Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Lane,

You're in luck! The two fields you are interested in make an exciting career combination. By doing graphic and web design for fashion sites, you can merge the best of two worlds! The Internet has provided the fashion world with a whole new venue in which to see and to be seen. Fashion designers can present their collections to a worldwide audience, and an online presence is quickly becoming as important as having a real live brick & mortar boutique! Major fashion magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Vogue, and ELLE now have their own online counterparts. Then there is the world of fashion e-zines that only live online and offer global fashion runway coverage and industry news, like Fashion Live and Hint. You can start building a solid foundation of skills in high school by taking art and design classes. Explore drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, art history, and even set design for your school's theatre. Each of these disciplines will develop different aspects of your creativity. In conjunction with these, be sure to take all the computer classes you can. Computer-aided design programs like Adobe Photo Shop and Quark X-press are the main tools of graphic and web designers. While it's essential to have a grasp of programs like these, always keep in mind that the computer is simply a tool, just like a paintbrush or a chisel. Become an artist first, and then use the computer to express your ideas. Don't be afraid to get experience now that will help you later. Design flyers for a fashion event at your school. Photograph a local fashion show for your school's newspaper. Design your own website and showcase your work as an online portfolio. These are the things that will give you a head start in college. Be sure to check out FIDM's Graphic Design Program and Advanced Study Program in Interactive Multimedia. The unique thing about these programs is that they are geared towards design jobs within the fashion and entertainment industries, which is perfect for you. Stay focused on your passions and you'll be well on your way to the career of your dreams! Sincerely,