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A fashion designer is someone who loves to study fashion trends, sketch designs, select materials, and have a part in all the production aspects of their designs. Fashion designers create women's, men's and children's apparel. This might include sportswear, maternity wear, outerwear, underwear, formalwear, eyewear and footwear. There are also accessory designers who design belts, scarves, hats, handbags and hosiery.

• What are the responsibilities?

A fashion designer takes part in about every aspect of bringing fashion to the public. Creating the basic design can be done in different ways. It can involve storyboards with sketches, to working with a dummy and sewing pieces of material together. The creating phase is when the designer takes his/her vision that's swirling in the mind's eye and puts it into a visual expression. This first draft of the design is then worked on as the designer develops the first basic prototype. Computer-aided design (CAD) is being used more and more in the fashion design industry.

The fashion designer's next step is to take the rough sketch or model and develop a more specific working pattern. The designer will then make a rough model of the design by creating a toile. This is made by sewing inexpensive material (like muslin) to make a rough model of the design. When this is placed on a mannequin-like dress stand, the designer can see how the material will drape or hang on a human form.

When the garment is complete, the designer will either modify, scrap or approve the design for showing in a collection.

• What is the Eligibility Criteria?

The minimum educational to become eligible for Beautician profession is Pass in Senior Secondary Examination (10+2) or equivalent recognized examination. There is no restriction with regard to the marks secured in Senior Secondary Examination or subjects studied. 

• What are the required skills?

1. To be a Fashion designer one has to be really dedicated, hardworking, innovative and positively critical.
2. The job of a Fashion designer demands intensive foresight and inside depth of the field one is working in. For this one should have the capacity to work hard with commitment, open mind and honesty.
3. The job requires a lot of hard work and adaptability. The most important thing that fashion designer should have is that they should always be ready to take criticism in stride as this is the major thing that can help a fashion designer to improve and bring new ideas into his mind.
4. To bring his ideas into his work effectively he requires special training which can be acquired by doing the required courses of varying duration.

• What are the career prospects?

After getting the requisite qualification and enough exposure in the field one can start his own business or can work for some big fashion house with good financial return.

• What is the salary scale?

A Fashion Designer can earn an average salary of Rs. 3,00,000 per year. After initial compromises on financial returns, an established fashion designer can earn as much as possible in any other glamorous profession. Usually it depends upon the assignment taken by the designer and the fashion house with which one is working on.

And if working independently then there is not limit of his earning it may be from a few thousands a month and can be lakhs to say the least. It all depends upon the capabilities and marketing skills of the fashion designer along with his innovative techniques and for-sightedness.

• What are the steps to become a fashion designer?

1. To become a fashion designer, one has to apply for the entrance test like National Institute of Fashion Technology entrance exam. There are some other institutions which take the candidates on the merit bases or first cum first bases. 
2. Practical training provides an opportunity to students to acquire on the job work experience of a professional nature. He learns the skill of profession while working with an established practicing Fashion Designer and also works as a Industrial trainee for about one year or so with a fashion house