Where Can You Work if You Are a Fashion Designer
This page was developed as a resource for aspiring fashion blueprint students and fashion designers seeking general career data, preparation and education requirements, and task search assistance. The resources provided on this page are non-commercial in nature and free to employ. If you take whatsoever career resources for fashion designers you experience would be of benefit to our visitors, please exercise not hesitate to contact the states with your recommendations.
To learn more about launching or advancing a career in fashion pattern select a topic beneath.
- Career Overview
- Career Positions and Profiles
- Employment Information, Profiles and Statistics
- Salary and Wage Statistics
- Education and Preparation Requirements
- Accreditation
- Task Outlook
- Working Conditions
- Boosted Resource
Career Overview
Style designers pattern dresses, shoes, and other wearable. They observe trends and supervise the development of new habiliment lines. Clothing designers also coordinate the production of dress for men, women, and children. Footwear designers design and coordinate the product of shoes and boots. Accessory designers pattern and coordinate the product of hats, spectacles, belts, purses, and other accessories. Some mode designers specialize in certain types of wearable for age groups, body types and commercial industries.
The typical duties performed by a way designer include:
- Follow trends in the mode industry and make up one's mind which designers are likely to appela to consumers in the future
- Develop theme based wear lines and collections
- Develop designs using computer-aided programs
- Nourish trade shows to follow trends, present design and notice fabrics
- Piece of work with other designers and merchandisers to create design prototypes
- Promote wearable lines and designs to retailers and consumers
- Oversee clothing designs from through final production
It usually takes xviii-24 months to design and produce a new clothing line. Way designers brainstorm the process by conducting research about fashion trends. They either deport their own research or study reports published by mode merchandise groups. These reports detail popular styles, fabrics, and colors. After conducting inquiry, manner designers visit merchandise shows to obtain fabric samples.
Afterward fabrics have been selected, initial designs are created with inexpensive materials, and models wear the designs to decide how the clothes fit. Subsequently the clothes accept been altered, sample designs constructed with the actual fabric are created and sent to potential buyers. Designers frequently marketplace their clothes at way shows to get their designs and product in front of merchandizers and retail buyers.
Fashion designers now utilize computer aided blueprint technology (CAD) to develop and create their designs. Virtually designers still sketch their preliminary designs so utilize CAD to expound on their designs. Designers can create their alterations on virtual models using CAD, saving them time and money.
Way designers working for large firms usually select colors and materials, create designs, and supervise the development team. These large firms frequently hire specialized tailors and pattern designers to manufacture their clothes. Designers working at smaller firms are responsible for designing wearable and patterns, too as supervising clothing production.
Fashion designers employed by apparel wholesalers blueprint clothes for the masses. Self employed designers, also known as haute couture designers, design custom clothes for individual clients (who are usually quite wealthy). Some designers design dress for their own stores or section stores. Others pattern clothes for idiot box studios, moving picture studios, or theater productions. Costume designers conduct historical inquiry about the time menstruation they are designing costumes for and then supervise costume production.
Career Positions and Profiles
Below you can learn more about the most popular careers and positions within the field of manner design.
Mode Designer
Fashion designers are involved from concept to finish in the evolution and production of wearable lines. While a few designers are able to work their mode upwardly in the industry through on the job experience, these days a available's degree is typically the minimum requirement for this position. Designers must have an indepth knowledge of fashion design concepts, sewing, apparel design and garment structure, and be familiar with the dissimilar types of textiles and industry trends. Virtually designers are specialists. They may specialize in women's apparel, children's clothing, or men'south clothing.
Assistant Designer
Asistant designers are precisely that, administration. They help manner designers with every aspect of development and product of article of clothing lines. Typical duties include developing sketches for designers to work from, preparing presentation marterials for shows and vesture demos, sourcing fabric, etc. Banana designers are non required to have a bachelor'southward caste, but many do. Assistant designers frequently piece of work their style upwardly to become designers.
Pattern Maker
As their proper noun suggests, blueprint makers create patterns and specifications for how each component of a garment should be manufactured and put together. Today, design makers oft use estimator software, CAD and 3D imaging to create patterns and develop specifications. Pattern making skills tin be learned on the job, past earning a specialized degree in way blueprint, or through a technical preparation program.
Way Merchandiser
Many aspiring style design students and aspiring designers end up migrating to a career in fashion merchandising. Merchandisers are typically upper-direction and high level executives in clothes manufacturing who are responsible for determining which clothing lines, fashion and/or accessories a manfucturer should produce. They program, research, and make up one's mind which fashion trends a company should pursue. A bachelor'southward degree in fashion design, fashion merchandising, dress product, or marketing is typically the minimum educational requirement for this position. Many companies who apply merchandiser prefer to hire candidates with MBAs. Merchandiser can make anywhere from $55,000 to $110,000 a twelvemonth - or more than.
Fashion Heir-apparent
Buyers program sales, select trade to sell, price vendor orders, and monitor inventory. Buyers are experts at budgeting. They're oftentimes given a fixed budget and told to get all-time return they possibly tin can. Buyer positions are competitive and typically accept years to work into. In addition to a bachelor's caste, buyers are typically required to consummate on-the- job training sponsored by their employer and complete an apprenticeship.
Assistant Buyer
In order to get a heir-apparent, you must outset become an assistant heir-apparent. Assistant buyers assistance fashion buyers select merchandise, write and cost orders, collaborate and negotiate with vendors, and plan and manage a budget. Most assistant buyers have a four year higher degree. This position is also highly competitive as it is a stepping stone to becoming a full fledged buyer.
Merchandise Manager
Likewise known equally Divisional Merchandise Managers (DMM), merchandise managers are responsible for supervising merchandise departments and fashion buyers. With a salary ranging from $50,000 to $150,000 a year, this position is one of the highest paid inside the manner industry. To go a merchandise manager, applicants must have a college caste and 5 to 10 years feel as a fashion buyer. Merchandise managers manage vendor relations, develop buying teams, ensure consequent quality, and focus on making certain customers receive the value they await and are paying for.
Design Managing director
A design director's main duty is to oversee color, trends, and fabric direction for all production lines. They besides manage design teams, supervise the manufacturing process and support marketing endeavors. Job duties include market assay, trend analysis, predicting time to come demand, production support and building textile stories.
Fashion Director
Style directors are responsible for having an intimate knowledge of various market trends and using this knowledge to develop effective marketing and branding strategies, and navigating market trends. Fashion directors do a fair amount of traveling and are required to attend the manufacture'southward elevation shows in Paris, London, Milan, and New York. Fashion directors must be able forecast way trends, have strong communication skills, and be experts in blueprint and color. They also develop fashion messaging strategies and manage buying teams.
Visual Merchandising Managing director
Visual merchandising directors piece of work in retail and wholesale sectors of the fashion industry promoting products, services and prototype. They dress manikins, develop visually appealing way displays, and organize special events to promote brand awareness. They also supervise design and concept product, oversee idea presentation, and manage budgets. They must exist experts in colour and design, accept the ability to manage budgets and be highly artistic.
Manner Editor
Manner editors oversee the creation, development and presentation of content for way related magazines and publications. They're also responsible for putting together photo shoots, managing teams, staying abreast of industry trends, choosing looks to feature, curating photography and deciding what should be published - and what shouldn't. They must accept infrequent writing skills, exist experts in fashion and photography, and have good interpersonal advice skills.
Employment Information and Statistics
As of May 2014, at that place were approximately 22,300 fashion designers employed in the United States. Of these, about half worked in wholesale and manufacturing, a 10th occupated corporate management positions, and the remaining worked in specialized pattern and other related occupations. Betwixt 2012 and 2020, the number of style designers employed in the United States is expected to decrease to 21,600 - due in large part to apparel manufacturing jobs moving overseas to more competitive markets.
The post-obit is a breakdown of the industries employing the highest number of fashion designers, including employment numbers and wage information per manufacture.
| Industry | Total employment | % idustry employment | Mean hourly way | Mean almanac wage |
| Apparel and Merchant Wholesalers | 7,400 | 5% | $34 | $70,000 |
| Dress Manufacturing | 2,850 | 2.5% | $40 | $83,000 |
| Corporate Management | ii,400 | .xi% | $43 | $xc,000 |
| Specialized Design Services | 1,450 | ane.2% | $33 | $68,500 |
| Theater, Motion-picture show and Video | one,000 | .iii% | n/a | n/a |
Geographic Contour for Psychology Occupations
The map below shows the states that employ the largest number of manner designers, as well as concentration of manner designers per state.
The chart below lists united states of america that employ the highest numbers of way designers, forth with the mean hr wage, annual mean wage and location caliber for each state.
| Country | Full employment | Location caliber | Hateful hourly fashion | Mean annual wage |
| New York | 7,190 | 6.eighteen | $39 | $80,900 |
| California | five,750 | 2.88 | $35 | $73,300 |
| Texas | 500 | .34 | $29 | $60,600 |
| New Jersey | 340 | .66 | $36 | $74,100 |
| Massachusetts | 270 | .61 | $37 | $76,900 |
The map beneath shows the location quotient for the fashion design industry across the United States. The location quotient is the ratio of the concentration of fashion blueprint professionals employed in a state to the national average concentration for the industry. A state with a location quotient greater than 1 indicates the state has a greater share of employment of fashion designers than the average. (Note: Data is non bachelor for those states that are white.)
The nautical chart below shows the states that have the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients for the manner blueprint industry.
| State | Full employment | Location caliber | Mean hourly way | Hateful almanac wage |
| New York | vii,190 | 6.ii | $39 | $80,900 |
| California | 5,750 | two.9 | $35 | $73,300 |
| Vermont | twoscore | 1.08 | $24 | $49,000 |
| New Hampshire | 90 | ane.04 | $35 | $73,500 |
| Kansas | 180 | .99 | $35 | $55,000 |
Salary and Wage Statistics
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for way designers is roughly $63,000 a twelvemonth. As of 2014, fifty% of manner designers earned more than $63k a year while 50% earned less. The elevation 10% of mode designers earn over $127,000 a year, witha few extremely successful designers making well into the 6 figures. The lowest 10 pct of wage earners in this manufacture make less than $35,000 a year.
As is the case with near occupation, how much a fashion designer can earn is in fluenced by many factors, including experience, skill, reputation and employer. Until a way designer has substantial experience in the manufacture, their pay tends to be relatively low compared to other occupations that require a bachelor'south caste. Style designers that receive a salary typically have more than stable income than those who work freelance, independent or every bit consultants. Nevertheless, mode designers who are able to develop their own brand and clothing line can striking it big!
The median annual pay for fashion designers in the top five industries/job sectors employing these professionals is as follows:
| Corporate and Enterprise Management | $78,600 |
| Specialized design services | $62,600 |
| Dress product | $62,400 |
| Apparel and merchant wholesaling | $60,600 |
| Electronic markets and brokers | $58,000 |
The map beneath shows the annual mean wage for fashion designers by state as of May 2014.
The nautical chart below lists the state with the highest hourly and annual mean wage for fashion designers. When because employment opportunities, you should consider all factors including wage, location quotient, overall employment and cost of living.
| State | Total employment | Location caliber | Mean hourly way | Mean annual wage |
| New York | seven,190 | 6.2 | $39 | $fourscore,900 |
| Massachusetts | 270 | .61 | $37 | $76,900 |
| New Jersey | 340 | .66 | $35 | $74,100 |
| California | 5,750 | 2.9 | $35 | $73,300 |
| New Hampshire | 90 | 1.04 | $35 | $73,500 |
The highest paying metropolitan areas for fashion designers include St. Louis, MO ($97,300/twelvemonth), San Francisco, CA ($83,100/yr), NY-NJ Metro Area ($81,000/twelvemonth), Portsmouth, NH ($78,500/yr), Oakland, CA ($77,800/twelvemonth), Boston, MA ($77,200/yr), Los Angeles, CA ($74,400/yr), Portland, ME ($72,000/yr) and Santa Ana/Anaheim, CA ($71,400). Once more, the annual figures are based on Mean Wage. Bodily figures may be higher or lower.
Educational activity and Preparation
A available'south degree in fashion design or fashion merchandising is typically the minimum requirement for entry-level positions that will lead to career advancement opportunities within the manufacture. Fashion design programs teach students the ins and outs of mode, design concepts, industry trends, assay, textiles, fabrics and how to apply computer-aided design (CAD) to develop fashion concepts and apparel designs.
Style pattern programs are instrumental in helping students develop a portfolio - a collection of designs that showcase the pupil's blueprint abilities, experience and expertise. A good portfolio is the key to landing top industry positions. Most employers will decide whether or non to apply or hire a designer based on their portfolio.
There are just over 300 higher education institutions in the United States that offer art and pattern programs accredited by the National Association of Schoos of Arts and Design (NASAD). We recommend earning your degree in fashion blueprint from a NASAD accredited institution. Many way blueprint programs will require awarding to (one) consummate prerequisite courses in art and design before being admitted and/or (2) submit a pocket-size portfolio that demonstrates their artistic and creative power.
Most successful fashion designers worked their style upward the ranks. Style designers typically get started in the industry through an apprenticeship, internship or by working every bit an assistant for a while. Internships are particulary useful for students who desire to gain experience while completing their degree.
Successful designers are artistic, creative, detailed oriented, are familiar with design technologies, are decision makers and communicate well with others.
Accreditation
Accreditation is an important chemical element of obtaining a quality pedagogy in fashion pattern and way merchandising. Obtaining a degree or advanced education from an accredited institution will ensure you receive a quality education, that you'll qualify for federal financial aid, and that when you graduate your degree or diploma will actually mean something.
There are various forms of accreditation - and not all are equal. The most of import type of accreditation is "regional" accreditation. Most 4-year colleges and universities (ie., Harvard, Standford, etc.) are regionally accredited. Earning your degree from a regionally accredited college for fashion pattern institute will ensure you're getting the best education possible, that your degree will exist recognized within the industry, and that you'll be able to utilize your degree/teaching to pursue other higher didactics opportunities downwardly the route. Typically, regionally accredited schools and colleges will just accept transfer credits from other regionally accredited institutions. This means that if you earn an associate'due south degree in fashion pattern from a nationally accredited community college, you'll be unlikely to transfer the credits you lot earn to a regionally accredited college or academy - which includes well-nigh reputable 4-year colleges and universities in the United States.
The second type of accreditation is "national" accreditation. While national accreditation sounds absurd, regional accreditation is preferable. We recommend earning your degree from a regionally accredited establishment, specially if you plan on pursuing other higher education opportunities downwards the road. Once more, most regionally accredited colleges and universities volition non have transfer credits from nationally accredited institutions. Earning a degree, certification or diploma from a nationally accredited school is recommended when you're just seeking to enhance your skills, prepare for entry-level career opportunities, and don't take plans of pursuing additional education opportunities down the road.
In addition to regional and national accreditation, in that location is professional accreditation. While regional and national accreditation are general accrediations, professional accredidation apply only to a specific field of study. The most well known professional person accrediting body in the way design industry is the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Most fashion blueprint institutes and schools are accredited by the NASAD.
Chore Outlook
Between 2012 and 2022, the U.Southward. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that manner design career field volition experience a three% reject in employment. Employment of way designers in apparel manufacturing industries volition decline over fifty% in the U.S. during the same fourth dimension menstruum due to an increment in dress production in most cost efficient international markets. This big subtract in fashion designer employment in the dress manufacturing industry is responsible for the overall subtract in style designer employment of 3%. Non including the apparel manufacturing industry, the growth in employment for fashion designers would be near the aforementioned as the average for all occupations nationwide.
Growth in employment for mode designers who design clothing and accessories for retailers and the mass market place volition continue to be strong over the next decade. New innovation in fabrics, design technologies and styles volition also spur demand for fashion designers over the next x years.
The best task opportunities in style design will be obtained by designers with degrees from reputable schools, who have experience and have developed compelling portfolios that show case their work. Notwithstanding, due to the big number of people seeking employment as manner designers, competition for positions will be strong.
Most job opportunities for fashion designers will be found in major metropolitan areas in New York and California.
Working Conditions
Every bit of 2014, there were approximately 22,500 way designers employed in the U.s.. Manner designers work in wholesale, retail and manufacturing sectors of the fashion pattern and vesture industries. They work for blueprint firms, retailer, apparel companies, theater and trip the light fantastic companies, as consultants or independently.
The largest number of fashion designers work in wholesaling and manufacturing. The clothing lines and products developed by designers working for by wholesalers and manufacturers are in turn sold to major retailers, specialty apparel stores, online retailers and catalog companies. While many designers dream of working independently and developing their ain clothing line, nigh style designers work as "in-firm designers" for large corporations. A few fortunate (and talented) designers will blueprint their own clothing lines and develop their own unique personal brand.
Those mode designers that are cocky-employed (almost 25% of designers) usually design one-of-a-kind, custom apparel for individuals and specialty stores. Many manner designers who are self-employed started out in the manufacture working for someone else. Successful way designers often develop clothing lines that conduct their name (east.g. Valentino, Versace, Armani, Prada, etc.)
As of 2014, the industries that employed the largest number of way designers include the following.
| Apparel and merchant wholsalers | 28% |
| Dress manufacturing | 17 |
| Direction of companies and enterprises | 12% |
| Specialized design services | five% |
| Electronic markets and brokers | two% |
Fashion designers usually work normal hours in comfortable offices, but are sometimes required to work long hours to run across deadlines. Freelance designers must exist flexible to run into their clients' needs. They also piece of work long hours and must work hard to find new clients and satisfy their electric current customers.
Designers travel extensively to attend trade shows and meet with fabric suppliers in diverse regions throughout the world. They must constantly communicate with suppliers, manufacturers, and clients worldwide.
The majority of fashion designers work in the states of New York and California.
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