How to know if fashion design is for you.

You watch Fashion TV non-stop, new ideas keep coming to you and you always give tips on the do’s and don’ts at family gatherings. But how do you know if fashion design is for you. Here are the most essential points to remember when you are considering studying fashion design.

Forget 24/7 glamour

Fashion can be a very stressful career choice: It is perceived as a glamorous career but that can be far from reality. The fashion world runs on deadlines and each and every one has to be met with severe punctuality.

Prospects

Ok, let’s think about job prospects here, as fashion is not an art, it is an industry. Even if you want to start your own company, you will have to work to get experience. Ask yourself these questions, What jobs are out there? What does the job entail? Is this something you want to do every day?

Education  

This is very important.  So you’ve decided there’s a job out there for you, so you need to learn the skills to get employed. What schools do you want to go to? What do they require for entry? Does the school have a good reputation? Never trust the school or their sales people, do the research on your own. What will you learn on the course? Is it what you want to do?

Are you connected?

The fashion industry is about who you know, so if you don’t know anyone, how will you find them? Will you meet the right people through school? You’ll need to meet the right people, so think about how you are going to do this.

Do you have a passion for it?

Being passionate about fashion is not about reading Vogue and owning a Gucci bag. . Having a passion means suffering abuse from your psychotic boss during fifteen hour workdays and spending your money on fabric instead of rent while you try and make a name for yourself as a designer.

Internships

Think about what you'll bring to internships as well as what they can offer: Are the companies that you want to intern with going to teach you skills that are relevant to your future career goals?

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How you are perceived on social media

You never know who might be looking at your online profiles. So posting pictures about how sloshed you got at your sisters 21^st last weekend with the hash tag #YOLO is not going to utter professionalism on your part. These days people do a social media search first before they employ you.

 These are in my opinion the most crucial things to consider when you want to study fashion design. But don’t be frightened fashion design is a great career choice. And obtaining your skills at North West School of Design will make you an even better fashion designer.

Holiday Blues!

It’s been a long busy term, and finally varsity closed! This is your time to rest, sleep in and catch up on all the stuff you think you’ve been missing out on. But before you turn into a couch potato here's a few ways for you to manage your time well and be ready for the next term.

Before getting carried away on the rest that is coming your way, don’t chuck your books away until you reopen again, instead, recap on all the academic work that you’ve been doing. This is also a great way to study and keep the mind active. It’s also time to get a jump start on planning next term while you have time and there’s no time like the present!

If you live far away from home, maybe you would want to consider visiting home and enjoying the benefits of being home – groceries, home cooked meals, satellite and spending quality time with the family. There’s also no better way than offloading to the people who care about you and they definitely won’t mislead you. Do what makes you happy, find yourself. Exercise and stay healthy and combat the holiday bulge by keeping up with a regular exercise regimen. You’ll look – and, more importantly, feel – better. Remember to read too.

You might as well start looking into ways of making extra money that will give you a boost in varsity without letting it disturb your studies of course. This can be anything from applying for internships, volunteering or even waitressing just over the weekends.

Very Important!! Now is also the perfect time to get everything in order, starting with your room, laundry and everything else that you have been neglecting. Cleaning up your living space gives you inner peace and happiness.

We as students tend to get overwhelmed very quickly. So during this break, sit back, re-analyse everything and work even harder towards your dream! Remember, dreams don't work unless you do!

Third Years Internship Feedback

Our third years have returned from their internships and this is what they learned!

Duduzile

Intern Company: Sir Anthony.

Sir Anthony specializes in denim clothing. My duties here was, sewing, styling, cutting, patternmaking, image consulting, photography, modeling and being a PA. The biggest highlight and achievement on my internship was designing and making a jacket that got featured in Lifestyle Magazine. The Lifestyle Magazine is a platform for young local designers owned by Button & Dnepe.

Emmah Mulutsi

Intern Company: Anel Botha Couture

This year during winter I went to Anel Botha Couture for my Internship. I was able to earn a lot of experience and increased my knowledge and strengthen my resume’ .

Make an impact where I will work by asking for responsibility and looking for ways to achieve accomplishments. I did a lot of pattern manipulation, beading, sewing and cutting. I had the opportunity to meet different people. Laughed all day and have fun. I was able to make friends but most of all I was able to find a role model her name is Anel Botha.

THOLOFELO MORIBE

Intern Company: Ree-Joy

I ‘am Tsholofelo Agrippa Moribe a third year student at NWSD Completing year 3 of 4 Towards City & Guilds Level 4 Licentiateship in Fashion and I had an opportunity to intern at Ree-Joy Studio’s.It was an opportunity of a lifetime which I’m grateful and humbled by. I gained so much experience and  good relationship’s in the fashion industry. The owner and founder of Ree-Joy is a humble person who is known for her Ready to wear/Street style.

 

Lisa-Marie Homman

Intern Company: Eulogeo Zeloo Couture

As a fashion student, aspiring for success as a entrepreneur and designer, I am pleased to share my internship experience at Eulogeo Zeloo Couture. I grew so much in my knowledge about the fashion industry, learning business skills and customer relations. The founders, Jolandie Coetzee and Yolande Kruger, were such humble and outspoken mentors. I definitely have a new perspective on what running a business and designing garments entails. I loved experiencing the joy in the clients, as well as the team members during the design and consultation processes. I realized the impact of expressing the importance of a client’s presence to them. It is the next step to an outstanding designer. I certainly use all that I have learned with me in the future and plan to grow even more with my experience at Eulogeo Zeloo couture.

Lesedi Maphike

Intern Company: Eboka Designs

I embarked on an internship at a prominent, retail couture store in Rosebank Mall (Johannesburg). The brand that I worked for is Eboka Designs, founded by Fred Elu Eboka. It is an African elegance entity which specializes in custom-made garments, using a mix of ethnic narratives with contemporary influences. In a retail space, I was required to attend to clients, sort and clean garments, manage the store’s diary in terms of appointments and fittings; had a hand in visual merchandising as well as sharpen my artistic skills. I was also required to run errands, use the Gautrain to travel to Eboka’s design studio in Pretoria and back to Johannesburg. The experience was fulfilling and intriguing, to have gained interpersonal skills: working with people, building my self-esteem in the workplace and being a problem-solver.

Chantelle Labuschagne

Intern Company: Esmene’ Couture and LuLu Pops & Pants

DREAM BIG, WORK HARD AND STAY HUMBLE

Choosing Esmene Couture & LuLu Pops & pants was a great choice for me. I did not know whether i liked doing Couture or RTW more.

Learning from the best was a real honor in seeing how different elements in fashion can form a successful business whether it is sewing, selling pricing or doing label tags.

What i enjoy most of my internship was being part of the start-up operation of LuLu Pops & pants – seeing how a shop  creates a pattern to a full garment, punting tags & pricing them.

Esmene sells & design – kids clothing from new born to 9-10 (LuLu Pops & Pants) Evening dresses, wedding dresses, Lingerie, pageant wear, metric farewell dresses, Silver jewelery as well as Swarovski elements and so much more.

Khanyisile Magudulela

Intern Company : Thula Sindi

I interned at Thula Sindi in Rosebank and his studio in Johannesburg CBD

What I did mostly was to be a right hand to whoever needed my help. I was back and forth in between the two places doing deliveries and posting to various stores that carry his merchandise and to his private clients

I was mostly based at the store as he said my strong point is working with clients and bringing life into Thula Sindi store. I was also there to assist the different stylist and companies that source out the Thula Sindi clothes and make sure that when they come back they are in the same condition as before.

Bianca Van Zyl

Intern Company: Anel Botha Couture

Ever heard of that saying “ I didn’t choose my job it chose me.” That’s how I felt with this Internship. After getting assigned to this Internship I decided to make the best of it.

 Anel Botha is famous for her Bridal dresses but she has so much more to offer.

I was assigned this designer because she is usually the Instructor that gives the Bridal Course at NWSD, her idea was to write a manual that can be given to students that enroll in the bridal course, the manual would give her personal opinion and ideas on wedding dresses.

This gave me 6 weeks to finish a book which Anel was struggling to do in 2 years.

As I went into this Internship very narrow minded, I have surely learned how to change my prospective. The work place does not care whether you’re a Fashion Designer or a Fashion Communication Student, if you can get the job done properly then do it.

I was assigned to Manage the Miss South Africa Durban July project:

•From organizing shipping details for the garment.

•Too actually crystallizing this garment.

•And overseeing production on this garment.

•Sewing sashes for Miss Sa.

•Assisting with Huisgenoot  Tempo Toekenings & You Spectacular.

While at studio I also did some PA duties such as:

•Scheduling appointments.

•Making sure productions are on track.

•Giving co- workers their job responsibilities.

•Quality Control on garments entering and leaving the Couture Studio.

I also did:

•Appliquéing Lace work

•Cutting

•Crystallizing

•Window Designing

Last but not least:

•The Bridal Couture Book.

•Throughout this opportunity I have finished the Bridal Couture Book for NWSD , I have also secured a business relationship with Anel Botha.

•I continue to work for Anel when ever she needs my help or advice.

•I continue to give her trend report updates on the latest trends regarding, Bridal, Red Carpet as well as Ready to Wear.​

Joane Schoeman

Intern Company: Bianca Warren

Located in Durban @ The square in Umshlanga

 

She set up her brand 6 years ago. Bianca Warren is a proud South African and do of all her own designs, patterns and samples.

She supplies to a few SA boutiques. She has an agent in JHB that get’s her in markets and open days.

Her line is simple, effortless and commercial.

She use a variety of fabrics and loves to get Her inspiration from traveling.

Her focus is on woman's wear targeting all race and ages

Bianca Warren - Mission statement

“I am a local proudly SA brand that strives to grow weekly. I have dreams where I want to be and am working hard to achieve those dreams.  I believe there is a gap in the market for well made proud SA woman's wear that is on trend and affordable. I will strive to bring out weekly new designs to keep the niche market I have happy.

I learn a lot at my internship at Bianca Warren: I beaded a belt for a bride, was part of the fittings and meetings. I learn how to cover buttons and applicate lace to dresses

Tips that I have for students that’s going on there internships:

1.    Be friendly at all time

2.    Do any thing and every thing (if they say bead a belt you do it!!!)

3.    Cut hem using floor to make sure you cut straight

4.    Semi Finish dresses (No zip no hem) Only added when people fits the dress

5.    Work with everyone(Learning different skills from one another)

6.    Take a change

7.    Get out of your comfort zone

8.    Make NWSD Proud

Lorinda Richter

Intern Company: Esmené Couture.

I am currently a fashion design student, dreaming of one day running my own business, doing what I love for a living. As a small fish in a big pond, {A.K,A, the fashion industry}, I could not ask for a better experience to guide me, shining a bit more light on the path to success.

When starting on the first day, I had my expectations of what the experience would be like, but at the end of the internship, my expectations were highly exceeded.

I gain experience in what I love most, sewing. I also had the privilege to interact with customers, and work with an amazing team on the day of the big opening of her new studio and children’s wear shop.

I learned a lot of how a business is run, and had a Great example of what a leader should be like, being humble, as well as being strong when needed to be.

Esmené also gave me insight on the importance of the business name, and the connection the clients wants to make with not only the name, but when interacting with you.

The experience and knowledge I gained in my time at Esmené couture, I’ll most certainly will carry with me on the road to fulfill my dream.