Top 10 Reasons to Go to Fashion School

by Amelia Gray
Fashion School Review Columnist

November 29, 2007

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Still on the fence about fashion school? Check out the top 10 reasons why fashion school should be the first step for any aspiring designer.

10. Your idea of "fashion history" was that swan dress Bjork wore to the Oscars.
You know that quote about how forgetting history makes you doomed to repeat it? Courses chronicling fashion's past keep you away from shoulder pads.

9. You don't know a swatch from a Swatch.
We're not talking the trendy 80s timepieces: textile courses teach you how to work with a range of fabric.

8. TiVoing "Project Runway" doesn't count as fashion education
though it can give you a sense of drama. Have you noticed that most of those designers are fashion school grads?

7. You don't speak CAD fluently.
Computer-aided design is taking the fashion world by storm, and designers are increasingly required to know their way around sophisticated design software.

6. You're not above sewing.
Think you can leave production duties like sewing and tailoring to your assistants? Not while you're the assistant.

5. Color is more complicated than black and white.
You know not to pair a brown belt with black shoes, but what's the ideal spring palette for maternity-wear shoppers in Vancouver?

4. You haven't sold product since you managed a lemonade stand.
In this industry, talent is meaningless if you don't know how to sell it. From selling patterns to proving your worth as a designer, marketing courses sharpen your competitive edge.

3. You can't skip over the little things.
Ornamentation? Accessories? Thread weight? The devil's in the details, fashionistas, and you need to know how to handle them all.

2. You still need to find your best fit.
You may go into fashion school with a love of formalwear, and come out with a passion for men's sportswear. Fashion school lets you try a range of styles.

1. You need to wedge your foot in the door.
You can have all the talent in the world, but applying for a design job without a folder full of your best work is going to get you a one-way ticket to the curb.

About the Author
Amelia Gray is a teacher and freelance writer in San Marcos, TX. Amelia earned a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature from Arizona State University.

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