Become a Fashion Designer: 10 Online Courses to Boost Your Skills

Kenneth Palmer

Fashion Design is an exciting and creative field, but not everyone has the opportunity to attend a traditional fashion school.

Thankfully, the internet has made it easier to learn the skills and techniques of fashion design online.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned pro, you can take up one of these 10 free online fashion design classes to develop your skills and advance your career in the fashion industry.

List of Best Online Fashion Design Courses

This article will explore the top 10 paid and free fashion design courses.

1. Pattern Making For Fashion Design Part 1 Essential [Udemy]

Pattern Making For Fashion Design Part 1 Essential

This is one of the most popular fashion design courses on Udemy. It covers all aspects of fashion design. It is designed for students who wish to learn about the pattern-making process, from concept development and creating patterns to garment construction.

The course includes various methods and techniques that major universities and institutions teach in a simple and explicit format through visual demonstrations. New terminologies are also nicely explained. If you want to expand your knowledge of the fashion industry, you can join this course. The best thing is that there are no specific prerequisites or requirements. Instead, the course will equip you with the skills required to be a great fashion designer.

What You’ll Learn?

  • How to draft patterns and some draping techniques
  • Techniques like pivoting and slash-and-spread
  • Draft a yoke into a skirt and add fullness to the skirt
  • Grainlines and how to label patterns
  • How to draft princess seams and style lines
  • How to draft an A-line skirt

Rating: 4.2

Duration: 50 mins

Certification: Yes

Cost: Paid

Pros: Certification of completion, unlimited access

Cons: Focuses only on pattern-making

2. Sketching For Fashion Design [Udemy]

Sketching For Fashion Design

This fashion design course is ideal for beginners. Anyone who has a passion for fashion design must join this course. This course will teach you body movements and the tricks to balance the body with plumb lines. It begins with a basic exercise using a pencil and learning various shading effects.

The course also teaches you garment closure and how menswear and womenswear differ when it comes to button closures. It will enable you to learn how to sketch fashion designs and give you the certainty and confidence to communicate your ideas in a better way.

What You’ll Learn?

  • How to Make a 9-Head Croquis Sketch
  • Using various pencil techniques to create gathers, shirring, and shading using colored pencils.
  • Maintaining a fashion journal as a source of inspiration to be a good fashion designer.
  • How the body moves, body movements, and awareness about the plumb line.

Rating: 4.2

Duration: 32 minutes

Certification: Yes

Cost: Paid

Pros: Certificate of completion, lifetime access

Cons: Not comprehensive

3. The First Step Of Fashion Design: From Concept To Illustration [Udemy]

The First Step Of Fashion Design From Concept To Illustration

A skilled fashion designer must know how to curate rapid fashion illustrations. It helps a designer to convey themes, textures, and shapes of garments in an efficient way. This course will help you represent your ideas accurately on paper.

The course covers tips and tricks that focus mainly on the clothing aspect. You will be asked to work on your project so that you can easily implement the skills you learn. The course is taught by industry professionals: Nolan Bellavance and Ava Hama.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to sketch major poses rapidly
  • Tips and shortcuts for representing arms, feet, and hair using simple lines.
  • How to convey the texture and weight of any fabric with movement lines and washes.

Rating: N/A

Duration: 58 minutes

Certification: Yes

Cost: Paid

Pros: Certification of Completion, unlimited access

Cons: N/A

4. Fashion 101: Design & Styling: Textures, Shaping & More [Udemy]

Fashion 101 Design & Styling Textures, Shaping & More

Do you wish to learn the fundamentals of fashion design? Then this course is perfect for you. If you’re a budding fashion designer or someone who wishes to make a personal style statement, then you should enroll in this course.

It will provide a step-by-step guide to learning the principles of fashion designing and styling. The course includes short quizzes, exercises, and even puzzles to make it easier for learners to review and test their knowledge. It also includes visual examples and a comparison of various fashion design strategies.

What You’ll Learn?

  • How to dress the five body types.
  • How to camouflage and emphasize various areas.
  • The logic behind design and style
  • Common textures and shapes in fashion design
  • How to maintain a successful wardrobe
  • 6 face shapes and how to accessorize different shapes
  • How to curate a mood board and terminology used in the fashion industry
  • How to mix and match different patterns

Rating: 4.7

Duration: 2 hours

Certification: Yes

Cost: Paid

Pros: Certification of Completion, unlimited access

Cons: N/A

5. Online Fashion Design Course [Shaw Academy]

Online Fashion Design Course

In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of fashion design and how to make various patterns. You will be taught about various fabrics and their properties. You will understand how to choose the right fabric to influence the design. The course will equip you with the practical skills required to make a basic garment. You also get to learn about the roles of a fashion designer.

It includes digital illustrations to draw designs and shapes. A close look at the fashion design industry will help you become a better designer in the future. This is one of the best online fashion design classes for anyone who wants to learn about fashion design or to learn fashion design techniques.

What You’ll Learn?

  • Pattern-making
  • Future of the textile industry.
  • Making digital illustration
  • How to build a fashion brand

Rating: N/A

Duration: 4 weeks

Certification: Yes

Cost: Free

Pros: Certificate of completion

Cons: N/A

6. Fashion As Design [Coursera]

Fashion As Design

This online fashion design class presents a collection of over 70 garments and accessories worldwide. Fabrics range from kente cloth and jeans to 3D-printed dresses. By studying the garment, you will be able to look closely at what you wear and why you wear it.

It also covers how various garments are made. You’ll get a chance to listen to a range of fashion designers, historians, makers, and many other people working closely in the fashion industry. Resources include studio visits, interviews, and other stuff. Some resources introduce the history behind different garments, their development, and their impact on the market.

What You’ll Learn?

  • Develop critical tools to contextualize and appreciate fashion design.
  • Trace the history behind every garment.
  • Explore how garments are being reinvented
  • Investigate and know more about garments through multiple lenses, including economics, politics, and identity.
  • Lifecycle of clothing, its design, production, marketing, consumption, and distribution.

Rating: N/A

Duration: 20 hours

Certification: Yes

Cost: Free

Pros: Available in various languages

Cons: N/A

7. Draping For Fashion Design [Udemy]

Draping For Fashion Design

In this fashion design class online, you will learn various draping techniques. Draping is used in developing basic bodice, basic dress, basic skirt, circle skirt, etc. This basic course teaches you how to create darts, manipulate muslin, and mark it to draft a pattern. Some challenging techniques, like draping a circle skirt, will also be taught.

The professionals will also give you a demo on how muslin can be transferred to a dotted paper. Experimenting and working with various fabrics during the course will inspire you to come up with brand-new original designs. By the end of the course, you will have intricate knowledge about dress form and the terminology used. The course is ideal for anyone who wishes to develop their draping skills.

What You’ll Learn?

  • Basic skills and techniques in positioning the fabric and also pinning it.
  • How to drape a circle skirt
  • How to drape a simple basic dress
  • How to drape a two-dart bodice
  • How to create darts, pleats, and tucks
  • How to drape a one-dart bodice
  • How to mark and manipulate muslin and create darts to manipulate a pattern

Rating: 4.8

Duration: 1 hour

Certification: Yes

Cost: Paid

Pros: Certificate of Completion, unlimited access

Cons: N/A

8. Fashion Illustration: Basic To Advanced [Udemy]

Fashion Illustration Basic To Advanced

This course will provide a step-by-step guide to the fashion illustration process. You will be taught color rendering techniques using markers. Pakatip, a fashion illustrator and painter from Bangkok, teaches the course. The course is ideal for beginners who have zero knowledge of fashion design.

The tutor has developed effective teaching methods that are easy to follow for the students. This course will help you build a strong foundation in the fashion industry. By the end of this course, you will be able to render garments and effectively communicate your fashion ideas. You will also learn to create a strong design portfolio alongside this course.

What You’ll Learn?

  • Fundamental fashion drawing and illustration skills
  • Drawing faces in various characters
  • Coloring various skin tones
  • Drawing fashion figures in various poses
  • Drawing hands and feet
  • Drawing drapes, creases, darts, ruffles, etc.
  • Color rendering various garments and textures using markers
  • Depicting patterns and prints on garments

Rating: 4.3

Duration: 5.5 hours

Certification: Yes

Cost: Paid

Pros: Certificate of Completion, unlimited access

Cons: N/A

9. Fashion Illustration: Digital Drawing With Attitude [SkillShare]

Fashion Illustration Digital Drawing With Attitude

This free fashion design class online is taught by Danielle Meder, a renowned fashion illustrator and industry expert. In this course, Danielle teaches the students fashion fundamentals. The course will help you infuse emotion in your illustrations.

In addition, you can apply the concepts you learn in class to your work. The course requires you to draw multiple sketches and upload the progress to the Project Workspace before leaving. If you are a beginner and wish to practice figure drawing or are eager to make your own outfit and add colors to it, you can take up this course.

What You’ll Learn?

  • Sketching the figure draft
  • Checking the proportions
  • Mastering the gesture line
  • Designing and coloring the outfit
  • Fleshing out your figure draft

Rating: N/A

Duration: 53 minutes

Certification: Yes

Cost: Free

Pros: Certificate of Completion, unlimited access

Cons: N/A

10. Fashion Design: Parsons School [Coursera]

Fashion Design Parsons School

In this course, you will learn about the various technological developments in the fashion industry, including 3D and digital printing, craftsmanship, and artisanal design. In addition, you’ll discover how to establish and build your brand through materials, design aesthetics, and fit.

You’ll also learn why building networks and connections with other fashion designers is important. This fashion design class online also teaches fashion forecasting, social movements, and observing trends like environmentalism, politics, and pop culture, which are important to build an effective brand strategy.

What You’ll Learn?

  • Innovative design techniques based on original research
  • How to demonstrate partnerships with other brands
  • Ability to assess the sociocultural relationship between fashion and society.

Rating: 4.6

Duration: Around 10 hours

Certification: Yes

Cost: Paid

Pros: Flexible deadlines, Certification of Completion

Cons: At least two years of experience in fashion design is needed

Conclusion

The courses mentioned above are the best courses you’ll come across that are taught by industry professionals. These online fashion design courses provide comprehensive education, personalized mentorship, and networking and career development opportunities.

Some of these online fashion design courses are free of cost, and others are very affordable. If you’re a fashion enthusiast and wish to expand your fashion skills, enroll in one of these courses immediately! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Study Fashion Design Online?

Yes, many fashion designing courses are available online on platforms like Udemy, Coursera, EDx, and others. Some of them are free, and some are paid. You can choose a course as per your specific requirements. 

What Qualifications Do I Need to Study Fashion?

You need to have a foundation degree, a higher national degree, or a diploma to study a few fashion design courses. You can also enroll in online courses to get a fashion design certification.

Is It Worth Studying Fashion Designing?

Fashion Designing is an excellent career choice for people who have a flair for uniqueness and personal style. In addition, you can earn a lot of money by working in the fashion industry.

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