What's the Next Best Thing to Fashion School in Italy?

By Jonathan Haeber
Learning & Life Columnist

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You may have heard about them - Prada, Gucci, Giorgio Armani. It should be no surprise that such fashion exemplars have Italian names. Some say the center of high fashion is in Italy.

The clothes don't just make themselves, though. Designing great apparel requires creativity, dedication, a solid fashion design school background, and a little luck.

Of course, this can be achieved at Italian fashion schools, but why pay upwards of 10-20,000 U.S. dollars a year, to say nothing of living and travel expenses? You can learn to design Italian without ever leaving the states!

You can even study Fashion Design in historical London, England - a gateway to Europe travel. Through American Intercontinental University, London, you can earn two internationally-recognized degrees - an American and British Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design or Marketing.

What You'll Learn at Fashion Design School

A typical course in fashion design involves a wide range of skills, some of which require talent and, others, knowledge. Whether you choose to go to fashion school in the U.S., London, or in Italy, you'll be taking the same basic course framework, including:

Illustration. Drawing and sketches are an essential aspect of fashion design. All successful fashion designers have a solid education in Art, and sometimes choose to study art practice in fashion courses.
Computer-aided design and drafting (CAD). Technology skills are essential in any competitive job, and fashion is no exception. Many design courses focus on knowledge of vital computer programs, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, and Flash.
Marketing. Fashion marketers are the visionaries behind the scenes of the fashion world. They are generally paid more than fashion designers. Although a fashion designer creates the visual appeal of clothing, fashion marketing ensures that it catches on and is successful, often guiding the designer in developing apparel that stays true to the latest trends.
Art and Fashion History. An understanding of fashion trends throughout history is important in creating designs that will be successful for many years in the future.
Stitching and Patternmaking. The "hands-on" work of fashion can be the most rewarding aspect of the job. This is the time when your design materializes - literally!

Fashion Design Job Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) one-third of all designers are self-employed - five times the national average - and many high-fashion designers choose self-employment over working for a firm. If you enjoy the freedom of working for yourself, a fashion design education may be the right choice.

Question Authority

When shopping for a mortgage, you should get your information from more than one source, but get the same information from each source to make comparisons easier. What should you ask each lender? Here are a few questions to ask and why they are important to you:

Success doesn't come easy, however. It will take a lot of hard work and, often, a college degree. You have the greatest chance of succeeding in fashion design if you have a good eye for style. Also, according to the BLS, fashion design employers seek people with two our four-year degrees who keep up-to-date with the latest fashion trends.

Fashion Design Salary

If you complete your fashion course plan - whether it's in Italy, London, or the U.S. - you'll have the necessary preparation for a high-paying career. The average national salary for a fashion designer is $40,000. Of course, some fashion designers have the potential to earn six figures, but success requires hard work and determination.

Eventually, you may see your own name plastered on a t-shirt or in the shoe section of your favorite department store. Until then, hold intact your originality; as Henry David Thoreau once said, "Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new."

Sources

About the Author
Jonathan Haeber is no secret agent man, but writes about merchandise as a full-time copywriter for Discovery Channel Stores. He graduated from U.C. Berkeley with degrees in English and Geography.

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