IF YOU WANT TO GET STARTED IN YOUR DREAM CAREER IN 2016, YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE!


Maybe you've always known what your dream career is — you just haven't discovered how to get started. Or maybe you're not yet sure what your dream career is — you just know it isn't what you're doing now. Wherever you are in the pursuit of your dream career, Koboheights guides can help you get started and succeed.




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1. Read all the articles on our thread
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3. Enjoy our antecdotes/testimonials
4. Contact us whenever you have any question
And you'll be on your way to achieving your professional dreams



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A different look at starting a Modeling career

As an aspiring model (new face), there are basic steps that you should take into consideration before starting. The first important step is to know your goals. You should know what kind of modeling you want to do and how big a part you want modeling to play in your life. When you know this, it’s much easier to get started.
When you are ready to embark on your journey towards modeldom, you should make sure that you have read enough about modeling and that you know what to expect.
As you are doing your research, take some time to find a list of modeling agencies you could contact. This is an important step as by now you should know how to choose a modeling agency that best matches the kind of modeling you want to do. If the modeling agencies of your choice are in a close proximate to where you are located, why not pay a visit to the agency in person. That’s the best way to get a much clearer and more informed picture of the type of agency you are dealing with.
To be continued...

A different look at starting a Modeling career II


When you feel confident about the modeling agencies you have found, you should either start calling them or contacting them by email. And this is where photos come in. As an aspiring model, one of your main tasks is to arrange a photo shoot with a reliable model photographer. You want to project a good and professional image of yourself and for that reason it is important to focus on the quality of your photos. If you are unable to have photos taken by a professional model photographer, you could also consider selecting some quality pictures that you already have of yourself.
Another effective way of getting exposure as a new model, you could try to find a source on the internet that could list your information and pictures. You should consider listing with one or more websites that offer these kinds of online services or books and tutorial materials for models. provide an excellent way of getting started as a new model, as they offer a great platform for getting connected with the right industry professionals. Agencies will represent new models and then take charge of the models' professional career, as the model will then be contracted to that agency. You should not have to pay an agency to be considered as one of their models, as they will make their money from a percentage of the models future jobs although some agencies have your pay fees for photo sessions etc but that depends on the agent and most times the fees are minimal. It is very important to be informed of this before you start the process of contacting modeling agencies.
As long as your goals are set from the very onset of your modeling career, you should have a much clearer and more secure picture of what you should know as an aspiring, new model and should you encounter rejection, do not give up, all new models experience rejection at one point or another, it is just a fact of the business, so stick to your goals, work hard and start connecting with the right people in order to make your dream of being a model into a reality.

FOCUS-FASHION DESINING
JOB SKILLS NEEDED IN FASHION DESIGNING




The world of fashion design, to many people on the outside, might look exotic I mean you look at occassions like the MBGN pageants, spice fashion shows and with the growth of the entertainment industry(the cousin industry) in the country. However it has its own rules and laws, with creative professionals who possess a variety of specialties and talents. However, for those who are interested in working as a fashion designer, there are certain skills that will always be useful in the field and as such will always put a person in demand.

Sketching

One of the most basic skills required for a fashion designer is the ability to sketch designs. New clothing designs are always drawn, and the drawings are used as an example of what the fashion designer's concept for a new garment or accessory is. While basic, black and white sketching is a helpful skill, a proper understanding of color, color arrangements and how to apply them to a sketch is also necessary for those who wish to be fashion designers.

Communication

One of the most valuable skills a fashion designer can have is the ability to communicate well. Fashion designers who don't work alone need to be able to explain to their staff what jobs each of them is doing and to make sure that all workers have similar goals even though nigerians get away with bad consumer service and worker relationship, in the long run it always has a way of catching up and believe me lots of businesses in nigeria collapse because of the lack of simple communication. communication is also necessary when pitching new ideas to clients or bosses and for explaining to those same people how these clothes will be made and showing them your thought process as a designer.

Sewing

Fashion designers who expect to be taken seriously must know their way around the needle and thread. Even if a designer doesn't intend to be involved in actual manufacturing of the designs, because they have to interface with workers who will be doing the sewing, the designer must be familiar with sewing techniques and know which ones will be most efficient at bringing their designs to fruition.

Computer Skills

Though not strictly necessary, fashion designers who are familiar with digital design programs like virtual fashion,fashion assistant and poser will place themselves at a higher premium in the industry. The computer offers options that, no matter how skilled, an artist using a pencil and paper would find nearly impossible to duplicate. Also, as in other fields that employ artists, images are often transferred through email and archived electronically in the fashion design world. So, those who can design on a computer will be one up on those who cannot.

Experience and Training

No matter how naturally skilled a fashion designer might be, it's often necessary to prove this to their prospective employers. Attending a fashion-design school or earning a fashion-design degree is a good investment for those who want to work in the field. Additionally, any experience that a person has should be included on a resume, and prospective fashion designers should also put together a portfolio of their work. Though not a skill, these are often important, necessary things that any prospective fashion designer should possess.

FOCUS-FASHION DESIGNING
Best Career Choice for a Fashion Designer I



A custom-designed dress.
If you are a trained fashion designer, there are many different fields you can go into. Whether you want to launch your own fashion design company or work for an established brand, the choice of which career path to take as a fashion designer should be driven by your interests. Aside from fashion and clothing, also evaluate what other fields you enjoy and see how your fashion design talents fit in.

Performing Arts

If you enjoy dance, the theater, or other performing arts, consider being a costume designer. In this field, you may work independently under your own label, on a per-project basis with no formal incorporation, or work for an established costume design company. As a costume designer, you will primarily do custom work, and will work on tight deadlines. There is nothing that can ruin the reputation of a costume designer faster than being known for not meeting deadlines. There are many types of performing artists and organizations that use the services of costume designers, including theater actors, television producers and stylists, movie production and wardrobe staff, ballet companies, dance schools, marching bands, color guards and dance teams.
To be continued....

Best Career Choice for a Fashion Designer II

Children

Fashion designers who love children may choose a career as a children's clothing and accessory designer. The range of children's clothing includes newborn, infant, toddler, preteen and teen clothing. Then, there is the split between boy's and girl's clothing, which are two separate markets. Job opportunities as a children's fashion designer include working with independent design houses, making exclusive designs for department stores, catalog companies, and shopping networks, and making custom-made special occasion children's outfits such as christening gowns and party dresses.

Sports

Fashion designers who are sports fans, no matter what type of sport you like, can fill a need for specially made clothing that is not only attractive, but can meet the demands of competitive athletes. The clothing you make as a sportswear and athletic clothing designer must be durable, breathable, and sometimes custom made. This is particularly true when working with sports teams. As a fashion designer in the sports field, some of your clients may be professional, gymnasts, football teams and swimmers. Either launch your own sportswear design company or work for an established brand that provides retail or wholesale consumers with sports fashions.

The Anatomy Of Fashion Industry
ashion designing is a creative arts industry. Fashion
design is the creative force of the fashion industry,
job growth for fashion designing is expected to grow
exponentially over the 10 year period from 2014 to
2024. Typically design companies look to hire
individuals with the flair for fashion and designing
Even though advancement opportunities exist, few
employment opportunities are expected outside of
mass-market clothing design companies. 1. Design
Assistant Design Assistant is an entry level fashion
design opportunity that is more administrative than
creative, with duties including assisting the design
team with fashion illustration and storyboard layout.
Many new comers start at this level. Typically after
six months working as a design assistant the next
advancement opportunity is an assistant designer
position. 2. Assistant Designer Assistant designers
are similar to design assistants, however the
assistant designer gets more hands on production
experience with pattern making and assisting with
sample garment construction. Typically after
spending three or more years as an assistant
designer you can advance to an associate designer
or technical designer position. 3. Associate Designer
The associate designer participates in designing
garments for the seasonal collections and works
closely with the head designer for creative input and
design approval. With five or more years experience
as an associate designer, you can seek out a position
as a head designer. 4. Technical Designer Technical
designers are responsible for making sure the
fashion designer's sketch can be made into a
wearable garment by overseeing the production side
of creating a fashion line. As with the associate
designer you will need at least five years experience
as a technical designer to advance to head designer.
5. Head Designer The head designer is responsible
for the fashion collections produced each season
regardless if the collections are failures or
successes. Typically a minimum of five years work
experience as an associate designer or technical
designer is needed to progress to this level;
however, it is common for a design firm to require
seven to 10 years experience. 6. Salary The years of
experience you have, job location and employer are
the main factors which determine what salary you
make at each level.

QUESTION:

Hi I want to be a fashion designer is it necessary I
Attend fashion school even though I know the basics already?
What can fashion school do for me?

It is true that not every famous person has gone to
a school or have a degree, but enrolling in fashion
Apprenticeship programs is a sure way to perfect your design
skills. While it is entirely possible (with hard work and
unwavering determination) to become a successful,
world renown fashion designer without learning under someone- it is more likely
that you will reach the same end by attending fashion
design schools or apprenticeship programmes.
There are plenty of those that made it big with the
help of a these tools. But, in case this is not enough to convince
you that you should seek out the benefits of fashion
design institutes/apprenticeship programmes, here is a list of reasons to go.
1. Learning will prepare you to reach
your big picture career goals; attending fashion
design school/apprenticeship programmes will give you the building blocks for the
steps to achieving your dreams. Natural talent is one
thing, but when combined with formal training, it
makes a winning package.
Fashion training will help bolster your credentials and
build your portfolio. The fashion industry is extremely competitive and you will have time to develop the necessary edge to succeed. Fashion training programs will allow you to explore a
full range of possible careers. If you have an eye for business as well as design, perhaps a career in
fashion merchandising would suit you; become a
textile buyer, a product promoter, or a wholesale
merchandiser, among other great options.
Fashion design school is an excellent environment to
network within the industry. If you are even lucky ,you will be surrounded
by aspiring artists as well as established designers
who you can not only learn from, but also make
connections with. Networking is a huge part of success in the fashion industry

QUESTION:

I always wanted to be a model because I thought it
was so exciting and glamorous for a girl to do; I've got my ears on the streets and this is what I've been hearing
. It’s a lot of work
. Tough industry just like being an actress
. Too much competition and everyone will do anything to get at
you
I have just one question how do I get work and stay competitive

You’ve seen them thousands of times in magazines
and newspapers and on billboards and posters —
the “real” faces that entice you to buy everything
from food to recharge cards. Many of them are trained
and skilled actors, but they’re also commercial
models.
Commercial modeling is a still picture of a commercial. It’s acting without words. Photographers love hiring actors because they can take direction
and provide a variety of layers of believable emotions. One of the great aspects of commercial modeling,
unlike fashion modeling, is that there are no height,
weight, or age restrictions.
There are many beautiful women and handsome
men who are commercial models. However, you do
not need to have the “perfect” look to succeed. They
are cast to appear in ads as the doctor, student,
teacher, plumber, athlete, banker, farmer, nurse, etc.
Open any nigerian newspaper and you will see
commercial models working in many different types
of ads.
Here’s the Trick to Creating Eye-Catching
Commercial Photos
Deciding on your “image” might be the hardest part
of the process of putting together effective
commercial shots. You must figure out how people
will perceive and cast you. You want to create
powerful photos that allow others to see you as those
types. Sexy shots can make a great photo, but they
won’t necessarily get you commercial model
bookings. Do you look right drinking beer , or
feeling sick at an office desk – or both?
You want to create the right images for yourself, and
make the shots look like ads (without any headlines,
copy, logos or brand names). To guide you into
creating shots that look like ads, peruse existing ads
in non-fashion magazines, newspapers, and what’s
available on stock photography websites.
Planning Your Shot
Since your new commercial photos won’t have any
words, make sure each photograph itself tells the
story. Take your time and be creative in thinking of
different scenarios for your shots.
The most important thing to keep in mind is to make
the photos look like ads. Do not pose for the camera.
Show a wide range of believable expression and
emotions for the different photos.
Having strong commercial photos that look like ads
will give you your greatest chance for success.
So, here are the steps you want to take to create
strong commercial photos:
1. Figure out your type
2. Get ideas of shots that will sell you by looking though
non-fashion magazines and stock photography
websites.
3. Make a list of the expressions you need to show in
the shots you will be creating.
4. Practice creating those emotions in a believable way.
5. Figure out your location for the shoot (if you are not
shooting in a studio)
6. Decide if any props are needed to help make the shot
look like an ad (no logos or brand names should be
visible)
7. Find a number of photographers through Model
Mayhem who are also interested in building their
commercial portfolio.
8. Interview them to make sure they are a good fit for
you.
9. Have a fun time on the shoot and make sure you get
copies of the shots.

QUESTION:
I enjoy fashion designing, my school notebooks literally filled with
creative illustrations of fashion design concepts that
no-one has ever seen? What profession should I follow that is related to the skills I have?

If you have these skills, then just go for the fashion design career straight up. you may have already
found that getting in the door of a reputable fashion
Career, is almost impossible without the right
experience or credentials to make your resume stand
out. Whether you're interested in a career working in
fashion design, fashion editing, fashion
merchandising; you can't get taken seriously if you
can't get noticed.
Help yourself!
Ask the right questions and get your questions answered. Questions like:
(1) What's my earning potential as an assistant fashion
editor?
(2) Is Fashion Merchandising more competitive then
Fashion Designing?
(3) Is the demand for Fashion Marketing growing?
(4) Can I complete my degree in Fashion by taking all my
classes online?

Why not finally get the credentials you need to be
taken more seriously! Learn what it takes to make
your professional aspirations a reality by requesting
free information from any of the leading fashion
design schools around.
Engage in dynamic class discussions
Gain innovative insights from leading professionals
in the field
Develop the skills to express your creative talents
Turn the tables and let the leading fashion design
firms compete for you! Get the skills to communicate
your creative potential through illustrations, clothing,
animation and more. If you have an eye for trends
and a passion for clothing why not finish it off with
the proper training so someday you might see your
work in a magazine or on television! The possibilities
are endless!
Why work when you can design?

QUESTION:
as an aspiring model I've the diet and measurement and costume all figured out however I'm still undecided on my portfolio especially when it concerns the photographs what kind of photographs do I take I heard there's a paid or trade agreement you can have with photograhers please could you direct me on this aspect

Okay, so you are all waiting with bated breath for me
to weigh in on this heavy trade, tfp, tfcd, pay,
conundrum. If you are a model/actor/photographer
then you know all shoots fall into two categories: paid
and unpaid (including all trade shoots; trade for
prints, CD, content, etc).Just incase I sound chris oyakhilome lemme elaborate:
Paid shoots (where you are paid)
Pretty simple: Someone pays you money for a photo
shoot. If you are a model, you are paid to model. If
you are a photographer, you are paid to take photos.
This is how you make money getting paid to do what
you do. I won’t talk about these shoots because
everyone should be doing them. After all, how else
will you get paid?
Paid shoots (where you pay someone else)
These are shoots for specific purposes. You might
pay someone to take portfolio photos, because you
want exclusive photos for your Web site or project,
because you just want some hot photos of yourself to
show your hubby and/or make all your friends
jealous of how gorgeous you are. In the glitzy world
of high end runway and fashion modeling, models
will pay alot for a portfolio.
Unpaid (trade) shoots
For these shoots the model and photographer work
out some sort of equal trade. The “equality” of the
trade usually depends on the relative standing/
demand of each party. Both photographer and model
need to bring relatively equal value to the table. So if
a model is well-established, published, and
recognized then he/she will usually only shoot with a
brand new photographer if he/she is a friend, has
amazing work, etc.
You may be thinking
"Pay someone to shoot with me? How now, I have people lining up to shoot with me for
free. Good for you! But are they lining up to pay you
to shoot? Or pay you more? Are these “free” shoots
actually getting you closer to your goal? If not, you
might have reached a plateau or a sticking point in
your career.
It is easy to fall into the trap that you can just keeping
shooting for trade until you “make it” or when people
will hire you. So when you get started as a model or
photographer you need to build up your portfolio
first. Most people do this by shooting trade. The
model gets photos for his/her portfolio, the
photographer gets photos for theirs, and everybody
wins.
Don’t think that a trade shoot means “free” shoot
(and yes, I’m guilty of this one as well). A trade only
works when both parties bring equal value. So if both
of you bring nothing, you get nothing. If both of you
bring a lot, you both get a lot. But because you are on
the same playing field, how can you expect that the
other will boost you up to the next level? Of course,
you will get experience, continue getting better, and
slowly improve your portfolio. But the way to make
real breakthroughs is to pay someone at that next
level to shoot with you. Who shot your photo and
Who is in your photo makes a huge impact to your
portfolio. When you have shot a well-known model,
then your credibility and network expand. When you
have shot with a well-established photographer, you
expand your network and also get images that are
most likely of better quality than those knocking your
door down to shoot with you “for free.”
one of the reasons to pay for a
shoot is when you need the shots for something
specific and have certain qualifications, like if you
need the content to be exclusive and the other
person cannot use them, even for their portfolio. And
sometimes there are just people that you want to
shoot with that also add credibility to your own
portfolio.
Hopefully, I have convinced you that you should pay
to shoot. And of course, who wouldn’t want to do a
shoot where YOU get paid? Well, now I want to
convince you to shoot trades as well.
However you may not want to shoot for free especially when there are photographers who would pay you for shoots
That’s great! But there is so much more to being a
“professional” model or photographer than getting
paid.
When you are getting paid for a shoot you can only
expect to get one thing out of that shoot: Money. That
is your compensation. You can’t expect a tear sheet,
great shots for your portfolio, to learn something
new, or even experience from your shoot. All of
those things are important parts of being a
professional.
One of THE BEST reasons for doing a trade shoot is
because you want to do something for fun and business aside
Ironically, sometimes becoming a better professional
means taking some time to not be a professional.
When we are paying for a shoot, or being paid for a
shoot we have to put our game faces on and get the
job done. After all, time is money. When you are
established and successful, you can get in a rut and
get burned out. You can grow stagnant and take the
same “safe” shot or bust out the same pose.
One of the best ways to get out of a rut and get back
to enjoying what you do—like when you had your
first dreams of becoming a model slash actor slash
photographer—is to go back to your roots and
fundamentals. And shoot some trades.
There are many great upsides to doing a trade shoot:
You get to shoot something YOU want to do
There is less pressure to do your best
You can expand your abilities by trying something
new
You get a chance to work with someone you might
not normally work with
You can get some new and updated shots for your
portfolio
You can have fun!
To wrap things up, I strongly believe that every
model/actor/photographer should shoot when they
are paid, when they pay someone else, and to trade
with someone else.

QUESTION:
I'm interested in photography but unlike the generic nigerian photographer I want to specialize in fashion photography it will be complete with websites, competition and even learning institutions(all to come momentarily) however I'm still a beginner and I would like to know if there are any affordable schools in nigeria where one can learn the basics of photography

There aren't many photography learning schools in nigeria except you hinge yourself to a professional as an intern or perhaps you could build a career using social media "instagram" to be precise, as an aspiring fashion photographer Instagram should be
among your most frequently used apps. It’s a great
way to showcase your latest work, keep your
followers updated, attract new collaborators, and
impress new clients. But building a loyal and
respective following isn’t done overnight.
Here are 10 tips that will help you become the next
Instagram superstar:
1. Quality Over Quantity
I understand, you don’t want people to forget about
you or your work, so you’re constantly looking for
photos to post in order to keep momentum going.
Relax. Chances are your followers follow more
accounts than just yours, and their lives do not
depend on you updating your account every thirty
minutes.
Instead of focusing on posting 24/7, keep your focus
on your work, and only post when you’ve got a frame
you really need to share. One great photo a day is
worth way more than 10 uninterested ones.
2. Pick a Good Username
Don’t over complicate things. Pick a username that’s
easy to spell, as short as possible, and that makes
sense. In the end you want to make it easy for people
to find you, and chances are they won’t find you if
your username has nothing to do with who you are
and what you do.
3. Don’t Buy Followers
Again, one good (*and loyal) follower is worth a
thousand… you'll just end up with people that have no interest in your work.
4. Engage (like like like)
Make sure to connect with people by exploring new
users and liking photos. Other Instagram users love a
like just as much as you do, so chances are they’ll
check out your profile once you’ve liked a few of their
photos. And if you follow point 1 religiously, they’ll be
st*pid not to follow you.
5. The 1-2-3 Rule
A good way to engage with other users is to follow
the 1-2-3 Rule. When you post 1 photo, comment on
2, and like 3. You’re already on Instagram posting, so
why not be effective and get some engagement in at
the same time.
6. Don’t Spam
Share regularly, but don’t spam. If all of your photos
are of high quality, make sure to spread them out.
After posting wait at least two – three hours before
posting your next one. Not only is it annoying when
someone’s hogging your whole feed, but strategy
wise it isn’t never clever to bundle your quality posts
within a short time-frame as you’ll only reach the
followers that are checking Instagram at that given
moment. Spread them out and you’ll reach the
masses.
7. Promote Your Account In Existing Channels
If you’ve already got a descent following in other
social networks, utilize it by letting them know you’re
on Instagram as well. Make sure to add a link to your
Instagram account on your website, Facebook fan
page etc.
8. Mention People In Your Posts
Posting a killer photo from your last shoot? Then
don’t forget to mention the model(s) in the photo,
and who you worked with on the shoot. 9. Stay Consistent
I always stress this in all of my talks on the fashion
photography business. Consistency is extremely
important across the whole board. If people follow
you for your amazing photos of models in cars, then
that’s exactly what they followed you for. You still
need to keep it interesting, but pay attention to what
works for you, and stick to it.
10. Connect Your Accounts
Make sure to connect your account to Facebook and
Twitter, and share your specific Instagram posts
throughout your network. This is a great way to pull
followers onto your Instagram account, but
remember to follow point 6.
Timing is key.
Conclusion
Remember to use Instagram as an extension of your
brand identity as a fashion photographer, and not a
playground where you just post anything, like nairaland
just kidding

You nailed it @ poster. Long but I read every bit. Great job.

khoray:
You nailed it @ poster. Long but I read every bit. Great job.

thanks

For Fashion Models Only

QUESTION:

Hello,i was at a photoshoot sometime ago and i was told by the photographer that i'm too stiff and cannot communicate well with the picture, sure i know what this means i would just like to know, how effective is your emotion on a Photograph

Well my friend short way to put it Nollywood is both still and motion picture Infact if anyone ever tells you that there is a distinct separation between models and actors, I invite you to challenge this theory . It is usual that Photographers will suggest finding inspiration in fashion magazines. I’d like to further explore this subject and explain what to do after you’ve found your inspiration. My favorite thing about modeling has always been telling a story. It is not your job, but your privilege, to portray a character in every photo you take. The beauty of photography is capturing an image that will evoke an emotion in the viewer. In speaking with models over the years, I’ve heard that it’s often hard for some to channel their emotions onto film(the stiffness the Photographer talked about). Is it a mental block? Is it an unwillingness to go that extra mile? Whatever it is, I believe every model should try their best to avoid the dead-body look at all costs. Nothing is more unfortunate than a well-produced, expertly Ty bello styled photo shoot ruined by a model who doesn’t connect with the story. I look at countless advertisements in both fashion magazines from million Naira companies and smaller publications. Why are the big-budget advertisements the ones that resonate with us? Sure, it doesn’t hurt that the models are wearing the sickest clothing on the planet( i mean that in a good way) or some of the most exotic, beautifully lit locations on planet Earth. But what I believe really makes the photo is the model. The models who are hired for big campaigns have proven themselves (some over decades) to carry an entire brand’s message with only a look. So let me not waste your time with a long epistle you really need to loosen up and evoke those emotions

For Fashion Designers Only

QUESTION:

Good evening, i'm gathering options here and i would like some detail on what a typical fashion designers day is like

Starting from the top, a fashion designer creates clothing and
accessories for people to wear and enjoy. A designer's apparel can be as simple as a piece of wrapper or as elaborate as a custom-made
Iru and buba (and all your fancy attires ). A fashion designer stays on top of all trends and changes in the world of fashion, and also has a hand in developing and popularizing new trends. It is helpful for a designer to have some knowledge of pattern making and sewing, but this is not required especially if you can tip the local tailor on your street to stitch a thread.
However, it is imperative that a fashion
designer have artistic talent and a spark of creativity as well as the ability to sketch her designs and communicate her ideas effectively
to others. Most people interested in pursuing a career in fashion obtain some formal training or
a four-year degree in fashion merchandising.
Some colleges offer two-year degrees in the same major although this depends on your Pocket because there aren't many Facilities like that in Nigeria and Perhaps you may just wing it and tag along with an established designer instead

Typical Workday

A fashion designer's workday can be extremely long, often lasting up to 12 or 14 hours.
Fashion designers usually produce at least two full collections a year: one for the first 6 months
and one for the other 6 months. Workdays are
busiest around the creation of a new collection.
The designer arrives to work around 9 a.m. The early part of the day consists of answering work e-mails, setting up meetings with fashion buyers or catching up on the day's fashion
news via magazines, newspapers,nairaland etc.
Sketching and coming up with new designs may take up most of the designer's workday,
but this is an essential step in getting the collection off the ground.

Later In The Day

After sketching out some designs, the fashion designer pays a visit to the local garment store to pick out fabrics, embellishments, bindings such as zippers and buttons and sewing
material. Back at her showroom, the designer spends the rest of the workday making the pieces in the collection from scratch. This
process includes making patterns, cutting and draping the cloth, sewing the materials together and adding embroidery, beading and any other embellishments to complete the
look. It may take several weeks or months to complete one collection, at which point it is ready to be unveiled to the public. The designer either shows her collection on the runway, at a trade show or at her personal showroom. Fashion buyers from boutiques and
department stores attend these showings to decide whether they'd like to purchase any pieces to be sold at their respective stores.

Hello, this africouture magazine... We will like to partner with your brand... You can get back to us via our email- info@africouturemag.com our fb page www.facebook.com/africouturemag

For Photographers Only

QUESTION:

Hello Koboheights i'm a young and ambitious fashion photographer, i feel like i've stylist flair and i'm trying to break into the competitive fashion industry of Nigeria,it's really feeling frustrated right about now. But i'm not giving up so any Advice or inspirational quotes for me

Awww that's nice there's nothing like a person who have found his direction career wise.
For all artists out there the path to success and financial security is fraught with uncertainty, and there is no sure-fire business plan that will light the way and no straightforward strategy that will lighten the load. We can completely sympathize! And if you’re just starting out, you’re likely facing one of the most difficult professional periods in your life – that critical moment when you get on your feet and get the ball rolling. We’re here to help you make the most of it. Here is our list of ultimate career advice for aspiring fashion photographers, stylists, makeup artists and anyone else working in the fashion industry. Here Goes!



You can’t ask for your big break, you have to earn it.

If we had a nickel for every time a photographer contacted us with no experience, barely anything to call a portfolio, and said something along the lines of, “If you give me a commission letter I’m going to make you something amazing, just trust me.” We don’t mean to be harsh, but in the insanely competitive rising Nigerian fashion industry , no one is just going to give you a break because you seem passionate and sure of yourself. In the social sphere that stretches beyond your friends and family who believe in you because they love you, everyone else will be really really hard on you. If “just trust me” is all you have to go on, you really don’t have much. When hundreds of competitors are applying for the same jobs as you with polished portfolios of work that really highlight what they’re capable of, you better have more than just promises and passion to go on. As a general rule of thumb in fashion, show don’t tell. Take big risks with the work you create, work hard and you won’t need to sell yourself because your work will speak for itself.

Consistency

That’s it, the magic word that will get you through the door and onto the other side. The one piece of career advice that’s probably more important than any other. CONSISTENCY. It’s the one quality that separates a successful fashion professional from a struggling artist. No one expects you to hit a home-run every time, but clients do expect a consistent level of quality in your images. And be aware that there are a few things clients will always watch out for. Your website, for one. Unless you have a large amount of high quality published work in there, clients will be wary of your portfolio because they know you’ve selected only the very best of everything you’ve ever created. What about the stuff that doesn’t make it in? How long did it take you to get that perfect shot? Can you do it again? Was it just blind luck? If you can prove to a client that you can consistently reproduce your best quality work, you’re in!

Don’t just follow the trends, create them.

Every aspect of the fashion industry (and every industry for that matter) is affected by trends. We all seem to fall in love with the same things at the same time. There’s nothing wrong with that! But you need to be very aware of trends in your work, and be calculating about how you choose to incorporate them into your photography or design. Our advice is to rework trends, add unexpected elements to make your work stand out and to show the world that you’re one step ahead of the game.

Don’t ignore the details!

Wrinkled clothes? A dirty backdrop? Polyester fabrics? Don’t think others won’t notice! It’s a fashion editorial for tori'olorun. As they say, the devil is in the details, and in this case, overlooking the finest details will result in mediocre work. It’s as simple as that.

You’re never hired for the reasons you’d expect.

Ok, so your portfolio is gold. You’ve got the creative vision of a young Picasso and the flair of Liberace. Naturally you’d assume these are the top reasons why you’d get hired for a campaign or editorial job, right? Wrong. Although these are extremely important, your actual job is to be the logistical brains behind every creative project. In other words, you need to have a cool head and learn how to problem solve your way out of any situation. Don’t ask too many questions, don’t hesitate for a second because everyone is counting on you to figure it all out. This holds equally true for creative problems like how to pose a model or style a shoot, as it does for logistical problems.

Stop comparing yourself to the competition.

You should only ever compare yourself to yourself, as you were six months ago. It’s like Clarence peters said in that episode of the jara show, the magic number of true expertise is ten thousand hours. That is, it takes ten thousand hours of practice to become truly great at something. You don’t know where other people lie on that scale. If they’re better than you, it’s likely simply because they were busy practicing while you were busy flipping through Nairaland “looking for inspiration.”(We love you Nairaland this isn't about you) Comparing your own work to top photographers is crazy. They have a life time on you. By that same token, looking back at your own body of work, you should see a noticeable improvement. If you don’t, you’re doing it wrong.

For Models Only

QUESTION:

In response to your earlier reply how do we do it? Photographers will often tell you to think of a time in your life that will bring your emotions to the surface. How do we as models learn to not take it way too literally or give an underwhelming performance it's a bit confusing

Thank you for reading my post, well i must admit, it isn't very easy to make all these leap during photoshoots however,If the image you’re creating is one of solace, sadness or loss, perhaps basic advice is to recall a memory from your own life that will put you in the appropriate mood. However I feel i should caution you because there is, I believe, a difference between “model acting” and “actual acting.” Perhaps you've often heard about models demonstrating a distinct look, they however “lose their model.” And perhaps their appeal It’s so easy to take an emotion too far and forget your angles, lose your light, or be careless in your poses. What I suggest is to not fully go to “that place” of dark emotions. Dip your toe in the pool. Do not dive in. Do not “forget your model!” Practice in the mirror as often as you can. Try different expressions and study your angles in various lighting.

It is your job as a model to think about the key aspects of what you’re hired to express.

Consider Your Surroundings

Are you in a beautiful lush forest? Are you in a smelly danfo bus garage? Echo your surroundings in your emotions. Stop for a moment to breathe in your location and let it speak to you. Take in the view, smell the air, touch your surroundings…how does it all make you feel?



Consider the Brand

What does the company have in mind for how they want to be perceived? Speak with the owner of the brand or whoever is directing you about what their brand represents. Not only will this help you in posing, but it's the type of will or "over-sabi" that impresses them that you want to represent their product to the best of your abilities. In addition to speaking with someone, you should also do homework (even if it is just Googling or nairalanding the company) and read every material you can about the brand.

Know Your Audience

Who will be viewing this image? Is it a genevieve magazine or complete fashion Nigeria? Carefree poses and a friendly gaze may be appropriate or get creative in your poses. Your eyes, pose and expression can tell the viewer everything they need to know.

Photographers will forever be telling you that the story is in your eyes. Listen to that and take it to heart. It’s your job as a model to discern what that story is. Get lost in that story and express yourself in a way that feels right. It should be organic, but I assure you it does become easier over time. As with every column I write, I want to stress that asking questions is completely acceptable and should be encouraged. A great relationship with a photographer is born this way. If you’re having trouble with emotions in your photos, I also strongly suggest acting classes. Does this mean you should switch careers? Not necessarily. But I encourage any exercises that will get you out of your shell, so to speak, so that when you are called upon to play a character you have the mental tools to be free in your expressions. With every shoot simply ask yourself, “Who am I today?”

Wishing you luck in the amazing and, most importantly, meaningful images you will create. It is art, after all. Never forget that.

For Photographers Only

QUESTION:

Hello Koboheights i'm a young and ambitious
fashion photographer, i feel like i've stylist flair
and i'm trying to break into the competitive
fashion industry of Nigeria,it's really feeling
frustrated right about now. But i'm not giving up
so any Advice or inspirational quotes for me

Yes i will also like to add a few things to the list
Focus on not becoming a starving artist.

Many young creative types really romanticize this idea of being a starving artist or hustler, but it’s only tolerable for about a year. After that it becomes an unbearable weight on your shoulders. There’s nothing romantic or glamorous about remaining in a spot when your peers are at TY bello level, especially when you’re working in the Nigerian fashion industry! Every so often, you’ll want to package yourself and look good. The fact is, becoming a pro photographer takes money, lots of it. So you’ll need a solid long-term plan in place. You may need to supplement your career with less glamorous gigs (weddings? corporate portraits? Elance?) until you refine your craft and make some solid industry connections.

Oh, you’re just not that into social media?

The world is changing, and although word of mouth is still a powerful (and viable) way of getting noticed, it’s also the hardest and least likely way. As a fashion photographer your goal is to have your work seen by as many people as possible. If you’re doing your job right, you will quickly learn that taking pictures, and editing them are the smallest part of your job. Marketing should take up about 75% of everything you do, with social media being the most important of these. There’s simply no better way to become insanely successful than to use your social networks.

Home is where your dream job is.

They say, do what you love and never work another day in your life. There’s no denying that loving your job, and being passionate about your career is one of the greatest blessings in life. It is therefore important to understand and be aware that the place you call home may be holding you back. If your dream is to be the next AY.com, you’ll need to move to buzzing places like lagos or Abuja. Though other cities have their own flourishing fashion scene or movie scene –  a scene is not a proper industry. A scene is not enough to build a thriving career on. That’s not to say you can’t do it, but you will likely end up frustrated by the lack of resources and community support available to you.

Simplicity

The old saying that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” holds true. All you need to create beautiful images is a beautiful model, a single dramatic element and literally nothing else. No crazy "derenle" like accessories or hair and makeup all laid over intense poses and voodoo lighting. When deciding how to style a shoot, between dramatic makeup + hair + sets/lighting + dramatic clothing, aim to choose only two out of these four options, otherwise you’ll have a circus on your hands and of course you know how mean Nigerian consumers can be

Your thoughts and feelings don’t really matter to the world. Only your actions have value.

Of course your thoughts and feelings matter! At least to those that know you personally. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, your internal world barely exists. We know it sounds harsh, but it is an essential lesson in becoming a successful adult. The world turns on the currency that is action. If you try to convince someone that you’re an amazing, talented and compassionate individual that’s going places, but have nothing to show for it you’ll be wasting your breath. Your greatest contribution to this world and to your own life will be through the actions you take. If you want to stand out professionally, stop talking and go out and do something (anything) productive that will have a positive effect in the world.

Working for Free = Practice.

This is a very controversial topic because there are a lot of people out there who will take advantage of you and just turn you into a glorified errand boy who gets them rice from the nearby canteen or pick up their kid from school. But there is another word for free work, and it’s called practice. Fashion photography is not accounting, it’s not computer science, it’s art. Unlike these other fields, in fashion Nigeria there are little to no educational facilities for Photography so most of your learning should be simply having enough time to practice your craft. And don’t tell us that you’ve been shooting since you were a child. Pointing your camera at something is different from creative direction, production, casting and directing a team. One requires nothing but your creativity, while the other requires a certain level of leadership, maturity and professional experience. But beyond practice is the matter of creative control. Starting out, working for free allows you to be as creative as you wish and to pour your passion into a dream project. When you’re working for a paying client they hold all the creative control, which often translates to work that is less than you’re capable of. If you’re focusing on just getting paid clients from the onset, it will take you a very long time to create the kind of portfolio that will get you noticed by high-paying clients.

Work with the best, even if it’s not financially rewarding.

Another thing to consider is that fashion is a career path where the division between big companies and small companies is extreme. There are very few in the middle. So basically, if you’re new to the game you’re stuck between not being good enough for the big boys yet, and volunteering your time to the smaller companies that are just barely staying afloat. When you’re just starting out in the fashion industry, it is extremely important that you pay more attention to working with talented people instead of getting paid. Trust that the money will come in due time. For now focus on collaborating with talented no-bodies and bobo seguns on your street who will one day be big somebodies (like you!).  Fill your portfolio with quality work, publish in quality magazines and associate yourself with quality people. Newbie artists that think they’re going to be getting paid from the get-go are in for a rude awakening. Unless you were born into this industry, you’ll be crawling your way to the top like everyone else.

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QUESTION:

Good evening, i'm gathering options here and i would like some detail on what a typical fashion designers day is like

HOW TO MAKE A FASHION PORTFOLIO WELL PUT TOGETHER
How to Become a Fashion Designer
What’s the most common faux pas when it comes to creating a fashion portfolio? Many fashion
design students and entry-level apparel designers make the mistake of filling their fashion design portfolio with all of their favorite fashion illustrations, or photos of garments they’ve made.
The trouble with this is that apparel industry companies don’t need to see tons of imaginative avant-garde fashion sketches – who’s really going
to wear that stuff? They just don’t sell! Don’t get me wrong, you should still show off some fashion illustration sketches and your ability to develop an
apparel design collection, but following an organized presentation format is a much better approach. Here are our tips for how to make a
fashion portfolio that will show off your fashion
designer skills. We shall take them piece by piece so we don't bore you

Choose Your Dream Market

First thing’s first: decide in which market you
want to have your fashion career, and make a list
of fashion industry companies that fit into that
category. For example, if you would love to be a fashion designer for a better sportswear collection
such as Bebe, other fashion companies on your list could include Armani Exchange, Anthropology, and DKNY. Then take some time to
look into the companies you chose. What’s their design philosophy? Who is their customer? Where do they draw inspiration from, and what does
their current collection look like?
Once you’re familiar with the type of fashion
industry companies you want to design for, think
about what they want to see from you – the fashion designer. You’ll need to show that you
have an eye for style and can create a cohesive
apparel design collection for a specific customer,
and the company should be able to identify with
the price point and styling of your fashion
designs.

Making the Fashion Design Portfolio

Most entry level or assistant fashion designers
start out sketching fashion flats (fashion technical
drawings), assembling fashion presentation
boards, and preparing apparel tech packs. Show
your prospective employers that you’ve got each
area covered! Develop a series of 3 to 6 small
groups (“collections”) with 6 – 8 fashion figures or
complete outfits per group. Start off each fashion
collection with an inspiration page: a collage of
images, fabric swatches and other findings that
help set the mood and introduce the color story
for the collection. Next come the fashion
illustrations, which show fashion figures in various
poses wearing your apparel designs. These
fashion sketches will demonstrate how garments
will look on a fashion body and give you the
opportunity to express how you would match up
each piece to create coordinated outfits.
Following your fashion figure illustrations are flat
sketches or floats (stylized flats). A “flat” is
basically a black and white sketch of how a
garment looks when laid flat. Fashion flats must
be clean, correctly proportioned, and include all
garment details like: seams, topstitching, buttons
and hardware. While some apparel companies still
sketch flats by hand, the vast majority creates flat
sketches via computer so it is important that you
are comfortable using popular CAD software such
as Adobe Illustrator for the fashion industry.
Apparel floats are more stylized versions of flat
sketches that usually show some kind of
movement in the garment. Alternating the use of
flats and floats from one fashion design group to
another is a good way to add variety to your
fashion presentation layout while showing your
versatility. Fashion CADs (flat sketches rendered
with colors and fabrics) can also be incorporated
into a group of your fashion illustrations or flats
and can be added as a separate section in your
fashion portfolio.
And please don’t just display your fashion
sketches on a plain white or solid color page! Tie
each design group together using fashion
backgrounds that follow the theme for each
group. Fashion backgrounds (like the free
template example below) are an extra
opportunity to show your creativity and fashion
presentation skills.

To be continued....




Do you have a plan for your fashion career? No? Then perhaps you get the kobo questionnaire,
The kobo questionnaire asks you all the questions you need to create a career or business plan and best part, its free just download it below or order a PDF version by sending a mail to koboheights@gmail.com