Do you pair up your formals with slippers or flip-flops or high-heels while playing a game? Obviously, no. A particular occasion demands a specific outfit. With that outfit, proper footwear has to be worn. Here a footwear designer comes into the picture who designs a range of footwear that covers formal occasions, sports to parties with comfort and style. A career in footwear design is as powerful and spirited as a career in fashion designing. The latest trends are seen daily in the fashion industry and if you are passionate about fashion and have a zeal to become a trendsetter then this career as a footwear designer or a shoe designer is just the right thing for you.
Initially, you can start working under a shoe brand, high street stores, and fashion houses and as you gain expertise in shoemaking you can establish your own footwear label. Footwear designers have to come up with trendy and eye-catching ideas for their footwear. You are required to put lots of thinking into the patterns, colours, required materials and design to appeal to the public and bring unique style and grace to your fashionable footwear.
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Role and Responsibilities
- A keen eye for fashion with precise measurement skills and knowledge of foot anatomy.
- Good understanding of textiles and designs with CAD software and good drawing skills.
- Coordinating with high profile fashion designers to understand the latest catwalk styles and trends,
- Should specialize in designing shoes for various markets, people from all walks of life and ages.
- Continuously perform experiments with different colours and fabrics to come up with effective footwear that will become a personal style statement.
- Visualizing and researching design ideas by working closely with a team and developing strategies for the products.
- Able to communicate effectively with customers and suppliers.
Job Roles for a Footwear designer
A person who adores fashion and can combine creativity and innovation into their designs can go for this competitive and demanding profession. A shoe engineer or a designer can work for a specific footwear manufacturer, retailers or different brands. Some footwear companies also employ designers specifically on a project basis like sportswear, designer labels at both junior and executive levels. With experience, you can get promoted to a senior designer, design director or head of the department.
After getting qualified as a footwear designer, you can opt for various job roles or profiles mentioned below:
- Retail Store Managers (Shoes)
- Footwear Developer
- Footwear Designer
- Footwear Technician
- Footwear Development Manager
- Footwear Merchandiser.
Educational Qualifications
- Qualify class 12th from a recognized board with any stream.
- The candidates should complete their bachelors and masters in Footwear Design.
- In-demand certificate and diploma courses can be pursued. Internship opportunities can be availed in fashion houses, manufacturing industries and retail brands.
Top colleges offering Footwear designing courses in India
The shoe industry is witnessing increasing growth due to ramp modelling and due to the flourishing business of the fashion industry. People are coming forward to choose this creative career option and want to get professionally trained in footwear designing. So the institutes are also starting to offer these courses due to the developing interest of the students.
- Footwear Design and Development Institute in Noida.
- National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi.
- National Institute of Design in Delhi.
- Symbiosis Institute of Design in Pune.
- Pearl Academy in Noida.
- National Institute of Fashion Technology in Navi Mumbai.
Employment Opportunities and Recruiting Companies
In recent times, there is a great scope for footwear designers. To survive in this field, you need to have extraordinary skills and talent. Sectors or industries where there are good employment opportunities are in
- Design consultancy firms
- Footwear production
- Retail and wholesale
- Import or export industry
- Merchandising
- Product Manufacturing
Some leading companies where a footwear designer can apply are:
Salary of a Footwear Designer
The starting salaries of various job profiles of a footwear designer yearly are given below:
- Retail Stores Manager (Shoes)- Rs 1,98,000
- Footwear Developer- Rs 1,20,000
- Footwear Designer- Rs 1,49,000
- Footwear Technician- Rs 1,50,000
- Footwear Development Manager – Rs 1,20,000
- Footwear Merchandiser- Rs 3,50,000
Job Outlook
Since the last few years, a consistent rise has been observed in footwear designing jobs. The key factor responsible for the increasing footwear industry worldwide is the demand for popular, comfortable and stylish shoes among people of all age groups. Online platforms for buying footwear are gaining popularity among young people. Manufacturers are constantly working on making and improvising on new products to be on the top among customers.
– Samiya Firdous
