Do You Need a Degree to be a Fashion Stylist?
Written by: Xiara Arroyo
So you want to become a fashion stylist, but you are not quite sure where to begin, or what you need to become one? Well you found yourself in the right place. Today we are discussing and breaking down the pros and cons of getting a degree to become a fashion stylist.
If you decide to attend fashion school either for design or marketing you will learn practical skills, like pattern making, illustration, fashion history and some of the business side of things, like marketing, consumer demands all while sharpening your creative skills.
Because of the digital age we live in you’ll more than likely learn to use programs like Photoshop, CAD, and InDesign amongst others. You won’t be learning these skills alone, you will have professors and classmates to take criticism from so to improve and hone in on your skills. You will have the space to fine tune your style and perhaps grow a signature aesthetic. A part of this process is learning to give up creative control, especially in design where so much counts on the consumer demands, industry trends and so forth. Having all this knowledge will be beneficial to your growth as a stylist.
Another great benefit to attending school for fashion is the internship requirement. This will put you in a position to experience hands on learning, open doors and opportunities to get you in front of industry professionals. If you decide not to attend fashion school, finding internships can be done via linkedin or tapping into your local creative community and attending fashion networking events.
All your work in fashion school is for the purpose of growing your portfolio, with most students expected to have a senior collection before graduating. Having the resources and guidance fashion school provides will provide a narrow path to your portfolio growth. Portfolio building can be done by again tapping into your local creative market, working trade for print projects to learn your skills as you go and make connections with other while doing so.
If you are looking to get a bachelor’s degree you will more than likely be attending a four year program along with paying tuition, room and board, and any other living expenses. This can add up, and if you’re like most students, your access to funds are limited. Always discuss with financial aid your options, apply to grants and scholarships. Otherwise invest in small certificate programs or specialized online courses.
That is the other side of the coin. Maybe you don’t want to or are not able to invest in the years as well as the money to do a four year bachelors program at one of the top fashion schools in the country, but you have passion, heart and hustle. You’re creative, and don’t look forward to being behind a computer creating digital sketches, and prefer not to be behind a sewing machine, but you enjoy creating looks and concepts. We have a solution for you.
What we can offer is advice and resources from one of the top celebrity stylists currently in the industry. Brittany Diego, while she did attend fashion school, she learned outside of the classroom and compiled everything she has learned over the years about being a fashion stylist into her Fashion Stylist Academy.
You know you have the talent, you aspire to dress the top celebrities, or maybe you want to empower the women in your community through their wardrobe. In the Fashion Stylist Academy, Diego breaks down exactly what you need to know, from building your portfolio to what you need to be charging.
So while you may not need a fashion degree to make your stylist dreams come true, and while it would be good to attend Parsons, St. Martins, or FIDM, what is important is the knowledge you would obtain. For just about everything you will learn in the classroom there is a way to balance it out and teach yourself or learn from others that have been where you want to be.