One of the most exciting aspects of graduation from Fashion Design colleges is the final portfolio! All the hard work that has gone into making your final collection, needs to be showcased and documented in the best way possible. Fashion portfolios are all about showcasing your best works in one creative space. Your portfolio is the perfect way to show a Fashion brand/Design house your designing abilities and creative strengths.
When you start working on your Fashion portfolio, you will come across a lot of ideas and design references on the internet. This can get quite confusing, as there are too many options which may seem conflicting. The best way to go about it would be to do your research, write down your design preferences and combine them to match your final idea. Apart from knowing what to put in your portfolio, it is equally important to know how to put it. At the end of the day, it all comes down to presentation and that’s the first thing that will be noticed.
With all the different portfolios we have come across, there were a few that stood out. So what is it that these portfolios had? We are listing some of our findings here in order to help you with your portfolio presentation. Let’s look at some ways that will help in making your portfolio stand out!
| Design Layout for Your Portfolio | 1 |
| Colour Scheme | 1 |
| Choosing Fonts | 2 |
| Medium of artwork | 2 |
| Stylised Illustrations | 2 |
| Organisation and Order of Display | 2 |
Table of Contents
Design Layout for Your Portfolio
Most people don’t pay a lot of attention towards the design layout, which happens to be a crucial step. Without a proper layout, your work will look shabby. A clean layout will highlight your work while also making it look neat. Let’s look at things to keep in mind while selecting and working on a layout
Colour Scheme
Be mindful of the colours you pick for your portfolio. You should go for colours that aren’t too gaudy and stick to the ones that will let your work shine. Choose colour palettes of pastels, monotones, earthy hues or even the good old black/white combination. You can either go with one solid colour, a set of complementary colours or a palette of four or more colours. See which colours work towards enhancing your designs.
Choosing Fonts
Fonts can make or break the tone of your design portfolio. While we can’t tell you exactly what may go with your portfolio layout, we can tell you the ones that work for all kinds of layouts. You can use fonts like Playfair Display, Freight Display Pro for headings and Open Sans, Roboto, Helvetica as the text font.
Medium of Artwork
We work with different kinds of mediums based on what looks appealing to us. Some prefer doing everything by hand, right from making collages for mood boards to hand drawn sketches and working with chart papers. While some like going the digital way with the help of design software, few like to work by hand first and then scan and digitise their work to make some modifications. It all comes down to your preferences, you can pick the medium you are most comfortable with. Once you take your pick, remember to stick with it for the whole portfolio in order to maintain uniformity.
Stylised Illustrations
Who doesn’t love well-drawn fashion design sketches? These look effortlessly stylish while also displaying your garment in a creative way. Through your college years of Fashion studies, you are honed to develop a sketching style of your own. So make use of it! Make exaggerated illustrations or go for a minimal vibe based on your preference and design requirements. Make good use of colour mediums to show texture and detailing. You can also use some 3D elements like fabrics, beads etc. to add a personal touch.
Also Read: WHAT IS FASHION DESIGNING?
Organisation and Order of Display
Even after making every design right and perfect, lack of organization can ruin the whole portfolio. Start with a table of contents and categorize your work by dates, collection and practical experience. Put your most recent work first followed by the rest and remember to add your signature on every single page of your portfolio. Once you get your work in order, it will be easier for anybody that sees your portfolio to understand the story and inspiration behind your collection and its designs.
These are some basic ways that will help you while working on your portfolio presentation. It may seem like a lot of work but it will all be worth it in the end! Don’t hold your creative self-back, explore new styles and personalise your portfolio as best as you can. It is a collection of your best work that’s on display for others to see and learn from so it deserves your attention the most!
Hamstech is offering a variety of design courses to cater to the creative flair in you. Enrol in Hamstech’s Fashion Design courses and get working towards your design dreams!