5 tips and resources for Fashion Design students

Hi, I am Cosmin and I am a Fashion Design student, going into my third year. Following, are my 5 tips and a bonus tip at the end that I’d like to share so you can make the most of your course, learn and have fun - because in Fashion, you can!

1. The best advice I could start with it is probably to buy a good sketchbook: this will become your diary, a notebook for you to experiment, design and draw. It’s yours and it will be the proof of your journey during the semester. Prepare yourself with an A4 spiral sketchbook of 170gsm; it’s easier to work on and the paper will support different pencils, watercolour, or other innovative ways of drawing you might want to experiment.

2. Start collecting magazines! Find a Fashion magazine you like (it doesn’t have to be the most expensive one) and start reading them. Have a look at what other brands are selling, what’s the style everyone goes mad about and, once you went through the magazine, store them in your room. Collect images that you like, put them on your inspirational wall, collage them, and create something new.

3. As I have mentioned before, create your Inspiration wall! If you don’t have one already, get a magnetic or cork board and start pinning images, texts from books, fabric, photos… Everything that you like and inspires you. I have mine in front of my desk and when I have a creative blockage, I just stare at the pictures I have on my wall, it helps!

4. What fashion designer doesn’t have a sewing machine? If you do not have one yet, it’s time to get one! You can try to find a second hand one, doesn’t matter what type, but research a little bit before buying the first one you see. Sometimes you might not have enough time to sew at Uni, and this is when a domestic sewing machine becomes handy. Toyota, Singer or Brothers are some of the best ones.

5. Last but not least, USE THE LIBRARY! During the year, the tutors will mention different books, you might need to do some research for the topic you have chosen in one of your projects or you just want to read something and relax during a stressful semester… Go to the library, spend hours browsing different books. You can scan and photocopy, if there’s something you like, or just borrow the book for a maximum of 12 months unless someone requests it. The library is huge: it has three different floors, independent rooms you can book, computers you can use, scan and printers everywhere, doesn’t that sound like heaven?

*Bonus tip: Have fun!! Don’t see the course as grades, teachers, rules, work… but as a place where you can have fun, make new friends and learn something you’re passionate about. Don’t be afraid of exploring and challenge yourself. Get out of your comfort zone and make the most of the course. If you try to enjoy what you’re going to study, it won’t feel like studying at all. Just have fun, learn new things and the good grades will follow!

Cosmin