The fashion industry is more than just a glamorous runway. Many fashion design students wonder if they can build their fashion collection while still studying. Then the answer to your question is yes. College is the best time when you can experiment with designs, colour palette, and test your entrepreneurial abilities.
In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to develop your own fashion collection in college, from concept development to marketing and runway shows.
Step 1: Get Inspiration
Every fashion design collection begins with an idea. You can get ideas from anywhere, like nature, history, music, social issues, and personal experiences. Fashion design transforms their imagination, inspiration into reality.
- Find Your Inspiration: Inspiration can come from anywhere, like music, art, nature, science, or personal experiences.
- Mood Boards: Use platforms like Pinterest, Canva to get inspiration from others' colour patterns, images, and design, and create your own.
- Concept Description: Write a short paragraph about the collection of your theme to keep yourself focused on the concept of your design.
Step 2: Start Sketching
Once you are clear with the concept of your collection start sketching your ideas:
- Create Fashion Sketches: Create rough images of your garments.
- Technical Skills: Create detailed outlines that show construction, seams, and proportions of your design.
- Number of Collection: Decide on how many outfits you want in your collection. Most collections range from 6 to 12 outfits.
Step 3: Get Your Hands On Fabrics And Materials
This is the most crucial part in a fashion collection, the right fabric can bring a lot of attention to the attire, while the wrong one can bring it down, even if the design was fabulous.
How the fabric feels to touch, how it drapes, shines, and stretches will decide the final look of your design.
- Explore The Texture: Different types of fabric go for different types of collection, like cotton ones are usually for casual outfits, while the chiffon ones are for flowy outfits, denim is for structure, and sustainable fabrics are for eco-friendly products.
- Visit The Fabric Shops: Buy the fabric by yourself, check the feel, and shine. You can go to thrift shops, fabric shops, and online markets.
- Use Sustainable Practices: Get your hands on vintage-looking materials. These fabrics look cool while also cutting your costs and supporting eco-friendly fashion.
Step 4: Pattern Making And Construction
Even if you're just a beginner and have zero knowledge about stitching right now, with the understanding of garments you can learn:
- Patterns Making: Learn to create pattern paper from measurements.
- Make Use of Muslins Fabrics: With inexpensive Muslins fabrics, you can practice making test garments.
- Learn Construction Skills: Learn to stitch zippers, practice seams, hems, and learn finishing details.
Step 5: Practice Close Knit
A fashion collection is not about one garment.
- Different Colour Palette: Stick to 5 to 6 core colours that are repeated throughout.
- Silhouette Balance: Include a mix of statement pieces and wearable garments.
- Quality: Be sure that each look of your design represents the concept of your collection.
Step 6: Focus On Budget And Resources
The student's collection budget is tight, that's why cleverness is a crucial part of this role.
- Make A Budget Plan: Make sure to list all the essential items that are required in the collection process, like fabric, tools, printing, models, and trims.
- Make Use Of Other Options: Apply for student scholarships, collaborate with photographers and other designers to share costs, and get crowdfunding from platforms like Kickstarter.
- Learn DIY: Before buying anything from outside try to do it yourself to cut down on cost. You can take help from others’ diy fashion design videos.
Step 7: Stitching And Production
After measurement, pattern cutting comes the main part- stitching your patterns and bringing your sketched design to reality.
- Start Slow: When you are stitching your garments for the first time, don't rush. Get your stitching right.
- Get the Right Details: With the right details, neat seams, and your design will look more stunning.
- Prototype Iteration: Don’t rush to make adjustments to your garments until they fit your imagination.
Step 8: Elevating Your Brand through Strategic Styling
A great garment also needs a fabulous representation; the way you represent it marks its value, so be creative.
- Create A Creative Identity: Get creative and create a unique logo, a trendy name, and a style guide for your design.
- Style Your Garment: Your garment is incomplete without the right accessories so go ahead and explore different accessories, hairstyle, makeup, and shoes that will enhance your outfit's look.
- Enrich Your Outfit With High Quality Photos: Collaborate with other student photographers to capture breathtaking images of your design.
- Get Your Hands On Social Platform: Make great use of social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to get attention for your designs and build your brand's social presence.
Step 9: Showcase Your Collection
- Take Part in Fashion Shows: Attend college fashion shows to showcase your collection.
- Go To Pop-up Shows: Get your hands on partnerships with other campus organisations to showcase your design and sell your garments.
- Take part in a fashion competition to get exposure.
- Showcase your design on digital platforms like Virtuall Runway, Reels, etc.
Step 10: Build a Portfolio With Your Collection
- With a student college, you can apply for fashion house internships.
- Get freelance work.
- Launch your own brand.
- Apply for a more advanced course in fashion design with a student collection portfolio.
FAQs About How to Develop Your Own Fashion Collection in College
What is the 3 3 3 rule in fashion?
The 3-3-3 rule in fashion design is a minimal fashion formula to get dressed. Selection 3 tops, 3 bottoms, and 3 pairs of shoes that can be paired together.
How to make a fashion portfolio for college?
Showcase your best work. Include the collection that you have created demonstrating your skills.
What is the best theme for a fashion show?
There are different types of themes you can choose from, like spacewalk, Elements, Jungle theme, Ethnicity, Seasons trail, etc.
Which type of fashion is trending now?
Current trending styles liked by people are Bold, floral, traditional embroidery, and contemporary designs.
Conclusion
Fashion design collections can provide students with both creative and challenging experiences often made with limited resources. To gain success in the field of fashion design, students have to have these skills, such as being clever, innovative, and skilled at collaboration. These qualities are highly appreciated in the field of fashion design. By creating a fashion design collection, you can get practical skills in areas like design, construction, and branding, which will be beneficial for your future career.
With early experiences of the real world, students can get a chance to build a strong portfolio, launch their own labels, join global brands, or create their own collections. Collection College can serve as the foundation for their careers in fashion design. What are you waiting for—start sketching, design your own fashion collections, and begin your Inspiration into reality.
