Fashion Designer

About 2,300 openings for fashion designers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Education: Bachelor's degree Details

Education Details

51%

Bachelor's Degree

44%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Some College Courses

Salary

High: $139,920.00

Average: $85,760.00

Hourly

Average: $41.23

Summary of What they do:

Design clothing and accessories. Create original designs or adapt fashion trends.

Responsibilities

Coordinate design activities.

Develop artistic or design concepts for decoration, exhibition, or commercial purposes.

Draw detailed or technical illustrations.

Write informational material.

Collaborate with others to develop or refine designs.

Conduct market research.

Monitor current trends.

Select materials or props.

Promote products, activities, or organizations.

Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.

Build models, patterns, or templates.

Study scripts to determine project requirements.

Conduct research to inform art, designs, or other work.

What Fashion Designers Do

Fashion designers create original clothing, accessories, and footwear. They sketch designs, select fabrics and patterns, and give instructions on how to make the products they design.

Duties

Fashion designers sketch designs of clothing, footwear, and accessories.

Fashion designers typically do the following:

Study fashion trends and anticipate designs that will appeal to consumers
Decide on a theme for a collection
Use computer-aided design (CAD) programs to create designs
Visit manufacturers or trade shows to get samples of fabric
Select fabrics, embellishments, colors, or a style for each garment or accessory
Work with other designers or team members to create prototype designs
Present design ideas to creative directors or showcase their ideas in fashion or trade shows
Market designs to clothing retailers or to consumers
Oversee the final production of their designs

Larger apparel companies typically employ a team of designers headed by a creative director. Some fashion designers specialize in clothing, footwear, or accessory design; others create designs in all three fashion categories.

For some fashion designers, the first step in creating a new design is researching current fashion and making predictions about future trends, such as by reading reports published by fashion industry trade groups. Other fashion designers create collections using a variety of inspirations, including art media, their surroundings, or cultures they have experienced and places they have visited.

After they have an initial idea, fashion designers try out various fabrics and produce a prototype, often with less expensive material than will be used in the final product. They work with models to see how the design will look and adjust the designs as needed.

Although most designers first sketch their designs by hand, many now also sketch their ideas digitally with computer-aided design (CAD) programs. CAD allows designers to see their work on virtual models. They can try different colors, designs, and shapes while making adjustments more easily than they can when working with real fabric on real people.

Designers produce samples with the actual materials that will be used in manufacturing. Samples that get good responses from fashion editors or trade and fashion shows are then manufactured and sold to consumers.

The design process may vary by specialty, but it generally takes 6 months, from initial design concept to final production, to release either the spring or fall collection. In addition to releasing designs during the spring and fall, some companies release new designs every month.

The Internet and e-commerce allow fashion designers to offer their products outside of traditional brick-and-mortar stores. These designers ship directly to the consumer, without having to invest in a physical shop to showcase their product lines of collections.

The following are examples of types of fashion designers:

Accessory designers design and produce items such as handbags, suitcases, belts, scarves, hats, hosiery, and eyewear.

Costume designers design costumes for the performing arts and for motion picture and television productions. They research the styles worn during the period in which the performance is set, or they work with directors to select and create appropriate attire. They also must stay within the production’s costume budget.

Clothing designers create and help produce men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel, including casual wear, suits, sportswear, evening wear, outerwear, maternity clothing, and intimate apparel.

Footwear designers create and help produce different styles of shoes and boots. As new materials, such as lightweight synthetic materials used in shoe soles, become available, footwear designers produce new designs that combine comfort, form, and function.

Important Qualities

Artistic ability. Fashion designers sketch their initial design ideas, which are used to create prototypes. Designers must be able to express their vision for the design through illustration.

Communication skills. Throughout the design process, fashion designers must be able to communicate effectively. For example, they may need to instruct sewers about garment construction.

Computer skills. Fashion designers must be able to use computer-aided design (CAD) programs and be familiar with graphics editing software.

Creativity. Fashion designers work with a variety of fabrics, shapes, and colors. Their ideas must be unique, functional, and stylish.

Decision-making skills. When working on teams, fashion designers are exposed to many ideas. They must be able to decide which ideas to incorporate into their designs.

Detail oriented. Fashion designers must have a good eye for small differences in color and other details that can make a design successful.

Tasks On The Job

Adapt other designers' ideas for the mass market.
Attend fashion shows and review garment magazines and manuals to gather information about fashion trends and consumer preferences.
Collaborate with other designers to coordinate special products and designs.
Confer with sales and management executives or with clients to discuss design ideas.
Design custom clothing and accessories for individuals, retailers, or theatrical, television, or film productions.
Determine prices for styles.
Develop a group of products or accessories, and market them through venues such as boutiques or mail-order catalogs.
Direct and coordinate workers involved in drawing and cutting patterns and constructing samples or finished garments.
Draw patterns for articles designed, cut patterns, and cut material according to patterns, using measuring instruments and scissors.
Examine sample garments on and off models, modifying designs to achieve desired effects.
Identify target markets for designs, looking at factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status.
Provide sample garments to agents and sales representatives, and arrange for showings of sample garments at sales meetings or fashion shows.
Purchase new or used clothing and accessory items as needed to complete designs.
Read scripts and consult directors and other production staff to develop design concepts and plan productions.
Research the styles and periods of clothing needed for film or theatrical productions.
Select materials and production techniques to be used for products.
Sew together sections of material to form mockups or samples of garments or articles, using sewing equipment.
Sketch rough and detailed drawings of apparel or accessories, and write specifications such as color schemes, construction, material types, and accessory requirements.
Test fabrics or oversee testing so that garment care labels can be created.
Visit textile showrooms to keep up-to-date on the latest fabrics.

PERSONALITY

KEY:

Strength

Caution

Warning

Your Assessment Results		CAREER CHARACTERISTICS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	90%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	85%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	82%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	82%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	79%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	77%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	73%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	71%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	68%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	67%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	65%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	64%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	62%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	61%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	58%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Your Assessment Results		IMPORTANT STRENGTHS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment		100%	Artistic - Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment		55%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Your Assessment Results		WORK VALUES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	61%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

APTITUDES

KEY:

Strength

Caution

Warning

Your Assessment Results		ABILITIES \| SKILLS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	81%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	53%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Your Assessment Results		TASKS \| ACTIVITIES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	95%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	91%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	80%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	80%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	80%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	77%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	73%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	68%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	67%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	67%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	67%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	65%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	64%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	62%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	61%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment - Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

Your Assessment Results		CONTEXT \| ATTRIBUTES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	93%	E-Mail - How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	77%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	74%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	74%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams - How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	71%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals - How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	65%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	58%	Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	58%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	56%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	56%	Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities - How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Health and Safety of Other Workers - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Deal With External Customers or the Public in General - How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	53%	Telephone Conversations - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	67%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

Work Environment

Fashion designers select fabrics, colors, or styles for each garment or accessory.

Fashion designers held about 24,900 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of fashion designers were as follows:

Apparel, piece goods, and notions merchant wholesalers	31%
Self-employed workers	17
Management of companies and enterprises	13
Apparel manufacturing	9
Motion picture and video industries	3

Many fashion designers work in-house for wholesalers or manufacturers. These wholesalers and manufacturers sell apparel and accessories to retailers or other marketers for distribution to individual stores, catalog companies, or online retailers.

Self-employed fashion designers typically create high-fashion garments and one-of-a-kind (custom) apparel. In some cases, a self-employed fashion designer may have a clothing line that bears his or her name.

Most designers travel several times a year to trade and fashion shows to learn about the latest trends. Designers also sometimes travel to other countries to meet suppliers of materials and manufacturers who make the final products.

Most fashion designers work in New York and California.

Work Schedules

Fashion designers occasionally work many hours to meet production deadlines or prepare for fashion shows. Generally, designers who freelance are under contract; these designers often have long workdays that require them to adjust to their clients’ schedules and deadlines.

Getting Started

How to Become a Fashion Designer

Fashion designers occasionally work long hours to meet production deadlines or prepare for fashion shows.

Fashion designers typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation. Employers may prefer to hire creative candidates who have technical knowledge of the production processes for clothing, accessories, or footwear.

Education

Fashion designers typically have a bachelor’s degree in a fine arts or business field such as fashion design or fashion merchandising. These fashion-focused programs teach students about textiles and fabrics and how to use computer-aided design (CAD) technology. Students also work on projects they can add to their portfolio, which showcases their designs.

For many artists, including fashion designers, developing a portfolio—a collection of design ideas that demonstrates their styles and abilities—is essential. Students studying fashion design often have opportunities to develop their portfolios further by entering their designs in student or amateur contests. When making hiring decisions, employers rely on these portfolios to gauge talent and creativity.

The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits more than 360 postsecondary institutions with programs in art and design, and many of them award degrees in fashion design. These schools often require students to have completed basic art and design courses before entering a program. Applicants usually must submit sketches and other examples of their artistic ability.

Other Experience

Fashion designers often gain experience in the fashion industry through internships or by working as an assistant designer. Internships introduce aspiring fashion designers to the design process, building their knowledge of textiles and colors and of how the industry works.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about careers in fashion design, visit

Council of Fashion Designers of America

For more information about educational programs in fashion design, visit

National Association of Schools of Art and Design

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of fashion designers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Art Directors	Art directors are responsible for the visual style and images in magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and movie and television productions.	Bachelor's degree	$105,180
Floral Designers	Floral designers arrange live, dried, and silk flowers and greenery to make decorative displays.	High school diploma or equivalent	$33,160
Graphic Designers	Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers.	Bachelor's degree	$57,990
Industrial Designers	Industrial designers combine art, business, and engineering to develop the concepts for manufactured products.	Bachelor's degree	$75,910
Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers	Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers design, construct, adjust, repair, appraise and sell jewelry.	High school diploma or equivalent	$47,140
Models	Models pose for artists, photographers, and other clients to help advertise products.	No formal educational credential	$43,130
Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations. Purchasing managers oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents.	Bachelor's degree	$75,120