Fashion Design: Being Hands-On
Everything from business to how we interact with people has been completely overhauled and the field of fashion design is no exception.
The fashion industry is undergoing dramatic shifts that are bringing to the field innovative solutions, but some basic skills — within fashion education — remain key and essential. Courses for just about everything you could want to learn is being offered online nowadays.
Notably, The Business of Fashion covered the concept of online fashion education far before any pandemic hit mentioning that, “teaching fashion education online also comes with its own specific set of challenges — most notably, the challenge of teaching creative design through digital media, rather than face- to-face in a studio”.
It begs the question: what amount of tech and stay-at-home services do we really need or even want? When it comes to creative education, it really comes down to the type of person you are and how you absorb information best. It also matters which subject you’re learning and your “why”! Is it a required college class with a lot of lecturing and research papers for homework or a field like fashion that’s all about being more creative and hands-on with your own unique design ideas?
I am a former student at THOS Fashion School of Design and I personally couldn’t imagine trying to learn what I did physically in-person there — online!
There are too many things to do with your hands and assignments with a delicate attention to detail to garment construction. I’m convinced that the best experience is to be there in-person where design help can be provided immediately and techniques shown in front of you. Fashion design is a dynamic, visual, and creative field. While not impossible, I highly recommend people examine their strengths and weaknesses before jumping into what seems easiest and most convenient at first glance. Life is a living experience that breathes in three dimensions no matter what year it is or how society shifts!
Generally, there are as just as many pros to online learning as there are cons. For example, digital education makes things more accessible for students further away or unable to fit into typical schedules due to work, family, or other obligations.
On the other hand, as prezentt.com explains, in-person learning brings along more class engagement, networking opportunities, and makes it easier to absorb information when it’s a lot of content. Not to mention that it can be more tricky and hands-on communication more of a challenge, for proper instruction and motivation in the field of fashion design. In-person training at the end of the day is more productive in immeasurable ways such as mental health, socialization, and overall encouragement no matter the subject.
At THOS, the fashion instructor has years of experience in the design industry and is really capable of showing proper method and form that is quite difficult to capture properly through a webcam. Folding, pinning, cutting, marking, sewing, etc. It’s all part of a delicate formula or else the finished garments may come out with incorrect fits and stitching where it doesn’t belong. In-person socialization with others interested in the same field as you also provides a tremendous feeling of community and support. Opportunities to display your design work, mood boards, and other fashion-related projects are frequent enough to make one consider the value of in-person learning.
Remember, showing up is half the battle for fashion entrepreneurs. Get after it!
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Credit: Anthony Olivo
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