Fashion Design Career Highlights

• In 2004, 66 percent of all salaried fashion designers were working in either New York or California.
• Employers generally pursue designers with formal training who are knowledgeable about textiles, fabrics, ornamentation, and fashion trends.
• Job competition is expected to be intense as many prospective designers are attracted to the creativity and glamour associated with the occupation, while relatively few job openings arise.
• More than 25 percent are self-employed.

Nature of the Work

Fashion designers envision and create the billions of clothing articles, shoes, and accessories purchased each year by consumers. They study fashion trends, draw designs of clothing and accessories, select colors and fabrics, and oversee the final production of their designs. Clothing designers invent and help produce men's, women's, and children's apparel, including casual wear, suits, sportswear, formalwear, outerwear, maternity, and intimate apparel. Shoe designers help create and produce different styles of footwear. Accessory designers help create and produce items that are the finishing touches to an outfit, such as handbags, belts, scarves, hats, hosiery, and eyewear. While some fashion designers specialize in clothing, footwear, or accessory design, others create designs in all three fashion categories.

The design process from the initial concept to final production can take between 18 and 24 months. The initial step in creating a design is researching fashion trends and predicting future trends. Although some designers conduct their own research, most others rely on trend reports published by various fashion industry trade groups. Fashion trend reports suggest what styles, colors, and fabrics will be popular for a particular season in the near future. Textile manufacturers utilize trend reports to design fabrics and patterns while fashion designers sketch preliminary designs. Designers go to manufacturers or trade shows to obtain samples of fabrics and determine which fabrics to use with which designs.

After designs and textiles are chosen, a sample of the article using cheaper materials is created and then worn by a model to see what adjustments to the design are necessary. During this time period, designers will decide on their choices of which designs to offer for sale. Once the final adjustments and selections are made, prototypes of the articles using the actual materials are sewn, and then marketed to clothing retailers. Designs are shown at fashion and trade shows a few times each year, where retailers place orders for items, which are then manufactured and distributed to stores.

Computer-aided design (CAD) is being used more frequently in the fashion design industry. While the majority of designers initially sketch designs by hand, more and more translate these hand sketches to the computer. CAD permits designers to see designs of clothing on virtual models and in various colors and shapes, therefore, saving time by requiring fewer adjustments of samples later.

The size of the design firm and level of experience dictates how fashion designers may have varying levels of involvement in different aspects of design and production. In big design firms, fashion designers frequently are the lead designers who are responsible for creating designs, choosing colors and fabrics, and overseeing technical workers who turn the designs into a final product. They are responsible for creating prototypes and patterns and working with the manufacturers and suppliers throughout the production stages. Larger design firms will also employ their own patternmakers, tailors, and sewers who create the master patterns for the design and sew the prototypes and samples. Designers working in small design houses usually perform most of the technical, patternmaking, and sewing tasks in addition to designing the clothing.

Designers employed at apparel wholesalers or manufacturers create designs for the mass market. These mass market designs are manufactured in various sizes and colors. A relatively small number of high-fashion (haute couture) designers are self-employed. They create custom designs for individual clients, usually at extremely high prices. Other high-fashion designers may sell their designs in their own stores, in specialty stores, or in up-scale department stores. These high fashion designers create a combination of original garments and those that follow established fashion trends.

Some fashion designers work exclusively in costume design for performing arts, motion picture, or television productions. Costume designers work like other fashion designers; they perform extensive research into the styles worn during the period in which the scene takes place, or work directly with directors to select appropriate attire for performances. They make drawings of designs, select fabric and other materials, and oversee the production of the costumes. They must also stay within the costume budget for the particular production.

Working Conditions

Fashion designers generally work regular hours in well-lighted and comfortable settings. Those designers who freelance normally work on a contract, or by the job, basis. They often adjust their work hours to suit their clients' schedules and deadlines, meeting with the clients during evening or weekend hours if necessary. Freelance designers often work longer hours and in smaller, more congested, environments, and are under more pressure to please clients and to find new ones in order to maintain steady earnings. All fashion designers occasionally work long hours to meet production deadlines or prepare for fashion shows, regardless of their work setting. Most designers travel several times each year to trade and fashion shows in order to learn about the latest fashion trends, and they may also travel frequently to meet with fabric and materials suppliers and with manufacturers who produce the final apparel products.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

In fashion design, employers tend to seek candidates with formal training who are knowledgeable about textiles, fabrics, ornamentation, and fashion trends. Designers must have a strong eye for color and detail, a sense of balance and proportion, and an appreciation of beauty. Fashion designers need excellent communication and problem-solving abilities, and despite the advancement of computer-aided design, sketching ability remains an important advantage. A good portfolio frequently is the deciding factor in who gets the job.

Degree programs in fashion design are offered at some colleges, universities, and private art and design schools. Many fashion designers combine a fashion design degree with a business, marketing, or fashion merchandising degree, especially if they aspire to run their own business or retail store. Basic design coursework includes color, textiles, sewing and tailoring, pattern making, fashion history, CAD, and design of different types of clothing such as menswear or footwear. Additional coursework in human anatomy, mathematics, and psychology also is helpful.

Approximately 250 postsecondary institutions with programs in art and design are accredited by The National Association of Schools of Art and Design. Many of these schools award degrees in fashion design, and some do not allow formal entry into a program until a student has successfully completed basic art and design courses. Candidates usually have to apply, and submit sketches and other examples of their artistic ability.

Besides creativity and sketching ability, designers also need sewing and patternmaking skills, even if will not perform these tasks themselves. Fashion designers must be able to understand these skills in order to give proper instructions as to how the garment should be constructed. Fashion designers also need strong sales and presentation skills to persuade clients to purchase their designs. Teamwork and communication skills also are important due to the increasingly international nature of the business that requires constant contact with suppliers, manufacturers, and buyers around the world.

Prospective fashion designers can sometimes learn the necessary skills through internships with design or manufacturing firms. Designers may gain valuable experience working in retail fashion stores, as personal stylists, or as custom tailors. This type of experience helps designers gain sales and marketing skills while learning what styles and fabrics look good on different people. Designers may also gain exposure to potential employers by entering their designs in contests.

Entry level fashion designers usually begin as pattern makers or sketching assistants for more experienced designers before advancing to higher level positions. Experienced designers may aspire to become chief designer, design department head, or another supervisory position. Some designers decide to start their own design company, or sell their designs in their own retail stores. A few of the most successful designers work for high-fashion well-known design houses that offer personalized design services to wealthy clients.

Employment

In 2004, fashion designers held about 17,000 jobs in the U.S.. More than 25 percent were self-employed, and approximately 1 in 4 fashion designers worked for apparel and piece goods merchant wholesalers; another 15 percent worked in cut and sew apparel manufacturing, while the remainder worked for corporate offices involved in the management of companies and enterprises, clothing stores, performing arts companies, specialized design services firms, textile and textile product mills, and footwear and accessories manufacturers.

Employment of designers tends to be concentrated in regional fashion centers, with about two-thirds of salaried fashion designers working in either New York or California.

Job Outlook

Job competition is expected be intense since designers tend to be attracted to the creativity and glamour associated with the occupation, while few job openings arise because of low job turnover and a small number of new openings created every year. Employment prospects for fashion designers is projected to grow more slowly than average for all occupations through 2014. Employment growth for fashion designers will develop from a growing population demanding more goods such as clothing, footwear, and accessories, as well as increased demand for stylish clothing that is affordable, especially among middle income consumers. The best job opportunities will be with companies that design and manufacture mass market clothing sold in department stores and retail chain stores, such as apparel wholesale firms. Only a few employment opportunities are expected in design firms that cater to high-end department stores and specialty boutiques as demand for expensive, high-fashion design declines relative to other luxury goods and services.

As apparel is increasingly manufactured overseas, job opportunities in cut and sew manufacturing will continue to decline. However, employment of designers will not decline as fast as other occupations because these companies are more likely to keep design work in-house.

Earnings

In May 2004, median annual earnings for fashion designers were $55,840; the middle 50 percent earned between $38,800 and $77,580; the lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,970, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $112,840.

Earnings in fashion design vary broadly depending on the employer and years of experience. Starting salaries in fashion design are usually very low until designers are established in the industry. Salaried fashion designers usually normally earn higher and more stable incomes than self-employed or freelance designers. A few of the most successful self-employed fashion designers sometimes earn many times the salary of the highest paid salaried designers, however, self-employed fashion designers must provide their own benefits and retirement.

Related Occupations

Workers in other art and design occupations include artists and related workers, commercial and industrial designers, floral designers, graphic designers, and interior designers. jewelers and precious stone and metal workers also design wearable accessories. Other common occupations in the fashion industry include demonstrators, product promoters, and models; photographers; purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents; retail salespersons; and textile, apparel, and furnishings occupations.

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Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor