Fashion Design Schools in Michigan

There are few careers that offer the versatility of fashion design! With training and creativity, you can design clothes for babies, kids, women, or men. There are even specialty fields of fashion design, like fitness gear, formal wear, and swimwear. In Michigan, where the seasons demand regular wardrobe changes, fashion design can be a very lucrative career. At BeautySchoolsDirectory.com our goal is to help as many students explore their options for careers in beauty.

State License Requirements

While fashion design is often grouped in with cosmetology careers, it does not have the same strict licensing requirements that cosmetology careers have in Michigan. As a general rule, fashion design is an unlicensed and unregulated field in the United States. This doesn’t mean that training is unnecessary. A certificate or degree program in fashion design can help you build a professional network, start your professional portfolio, and get experience with fashion design tools and programs.

Education Details

When you look at all the work that goes into a fashion designer's career, it's clear that you need a thorough education to jump into this field. Whether you decide to earn an Associate's degree or Bachelor's degree, your education will likely cover many of the same topics. Fashion design in Michigan often requires students to study design principles, color theory, sewing skills, and sketching skills. Spending a lot of time studying theory and fashion history can help you get into the fashion mindset.

Courses that can help you build up your basic fashion design skills

• History of Fashion
• Fabric Draping
• Color Theory in Fashion
• Design Theory

This knowledge will be put to the test in your experience-based courses. In experience-based courses, you can begin getting real experience in the world of fashion design.

Commonly required courses include

• Sketching for Fashion Design
• Sewing Skills
• Design Studio

In these courses, you may begin creating a portfolio and mastering different aspects of fashion design.

License Renewal

Michigan Fashion Design Careers

In general, the job outlook for fashion designers isn't expected to change much between 2010 and 2020. O*Net reports an expected dip in fashion design jobs in this time frame. While it is difficult to determine the job outlook in Michigan, there may be some things you can do to improve your personal outlook. Living in one of Michigan's major cities, like Lansing or Detroit, may give you access to a greater range of fashion design job opportunities. Developing a strong portfolio that showcases your specialties and talents can also have a positive impact on your job search. O*Net (2016) indicates that the average salary for a Michigan fashion designer is $52,420 per year. Your salary may be impacted by how much experience you have and what sector of the fashion design industry you work in.

Working in the fashion industry requires creativity, flexibility, and the ability to take criticism and grow from it. Creativity, of course, is at the forefront of this career! Even if you're not yet creating your own designs, you must be able to come up with solutions to garments that don't fit right, a fabric that doesn't drape correctly, or a color scheme that doesn't quite fit the rest of the lie. Flexibility is a must-have; you may work three hours one day and 15 hours the next. If there are fashion shows or new line releases coming up, you may need to work long hours, nights, and weekends to meet the needs of your employer. Critiques are part of this industry, and if you can grow from them, you'll be ahead of many other new graduates. Starting your career in Michigan may give you the freedom to work for many different employers, including manufacturers, wholesalers, and designers. Live reports that a growing number of fashion industry employers are moving their headquarters to Michigan to take advantage of the state's excellent manufacturing capabilities. The opportunities available to you may vary based on your strengths and what type of work you have in your portfolio. Planning early for the fashion design career you want can pay off when you graduate!

Contact the Michigan State Board of Fashion Design

The Michigan State Board of Cosmetology can help you answer additional questions about obtaining a Michigan state cosmetology license.