7 Best Fashion Design Courses & Training Programs Online In 2023

Best Fashion Design Courses & Training Programs

1. Fashion as Design

Fashion design plays a pivotal role in our lives as it intertwines with various aspects such as culture, politics, identity, and environment. Fashion as Design is a unique course that delves into over 70 garments and accessories from around the world, encouraging students to critically analyze what we wear, why we wear it, and how it is made. By engaging with designers, historians, makers, and other professionals in the industry, students will get a comprehensive insight into the history and development of each garment, as well as their evolving uses, meanings, and impacts over time.

This course aims to enrich students' understanding of fashion design by equipping them with the necessary tools to appreciate diverse perspectives and reinvent garments as needed. Some of the key aspects covered in the course include the politics, identity, and economics of garments, as well as their lifecycle, from design and production to marketing, distribution, and consumption. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper grasp of the choices they make about fashion, considering factors such as the visual language of dress, individual and collective identities, and issues relating to labor practices, sustainability, and body politics.

2. Photoshop for Fashion Design: 2 Rendering Techniques

This exceptional course focuses on enhancing your fashion design skills using Adobe Photoshop. The second installment in the Photoshop for Fashion Design series, it is expertly guided by Robin Schneider, who delves into more specific techniques that can swiftly turn your creative ideas into reality. Throughout the course, you will learn how to incorporate textures, such as wool, flannel, denim, and leather using filters, as well as rendering faces for your eye-catching illustrations.

Beyond the fundamentals, the course expands into creative territory, teaching you how to craft custom brushes for painting fur, hair, and lace on your designs. Moreover, you will receive invaluable tips on making your designs stand out, including painting quick and easy watercolor illustrations, creating a brush to illustrate gold lamé, and adding drama to your layouts. This comprehensive course is an excellent resource for those pursuing a career in fashion design, who wish to polish their skills and generate stunning, professional-looking illustrations.

3. Illustrator for Fashion Design: Drawing Flats

Learn to draw detailed technical flats, or CADs, for the fashion industry using Adobe Illustrator in this comprehensive course. Offering easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions tailored specifically for fashion design, you'll be able to generate professional-quality fashion flats in no time. Robin Schneider, a highly experienced fashion designer and Otis College of Art and Design instructor, will guide you in mastering the Pen tool as she demonstrates how to draw various garments, such as shirts, pants, skirts, and blazers.

This course will also help you maximize the power of Illustrator by teaching you how to utilize the Pathfinder feature, organize layers for efficient editing, and create custom symbol libraries. Additionally, you'll acquire valuable tips and tricks to boost productivity and learn how to display your designs in presentation-worthy line sheets. By the end of this course, you'll have a solid foundation in creating technical flats for the fashion industry while enhancing your skill set in Adobe Illustrator.

4. Photoshop for Fashion Design: 1 The Basics

Dive into the world of fashion design with a thorough understanding of Adobe Photoshop. This course, led by expert instructor Robin Schneider, offers a comprehensive introduction to the software's workspace, tools, and best practices, ensuring students are well-equipped to harness its full potential. Whether you are new to Photoshop or looking to refine your skills, this course offers valuable insights and techniques to enhance your fashion design process.

The course guides you through working with pencil sketches, teaching how to scan, clean, and render your artwork in Photoshop. Additionally, learn how to work with existing marker or watercolor illustrations and create polished, professional layouts for your fashion portfolio. Furthermore, Robin provides step-by-step instruction for creating visually compelling mood boards, a crucial aspect of the fashion design process. By the end of the course, you will have gained a solid foundation in using Adobe Photoshop to elevate your fashion design work to new heights.

5. Fashion Design

In the ever-evolving world of fashion design, it's crucial to constantly innovate and stay ahead of trends while having a strong foundation in the design process. This course delves into the latest technological advancements such as 3D and digital printing, while also emphasizing the importance of artisanal design and craftsmanship. Students will learn to develop their unique brand through the careful consideration of design aesthetics, materials, silhouettes, and fit. The course also highlights the significance of collaboration with fellow designers and the adoption of new modes of inspiration and thinking in the design process. Additionally, students will explore the future of fashion forecasting and the role of trend observation, social movements, politics, environmentalism, and pop culture in building a successful brand strategy.

To ensure an enriching learning experience, the course is led by a team of expert faculty from Parsons as well as prominent industry professionals. Among the instructors are Gabi Asfour, founder and creative director of threeASFOUR, Keanan Duffty, Susanna Moyer, and Joshua Williams, all of whom bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the course. This unique combination of theoretical knowledge and practical expertise will equip students with the necessary skills to excel in the competitive realm of fashion design.

6. Pattern Making for Fashion Design -PART 1- Essential Skills!

This course focuses on the essential skills in pattern making for fashion design, teaching students how to use pattern-making principles and techniques to draft and manipulate patterns for their fashion design ideas. In clear and simple visual demos, major fashion universities' methods and techniques are demonstrated and new terminology is clearly explained and applied to the subject matter. Pattern making is crucial for fashion designers to understand garment construction and bring their designs to fruition, thus this course empowers students to become better fashion designers, offering more creative options, and establishing the foundations for a successful fashion brand or elevating an existing one.

The course covers a range of topics, such as basic principles of pattern-making, dart manipulation, added fullness and contour, pivoting, slash-and-spread, draping muslin bodice on dress forms, drafting princess seams, A-line skirts, skirt yokes, addressing grainlines and pattern labeling, trueing darts, and necessary tools for drafting patterns. Understanding how to manipulate darts, label patterns correctly, and use the proper grainlines makes the difference between cutting garments correctly and creating beautiful designs. Students will become familiar with industry-standard tools and techniques, the principles of pattern drafting, and communication so that they can execute garments accurately in different contexts. This comprehensive course not only enhances students' design skills but also introduces them to a specialized and financially rewarding career in pattern making within the fashion industry.

7. Fashion Design: Introduction to Hand Drawn Technical Flats

As a fashion designer, mastering the art of drawing technical flats is crucial for effectively communicating your ideas and designs to colleagues and customers. This course will help you expand your skillset in fashion design, whilst ensuring your work is clear and professional. Throughout the course, students will learn how to create hand drawn technical flats, which are essential in illustrating a garment's proportions, material breakdown, and seam construction. Drawing on valuable lessons gained early in their career under the tutelage of Marc Jacobs, the instructor provides guidance based on real-world experience and emphasizes the continued importance of hand-drawn technical flats in today's industry.

This comprehensive course includes instructions on sketching initial concepts, creating refined and proportional sketches using vellum paper on top of a croquis or "sloper," defining essential details, rendering with markers, and generating full-scale paper technical drawings of designs to analyze proportions and construction. Students will develop the fundamental drawing techniques needed to create concise and accurate illustrations of their fashion ideas. As a practical project, learners will create three technical flats of their own to showcase their newly acquired skills and receive feedback from fellow students and the instructor, ensuring a well-rounded and interactive learning experience.

Compare Fashion design Online Courses

How to choose best Fashion design online course

Choosing the best fashion design course is essential for those who wish to enhance their skills and knowledge in this creative and constantly evolving field. When deciding on a program, learners should consider their intents, such as mastering the basics of fashion design, improving hand-drawing skills for technical flats, or learning how to use Photoshop and Illustrator for rendering techniques and drawing flats. Additionally, they may want to focus on pattern making, gain an introduction to hand-drawn technical flats, or acquire essential skills for pattern making in fashion design.

• Consider your intended goals and objectives in the field of fashion design.
• Take into account the specific skills you want to develop, such as hand-drawing, using design software, or pattern making.
• Research different courses to ensure they align with your interests and offer comprehensive training in your desired area.
• Look for programs with positive reviews and testimonials from students who have successfully completed the course.
• Assess the course curriculum to ensure it covers the topics and skills you want to learn or enhance.

By carefully evaluating the available options, aspiring fashion designers can select a course that aligns with their goals, interests, and current skill level. This will help ensure a successful and enriching learning experience, paving the way for a rewarding career in the realm of fashion design.

Conclusion

Embarking on the journey to becoming a proficient fashion designer is an exciting and rewarding experience. This list of top-tier fashion design courses and training programs provide users with the tools needed to excel in various aspects of the field, including building a strong foundation in design basics, mastering pattern making techniques, exploring the world of hand-drawing for technical flats, learning about digital rendering strategies, and more. Delving into these courses, users will gain comprehensive knowledge and crucial expertise that is essential for making your mark in the competitive world of fashion design.

With the right guidance, resources, and determination, you can unlock your creative potential and achieve your fashion design aspirations. Whether you are just starting or looking to enhance your skills further, these courses cater to all design enthusiasts who aspire to transform their ideas to reality. So take charge, enroll in the ones that resonate with you, and unlock the door to an exciting and fulfilling career in fashion design. The world awaits your creativity and unique vision — it's time to make your mark!