Best Places To Find Inspiration As A Design Student

Sometimes as a fashion design student, you might have days when your mind is filled with innovative ideas ready to be executed. While on other days, you might be struggling with a blank screen and and equally blank mind slowing your pace. For a creative individual, every day is a different day with a new set of challenges waiting to be faced. There are times when you have plenty of ideas and then there are times when you don’t. So, what do you do on days when you don't know what your new fashion assignment is going to be like? Wait for the ideas to strike you or seek inspiration from different sources? We’re sure you’ll find the second option more appealing because well, with stringent deadlines, none of us has the time to wait.

There are many places one can look for design inspiration—a walk through a vibrant summer market could probably inspire with its brilliant blend of colours or watching a vintage movie couldmotivate you to recreate certain design elements that caught your eye. Inspiration could come to you in many ways, especially when you’re searching for it at the right places. For every individual trying to overcome a creative block, just scrolling through online apps, reading a novel, or watching a series can help you get innovative ideas you never expected. The trick here is to expose yourself to plenty of natural and human-made art forms.

Here are some of the best sources of inspiration for designers:

Refresh and Align Your Thoughts by Connecting with Nature

Nature has the answer to all of your questions. Every moment you spend in a naturally beautiful place not only soothes your mind but also allows you to draw inspiration from its varied offerings. Nature has many mesmerizing forms, colors, and patterns that could help you draw ideas for your new fashion collection. Nowadays, you must have noticed many fashion designers exploring design concepts derived from oceanic beauty. Outfits based on shell work and coral reef prints have definitely created an aesthetic trend. Similarly, as a creative person, you could also plan trips that would take you to the lap of nature and enable you to sketch out ideas for your next project or assignment.

Source: Pexels

Read Up More Books and Magazines to Draw Inspiration

A passionate design student is wired to get the best ideas when the wheels of their mind are subconsciously running. You could be buried in a compelling fantasy novel, trying to imagine your characters dressed in a certain way, and before you know it, you have your next collection already sketched in your mind. The same could happen to you while flipping through fashion magazines in your free time. Certain designs may seem like they could be twisted in a different way to create an enticing piece. That’s exactly why we suggest that when you look for inspiration, it is essential to take out some free time in the day to read up and explore different concepts too.

Plan a Fun Day Out, Attending Art Exhibitions and Festivals

You must be wondering how art events or festivals help you get inspiration for your new designs? Well, the answer to that is simple. Art is, after all, art, an expression of the artist’s thoughts, opinions, and visions. Be it in the form of painting, architecture, words, or fashion design, every creative industry is related to one another in certain ways.

Attending an art exhibition could not only help you get ideas through different perspectives but also help you connect with like-minded creative professionals. A relaxing day out admiring different art forms, concepts, colours, prints, and opinions could help open up your mind to a whole new dimension of ideas waiting to transpire to reality. As a design student, you should plan a day out like this not only when you’re in need of ideas but also just to open up new avenues in your creativity.

Make a List of Movies and Shows to Watch

The most exciting place to look for inspiration is in the world of entertainment. Who says work can’t happen when you’re having fun? Well, we believe it’s quite the opposite. In fact, ground-breaking ideas happen to hit you when you’re completely enjoying yourself. While watching movies and shows for inspiration, you don’t have to watch only fashion-based videos to get the ideas you need. You could also watch historical dramas, cultural shows, or even light-hearted movies that you would enjoy watching. Just make sure to keep an eye on the details and note down any striking feature that catches your eye.

Source: Pexels

Browse Through the History and Evolution of Fashion

This may not seem like a fun idea to look for inspiration, but it surely is an effective one. Think of it as your assignment-related research. You don’t have to look for any specific fashion shows or collections, just browse through whatever you can find online starting from ancient times to now. Create notes or sketches whenever you find the need to. You can also check the latest designs showcased by famous designers on Instagram or on Pinterest, and read up on their journeys and what inspired them to create that stunning collection.

Take Some Time Out for Freestyle Doodling and Journaling

Looking for inspiration everywhere and everytime can also be an exhausting process that can drain you out sometimes. But we say, try not to be too hard on yourself in case you still can find any lead. There will be times when you’ll have to stop looking for ideas out in the world and tune inwards. By inwards, we mean connecting with your inner artist. When you feel you’re too tired to keep searching, take out a pencil and paper and start writing down your thoughts. You could even sketch them out with absolutely no rules. You never know what ideas your subconscious mind may surprise you with.

Designing is a creative process that may often go smoother than you expected or vice versa. In case things don’t go as you initially planned them to, try not to get too disheartened by the setback. Keep a positive mindset and don’t give up on the process. It’s common to face challenges like lack of inspiration, tight deadlines, and lack of resources for the final execution. However, there’s always a solution to every problem. All you need to do is think with an open mind and keep looking for what you need to find. Everything will eventually fall into place.