Job description
Fashion designers are skilled professionals who design clothing, shoes, accessories and footwear. They do this by creating unique sketches by hand or through CAD software, selecting fabrics and overseeing the entire production line in fashion houses.
Duties
- Study fashion designs and predict future trends
- Create unique designs that will appeal to your target market
- Devise themes for biannual look books
- Use computer-aided designs (CAD) programs to bring ideas to life
- Gather samples of fabrics and gems to use within creations
- Supervise pattern-cutters, dressmakers and other designers to create prototype designs
- Present design ideas to creative directors, investors and celebrities
- Seek endorsement opportunities and market designs through social media channels
- Showcase new designs at fashion shows
Skills and qualities
Job outlook
Projected growth
3%
New jobs
600
Automation risk
2%
Career progression
Many fashion designers progress to set up their own fashion label or design studio, and create unique items carrying their logo. Others choose to go into teaching and work within accredited fashion schools.
Working conditions
Average hours
40h/ week
Typical schedule
Full Time
Nights, weekends and occasional holidays
Most fashion designers work in design studios for wholesalers or manufacturers. Others are self-employed and work from their home studios or fashion house.
You will be required to travel to client meetings, trade shows and fashion events to market your products and gain new clients. You may also be required to travel overseas to source new materials and fabrics for your apparel.
The work also requires a lot of time spent on networking and social media to increase brand awareness.
Salary
Bottom 10%
$36k
Median
$73k
Top 10%
$160k
Annual salary estimates are based on percentile wage data collected through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey of US workers.
Qualifications and training
Education level
Undergraduate
BA in fashion design or related subject
Study time
3 years
To become a fashion designer, you must complete a bachelor’s degree in fashion design or fashion merchandising at an accredited college or university, which typically takes three years to complete. If you want to continue your studies, you can pursue further training through an MBA in Fashion and Business Management.
While studying, you’ll need to develop a portfolio with a collection of your designs and ideas. It will also be beneficial to enrol in a number of internships to gain experience in well-known fashion houses, which will further enhance your portfolio and skills.
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 2, 2022
