Getting High with the Lures of School and the Fashion Industry
By Janice Wilton

Through the years, more and more people have shown a great deal of interest in venturing into the fashion industry. Its popularity may be attributed in part to success stories of famous fashion designers the world over, like Tommy Hilfiger's. 

It was told that Hilfiger drove to New York, bought trendy clothes, and sold them to his townspeople for a huge amount of profit. This story is very inspiring, knowing that Hilfiger is now one of the most expensive and sought after brands out there. However, not everyone who is interested in the fashion world was born with a sharp business knowledge and outstanding fashion sense like Hilfiger's. 

Here is where education makes the difference.

With this rising interest of people in the fashion industry comes a rise in the competition, but then, so as with opportunities. It is getting easier to enter a fashion school and obtain a degree – may it be in fashion design, fashion merchandising, or fashion marketing.

These industries may focus on various aspects of the fashion industry, but they do overlap in numerous ways, including the need for knowledgeable instructors in the chosen industry. The competition may be stiff, but if you will be educated and trained in the proper way, you are sure to get an edge in the competitive fashion world.

First of all, you must determine which field you want to specialize in. As enumerated, the three - fashion design, fashion marketing, and fashion merchandising – are the top choices as far as the best opportunities in a fashion career is concerned.

Here are some of the basic information about each:

Fashion Design. If you are a fashion designer, you are considered as the artist of the fashion industry. You are expected to be a highly creative individual who has the eye for an array of colors, lines and textures and has a good sense of style. 

As easy as it may seem, a fashion designer's job does not start

and end in bringing visions into paper and doing sketches of masterpieces. Based on the final sketch, a designer must still sort through different textures and materials, and then predict how it will fit a fashion model or consumer's body. Once the material has been chosen, the pattern must be cut from the textile, and finally, sewn together. After numerous considerations, it is only then that the "vision" or final product will be seen.

Fashion Marketing. This is an aspect of fashion that basically operates behind-the-scenes. If you will become a fashion marketer, you will have to keep yourself side by side with the ever changing consumer purchasing habits and fashion trends; come up with advertising campaigns that will attract the attention and appeal to the tastes of specific types of consumers; and mind the various innovations that are introduced to the field every so often.

The visionary that is in every fashion marketer should foresee what would be successful and interesting to specific groups, as well as making sure that the apparel would be bought. Fashion marketers should be able to link fashion designers and the consumers.

Fashion Merchandising. Fashion merchandisers and marketers go hand-in-hand. Just like marketers, merchandisers must be able to foresee what is going to be the next new trend and style and determine the specific needs of a target consumer group. However, if the marketer is responsible for the advertising stints, a merchandiser actually buys the apparel and presents them to the various boutiques.

If you are going to be a merchandiser, you will aid the consumers in the selection of the right clothes – may it be through proper lighting, presentation, or simply giving valuable suggestions. 

There you have it! Do you want to get high with a new career? Find yourself a school and choose the course that is best for you! Submit yourself to the lures of school and the fashion industry.

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