Becoming a Fashion Designer

LISA J. SPRINGSTEEL is a twenty-year veteran of the fashion industry who has worked for luxury design firms such as Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs, and apparel powerhouses Phillips-Van Heusen and Limited Brands in a variety of capacities, from fashion design to global fabric sourcing, research, and development. Her experience extends to the media world, where she covered New York Fashion Week runway shows, interviewed top designers, and wrote numerous magazine and newspaper articles on fashion, beauty, and health. She has been featured in the Sean Combs MTV documentary, If I Were King and on America Live with Megyn Kelly on Fox News.

Foreword by Nanette Lepore

Preface

Self-Evaluation: Is Fashion Design For You?

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1: An Introduction to a Career in Fashion Design

What is Fashion Design?

An Interview with Costume and Fashion Designer, Todd Thomas

An Interview with Fashion Designer, Nanette Lepore

An Interview with Fashion Designer, ReemAcra

An Interview with Fashion Designer, Anna Sui

An Interview with Fashion Designer, Dennis Basso

What Do Fashion Designers Do?

An Interview with Fashion Designer, Randolph Duke

An Interview with Shoe and Accessories Designer, Stuart Weitzman

What Do You Do on a Daily Basis?

History of Fashion Design: Then and Now

An Interview with Fashion Designer, Peter Som

An Interview with CEO, TV Personality and Entrepreneur,Daymond John

The Worldwide Fashion Industry by the Numbers

An Interview with Fashion Designer, ZangToi

An Interview with Fashion Designer, Kay Unger

Embracing the World of Fashion

An Interview with Fashion Designer, Pamella Roland

An Interview with Chief Creative Officer and President of Kate Spade, Deborah Lloyd

What Advice Would You Give to an Aspiring Fashion Designer?

Finding and Creating Balance

Chapter 2: The Education for a Fashion Design Career

Choosing a Collegiate Educational Program

Undergraduate Education

How Did You Decide Which University to Attend to Obtain Your Education as a Fashion Designer?

An Interview with Assistant Professor of the Fashion Design Program at Oklahoma State University, Mary Ruppert-Stroescu

An Interview with fashion design student at the Savannah College of Art and Design, Kendra Barnes

An Interview with fashion design student at Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design, Scarlett Tull

An Interview with Fashion Design Student at Oklahoma State University, Emily Ferrell

The Value of Internships

An Interview with Studio Intern at Oscar de la Renta, Katie Fong

An Interview with Fashion Design Intern at Derek Lam, Rita Valkovskaya

An Interview with Fashion Design Intern at Donna Karan International, Joseph Singh

An Interview with Fashion Design Intern at Ann Taylor, Natasha Mayinda

How to Turn an Internship Into a Full-Time Position

Studying Abroad

Postgraduate Education

Continuing Education

Chapter 3: The Job Market

Finding your Place in the Crowd

Personal Branding

Creating a Personal Branding Statement by Christopher Bilotta, president of Resource Development Company, Inc.

Portfolio Development

What Should Every Fashion Designer Include in their Portfolio?

Creating a Résumé that Pops

Networking Your Way to a Job Offer

Tried-and-True Job Search Strategies

Perfecting the Job Interview

What Skills Do You Seek When Hiring a Fashion Designer?

Negotiating the Job Offer

Chapter 4: The Fashion Design Process

Conceptual Development

Patternmaking

Sample Creation

Finalization, Presentation and Hand-Off

Chapter 5: Launching Your Own Fashion Collection

Writing a Business Plan

What Was Your Greatest Challenge When Launching Your Collection?

Types of Ownership

Defining Your Brand

An Interview with Fashion Designer, Maggie Norris

An Interview with Fashion Designer, BibhuMohapatra

Laws & Regulations

Intellectual Property Checklist by Karen Artz Ash, Partner, Intellectual Property Department, Katten, Muchin, Rosenman, LLP

What is the Best Way for Design Owners to Protect Their Work from Unauthorized Copying and Infringement?

Hiring Employees, Contractors and Interns

Budgeting, Accounting and Bookkeeping

Sales, Order Fulfillment and Customer Service

Publicity and Promotion

An Interview with Celebrity Stylist and Television Personality, Robert Verdi

An Interview with Fashion Director of Lincoln Center, Stephanie Winston-Wilkoff

Unlocking the Keys to a Successful Public Relations Strategy by Amy Rosi, president of Aros Communications

Chapter 6: The Future of the Fashion Industry

Outsourcing and Globalization

Corporate Social Responsibility

Case In Point: Gucci

Case In Point: Patagonia

Case In Point: Ralph Lauren

Case In Point: Timberland

Case In Point: Anvil Knitwear

An Interview with VP of Corporate Responsibility, Guy Bradford of American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.

Sustainable Clothing Company Profile: Izzy Lane

Sustainable Accessories Company Profile: Khepri NYC

What eco-friendly textiles and materials do you use in your collection?

Appendix A

Resources

Professional Associations, Organizations and Councils

Fashion Industry Networking Websites

Social Networking Websites

Professional Trade Publications

Online Portfolio Websites

Color and Trend Forecasting Companies

Broadcast and Cable Television Programming with a Fashion Theme

Full-Feature Movies with a Fashion Theme

Documentaries with a Fashion Theme

Major Fashion Magazines

Index of Interviews

Index

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