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Our latest question is from Pratt Institute fashion student, Jessica Thomas:
I am a Pratt Fashion Design student and my question is: What does a professional fashion design work Instagram look like? I have one and I post mostly process images that are a variety of inspirational images and references, toiles, sketches, swatches. But I do not think before I post!
If you’re either a fashion student looking for an internship, or a graduate/experienced designer who is job hunting, it’s increasingly important to have an IG feed that looks professional.
You’re on the right track if you already post inspiration, process/references, sketches and toiles – this is absolutely what employers will be looking to see. But think about how your IG page looks as a whole, instead of just posting loads of images for the sake of it. What the outside world sees should be a cohesive collection of curated pictures and ideas. Just like your portfolio, your IG should have a strong identity and message. Every single IG feed I’ve seen from designers have been very different from one another, but the best ones show true personality and a very clear vision of who that person is and what their design point of view is.
Top tips for your IG page:
- Keep it up to date – add new relevant projects regularly
- Include a brief description in the bio of what your situation is and what your design specialism is
- If you’re a student or grad, include work from any competitions/prizes you’ve won, projects you’ve done at university that you received high marks for, and final collection images
- Try to keep your IG feed a reflection of where you want to be as a designer, ie. what market level you want to work at, what specialism you’d like to focus on, and what your design aesthetic is. This should be really clear to anyone viewing your page. For any recruiters/employers seeing your IG, it should be really obvious as to which market level and brands you’d be suitable for.
- If including projects from your portfolio, show the full process rather than just final designs: mood boards, theme, colour palette, design development (either in the 3D or rough sketch), then the final designs (use a combination of photos, sketches and illustration)
- Look at the feeds of the brands you’d like to work for – does your feed reflect the style and aesthetic of these companies?
- Keep content original – make sure the photos/images you use are your own. Also, don’t fall into the trap of using generic meme messages or images.
- Have a clear message and point of view – think about what you have to say as a designer, what you have to offer, and ensure that the images you post reflect this.
Do you have a general question you’d like us to answer about working in fashion design?
Email us at: q&a@fashioncareerscounsel.com
