By Exporter 6 Best Books For Fashion Designing
Endless volumes can be written upon the evolution of fashion throughout the ages. There are many details to consider, from culture to climate. Fashion is a diverse world, filled with a multitude of glorious details. That’s why students must read books for fashion designing as much as they can.
Only through absorbing information from the masters, can a student of fashion grow into a true professional themselves. We’ve compiled a list of books that every fashion student must read to achieve their dreams.
The Best Books for Fashion Designing
1. The Fashion Designer Survival Guide
This guide is the best fashion design book for beginners. It works as a handbook for aspiring designers throughout the world. It has both inspirational anecdotes from industry and hands-on practical information. It’s authored by Mary Gehlhar, who has consulted with many leading designers, such as Zac Posen, during her career.
Readers will learn how to create and sustain a career as an independent designer. The book has both behind-the-scenes stories, as well as essential business information such as:
- How to create a workable business plan
- The best sources for materials
- The downfalls of producing clothes at home and abroad
- How to work with the media
- Working with celebrities
- Creative PR techniques
- Producing an effective runway line
Also Read: How to be a fashion designer?
2. The Fashion System
One of the best books on fashion design is The Fashion System. It analyses the industry through a new lens and delivers a refreshing take on how it functions. This French book is bold, imaginative, and witty.
It was first published in 1967 but is still a humane and stimulating read today. The author uses a structural analysis of the language used to describe women’s clothes in magazines. He goes on to identify economics as the underlying reason for the colourful language used in these magazines.
He says, “Calculating, industrial society is obliged to form consumers who don’t calculate; if clothing’s producers and consumers had the same consciousness, clothing would be bought (and produced) only at the very slow rate of its dilapidation.”. It’s a must-read fashion design book for beginners.
3. Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Designers
This is a basic fashion design book for those looking to gain practical knowledge. It’s a collection of illustrations and information about how to create a stunning portfolio. A designer’s portfolio is their calling card – it’s what they will be known for before anything else.
A strong portfolio is important for new students embarking on their journeys, for those trying to re-enter the job market, and for those who want to improve their existing portfolios.
The book has examples of sketches, photographs, drawings, and illustrations that focus on both creative and logical aspects of fashion. Different chapters are explaining which skills and techniques must be highlighted to stand out from their competition.
The reader will learn how to make a portfolio digitally, what all it must cover, tips on creating a collection for a specific market, and clues on how to prepare for interviews.
Also Read: 6 Essential Fashion Designing Skills For A Successful Career
4. Fashion Design Essentials: 100 Principles of Fashion Design
If one has a head buzzing with questions about this industry, they must read this book. It has 100 insights that explain the most important questions and define crucial concepts. Each is supported by a beautiful illustration of a real-life fashion design. One can learn reputation building, textile selection and quality, and much more.
This book is especially useful for college students, as it’s recommended by dissertation writing experts. It’s a treasure chest of knowledge from people who have years of experience in this industry. It acts as a great starting point for designers of all levels. This book is a must for those looking for insights on:
- Defining and rendering concepts
- Understanding textiles and fabric selection
- Sewing skills and how to construct garments
- How to find the right audience and build a reputation
Also Read: The Fashion Tools Every Aspiring Designer Needs
5. The Fashion Sketchbook
Another important practical aspect to imbibe is the art of sketching. It’s not enough to just have a fashion drawing book. That’s how designers express their ideas to others. It’s safe to say that fashion illustration is the backbone of fashion design. This book provides advice, examples, and more. One can learn how to set and draw body posts, create body forms, draw accessories that flatter them, and other essential sketching techniques. This book is great for those who need to excel in drawing sketches and illustrations for runways and showrooms.
6. Writing for the Fashion Business
Not everyone who steps into fashion wants to put on shows. Many want to write about what they see and learn in the industry, too. For aspiring fashionistas who want to learn the art of writing for fashion – this book is a great guide. It explains different writing techniques that suit the fashion industry. This is a good start to learn how to create fashion-oriented content for merchandising, promotions, and more.
Now that you’ve gone through this list of best books for fashion design students, you may be wondering how to take things further. The best step for any aspiring student would be to receive training at the best college for design in India.
One such college is ISDI – School of Design and Innovation. In association with the internationally renowned Parsons School of Design, our courses are at a global level. We offer a 4-year undergraduate program in fashion communication and styling. We also have a 4-year undergraduate program in fashion design. For those interested in a post-graduate course, we have an 11-month PG course in fashion business management.
Come and learn the nuances of the exciting world of fashion at the best design institute in Mumbai!
