And how it will be a smart decision as well
Often considered to be risqué and glamorous, replete with beautiful people and fashion shows, the life of a fashion professional was viewed as a life of pomp and razzmatazz. Will this change post the pandemic and lockdowns the world over? Yes, the way people consume may change. Awareness and the value of products may vary. But people will still want to express themselves, and Fashion is one of the greatest communicators of the mood of a nation or a world.
In this new world, the impact of one nation on another is more significant than ever. People may have less money to spend and be more careful spending. The consumer will become more discerning and have a point of view that the designer may have to listen. Decisions to be made by the designer will change too. The Fashion Industry will be on a journey of self-actualisation and continue to be an attractive place for young innovative, intelligent disruptors.
Fashion colleges will evolve alongside the industry and will continue to be sound learning environments. Let us take a look at why
Truth #1: Loads of hard work and life-long learning
Studying fashion is way more personal and creative than most presume. Unlike accounts, biology, or math, in creative education, you have to look both internally and externally. You have to bring out your creativity and combine it with the developments in the world to create magic. You need to understand consumers, trends, color, textiles, business, advertising, and even artificial intelligence. Everything is experiential and project-based, and students spend long hours working on their ideas and creations to get it just right. Remember, unlike giving an exam where your answers are only for the examiner to assess, in Fashion, you are creating something for the world to see and marvel.
Truth #2: Its a vibrant and dynamic industry
Fashion is about understanding yesterday, living today, and creating for tomorrow. The design process helps forecast trends, and the industry comes together to design and build what is desirous in the future. Imagine the excitement and anticipation involved in speculating on how people will behave in the future? How they will engage with gender, consumption, colour, texture, society, health, and nature. How technology can integrate into clothing. How technology can help people view shows, 3D modelling, and actually shop. Fashion trends are forecast up to four years in advance, and instead of just looking at the problems of today, fashion students engage with today and the future of the world. All these aspects will stay, and the COVID-19 situation will bring in new trends in clothing and expression, including protective wear and locally sourced products.
Truth #3: Disruption and Innovation
Creativity and design are about new ideas, new notions, and new ways of seeing and doing. Fashion design students question the status quo and disrupt existing approaches and processes. Imagine creating new fibres and textiles out of milk, corn, plastic, and crystals. Creating blogs, vlogs, and podcasts that will change the way people think. Using coding to embed technology into the drape of a garment or AI to predict what people are going to buy. Fashion start-ups blend technology and creativity to innovate the way people interact with lifestyle on the whole. This disruption and influence will continue and grow. In a world where products and ideas are more precious one will need people who design the same, and better.
Truth #4: Sustainable practices
Fashion and style are powerful ways of communication. Today, a designer or stylist has the power to influence large numbers of people. Increasingly, issues like sustainability, consumption, gender, livelihood, and social norms are being taken up by designers, and they use their profession to create awareness and change. The era of the pandemic has made people understand the value of local production and the importance of life. People will transform their view of value, and this will influence purchase decisions. It is likely that a whole generation of consumers may become more conscious about the environment, about the clothes they wear and the statements they make. For that group, it will be essential to research and explore sustainability in terms of product, people and life of the garment or product purchased.
Truth #5: Myriad opportunities
Fashion is global as a concept and influenced by changes around the world. As a student, you will have access to the world. International faculty, online courses with students from across the globe, semester exchange, global study trips, international fashion weeks, projects with an international context, and engagement with students from other colleges around the world. You will have the opportunity to make friends from around the world and develop a network that can help you when you start working. Brands and designers will continue to have a presence the world over. At the same time, local designers and smaller brands will grow in importance, and smaller entrepreneurs will develop a stronger consumer base.
Truth #6: Career Expansion
In the end, everyone wants a career that is challenging, exciting in an area that they are passionate about. When you say fashion, it no longer means just design or manufacturing. The scope has expanded. The industry has grown to include bloggers, vloggers, content creators, curators, experience managers, fashion stylists, creative directors, photographers, editorial, artificial intelligence managers, home stylists, and much more. Once you commit yourself to the fashion world, you will travel, meet interesting people and set creative targets and enjoy what you do. Creativity and a love for clothing and style will never go away.
So if you wanted a career in Fashion and are worried because of the changes expected after the pandemic, don’t worry. If you are interested in people, relationships, art, new ideas and beauty, and think you have the passion for following your dreams, this is one career where you will have the time of your life. Joining the industry either as a professional or as an entrepreneur at this time may be one of the smartest moves you may ever make.
