• Almost one-fourth are self-employed.
• In 2006, the highest concentrations of fashion designers
were employed in New York and California.
• Employers usually seek designers with a 2- or 4-year
degree who are knowledgeable about textiles fabrics, ornamentation,
and fashion trends.
Nature of the Work
Fashion designers help create the billions of dresses, suits,
shoes, and other clothing and accessories purchased every
year by consumers. Designers study fashion trends, sketch
designs of clothing and accessories, select colors and fabrics,
and oversee the final production of their designs. Clothing
designers create and help produce men’s, women’s,
and children’s apparel, including casual wear, suits,
sportswear, formalwear, outerwear, maternity, and intimate
apparel. Footwear designers help create and produce different
styles of shoes and boots. Accessory designers help create
and produce items such as handbags, belts, scarves, hats,
hosiery, and eyewear, which add the finishing touches to an
outfit. Some fashion designers specialize in clothing, footwear,
or accessory design, but others create designs in all three
fashion categories.
The design process from initial design concept to final production
takes between 18 and 24 months. The first step in creating
a design is researching current fashion and making predictions
of future trends. Some designers conduct their own research,
while others rely on trend reports published by fashion industry
trade groups. Trend reports indicate what styles, colors,
and fabrics will be popular for a particular season in the
future. Textile manufacturers use these trend reports to begin
designing fabrics and patterns while fashion designers begin
to sketch preliminary designs. Designers then visit manufacturers
or trade shows to procure samples of fabrics and decide which
fabrics to use with which designs.
Once designs and fabrics are chosen, a prototype of the article
using cheaper materials is created and then tried on a model
to see what adjustments to the design need to be made. This
also helps designers to narrow their choices of designs to
offer for sale. After the final adjustments and selections
have been made, samples of the article using the actual materials
are sewn and then marketed to clothing retailers. Many designs
are shown at fashion and trade shows a few times a year. Retailers
at the shows place orders for certain items, which are then
manufactured and distributed to stores.
Computer-aided design (CAD) is increasingly being used in
the fashion design industry. Although most designers initially
sketch designs by hand, a growing number also translate these
hand sketches to the computer. CAD allows designers to view
designs of clothing on virtual models and in various colors
and shapes, thus saving time by requiring fewer adjustments
of prototypes and samples later.
Depending on the size of their design firm and their experience,
fashion designers may have varying levels of involvement in
different aspects of design and production. In large design
firms, fashion designers often are the lead designers who
are responsible for creating the designs, choosing the colors
and fabrics, and overseeing technical designers who turn the
designs into a final product. They are responsible for creating
the prototypes and patterns and work with the manufacturers
and suppliers during the production stages. Large design houses
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 firms, or those new
to the job, usually perform most of the technical, patternmaking,
and sewing tasks, in addition to designing the clothing.
Fashion designers working for apparel wholesalers or manufacturers
create designs for the mass market. These designs are manufactured
in various sizes and colors. A small number of high-fashion
(haute couture) designers are self-employed and create custom
designs for individual clients, usually at very high prices.
Other high-fashion designers sell their designs in their own
retail stores or cater to specialty stores or high-fashion
department stores. These designers create a mixture of original
garments and those that follow established fashion trends.
Some fashion designers specialize in costume design for performing
arts, motion picture, and television productions. The work
of costume designers is similar to other fashion designers.
Costume designers, however, perform extensive research on
the styles worn during the period in which the performance
takes place, or they work with directors to select and create
appropriate attire. They make sketches of designs, select
fabric and other materials, and oversee the production of
the costumes. They also must stay within the costume budget
for the particular production item.
Work environment
Fashion designers employed by manufacturing establishments,
wholesalers, or design firms generally work regular hours
in well-lighted and comfortable settings. Designers who freelance
generally work on a contract, or by the job. They frequently
adjust their workday to suit their clients’ schedules
and deadlines, meeting with the clients during evenings or
weekends when necessary. Freelance designers tend to work
longer hours and in smaller, more congested, environments,
and are under pressure to please clients and to find new ones
in order to maintain a steady income. Regardless of their
work setting, all fashion designers occasionally work long
hours to meet production deadlines or prepare for fashion
shows. The global nature of the fashion business requires
constant communication with suppliers, manufacturers, and
customers all over the United States and the world. Most fashion
designers travel several times a year to trade and fashion
shows to learn about the latest fashion trends. Designers
also may 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 usually seek individuals with
a 2- or 4-year degree who are knowledgeable about textiles,
fabrics, ornamentation, and fashion trends.
Education and training
Bachelor’s of fine arts and associate degree programs
in fashion design are offered at many colleges, universities,
and private art and design schools. Some fashion designers
also combine a fashion design degree with a business, marketing,
or fashion merchandising degree, especially those who want
to run their own business or retail store. Basic coursework
includes color, textiles, sewing and tailoring, pattern making,
fashion history, computer-aided design (CAD), and design of
different types of clothing such as menswear or footwear.
Coursework in human anatomy, mathematics, and psychology also
is useful.
The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits
approximately 250 postsecondary institutions with programs
in art and design. Most of these schools award degrees in
fashion design. Many schools do not allow formal entry into
a program until a student has successfully completed basic
art and design courses. Applicants usually have to submit
sketches and other examples of their artistic ability.
Aspiring fashion designers can learn these necessary skills
through internships with design or manufacturing firms. Some
designers also gain valuable experience working in retail
stores, as personal stylists, or as custom tailors. Such experience
can help designers gain sales and marketing skills while learning
what styles and fabrics look good on different people. Designers
also can gain exposure to potential employers by entering
their designs in student or amateur contests. Because of the
global nature of the fashion industry, experience in one of
the international fashion centers, such as Milan or Paris,
can be useful.
View
a complete list of colleges offering Fashion Design and Merchandising
programs
Other qualifications
Designers must have a strong sense of the esthetic—an
eye for color and detail, a sense of balance and proportion,
and an appreciation for beauty. Fashion designers also need
excellent communication and problem-solving skills. Despite
the advancement of computer-aided design, sketching ability
remains an important advantage in fashion design. A good portfolio—a
collection of a person’s best work—often is the
deciding factor in getting a job.
In addition to creativity, fashion designers also need to
have sewing and patternmaking skills, even if they do not
perform these tasks themselves. Designers need to be able
to understand these skills so they can give proper instruction
in how the garment should be constructed. Fashion designers
also need strong sales and presentation skills to persuade
clients to purchase their designs. Good teamwork and communication
skills also are necessary because increasingly the business
requires constant contact with suppliers, manufacturers, and
buyers around the world.
Advancement
Beginning fashion designers usually start out as pattern makers
or sketching assistants for more experienced designers before
advancing to higher level positions. Experienced designers
may advance to chief designer, design department head, or
another supervisory position. Some designers may start their
own design company, or sell their designs in their own retail
stores. A few of the most successful designers can work for
high-fashion design houses that offer personalized design
services to wealthy clients.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational
Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Fashion Designers, on the
Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos291.htm
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