To get in the fashion industry, are talent and skills more important than what degree you have?

Staci: To get in the fashion industry, are talent and skills more important than what degree you have?
To get hired for a fashion designer in the industry, are your skills more important than the degree you have in? Do you get hired based on your skills, your degree, or both? What about salary?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Goalgee
The fashion industry, is a very tangible sector, so of course your skills and talent and some experience are probably the biggest factors. It doesn’t matter if you got into Parsons, school just helps you refine skill if you need nuturing. Same thing as apprenticing kind of, except there’s probably more text at school.

Answer by DreamingAngie
I think it’s all about your talent. Few popular designers doesn’t even study in art before…

Answer by Lyrical
Perhaps it’s helpful to have experience first. Have you tried fashion designing? Moreover, Would you like the job?

The degree will give you a better standing for the employer, but having skills alone will take a most amazing design to be noticed. So yeah, i think it’s both.

Answer by justme1
The degree will open more initial doors, but the talent is what will keep the job once gotten.

Without the degree, you’ll likely get hired in more of an entry-level position, with a smaller starting salary. However, a lower position would also allow you face time and daily contact with people in the business, so it could be a good stepping stone.

Ideally, an entry-level job bringing in income while continuing your fashion education (Night courses?) could get you the best of both worlds.

Answer by Nostalgic05
I believe a degree will help open doors because you can acquire many contacts through your professors. Being involved with the fashion department at your school will most likely help you get exposure, but if you don’t have any talent, then you’re wasting your time. You probably don’t need a degree if you’re really talented, but you’ll need extra initiative, creativity and connections to get noticed. Good Luck!

Answer by commercialmix1
talent is definitely a part of it and having the education helps but if there is one trait to have it is passion. Make sure to focus on giving what you can when you get the opportunity. I would recommend searching for a prominent designer so your entry salary is better, because a fashion house that sells cheaper clothes has to cut corners by going cheap on employee salaries. Remember the money will come with the passion.

DK~contributor
www.commercialmix.com

Answer by susie
Talent and Skill are incredibly important. More so that a degree. Some people are able to be incredibly talented without the aid of a AAS or a BFA.

But equally, if not more, important is WHO you know. A lot of the fashion industry is networking. If you get that one person who is willing to take you in, you have it made.

It doesn’t matter if you can sew really well and have a lot of talent, if you cant find your niche in the fashion world.

There are a lot of factors that will contribute to getting a really good job in the industry. You cant really pinpoint exactly what it is that will get you.

Sometimes reputation alone will help you a lot. I go to Parsons and being able to just write down the name of the best design school in the country opens so many doors.

Well, I wish you the best of luck!
Susie Marie
https://www.cjb.net/

Answer by ebec11
You would get your skills from getting a good degree, right? If you are meant to be a fashion designer, then your effort is more important then natural talent.