Fashion Designers

Career summary

#match with 4442, checked 2/26/15 lh

Fashion designers read fashion magazines and attend shows to keep up on fashion trends. They consult with clients or supervisors to find out what types of designs are needed. They combine this information with their own taste to create designs.

Fashion designers make rough sketches of garments or accessories. They measure and draw pattern pieces to actual size on paper. They use these pieces to measure and cut pattern pieces in a sample fabric. Designers sew the pieces together and fit them on a model. They examine the sample garment and make changes until they get the effect they want. Some designers have assistants who cut and sew pattern pieces for them.

Designers often use computer-based drawing programs to create sketches and drawings. These programs allow designers to save drawings and easily change details.

Fashion designers work cooperatively with designers or manufacturing firms to show sample garments at sales meetings or fashion shows. When the designs are approved, they make final drawings. They also specify color scheme, sewing method, and type of fabric. In some companies, designers are involved in each step of production.

Some fashion designers are self-employed and design clothes for private clients. Others work for fashion houses or specialty stores. These designers create original designs but also follow trends. Most designers work for apparel manufacturers. They adapt fashion designs for the mass market.

Some designers work independently. They may be in charge of purchasing materials for designs as well as the designing itself. They may also decide how to price and market their work. Some designers do custom work for individuals, including certain stores or even TV shows and films.

Related careers

This career is part of the Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communications cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Art Directors
• Buyers and Purchasing Agents
• Costume and Wardrobe Specialists
• Floral Designers
• Graphic Designers
• Industrial Designers
• Interior Designers
• Landscape Architects
• Set and Exhibit Designers
• Tailors

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to fashion designers.

• Attend fashion shows and review magazines to analyze fashion trends.
• Consult with managers, supervisors, or clients about design ideas.
• Use information from discussions, personal taste, and knowledge of fashion to create designs.
• Draw rough sketches of garments or accessories.
• Draw pattern pieces on paper and fabric. Use tools to measure, draw, and cut.
• Sew pattern sections to form sample garments or articles.
• Direct workers who draw and cut patterns and construct samples or finished garments.
• Examine samples on models and modify designs to get desired effect.
• Arrange for showing of sample garments at sales meetings or fashion shows.
• Make final drawings and specify instructions, such as color scheme and fabric.
• Use computer-based drawing programs to create and store sketches, final drawings, and color samples.
• May design custom clothing and accessories for individual clients, including retailers or theatrical productions.
• Determine prices for styles.
• Purchase materials needed to complete designs.
• Determine how to market designs.

Common work activities

Fashion designers perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Think creatively
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Get information needed to do the job
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Schedule work and activities
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Convince others to buy goods or change their minds or actions
• Develop goals and strategies
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Provide information or drawings about devices, equipment, or structures
• Guide, direct, and motivate others
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Monitor and control resources
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Use computers
• Coach others
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Develop and build teams
• Teach others
• Evaluate information against standards
• Perform for or work with the public
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Document and record information
• Recruit, interview, or hire others
• Process information

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, fashion designers:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social contact. They work closely with clients, managers, and work room staff.
• Communicate primarily by face-to-face discussions, telephone, e-mail, and letters and memos.
• Are often placed in conflict situations.
• Are responsible for the work done by other workers.
• Often work with a group or team.

Physical work conditions

• Nearly always work indoors.
• May get into awkward positions to reach cramped work places.
• May on occasion be exposed to loud or distracting sounds and noise levels.

Work performance

• Must be sure that all details of the job are done and their work is exact. Errors could cause manufacturers to produce garments that do not fit correctly. This would cost companies money.
• Regularly make decisions that affect the company's performance and reputation. Fashion designers who work for labels often consult with others before deciding a course of action.
• Set their daily tasks and priorities independently.
• Work in a competitive atmosphere in which deadlines must constantly be met.

Hours/travel

• May work part time or full time.
• May work long hours, especially during production deadlines or before a fashion show.
• May be required to travel around the US and overseas to production sites.

Physical demands

Fashion designers frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.
• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Repeat the same movements.

It is important for fashion designers to be able to:

• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for fashion designers to be able to:

• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.

Skills and abilities

Fashion designers need to:

Communicate

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand spoken information.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Understand written information.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Manage the time of self and others.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with people

• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.

Work with things

• Analyze needs and requirements when designing products.

Perceive and visualize

• Imagine how something will look if it is moved around or its parts are rearranged.
• Quickly and accurately compare letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns.
• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Apparel and Textiles
• Fashion Design
• Fashion Merchandising

Other programs of study to consider

• Commercial and Advertising Art
• Dramatic Arts
• Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
• Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts
• Graphic Design
• Illustration
• Industrial Design
• Metal and Jewelry Arts
• Modeling

Training

To work as a fashion designer, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
• have a bachelor's degree in a related field.

Education after high school

Most fashion designers have a bachelor's degree in fashion design or fashion merchandising. In these programs, you learn about textiles and fabrics and how to use computer-aided design (CAD) technology. You also work on projects that can be added to your portfolio, which showcases your designs.

You usually need to complete one year of basic art and design courses to qualify for a program in design. You may be asked to submit drawings and other examples of your artistic ability.

Training in computers and drawing programs is important preparation for this occupation.

Work experience

Look for opportunities to showcase your talent. Draw for your school or community paper. Create drawings for special events and enter contests.

A job at a clothing or fabric store is also good background. You can also gain skills by working as a tailor.

An internship is another opportunity for gaining skills. These are available at design or manufacturing firms. In an internship you can work with practicing designers.

On-the-job training

Beginning designers usually receive on-the-job training. You may begin as a pattern maker or sketching assistant. As you gain experience, you work on more difficult tasks.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Art
• Clothing Design and Sewing
• Computer-Assisted Design (CAD)
• Drawing and Painting
• Public Speaking
• Stagecraft
• Textiles

Many fashion designers are self-employed. If you want to run your own business some day, you should consider taking these courses as well:

• Accounting
• Entrepreneurship
• Introduction to Business

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers prefer applicants who have two- or four-year degrees in fashion design. They also prefer applicants who are familiar with fabrics and textiles. In addition, employers prefer applicants who can demonstrate artistic talent. Applicants are usually asked to provide employers with a portfolio. A portfolio is a collection of examples of a designer's best work. A good portfolio is often the deciding factor in getting a job.

Some employers may accept experience or demonstrated ability as a substitute for training. Applicants who gain experience through an internship while in school increase their chances of being hired after graduation. Upon graduation, interns may be hired as assistant designers or into technical jobs such as patternmaker or sample cutter. They may be hired by the employer they did the internship with or by another company through references and word of mouth. Employers look for workers who are highly motivated and self-disciplined.

Experience coordinating overseas production is a plus. Employees who start out as assistant designers or patternmakers may be assigned to a designer position within the same company.

Tips

Find a summer job in a department or specialty apparel store. Visit a garment manufacturer to see fashion employees at work. Take classes in graphics and art. Follow world news and global economic trends. Attend style shows, visit art galleries, observe clothing worn by fashion leaders, and "shop" through all kinds of stores where garments are sold. Read fashion books and magazines and learn sewing skills. Courses in small business management may be helpful.

Costs to workers

Costs may include professional association dues. Some fashion designers may be required to buy their own tools.

#Took over national content to remove statement about familiarity with CAD software as something that may be helpful. Seems more likely need to use it for this job, so deleted that statement 4/11/16 cj.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Fashion Designers 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

A few well-known fashion designers in top companies earn much more than the median wage. Designers who have their own lines of clothing can earn bonuses and shares in the company.

Besides these few highly-paid fashion designers, wages vary by employer and area of the country. Wages also vary based on a designer's experience and success.

Benefits also vary by employer. Full-time fashion designers often receive benefits such as paid vacation, sick leave, and health insurance. Part-time designers rarely receive benefits. Fashion designers who are self-employed must provide their own insurance.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

About 24% of fashion designers are self-employed.

Major employers:

• Wholesale clothing companies
• Fashion design firms
• Clothing pattern companies

Fashion designers generally work for textile, apparel, and pattern manufacturers. They also work for fashion salons, high-fashion department stores, and specialty shops. Many work in major fashion centers such as New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

National outlook

Demand is expected to be slow for this occupation as more clothing is made overseas.

Many talented people are attracted to careers as designers, so the competition for jobs is strong. Creative people with a formal education in design will have the best opportunities. Job prospects are also better in design centers such as New York and California.

Other resources

American Apparel and Footwear Association 
740 - 6th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
202.853.9080

Association of Sewing and Design Professionals 
2885 Sanford Ave SW #19588
Grandville, MI 49418
877.755.0303

Council of Fashion Designers of America 
65 Bleecker Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10012
212.302.1821

Fashion Group International 
212.302.5511

National Retail Federation 
1101 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20005
800.673.4692
202.783.7971

Textile Society of America 

Trend Seattle 
528 North 79th Street
Seattle, WA 98103
206.767.9200

US Small Business Administration 
Seattle District Office
2401 Fourth Avenue, Suite 450
Seattle, WA 98121
206.553.7310

References

Career cluster

• Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communications

Career path

• Artistic

O*Net  occupation

• Fashion Designers (27-1022.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.

DOT occupations

• Copyist (142.281-010) 
• Fashion Designer (142.061-018) 
• Fur Designer (142.081-014) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Artistic/Enterprising/Realistic

COPSystem

• Arts Professional