Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Bianca,

The answer you probably hate to hear is...definitely! Believe it or not, those patternmaking classes are necessary for a career in fashion. In fact, any career you choose requires a solid ground of technical knowledge, even in a creative field. Behind every glamorous occupation, there are technicalities involved. All the fantasy you see in a movie or play is a result of many technical elements coming together--lighting, camera work, editing--it's all about merging calculations and creativity.

As a stylist, you will be working with clothing designers and textile companies all the time. Having a knowledge of patternmaking helps you predict how a certain piece of clothing will look laying flat or on a mannequin, important aspects for the look of a fashion photo shoot. Stylists do a lot of fabric draping on sets, and you will learn the art of draping in patternmaking classes. You might have to pin clothing together for a certain scene to create the illusion of a different outfit--again your patternmaking know-how will come in to save the day.Also, as a stylist your ability to communicate effectively with fashion industry professionals is essential. Since you will be familiar with technical terms and measurements, you will have no problem understanding their concerns.If in the future you decide to become a fashion designer, patternmaking ability will be a necessity. As a designer, you must be able to realistically transfer your designs into paper patterns to be sewn.Most fashion colleges start their programs with patternmaking courses, so you are not alone! Yes, it's technical, it involves lots of measuring and math, but it is necessary for you to gain a solid fashion base. This knowledge will save you time and give you a head start once you move on in your fashion program to design and illustration courses. In the meantime, try bringing your creativity into patternmaking, which is in itself an art. Ask your instructor to let you experiment with your patterns. Use them--cut out fabric and sew them! It is more rewarding to see and wear the result of all your hard technical work.So forge ahead through your technical classes for now. The sooner you master patternmaking, the sooner you can move on to more interesting and creative fashion courses. Good luck with your future stylist career! Good luck!