By Gregg Hall
So you want to be a designer and you are thinking of which fashion school is the best for you. Chances are, you have zeroed in on California as many of the best schools that are dedicated to fashion are in this state. Your decision will have to be based upon many different things. There are many different fashion schools in California from which to choose. Prior to enrolling, you have to do your homework.
Start by studying some designers that you admire and see which schools from which they hailed. If you feel that your designs emulate those of your favorite designer, chances are that you can learn more about perfecting your art if you study at the same school that he or she came from. While some fashion schools are large and well known, others are small and a bit avant-garde, but very upcoming. Depending upon the type of designer you want to be will have much to do with your decision in how to choose the right California fashion school.
In the California fashion school world there are the large, prestigious schools and the smaller schools. There are pros and cons to attending both types of schools.
The good points about attending a large, well established and prestigious fashion school is that it will look good on your resume, you will be assumed to have had some sort of talent to have gotten into the school in the first place, and you will be exposed to many different types of fashion and design. When you graduate, chances are very good that you will land a job in your field.
The bad part about attending a large, prestigious school is the same as attending a large university. Less individual attention. Less creative influence. If you want to design dresses that will be sold at Sears, this is the place for you. You will learn everything there is to know about the fashion world as we know it and you will most likely find a successful career. This may sound like a plus to some people, but to those of you who want to make a splash in the designer world, you would rather do anything than design dresses for Sears. So maybe a large, prestigious fashion school in California is not for you.
A smaller, more avant-garde school is usually less expensive and offers more individual attention. Here, your unique designs and creativity will be celebrated. If you are the "non conformist" type, this is the type of right type of fashion school for you. You will imagine designing for the large European fashion houses instead of Sears.
Unfortunately, the cons of the smaller school include the fact that there is a very large competitive market for those who want to express their art through fashion design. While you are studying in California, other creative types who have the same ambition as you will be studying in New York, Milan and Paris. And you will be all competing for the same thing. When you graduate, your opportunities may be a bit limited in the fashion world. Unfortunately, although the wealthy love to purchase the newest arrivals from Milan and Paris and want the latest designs that maybe you can create, the rest of the world is buying clothes from JC Penny and Sears.
Of course, this can go both ways. Someone who cannot afford a prestigious school can study at a smaller school, get a lot of individual attention and end up making a lot of money designing every day fashion. Someone who studies at a prestigious school may really be gifted, thought of as a bit of an oddity in the school, but once out, becomes a genius of the fashion world.
The school you choose is up to you. It has a lot to do with your career ambitions and your pocketbook. But no matter which California fashion school you decide to choose, hold on to your dream for as long as you can and be true to your creativity.
