INSTITUTIONS OFFERING FASHION & DESIGN / TAILORING LISTED AT THE BOTTOM
WHAT IS FASHION AND DESIGN AND WHO IS A FASHION DESIGNER?
The program of fashion and design teaches the art of designing clothes, that both look good and serve a function, and also fashion accessories like hand bags. If you decide to do this program you may study the work of famous designers and the fashion culture of your country or the trending or most common fashion so that you learn how fashion designs come to life to become actual clothes. Because this course is an art you should know that it is very much connected to culture. This means that the clothes that you will concentrate on designing will be influenced a lot by the culture of where you are. Fashion designers are simply people who are skilled in the art of designing clothes and other fashion accessories.
WHERE DO FASHION DESIGNERS WORK?
When you decide to do fashion and design you can work for yourself by opening a shop of your own or you can work for a fashion and design firm. Upon getting their certificate, most fashion designers become self employed. Getting a job in a fashion house or firm can be difficult and holding higher qualifications can give you a better chance. Fashion designing is a skill that is dependent so much on the individual’s creativity and talent. Very talented designers may find themselves working for some of the big fashion companies and designer brands even with little or no formal education in the field.
WHAT TASKS ARE INVOLVED IN THE WORK?
The tasks that fashion designers have at work depend on where they work. If you are working for yourself as a fashion designer you have to design and make clothes usually by demand. This means you will create designs on request from your clients. Sometimes the clients may have an idea of the kind of design that they would like and will bring with them the material that they want to be used. In other cases, clients may just request you to make an outfit for them that they would like to wear to social event such as a kitchen party or a wedding and you, as the designer, will have to come up with the design and decide on what materials to use according to the customer’s taste. To aid the customers’ decision making, you may have to show them charts of different designs that they can pick from or you can make your own sketches on paper to show them. Once you have come up with a design, you can either present it to a tailor so they can make the actual outfit or you can make the actual outfit yourself if you have the skill of tailoring.
Working in a fashion house comes with more responsibilities. You may need to do research on what is trending in the fashion world and then make a decision on what to design. You will have to work in a team with other designers to come up with new ideas of clothes to make, make sketches of designs and oversee the production of these designs. You also are required to test and decide on materials, their colours and patterns for each design. Sometimes you can do fitting of clothes on models at fashion shows or photo shoots.
WHAT IS THE WORK SCHEDULE OF A FASHION DESIGNER?
Fashion designers that work for themselves make up their own work schedules depending on the tasks they have. Those employed by fashion houses typically work during the day from 08:00hrs to 17:00hrs on Monday-Friday. Work maybe done during the night and on weekends in the case where there are events that are coming up like a fashion week or when they have been booked, with a specific deadline, to make many clothes by an organisation or people going for some event.
WHAT DOES THE JOB MARKET LOOK LIKE?
The job market is tough for fashion designers because the fashion industry in Zambia is still developing and there are not that many fashion houses. As a result, most fashion designers are self-employed and make designs that they advertise on platforms like magazines and social media. It helps to be skilled in tailoring because that expands on the services that you can offer to your clientele.
WHAT SORT OF CAREER-PERSONALITY MATCH IS REQUIRED?
The personality that goes well with the program of fashion and design is being a person who is creative and artistic. Your knowledge and interest in colours, textures and shapes need to be good so that you can make clothes that stand out when you design them. You also need to be interested in fashion and fashion trends. You need to have an ability to draw and sketch.
INSTITUTIONS OFFERING FASHION & DESIGN / TAILORING LISTED AT THE BOTTOM
WHAT SUBJECTS WILL THE PROGRAM COVER?
The courses that you will learn in the program include clothing manufacturing, machine and sewing skills, pattern drafting, garment cutting, garment assembly, dressmaking, fabrics, design development, illustration and working drawings, layering and cutting of fabrics and many more.
WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS?
For the two year certificate in fashion and design you need to have a full grade 12 certificate, that is O’ level credits (grade 6) or better in any 5 subjects.
WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS OF STUDY CAN MAKE SOMEONE A FASHION DESIGNER?
An alternative program that you can pursue to become a designer is Tailoring and Design. Tailoring not only involves designing, but also cutting, fitting, altering, repairing and making clothes professionally.
WHAT ARE THE FUTURE ADVANCED QUALIFICATIONS AVAILABLE AND WHY?
You can advance your fashion and design qualification to diploma and degree level. Such advanced qualifications enable you to work for big fashion houses, companies and designer brands. However, in Zambia, at the time of writing this, only a certificate was offered in Fashion and Design.
INSTITUTIONS THAT OFFER FASHION AND DESIGN / TAILORING
EVELYN HONE COLLEGE
Programme duration: 1 year (Certificate)
Mode of study: Full-time and part time
Admitting school: School of Education and Social Sciences
Intakes: January
Location: Lusaka
Contacts
Tel: +260 211 225127 / +260 211 220971 / +260 964 032960
E-mail: info.ehc@evelynhone.edu.zm or ekatembula@evelynhone.edu.zm
Website: www.evelynhone.edu.zm/academic-fees/
LUSAKA VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE
Programme duration: 1 year (Certificate)
Mode of study: Full-Time and Part-Time
Intakes: January, May and September
Location: Lusaka
Contacts
Tel: +260 211 242270 / +260 950 119663 / +260 979 145232
E-mail: admissions.office@lvtc.edu.zm OR lvtcmb@gmail.com
Website: www.lvtc.edu.zm
LIVINGSTONE INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS AND ENGINEERING STUDIES
Programme duration: 1 year (Certificate)
Mode of study: Full-Time
Intakes: January, May
Location: Livingstone
Contacts
Tel: +260 960 949041/ +260 977 576286 / 0965196917
E-mail: libeszambia@gmail.com
Website: www.libescollege.edu.zm Facebook: Livingstone Institute of Business and Engineering Studies – LIBES
LUSAKA BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE
Programme duration: 2 years (Craft certificate) / 1 year (Trade-test)
Mode of study: Full-time, Part-time and Distance
Admitting school: Department of Hospitality
Intakes: January and September
Location: Lusaka
Contacts
Tel: +260 971 528420 / +260 953 260233
E-mail: info@lbtc.ac.zm
Website: www.lbtc.ac.zm
LIVINGSTONE INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS AND ENGINEERING STUDIES
Programme duration: 1 year (Trade-test)
Mode of study: Full-time, Part-time and Distance
Admitting school: School of Business
Intakes: January and May
Location: Livingstone
Contacts
Tel: +260 967 957051 / +260 979 636904
E-mail: libes@libescollege.edu.zm
Website: www.libescollege.edu.zm/
MULELEMWANA SKILLS TRAINING CENTRE
Programme duration: 1 year (Trade-test)
Mode of study: Full-time and Distance
Admitting school: School of Vocational studies
Intakes: January
Location: Lusaka
Contacts
Tel: +260 977 452973 / +260 955 815763 / +260 977 420517
LUKASHYA TRADES TRAINING INSTITUTE
Programme duration: 1 year (Trade-test)
Mode of study: Full-time and Part-time
Admitting school: School of Vocational Training
Intakes: January only
Location: Kasama
Contacts
Tel: +260 214 221106 / +260 969 672965 / +260 977 524340
Website: www.zambiatevetprincipals.edu.zm/lukashya-trades-training-institute/
MONGU TRADES TRAINING INSTITUTE
Programme duration: 1 year (Trade-test)
Mode of study: Full-time and Part-time
Intakes: January
Location: Mongu
Contacts
Tel: 0977288109 / 0963406985 / 0978514997
Facebook: Mongu trades training institute
CHIPATA TRADES TRAINING INSTITUTE
Programme duration: 1 year (Trade-test) / 2 years (Craft Certificate)
Mode of study: Full-Time and Part-Time
Intakes: January only
Location: Chipata
Contacts
Tel: +260 966 901616 or +260 55430205
Facebook: Chipata Trades Training Institute
MANSA TRADES TRAINING INSTITUTE
Programme duration: 1 year (Trade-test)
Mode of study: Full-time and Part-time
Intakes: January
Location: Mansa
Contacts
Tel: +260 977 839197