Creation of a portfolio is one of the most important aspects for a fashion designer to make his presence felt and to carve a niche for himself. Portfolios are a means for the designer to communicate his ideas and concepts about fashion to the people. The portfolio determines the sale quotient of an individual's design. It is a presentation of the range of a designer's skills and his expertise in the field.
The process of making a portfolio is a thought provoking as a lot many factors go into making it perfect. The designer has to consider the design sketch and focus on the target customer. For instance, it should be known whether the portfolio is for men's wear, children's wear or for women. Similarly, it should be clearly defined whether the portfolio caters to contemporary or traditional fashion forms.
Portfolios are based on certain themes and have to be made keeping in mind the target product. The making of portfolios not only requires a knack for fashion but also an understanding of the human form.
The successful designers are more experimental when it comes to using techniques for making and presenting portfolios. They utilize various techniques such as watercolors, felt tip markers, cut and paste technique or computer aided programs for the presentation of portfolios.
A portfolio gives visual evidence about the technical skills of a designer. It shows whether the designer has knowledge of sewing, draping and making of patterns. It also gives an idea about the ability of the designer to make fashion drawings and also highlights his awareness of the past, present and future fashion trends. The portfolio has to be articulate and not redundant, evolutionary and not stagnant. It has to be in sync with the time and a true reflection of a designer's artistic and creative skill.