The POWER of FASHION lies in its ability to transform IDENTITY and CULTURE.
Fashion, like ART, embodies the time we live in and society bears witness to the interpretation of its HISTORICAL and CULTURAL significance.
– RP Hill
FAQ: What is a FASHION Designer’s average PAY in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Canada?
ANSWER. A designer’s earnings are typically based on the number of years in the business, experience, expertise, region or location, size of the company, and job description. Because each person’s background and objectives are unique to them, we suggest to do your own research and due diligence. For example, compare salaries of local similar job […]
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FAQ: How much do FASHION DESIGNERS make? It’s COMPLEX in the U.S.
The salary of a fashion designer depends on experience, responsibility, the company, and location. The easy answer, which is the annual mean wage from the May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], is $87,210.
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FAQ: The creative REWARDS of COSTUME Design + the PAY can be 6 Figures
Question. What is costume design? Answer. Costume design is the creation of costumes for artists or characters of performance art – film, television, theatre, opera, music, and dance. It communicates the identity of a character to the audience and helps the actor communicate and “get into” the identity of the character. No other form of […]
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10 FAQ’s: FASHION Careers; Traditional, METAVERSE and NFT’s
Question. I want to be in fashion. Can I get a broad sense of what career options there are? Answer. There are many paths to a career in fashion whether you work for a company or are independent. Broadly, there are 6 traditional commercially focused sectors of which are organizationally structured with numerous skilled jobs; […]
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Is Technology the Future for Innovative Fashion? No!
Technology is built on data; innovation is built on imagination and cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence.
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Branding in the Fashion Space – Where Do the Lines Between Leadership and Listening Overlap and Diverge?
After all, most artists don’t go around proclaiming, ‘I want to be a commercial success.’ – Bernard Arnault, LVMH chairman & CEO
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Branding, Marketing & Advertising 101
Branding 101: Branding is the Big Picture. Branding is the sum of all impressions one has of your business. Such as, the quality and detail of your seasonal collections; public relations and news about the organization; social media output; your name, graphic and visual identity; packaging. Deliver a consistent on-target brand experience across all consumer […]
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Unsettling and Uplifting -10 Uncharted Paths to a New Direction for Fashion
We have to be unburdened by what has been to consider what can be. – Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States
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In the COVID era keep creating | 5 survival tips not to ignore
Stay focused, slow it down, present scarcity, and invest in a circular system.
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Buy Less, But Better | Study Shows Notable Shift to Sustainable Consumption
As part of the IFM – Première Vision Chair, Français de la Mode conducted a study that surveyed 5,000 consumers in France, Germany, Italy and the United States about their consumption habits of Eco-friendly fashion.
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Are You Listening? Consumer Feedback is King | A How-To Guide
Are you giving your consumer a platform to provide you with meaningful feedback? Do you know why their consumption patterns have changed? Don’t assume anything. Have you asked?
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A Message from the Editor to FIDM graduates and all emerging designers
. . . And to Those Still Trying to Break Through the ‘Noise’. There are no impossibilities. In a world where we are taught to conform, we must be diligent in using our creative power for change. Many new to the fashion industry will see the difficulty in challenging the status quo. If you work […]
Read moreWith 25.5 billion pounds of USE-ABLE textiles thrown away each year (70 pounds per American), there is a lot of waste that can be prevented.
You don’t need to be an expert to succeed in fashion
Expertise is no longer a guarantee in this business and bachelors degrees and awards don’t always take you to the top. Sometimes boundless energy, street smarts, a killer idea and an iPhone are what it takes.
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Ten Minute Catwalk – Costly, Waste of Time, Once You See It, Forgotten!
A ten minute catwalk? How about a ten month campaign of exposure! Why not leverage this very short window of exposure to maximize your business long-term. Here are 10 steps of keeping your brand prominent in the eyes and buying power of your audience: Tell your story – document your design and development stages by […]
Read moreWe need to shift our consumption values so that the entire fashion system can shift along with it.
– RP Hill –
Did You Know? Non-Biodegradable Clothes Take 20 to 200 Years to Biodegrade
Non-biodegradable clothes are manufactured synthetic textiles including polyester, spandex, nylon, and rayon[*]. It may take between 20 to 200 years to fully biodegrade these textiles. Biodegradable Textiles: Cotton: Cotton is one of the most biodegradable fabrics you can have, especially if it is 100% cotton. In a compost, cotton may biodegrade within as little as a […]
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Fashion Unknown Fact – 85% Workforce Loss in U.S. Apparel Manufacturing
Did you know as late as 1990, the United States apparel manufacturing industry employed nearly 939,000 people? In 1931, the Garment District in New York was home to the highest concentration of clothing manufacturers in the world. But as manufacturing has moved overseas the sector has since lost more than 85 percent of its workforce […]
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Fashion Unknown Fact – The U.S. Fashion Industry Employs More Than 1.8 Million People
The fashion industry—including retailers, manufacturers, designers and wholesalers—employs more than 1.8 million people in the United States. It relies on workers in a wide range of occupations, including fashion designers, market research analysts, graphic design artists, computer systems developers, patternmakers, sewing machine operators, retail sales workers, wholesale buyers, accountants and business operations specialists.The U.S. fashion […]
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Fashion Unknown Fact – U.S. Apparel Manufacturing Runs a $76 Billion Trade Deficit
According to U.S. Congress JEC report, the U.S. apparel manufacturing industry currently runs a trade deficit. In 2014, U.S. apparel exports totaled roughly $6 billion, while imports were about $82 billion. Over one-third of U.S. apparel imports come from China (36 percent), with Vietnam (11 percent), Bangladesh (6 percent), Indonesia (6 percent), and Mexico (5 […]
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Designers Speak Out | Alternatives to Fashion Runway with Commercial Viability
In ten minutes the past few months of working on something is presented to the world. The show itself is over so fast, and for myself, I only see it on a playback video after it’s over. – Brendan M Combs, designer. With each show available for the viewing public, digitally, designers question where is the […]
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How Important is Sketching in Design?
Tapping into your audience/client at key points during the design process can save you a lot of disappointment of the ‘big reveal’ at the end. Consider this your focus group/feedback session. Sketches really help you “sell” your designs to the clients. – Icon Utopia Designers, the entire design process is of such meaning to your […]
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Fast & Cheap Fashion Consumption Leads to R.A.G.S.
Skip the landfill and discard your unwanted R.A.G.S. – Recycle Accessories Garments Shoes – responsibly. Americans discard more than 28 billion pounds of unwanted clothing, shoes, and other textiles. Charitable organizations and others collect roughly 15 percent of these items, while the remaining 85 percent — 24 billion pounds — end up in landfills. – […]
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Zero Waste Design Technique | Are You Part of the Conscious Design Movement?
A how-to guide from Redress and EcoChic Design Award.
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The Fashion Runway – Are the Costs Worth It? Designers Tell All!
Fashion shows have become a media spectator sport at a high cost of entry for the designer. Is the 10 – 20 minute catwalk worth the investment in exposing their work, but more importantly getting that order from buyers? Read what emerging designers think of fashion shows. A mixed blessing? How important is exposing your […]
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Fashion Unknown Fact – How Big is Fashion Week Worldwide?
Did you know Wikipedia list over 75 countries that produce fashion events? Here’s a little context of how big the fashion show industry is:
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Color! Have No Fear
In fashion, do we produce and consume too much of the color black? Do you know why black is used in the branding of Chanel, YSL, and Armani Exchange? How does the color spectrum affect consumer behavior? Color is a powerful element in design. It has the ability to connect a variety of feelings, moods, […]
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Fashion Unknown Fact – Fashion Week Designer Costs
Well established big brands can start at $100,000, which can include venue, models, styling, hair and makeup, production, public relations, and live streaming. Pay to play celebrities is an addition. In 2011, the New York Times reported that the Marc Jacobs show cost at least $1 million, which breaks down to about $1,750 per each […]
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The ‘Un’ in Fashion
Become fearless in your design approach. Create fashion that is unexpected, unpredictable, and uncompromised.
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Fashion Week, A Call To Action. 13 ‘Must Consider’ Tips
Don’t let Fashion Week play you. What you should get out of Fashion Week. Designers/Brands A 20 minute catwalk gets you what? You pay to play. Think about what you want out of it [the return on your investment] and don’t settle. You should want orders, press, interviews, and dialogue about your collection/your work. Social […]
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Fashion Unknown Fact – Selling to Major Retailers, You Get Seven Cents on the Dollar
Selling to the “Majors” may not be all that profitable for certain brands.
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Fashion Unknown Fact – Where Are The Largest Numbers of Fashion Designers?
The states with the greatest number of fashion designers include: New York (7,190 fashion designers), California (5,750), Texas (500), New Jersey (340) and Massachusetts (270). The metropolitan areas with the largest numbers of fashion designers are New York City (7,030), Los Angeles (4,130), Santa Ana (520), San Diego (260) and Long Island (250).
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Why Walk in the Shoes of Your Consumer?
We don’t know what consumers don’t buy. We know what they do buy.
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The One Branding Tip You Can’t Live Without
In developing your brand, focus on engagement, not sales. You want to engage the consumer on an emotional level and to effectively communicate it across their entire brand experience. When you think of an emotional connection with a brand, Disney has one of the best practices of consumer engagement and brand leveraging across all its […]
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Fashion Industry Key Consumer Insights
The Trendstop team of FashionUnited brings you this exclusive insight into the consumer mindset. . .
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Fashion Unknown Fact – Designer Average Pay
Fashion designers are at the heart of the industry’s creative process. Across industries, fashion designers earn an average of $73,600 annually. [Source: The New Economy of Fashion | Joint Economic Committee, United States Congress]
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A Timeless Message to the Emerging Class of Creatives
. . . And to Those Still Trying to Break Through the ‘Noise’. There are no impossibilities.
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How Effective Is Social Media To Your Brand? EDGE Designers Tell All
The usage of social media with marketers ranks very high in the marketing efforts of connecting current and prospective consumers to their brands. As reported by statista.com, in the United States alone, social media marketing spending is expected to exceed 17 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 – almost ten billion increase, compared to 2014.
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Beyond The Academics | 6 EDGE Designers Share Business Advice
The EDGE network of emerging designers share business tips and advice on their journey as an up and coming brand in the fashion industry. This is part of the EDGE experience based [to complement academic] educational best practice series.
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Interested in Costume Design? Tips by Alex Jaeger, Awarded Costume Designer
Alex Jaeger is an awarded costume designer based in Los Angeles. His background spans multiple disciplines of the performing arts and film. We gained insight on the costume creation process and the role it plays in the performing arts from our talk with Alex.
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“Spotlight”: The Making of a Student Fashion Show
A student fashion show is not just “show and tell”, but a collaborative educational experience that showcases student marketing, design, and event production talents. It’s applying academics to real life. I wanted to learn more about the “what, why, and how” of producing a show by the student body and in particular how it is […]
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The Business of Fashion | Do Fashion Institutes Really Prepare You?
Business and design go hand in hand, now, and without understanding how each part is important you can easily find yourself losing your power in major decision making moments. . . – Brendan M Combs, designer.
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5 Questions With Jay Arbetman | Sourcing Fabric To Sustain Commercial Success
In today’s world, you need to understand what can be sourced at a level that will sustain commercial use. You need to understand that highly customized fabrics and trims will either have enormous minimums, enormous prices or both. – Jay Arbetman, The Sourcing District. As part of EDGE’s EDGE-ucation series, we bring you insight on […]
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6 EDGE Designers Share Business Advice | What School Doesn’t Teach
The EDGE network of emerging designers share business tips and advice on their journey as an up and coming brand in the fashion industry. These direct quotes are from the EDGE Radar designer interview series. Explore boundaries and believe in what you’ve set out to accomplish. – An interview with Amabelle Aguiluz. . . My […]
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Spec Packages | The Critical Product Development Tool
EDGE team contributor and technical designer, Melissa Lugo, shares her expertise on garment spec packages. We talked to Melissa, asking her pertinent questions regarding the importance of design specification packages. Melissa, what are spec [specification] packages and how important are they in the product development process? I use the word packages, because it is inclusive […]
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Emerging Designers, a Niche Market, and How to Get Noticed | EDGE Talks to Indie Retailer
Amara Bessa, owner of Kariella Clothing Shop, took the time to talk to EDGE about her start in the fashion industry, how often and where she shops the market, and what she does to differentiate Kariella from other independent retailers. In a live audio interview, Amara tells us about her vision to be unique, build […]
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Empowerment – Taking Charge | A Graduation Message
Artist Teresita Fernandez once said, You don’t need a lot of friends or curators or patrons or a huge following, just a few that really believe in you. Graduates of all vocations, yet particularly those of the arts, don’t wait for one or two years to truly own your life, empower yourselves now! Whether it is […]
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Rhonda’s Best Practices. . . Focus on The Consumer
Focus on the consumer, not sales, believe me, it’s a win, win. To do this you have to intimately know who your audience is. Who are you designing for? You design for the customer – the retailer/buyer – and you design for the consumer – the ultimate end user. Knowing the consumer will position you […]
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Rhonda’s Best Practices and Tips | Branding
As a veteran in the fashion business, this feature on business practices and tips are from my personal experience. Those of you that are recent graduates bear in mind that academia is a great foundation. Gaining complete knowledge of running a fashion business [designer, wholesaler, or retailer] is the combination of both academia and experience. […]
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Tom Ford Fashion Business Survival Guide
You have a voice that can influence contemporary culture as much or more than anything else. If you love what you do, there’s nothing like the rush of having a great idea and then seeing it created. – Tom Ford, keynote speaker at the 2013 annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund awards dinner. EDGE up and coming […]
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Stella McCartney’s Tips at CFDA and Vogue’s Annual Fashion Fund Dinner
Stella McCartney was the keynote speaker at the Council of Fashion Designers of America [CFDA] and Vogue’s annual Fashion Fund dinner. Her advice to the fashion class of 2014, as told by Marshall Heyman of WSJ.com: • Go work in Paris. “It will serve you very well if you can get there.” • Study vintage […]
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Sustainable Fashion Never Goes Out of Style
IMAGINE A FUTURE LIKE THIS: Community Couture [Scenario 2] 1. The world is… struggling to cope with the impacts of climate change and resource shortages but community bonds are strong – many strive for self-sufficiency. 2. Fashion is… expensive new or cheap and second-hand… very high costs of raw materials and disrupted supply chains have […]
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I Got a “D”. A Gift In Courage
I got a grade of ‘D” on the first piece I made in my high school sewing class, which was a skirt. I cried all the way home. What I thought was a failure was a gift in courage and determination to still pursue my dreams. Twenty years later, I became Vice President of Merchandising […]
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Top Principles for Success – Professionalism and Preparation
The designers/brands that were truly professional would arrive a day or two in San Francisco [when I was a buyer for Macy’s] prior to our meeting. They arrived well in advance in order to shop the floor, shop the market, and understand the competition of both my department and their product competition. They wanted to […]
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Top Principles for Success – Relationships are essential
Another lesson I’ve learned is that it’s so important to create strong relationship and to develop a strong network of professionals you can turn to for advice or support and know that they truly have the best interest for you and your brand. Building those relationships are like partnerships that will help strengthen your business, […]
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Top Principles for Success | Exposure = the road to success
One of the most important challenges of your career as a successful fashion designer is to get and maintain retail and/or media exposure for your brand. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to land that first buyer meeting. You can’t stop trying to expose or get appointments just because some buyers or media have […]
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Top Principles for Success – Maintain Your Focus
Commit yourself to your vision and goals, and understand clearly what will and will not help you along the way. Stay in your “lane” or on the road that will lead you to accomplish your goals. Sometimes designers/brands encounter situations that appear to be opportunities, but can take them off the road in directions that […]
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Top Principles for Success – Know Your Market
During my many years as a buyer and merchandising executive, I got to know and observe a variety of successful designers and brands from around the country. Many of these designers were emerging designers, others were well on to becoming established, yet all of them were fast on their way to making not only national […]
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