Fashion isn't defined solely by our clothing choices, but is also conveyed through the way we carry ourselves, our personalities and our views of the world.  Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear or accessories.

Even if you say you don't care about fashion and don't dress to make a statement, you are making a statement (that you don't care about fashion). Most people pay attention to fashion in small doses which is a very healthy way to approach it. They make sure wardrobes are in step with the times and even indulge in a trend or two each season.  Fashion shows your thinking is modern and flexible (e.g. willing to accept and process new ideas).  Fashion has escapist qualities to help you deal with the pressures of the world (For example: your country may be at war, but you've "escaped" by dressing in the season's fluffy ruffles that make you look like you don't have a care in the world). Everything you put on sends a message. Fashion has almost nothing to do with good taste: it is a force that is beyond such practical considerations. The clothes that are presented at the fashion shows are often exaggerations of a theme. Some designers such as John Galliano (Christian Dior) go to great lengths to present extravagant looks that no one in their right mind would wear on the street. These collections are part marketing (to grab media and consumer interest in a designer line) and part artistic expression.  By the time they reach the stores, most looks are edited by buyers to be saleable (hemlines dropped an inch or two, elements of the original look are put onto more understandable pieces, etc.).

Fashion is always changing, slightly elusive, extremely seductive.  It has the power to transform an image and make a social statement.  Actualy the fashion is the prevailing style or custom, as in dress or behavior: out of fashion.  Something, such as a garment, that is in the current mode: a swimsuit that is the latest fashion.  The style characteristic of the social elite: a man of fashion. To some, fashion is an art form. To others, it is almost a religion.   But for most people it is a method of utilizing clothing, accessories and hair to show or hide something about yourself.   You can use fashion to express yourself, to serve as an extension of your personality: goth, skater, soccer mom, professional.  Or you can use fashion to disguise your true self:a conservative in vamp clothing, a vamp in conservative clothing.  Fashion statements can be made with clothes, accessories, shoes, hair, makeup, even your cellphone.

fashion is a kind of feeling and in most time, it is a trend. Many people pursue it and then it becomes the fashion. It is not fast and hard, but changeable. Many years ago, we might think the mix and match was weird. I remember 20 years ago, people thought it was vulgar to wear red and green together. However, now everything changes. Wearing red and green color together has been a kind of fashion. Take an example. Hermes, as the famous luxury brand, has one quite famous bag called Hermes Birkin. I think everyone remember Hermes published one Birkin bag made in red, green and orange color. It is pursued by many women in all over the world.

You are talented and exude style in everything you do. Your originality and creativity are an extension of who you are and what you are about. You love to make people look good, that’s what drives your passion to create. You yearn to see models showcase your creations in the India Fashion Week and by the catwalks of Paris, Milan, New York.

And if you have weighed the pros and the cons and come to the firm conclusion that fashion is your passion, there are many exciting avenues that you could explore by way of a career in this field

The word ‘fashion’ immediately conjures up images of glitz and glamour. And many young people, attracted by these attributes decide to foray into fashion only to realise that what they see outside is not the inside story. Admittedly, there are some glamorous aspects to this business. As part of the fash frat (fashion fraternity for the uninformed), you may get to rub shoulders with the rich and famous, but reaching there is sheer hard work.

Fashion Design can be divided into three main branches — Garment design, Leather design, Accessory & Jewellery design. Here we will focus on Garment design.

While the saying “clothes maketh a man” merits debate, the fact is we no longer wear clothes to keep ourselves covered or warm, but to express our personality and “attitude”. This is where the fashion designer steps in, to help us make the correct fashion statement. Creating a style, using the right fabric, the right cut and a good finish, the designer turns out either a singular creation (one of its kind) that may sell for a king’s ransom, or more usually, outfits that will reach a retail outlet in different sizes and colours. In certain cases, the garment may even be mass-produced for a specific market.

Garments include items of regular clothing, generally western style, although there is a growing local market for Indian style designer wear such as salwar-kameez, sherwanis, ghagra-cholis, kurtis and so on.

There are four courses of action that you can adopt to launch into the career of your dreams: Lawyers in private practice usually work for long and irregular hours meeting clients, researching and reading about new Apprenticeship under a flourishing, well-known designer. Employment in an export house or garment manufacturing unit.  Freelancing for fashion houses and boutiques.  Self-employment, as in opening your boutique or manufacturing unit or an export outfit to showcase your talent.  Nothing can compare with the absolute joy when your creation is admired and appreciated for its style and finish. And the high-voltage publicity and applause as you proceed for the curtain call at the end of a stunning show won’t hurt either. Today fashion designers share equal space on Page 3 as models and film stars.

The fashion industry has just begun to come of age. As it is still in its fledgling stage, it offers plenty of opportunities for enthusiastic, talented and hard working youngsters.   Prospects for fashion design graduates are pretty good thanks to the huge and still growing demand for “designer wear” and the equally large volume of exports.   What with the sheer variety and availability of materials – from traditional silks and ikats to jamawars and handlooms in vibrant weaves and dyes – India is a fashion designer’s dream.

Until a few years ago, there was not a single Indian name in the global fashion scene. However with the establishment of NIFT and some other fashion schools, a band of gifted designers is already making its mark on the fashion firmament. Today names like Ritu Kumar, Ritu Beri, Rohit Bal, Sunit Verma, JJ Vallaya and Tarun Tahiliani have virtually become household names – what with the media showcasing their talent across double-page spreads in glossy mags and sundry fashion-related programmes on TV.

A question often asked by young people is whether they really need to be trained to be a designer. Most young people who are able to sketch well and have an interest in fashion believe their talent and interest already qualifies them for the fashion industry. But fashion design is not just about sketching pretty clothes. Barring a few exceptions where talent borders on genius, it is certainly recommended that you pursue a course in fashion design. And you can do so straight after school. There are a variety of courses available to suit different needs and budgets.

While the academic requirements are not very high, you need considerable aptitude and talent to be labelled “designer” material. You must be highly creative to combine colours, shades and textures, and express your ideas through sketches.

If you can visualise designs and enjoy working with fabrics and accessories you are looking at the right career. Along with fashion consciousness and creativity, you also need excellent communication skills to articulate your ideas and understand the client’s requirements. Knowledge of the market and a good eye for detail are the other must-haves.

Beware though fashion is as much about technique as about style. You need to be clued in on manufacturing technology, time and motion studies, plant efficiency, labour motivation, zero-defect production — all are extremely relevant to this industry.  Before you become a name to reckon with, be prepared to put in tons of hard work and running around.

However, fashion design is just one of the many careers that a student of fashion design prepares for. There are a number of others such as marketing and merchandising, fashion co-ordination, fashion journalism, etc.

Compensations: The fancy salaries and the hype that you read about in the glossies is only for those who are really talented to begin with or those passing out of the premier institutes. For the rest, finding a decent toehold can be pretty tough. Also considering the fact that just about everyone is rushing into fashion designing, it may be wise to opt for some of the other courses like Merchandising, Accessory Designing, Garment Manufacturing Technology, etc., all of which have a component of fashion design in them.

Having said that, the money is pretty good. As a fresher you’ll start out with a monthly package of Rs.8,000-14,000. A couple of years down as your designing skills mature, your salary would be in the range of Rs.30,000-40,000. Of course, if you become a marquee designer and are lucky enough to go international, you could for a single creation, quite literally ask for the moon!

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