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A FASHION FOCUSSED FUTURE Have you considered the number of career options within the global fashion world? Not all fashion graduates end up as designers. So many confusions and misunderstandings are out there about possibilities within (and the future of) the South African fashion industry. These days, I often hear the grumble that so many SA clothing manufacturers have closed down and for this reason our SA fashion industry is dying. Well, I cannot disagree more! Just look around you, we are all still wearing clothes. Not only are we simply dressing the clothes, we are creating street styles and trends that are second to none! The South African fashion industry has not died, but only shifted into being a global industry. So yes, most of the clothes that you got dressed in this morning might have been made overseas, but they have been designed, merchandised and retailed in SA! This means that you have a wide variety of fashion jobs to choose from within designing, buying and retailing. The best news is; since manufacturing of clothing has been globalized, you get to travel! Yes! Many designers, retailers, buyers and merchandisers travel the world over as part of their jobs. With technology, communicating with your international suppliers and manufacturers is but a click away. From the exciting, edge-of-your-seat world of red carpet designs to the highly valued practice of fashion buying and fashion styling; the fashion world has a career for every aspiring entrepreneur, designer and even computer junkies! Here are just some of the many careers in the fashion world which awaits you; retail designer, couture designer, fashion buyer, stylist, merchandiser, fashion marketer, fashion editor, fashion journalist, blogger, on-line editor, pattern-engineer, pattern-grader, trend forecaster, fashion analyst, garment technologist, production manager, productivity specialist, fashion agent, quality controller, fashion illustrator, fashion graphic artist, lecturer, CAD specialist, theatrical costume designer, corsetiere, and collection specialist. The wow factor does not stop here! Apart from following anyone of the above careers (and more) or business opportunities, you can actually specialize within a selective field. Every fashion career on its own has many specialities; ladieswear, menswear, childrenswear, protective clothing, sports wear, swimwear, lingerie, bridal wear, evening wear, and so on. So how do you secure your future in the fashion world? As with the globalization of our designs and the manufacturing thereof, it has become important to distinguish between the two types of fashion training out there; Fashion Design on the one hand and Fashion Management on the other. For the more practical, creative and technical aspects of designing, like being involved in the design and manufacture of garments, you would need to register for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fashion Design. This degree will prepare you in design, construction, illustration, pattern engineering, product development and business management. For those who are interested in the management, financial, administrative and communicating side of fashion, and who want to get to such a position where all the big decisions lay on your shoulders, you will need a Bachelors of Consumer Science in Fashion Management & Communication. This degree will prepare in you buying, merchandising practices, conceptualizing, advertising, editing and promotional activities And this is where the good news reaches a high! North West School of Design in Klerksdorp has been presenting fashion design for the last 13 years, with many success stories of graduates that have made their mark within the industry. North West School of Design will also from 2012 present a B.Sc. Degree in Fashion Management & Communication. This is the first fashion consumer science course of its kind in South Africa as it only focuses on fashion. You can however also register for a 2 year diploma in any of these two fashion courses. Check out our website: www.nwsd.co.za or contact Charles on 018 462 5149 CAREERS IN FASHION DESIGN
CAREERS IN FASHION MANAGEMENT & COMMUNCIATION
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