* Supplies and classes for aspiring fashion designers
* The best sketch pads, drawing kits, mannequins, and more
* No need to sign up for school – do this from comfort and convenience of home
Every fashionista has thought about making their own clothes. We’ve all envisioned that one perfect item that we just can’t seem to find in a store, and now it’s easier than ever to design clothing like a pro. With online classes and very affordable supplies, anyone can sketch up the next trend. Below are some of the essentials every aspiring designer will need to get started.
1. Strathmore Series Sketch Pads
Your sketch pad is one of the most important supplies as a designer. You’ll want something versatile and well-made, but also portable enough to take everywhere. We recommend this one from Strathmore because it ticks all the boxes, and comes very highly rated.
2. NiL-Tech Drawing Kit
Another must-have designer essential is a great drawing kit. When you’re sketching clothing, regular pencils and pens just won’t cut it, so you’ll need a proper art kit like this one from NiL-Tech.
3. Bonnlo Pinnable Mannequin
When you picture a designer’s studio, a pinnable mannequin is probably the first thing that comes to mind. This Bonnlo is a great option because it features a wood and stainless steel combination that’s durable yet lightweight, and an adjustable height. It’s also very well-priced, as we’ve seen other models retail well into the hundreds of dollars.
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4. Udemy Fashion Drawing Course
Udemy has made learning anything much easier thanks to affordable, in-depth online classes. This fashion drawing course will teach you to use Adobe Illustrator to sketch designs, which is a highly valuable skill for designing as a hobby or as a professional.
5. Picture Perfect Light Box
Lightboxes can get pricey, but we found this one for under $30. It’s well-made with a durable acrylic surface and a super thin design that lets you easily carry it in your everyday bag.
6. Moleskine Pen + Ellipse
Jotting down sketches in a notebook is the best way to spark your creativity and get ideas on paper, but there’s one problem: notebooks get lost. Easily. That’s why we recommend this Moleskine pen + ellipse. It captures every pen stroke in real time, creating a digital backup of your sketch book.