WTF (We Think Fashion)

Fashion design is the applied art devoted to the designing of clothing and lifestyle accessories. This art is influenced by cultural and social attitudes and has evolved over time and place. Fashion designing has come a long way from the designer clothes worn by the royalty of the ancient world to the haute couture products of the present.

Fashion designing is one of the most lucrative, appealing, glamorous and exciting career options in today's world. If you have a penchant for creativity, style and originality, a career in fashion designing is the one tailor made for you. On one hand, the fashion industry satisfies both the creative fancies and the materialistic needs of the people. On the other hand, it promises glamour, fame, success and a high pay package to the talented people.

However, it is also a demanding career, as fashion designers need to combine their creativity with managerial skills to sustain in this industry. Thus, if you can create magic with colours, shapes and designs, then just obtain a professional course to begin a successful career in the alluring world of fashion designing.

Step-by-Step

To start a career as a fashion designer, two types of qualifications are required, that is, natural and acquired.

• Natural: this skill set would comprise of a decent aesthetic sense, colour expertise, good taste and sense of trends and fashion. An eye for detail, knowledge of fabrics and so on is a big plus for those serious about a career as a fashion designer.

• Acquired skills would be a qualification from a decent, recognized fashion Institute. You can enrol for either a full-time course or a part time certificate course. Students usually take these up after their 10+2 level. Not that the courses are not available for graduates or people with higher qualification. There are several short-term certificate courses that are offered by the same fashion institutes for super specialization, on part-time basis. These courses equip you with technical and creative thinking skills.

Start Early

The word ‘fashion’ immediately conjures up images of glitz and glamour. The onset of the International fashion market in India has given an impetus to the fashion industry which has emerged as the booming industry and a career as a fashion designer is like a pot of gold. So, many young people who are attracted by these attributes decide to foray into the fashion industry.

While the academic requirements are not very high, you need considerable aptitude and talent to be labelled “designer” material. You must be highly creative to combine colours, shades and textures and express your ideas through sketches.

Your race for admission into a reputed fashion school will begin straight after school. Subjects like drawing, painting, home science and computer graphics will develop your creativity.

By the time you finish the course you will have mastered the step-by-step making of a garment: from designing to pattern making, production and even marketing.

Is it the right career for me?

A career in fashion designing is right for you if you are talented and exude style in everything you do. You must also possess the ability be original and creative and love to make people look good.
Further, you must be creative enough to combine colours, shades and textures and express your ideas through sketches. You must also visualise new design, patters, garments and accessories and enjoy working with fabrics and accessories.

If you have all this and more in you then you are all, set to step into the arena of fashion designing.

What would it Cost Me?

The fee structure varies from institution to institution. However, on an average you will have to dish out more than Rs. 45,000 per annum to complete a course in Fashion Designing from a reputed institution.

Funding/Scholarship

Some fashion academies extend merit based scholarships.  These scholarships usually waive off payment of tuition fee only. These waivers continue in the subsequent year(s) on the condition that the awardees academic performance meets the prescribed standards of achievement.

The criterion of these scholarship programmes is based on the annual income of the eligible student’s parental annual income. There are a few scholarships sponsored by reputed companies for meritorious and financially deserving students. Scholarship awardees also get educational loan facility to cover other payable fee and expenses.

Job Prospect

In India, the fashion industry has just begun to come of age, as it is still in its fledgling stage. This industry offers plenty of opportunities for talented hard working and enthusiastic people. Prospects for fashion design graduates are pretty good thanks to the huge and still growing demand for “designer wear” and the equally outsized quantity of exports.

After successful completion of the course, you can remain self employed. Alternatively, several export houses, garment store chains, textile mills, leather companies, boutiques, fashion show organizers, jewellery houses and media houses recruit professionals interested in a career in fashion designing.

Pay Packet

The Starting monthly package can be around Rs.10, 000 to Rs.15, 000. With experience, you will acquire maturity in designing skills and a few years down the line your salary would be in the range of Rs.30, 000 to Rs.40, 000 per month. Of course, if you become a reputed designer you could demand the world.

Great fashion designers salary always shows an upward moving trend. However, hard work and a conscious effort to update the latest trends in the fashion industry are imperative.

Demand and Supply

Economically India is progressing rapidly today with even better future prospects. Therefore, the country is today witnessing rapid growth in many sectors which includes the fashion industry.

Indian fashion is gaining a lot of popularity abroad because of cheap labour and excellent craftsmanship. Many top Indian designers are now catering to this growing international demand for quality fashion products and accessories. In addition, for the demand for Indian garments, designer saris and textiles are also of great demand.

Many individuals choose careers in fashion designing today as there are many areas of work and countless opportunities within this field.

Market Watch

The scope for fashion design jobs in India is immense as Indians have increasingly become more fashion conscious and seek to enhance it in every way. Clothing companies need to hire people in a variety of jobs, ranging from fashion designers, textile designers, models, retailers, buyers and merchandisers, to provide end-to-end solutions to their clients.

According to a recent study, the India’s fashion designing industry aims to grow to Rs.1, 000 crores from the current to Rs.180 crores within the next 5 to 10 years.

International Focus

Better prospectus both in terms of salary and growth of fashion design jobs is enormous and extends beyond India’s markets to international markets too. Indian fashion designers are doing very well in almost all countries and hence the scope has broadened for students of fashion designing.

Fashion designers such as Ritu Beri, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal, Satya Paul and Tarun Tahiliani are known worldwide. Many Institutions provide training to potential fashion designers to expand their talent and become entrepreneurs in the fashion world. The India Fashion Week has become an international fashion event, with buyers from international stores making an appearance to transact business.

With more and more Indians dressing up and focused on looking good, there is an increasing awareness about fashion in India. The Indian fashion industry is booming. The domestic Indian Textile market is worth $25 billion today and growing at an annual rate of 15-20%.

Mega Malls are mushrooming all over. The Retail sector is witnessing a virtual explosion with the Ambanis, Mittals, Birlas and now, the Tatas making a foray in this sector. The fashion market will require thousands of trained professionals in the fields of design, management, communication and technology.

Positives/Negatives

+ives

• The scope of fashion design is such that it’s cut out for success.
• There are some glamorous aspects to this business, you may get to rub shoulders with the rich and famous, but reaching there is absolute hard work.

-ives

• Fashion designers need a lot of experience and hence they have to work as assistant for any reputed fashion design firm in the initial phase.
• You might want to set up your own studio but you will need a lot of money or have to find investors who are ready to invest in your studio.
• Unless you have some hands on experience, it is hard to get investors.

Different roles, different names

As a professional fashion designer, you can work in areas like designer wear production, fashion marketing, planning and concept management. Then there is fashion media, design production management, fashion accessory design, quality control and promotion of brands.

You can also work as a designated costume designer, fashion consultant, personal stylist, technical designer, graphic designer, production pattern maker or a fashion coordinator.

Other roles include: apparel production manager, fabric buyer, fabric quality control manager, show room sales representative, illustrator, cutting assistant and outside sales representative. Those interested in a career in fashion designing can also become entrepreneurs and form their own companies.

Top Companies

1. Fashion houses run by top fashion designers such as: Abu Jani, JJ Valaya, Manish Malhotra, Neeta Lulla, Rina Dhaka, Ritu Beri, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal,  Sandeep Khosla, Tarun Tahiliani and so on.

2. Top notch garment and textile export houses

3. Textile and fabric manufacturing units

4. Exclusive and branded fashion showrooms

Tips for getting Hired

1.    Make a great portfolio that showcases your creative talents

2. Apprenticeship under a well-known designer is desirable for getting hired in this industry

3. Thoroughly research the market before making a foray into it

4. Do freelancing for fashion houses and boutiques

5. Be creative, exclusive and innovative

6. Don’t be impulsive and impatient

7. Don’t get disheartened by rejections, understand your drawbacks and work on it

8. Start affordable and once you have proved yourself, you can go for the stars

I hope this serves you better if you are interested in this field. Don’t forget me if you become a designer with a good reputation…. Good luck..

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What about being an Engineer?

Engineering as an option for career has to be finalized at an age when the student opting for is not very mature. Most of the time it’s the parents choice, who undoubtedly think in the best interest of their ward or the students imitating the seniors. Not necessary, those furnishing the advice are engineers or have the complete idea of engineering as a profession. It’s seldom that the one opting for the career is completely aware of Engineering as a profession.

Before choosing this career we need to think probably do a kind of re-search on few aspects.

ü  Why Engineering as a career option?

ü  How to be an Engineer

ü  The Governing Body

ü  Important Engineering Institutes

ü  Engineering-related Career Options

 I am just giving a basic idea about these and rest is up to you.

Engineering related Career Options
 The ethos of Engineering is not new to the Indian subcontinent. The Rustless Wonder- the Iron Pillar at Delhi, in the memory of Chandra Gupta Vikramaditya, is testimony to the advances made in metallurgy some 2000 years back. But yes the study of engineering was confined to few and the scope of engineering was certainly limited.

But with the onset of development fuelled by science and technology and the growth of service sector Engineering as a career has attracted the student fraternity of the country in a big way. Number of aspirants taking the engineering exams are testimony to the fact.

A large number of students take the Engineering Entrance Examination but few are aware of the various career options that engineering as a profession offers. NNE for the sake of apprising students of the same has compiled a list of various engineering options having a great deal of potential

Ø  Agricultural Engineering

Ø  Aeronautical Engineering

Ø  Architecture

Ø  Automobile Engineering

Ø  Biomedical Engineering

Ø  Biotechnology

Ø  Ceramic Technology

Ø  Chemical Engineers

Ø  Civil Engineering

Ø  Computer Engineering

Ø  Environmental Engineering

Ø  Electrical Engineering

Ø  Electronics Engineering

Ø  Genetic Engineering

Ø  Industrial & Production Engineering

Ø  Instrumentation Engineering

Ø  Marine Engineering

Ø  Mechanical Engineering

Ø  Metallurgical Engineering

Ø  Mining Engineering

Ø  Petroleum Engineering

Ø  Plastic Technology

Ø  Polymer Engineering

Ø  Rubber Technology

Ø  Space Technology

Ø  Textile Industry

WHY Engineering as a stream ?
 Any act of yours, bringing tangible change in the society, would undoubtedly bring a sense of satisfaction and feeling of pride. What if, besides the quotient of satisfaction and feeling of pride you also earn a handsome amount and reputation in the society?

A career in the field of engineering provides just that.

Engineering is amongst the few professions where creativity and ingenuity knows no bounds. Moreover if you are the one among those who look for challenging opportunities than probably, engineering is the most ideal profession to opt for. As an aerospace engineer you have the chance of developing cryogenics technology badly needed for the country to make advances in the space research, as a Civil Engineer you have the opportunity of developing earth quake resistant houses and as an electrical engineer the challenge lies in developing superconductors. The list is endless.

In a similar fashion every stream of engineering has lots of such opportunities and challenges. And if you are the one looking for opportunities where creativity and imagination are the tools to mitigate the challenges then you ought to be an Engineer.

Rewards and Opportunities:

Job Satisfaction

Studies show that, by far, the most important cause of dissatisfaction among the working people is the job dissatisfaction. Thus, it is important to find a career that provides job satisfaction. After all, one has to spend good part of his/her life at work station and if the place you work delivers content and satisfaction you are bound to grow in a better way with each passing day.

Variety of Career Opportunities

Neil Armstrong, Jimmy Carter, and Alfred Hitchcock, an astronaut, a president, and one a filmmaker – from different streams of occupation all together but a commonality, they all started with an engineering education.
 

Engineering as a profession offers a wide range of career possibilities. From the design of fighter planes to that of pacemakers for hearts from boring holes deep in the earth for the petrochemicals to steeping at mars, engineers play the pivotal role.

Challenging Work

Engineering is all about fixing things so as to make the object serve its purpose in the best possible and efficient way. From the flying machine of the Wright brothers to the stealth bombers the range of improvement and development is enormous. Here lies the challenge. Challenge is not only about visualizing the development and improvement but also in performing it.

Intellectual Development

Engineering as a profession is function of creativity and ingenuity. Its more about developing the best possible option. This in turn involves great utilization of your mental faculties as compared to the professions where practice and pattern aid a lot in performing the job.

Contribute to Society

No one can deny the contribution of society in one’s own development but few bother to contribute for the same. Engineering as a carrier provides lots of opportunity to this end too. A civil engineer can design models for easing out traffic congestion. A software engineer can develop cheap and user friendly software for the disabled, an electrical engineer can devise ways and means for optimum utilization of electricity. All in the interest of the society and ones own career.

Financial Security

While financial security should not be the only reason for choosing a career in engineering, if you decide to become an engineer you will be well paid. Engineering graduates receive one of the highest starting salaries of any discipline.

Prestige

Engineers play an important role in the development of the nation and add to its international stature in a big way. And in this pursuit, one also earns a reputed place in the society.

Professional Environment

As an engineer, you will work in a professional environment where creativity and intellect are on the top priority. Working in such an environment with creative and intellectual colleagues is rewarding in itself.

HOW to be an Engineer?

If you are not a "genius” hard-work can help you attain your goal. To be an Engineer One should excel in problem solving and if one does not, should try to do so. Because Engineers spend much of their time in solving problems. Enrich your problem solving know-how by practicing Math, Physics and Chemistry numerical as much as possible.

Admission to the Engineering course in India demands 10+2 qualification. One is supposed to write entrance examination conducted at all India level to get entry to the premier institutes of India.

There are seven Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) viz, Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee, 20 National Institute of Technologies (NITs), couple of IIITs and several private institutes are engaged in the task of grooming engineers.

The Joint Engineering Examination (JEE) and the All India Entrance examination (AIEEE) are the gateways to IITs and the NITs and the IIITs respectively.

I think this will help you serving as a guide map if you choose engineering as a career path. Think of it.. research about it work on it.. and then proceed towards it…!!

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 Think before you step in       

         There are more students they don't know which is the good career to start in India or international. They don't have good support to choose courses or somebody has a ambition to do something. But they don't know the proper way to their ambition. Most students are confusing after High School and Intermediate education.

         As a child, you may be a little bit nervous about choosing a career for when you get old enough to work. Everybody may be putting pressure on you to become what they want you to become. What's important is to remember to choose your career based upon what you want and to never shrink your dream into somebody else's definition of what's possible. That being said, you need to be realistic. Here's a quick guide on how to choose what you want to be when you grow up.

Grab a pen and paper

If you're really serious about choosing a proper job or career, you will need to write everything down. This helps you remember everything and help you see physically what's possible and what isn't.

Decide between a job and a career

 If you're not sure what the difference between a job and a career is, learn them now. A job is something temporary that helps you get some income while you study for a career. A career is a life plan that you will need to study for. When you are legally allowed to work, you will probably get a small job.

Make two bubbles

In one of the bubbles, write the word "job". The the other bubble, write the word "career".

Start listing

In the "job" bubble, list about 5-8 jobs that interest you. They hopefully won't be permanent, so don't be too serious about getting one that suits you perfectly. In the "career" bubble, list the same amount of careers that interest you. Unlike jobs, the career is probably going to be permanent so choose wisely.

Cancel them down

Obviously, you can't have 8 jobs and 6 careers. You will need to cancel them down to 2-3 jobs and 2-3 careers. Cross out any careers that are impossible or very hard to achieve, such as a footballer. Cross out any jobs that pay very little and aren't worth getting.

Write them out again

Your paper is probably looking very messy right now. So you don't get confused, write them out again in a table like the one shown below. Only write the ones that you want.

Research

Research the one that pays the most and what qualifications you need to get that job. Usually, the higher the job pays, the more or harder qualifications you need. The qualifications needed aren't shown in the below picture but are still necessary.

Number them

Number one should be the job or career that you will be aiming for and the one that pays the highest. Number two should be a backup plan in case you don't get your number one job. If there is a number three, that should only be used in extreme cases because it probably doesn't pay much.

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Darin Zanyar- Be What you wanna be

Doctor actor lawyer or a singer

Why not president be a dreamer

You can be just the one you wanna be

Police man fire fighter or a post man

Why not something like your old man

You can be just the one you wanna be

Doctor actor lawyer or a singer

Why not president be a dreamer

You can be just the one you wanna be

I know that we all got one thing

That we all share together

We got that one nice dream we live for

You never know what life could bring

'Cause nothing lasts forever

Just hold on to the team you play for

I know you could reach the top

Make sure that you won't stop

Be the one that you wanna be

Now sing this with me

Doctor actor lawyer or a singer

Why not president be a dreamer

You can be just the one you wanna be

Police man fire fighter or a post man

Why not something like your old man

You can be just the one you wanna be

We may have different ways to think

But it doesn't really matter

We all caught up in the steam of this life

Focus on every little thing

That's what does really matter

Luxury cars and bling that's not real life

I know you could reach the top

Make sure that you won't stop

Be the one that you wanna be

Now sing this with me

Doctor actor lawyer or a singer

Why not president be a dreamer

You can be just the one you wanna be

Police man fire fighter or a post man

Why not something like your old man

You can be just the one you wanna be

Last year I used to dream about this day

Now I'm here I'm singing for you

I hope I could inspire you

'Cause I've got all the love

'Cause I've got all love for you

Doctor actor lawyer or a singer

Why not president be a dreamer

You can be just the one you wanna be

Police man fire fighter or a post man

Why not something like your old man

You can be just the one you wanna be

Doctor actor lawyer or a singer

Why not president be a dreamer

You can be just the one you wanna be

Police man fire fighter or a post man

Why not something like your old man

You can be just the one you wanna be

Doctor actor lawyer or a singer

Why not president be a dreamer

You can be just the one you wanna be

Police man fire fighter or a post man

Why not something like your old man

You can be just the one you wanna be

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Traits for being a Leader

  You can't underestimate the power of a great leader. Great leaders make the impossible seem possible. Some folks think leaders are born; some think they are developed. I happen to think it is a little bit of both. Regardless, I am confident anyone can work to improve to their leadership skill set. If the coach is the only leader in the gym; that team won't be very successful.

Here are some traits that contribute to effective leadership:

Learn From Your Mistakes
To be a good leader you have to take calculated risks and you will certainly make some mistakes along the way. Admit them. Learn from them. Don't repeat them! These mistakes can anywhere.

"Success comes from good decisions. Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from bad decisions”

 Lead by Example
The old adage "do as I say, not as I do" doesn't fly in today's world. If you expect it from the people you are leading, you have to expect it from yourself. You must hold yourself accountable before you can hold anyone else. If you expect your teammates to be on time, then you need to be on time. If you expect them to know every play in your playbook, then you need to know them too. If you want to be a leader, people notice.

"Do what has to be done. Do it when it has to be done. Do it as well as you can. Do it this way all of the time."

 Put Others' Needs First
Compassion and empathy are extremely important to quality leadership. It is impossible to be selfish and be an effective leader. If you are a player, are you playing for the scoreboard or the scorebook? Are you playing for the name on the front of the jersey or the back? If you are a coach, do you listen to your players' feedback and thoughts? Treat your teammates and players right and genuinely care about them.

"No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care."

Have Confidence
Your attitude is something you have complete control of and will influence everything you do in life. A positive attitude helps build confidence. You must have a strong self-worth and be confident in your abilities, without being arrogant or cocky. It sounds corny, but you have to feel good about yourself to be a good leader. No one is going to follow someone who doesn't believe in themselves. Confidence comes from a sound work ethic and from being prepared

"Don't ever take a shot you aren't confident you are going to make."

Set a High Standard
If you do everything to the best of your ability, then you can expect it from those you lead. If you are always on time, always work hard, and always put your heart and soul into every practice, then you can expect your teammates to do the same. But you have to believe your teammates can meet this standard. A good leader will motivate those they are leading to do so. You want to be the type of leader who raises the level of everyone around you. Set the bar high and then lead them to it!

"It is a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you often get it."
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Expert's View:To be an Effective leader...

© Copyright Sandra Larson, Minneapolis, MN.

Sandra Larson, previous executive director of MAP for Nonprofits, was once asked to write her thoughts on what makes an effective leader. Her thoughts are shared here to gel other leaders to articulate their own thoughts on what makes them a good leader.

Passion

An effective leader is a person with a passion for a cause that is larger than they are. Someone with a dream and a vision that will better society, or at least, some portion of it. I think a very key question has to be answered: Can someone who is a charismatic leader, but only to do evil or to promote herself, be a leader -- especially if she has a large following?” I would say no, she is a manipulator.

Also, without passion, a leader will not make the necessary courageous and difficult decisions and carry them into action. This is not to imply that all decisions are of this nature. But you can be sure, some of them will be. The leader without a passion for a cause will duck.

Holder of Values

Leadership implies values. A leader must have values that are life-giving to society. It is the only kind of leadership we need. This then also implies values that are embedded in respect for others. So often we think of people skills or caring about people as being “warm and fuzzy.” I think a leader can be of varying ‘warmth and fuzziness,” but a leader has to respect others. You can’t lead without it. Otherwise we are back to manipulation. Respect means also that one can deal with diversity -- a critical need for a leader in today’s world -- probably always has been, although diversity may have been more subtle in the homogeneous societies of the past.

Vision

This is a bit different than passion, but in other ways it isn't separable. If one doesn't care about a subject, an issue, a system, then one won’t spend the time thinking about how it could or should be different. Yet, one could have strong feelings about something and not good ideas, particularly if she didn't spend a good deal of time studying the topic. Thus a leader has to have some ideas about change, about how the future could be different. Vision then is based on two components that leaders also need: creativity and intellectual drive.

Creativity

One has to try to think out of the box to have good visions and to come up with effective strategies that will help advance the vision. I’d also add here the need for a sense of humor. It’s a creative skill that is in great need by leaders. We should read the funnies more!

Intellectual Drive and Knowledge

I believe a leader has to be a student. In general it is hard for a leader to be around enough other leaders to pick this up just through discussion, so I think a leader has to be a reader and a learner. Furthermore, I can’t see someone leading in a field they know nothing about.

Confidence and Humility Combined

While one can have a great vision and good ideas for change, and even passion for it, if one isn't confident, then action will not occur. Without action, there is no change. Yet, paradoxically, a leader needs to have humility. No matter how creative and bright one is, often the best ideas and thinking are going to come from someone else. A leader needs to be able to identify that, have good people around who have these ideas. This takes humility, or at least lack of egocentricity. The leader is focused on the ends and doesn't have to see herself always as the conduit or creator of the strategy to get to that end.

Communicator

None of the above assets will work for a leader if she can’t speak or write in a way to convince others that they should follow along, join the team, get on board. All the above gets to the old adage that a leader knows how to do the right thing and a manager knows how to do things right. But a leader has to be a manager, too. I don’t think these skills and abilities can be separated out very easily. Both need to be in the mix.

Thus a leader has to be some of the following, too:

Planner/Organizer

Someone who can see what needs to be done and help the team plan and organize the getting it done. Management is getting things done through people. While a writer or other visionary person may be very influential, even seminal for the cause of change, this is not quite my definition of a leader. A leader means to me, someone who is taking action, trying to get others to do something they want to see done.

Interpersonal Skills

Leaders must have the ability to act in an inter personally competent manner, yet they also need to learn the techniques of good listening, honest and open communication, delegating, conflict resolution skills, etc., to actually get work done and keep the whole movement/organization/project together.

Other Business Skills

While in some arenas you may be able to get by with only some of these skills or none of them (if you can hire good enough people to do it for you), generally speaking you must have at least some skills in financial management, human resources, information management, sales, marketing, etc.

If I were to sum it all up, I’d say a good leader has to have a purpose that is larger than he/she is and the balanced personality and skills to put that purpose into action.

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