fashion School: Where Branding 101 Begins
To see how it's done, watch the careers of some of the masters, like Vera Wang and Tom Ford. But your foray into the fashion marketing world will likely begin in a marketing or branding 101 course at fashion school. Just remember, this stuff is important to learn, even for die-hard creative types.

Source:

About the Author
Sarah Clark is a freelance writer specializing in career development and postsecondary education.

Featured Schools

The Art Institutes system of schools is a leading educator of students in the creative and applied arts, including design, media, fashion, and culinary programs. Every program of study offered to you is regularly reviewed by industry leaders, advisors, and employers for relevance in the marketplace. Changes are made, if necessary, to integrate subject matter into the curriculum so that our degree programs reflect the way things are done in the real world of work. Programs listed are not offered at all locations.

See more facts about The Art Institutes

Get the design and business skills you need to succeed. American InterContinental University - Buckhead's mission is to provide students with the knowledge, skills and practical work experience they need for success. Whether you're interested in Internati

See more facts about American InterContinental University

Campus Locations:

Start planning for your future. No matter what you want to achieve in your career, the International Academy of Design & Technology in Chicago can help. The Academy offers diverse and comprehensive degree programs in numerous Design disciplines as wel

See more facts about International Academy of Design and Tech

Follow your passion! For over 35 years, the Visual College of Art and Design (VCAD) has taught artists and imaginative people just like you. VCAD's Fine Arts diploma program is highly regarded for providing a well-rounded arts education in an environment that emphasizes creativity and individuality. Which program is right for you? Choose from Graphic Design, Marketing & Merchandising for Fashion, 3D Modelling Animation Art & Design, Fashion Design, and Interior Design. We know that employers want graduates who are knowledgeable about their field and possess the most up-to-date technical skills. That's why our students receive focused and specialized training on the tools, techniques, and technology used in their chosen career field.

Visual College of Art and Design offers courses at one campus in Vancouver, British Columbia

Get started today by answering a few questions.>>>

See more facts about Visual College of Art and Design

Program Offer:
Campus Locations:

Prepare yourself for the future. Collins College, located in Tempe, AZ, is your gateway to the world of design and technology. Get the education you need to start a new career in Visual Communication, Multimedia Production, Animation, Digital Video, or PC

See more facts about Collins College

Campus Locations:

Earn Your Diploma from Home! Stratford Career Institute can help you earn your diploma from home in as little as six months, thanks to their proven study methods.

See more facts about Stratford Career Institute