Technology's Role in Clothing Design

by Sarah Clark
Fashion School Review Columnist

June 18, 2007

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Technology and fashion haven't always been part of the same discussion among those in the fashion industry, but that's changing. In recent years, computer technology has significantly changed the clothing design business.

As little as fifteen years ago, unknown clothing designers were wholly reliant on brick-and-mortar stores as venues for reaching buyers. Now with an appearance on a reality television show or a great review in Vogue, designers can potentially set up shop on the Internet and make a handsome living selling clothing online.

Careers in Fashion Marketing: Leveraging the Power of the Internet
Providing small designers access to big markets isn't the only way the Internet has changed the clothing design business. A marketing career in fashion, for example, will no doubt carry with it a primary focus on the Internet as a marketing and sales tool. Now every department store, big-label designer, and even small up-and-coming luminaries have some sort of Web presence.

Fashion Schools Embrace Technology
Even fashion schools have been affected by the technology revolution. Before computer aided design, fashion students would sketch all their work. Today, they can use computers to draft designs and view them from different perspectives. Of course, many designers still do things the old-fashioned way, and take great pride in their sketches. But there's no mistaking the time that's saved from using computer modeling technology.

And it isn't just fashion schools who embrace this technology. As you launch your career in fashion you'll also find designers using computer aided design software. It allows them to save time by trying different colors and styles on a model without the painstaking task of re-sketching.

So when you're close to embarking on a career in fashion or a fashion school program, prepare yourself to embrace technology. It's an increasingly important part of any job in fashion.

Source:

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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

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