Use fabric, color and flare to design clothing people will wearNetworking is an important part of this careerTeach yourself the technical skills before you attend classesYou'll need that certain flare, but a post-secondary design program
will help
Fashion designers from all over the world came together to show their
stuff at the GenArt/Nokia Styles 2001 International Design Competition. The
competition was open to designers who have been in business for seven years
or less. There were 400 entries -- most of which came from the U.S.
Fashion designers use their knowledge of fabrics, styles and colors to
create clothing people will want to wear.
They sketch original designs and create patterns for clothing based on
these sketches. Once the pattern is completed, a designer will experiment
with fabrics and colors to make a sample garment of their latest design.
Next time you notice a fancy dress worn by a celebrity, or even the next
time you pull on your favorite sweater, think about this: It started as a
sketch made by a fashion designer.
These days, fashion designers are often as famous as the celebrities who
show off their designs. TV stations now devote entire shows to the fashion
industry. They report on the newest looks as they're being unveiled on runways
in New York, Paris and Milan.
While most fashion designers make clothes, some do a lot more. Big-name
designer labels, such as Ralph Lauren, can be found on towels, sheets, furniture,
wallpaper, paint and even luggage.
An important part of a fashion designer's job is to stay one step ahead
of fashion trends. This means the designer has to know about past trends,
current styles, and even art history.
"A really good fashion designer can predict what color, texture and hemline
will be in fashion two years or more before members of the general public
realize they have to have it," says San Francisco fashion designer Ronnie
Bogle.
Networking is an important part of this career, so a fashion designer has
to be a good "people person."
Job opportunities in this career are generally best in large cities. Yet
small town designers may be able to successfully market their designs in local
boutiques or via the Internet.
Many fashion designers open their own small scale business, designing and
creating baby clothes for example.
A fashion designer may have various types of jobs. They may design on a
freelance basis, work for a design company, or run a garment business.
Many fashion designers start their careers as assistant designers. Or,
they may work in the cutting room, assembling garments.
Manufacturers of clothing produce new styles, called lines, four times
a year. Designers work long hours preparing for the release of these lines
-- sometimes 12 hours or more per day.
Fashion designers make up a small percentage of professionals in the clothing
industry. It's not an easy field to break into, but experts say there is always
room for someone with talent and new ideas.
Children's clothing and clothing for larger people are some of the growing
specialty areas in this industry.
Experts say drawing ability, math skills, sewing skills and an instinct
for fashion are the important ingredients for people in this field.
"There are tons of college or university programs out there to help you
get the skills you need to be a fashion designer," says designer Claudia Bishop.
"You develop the instinct through talent and experience."
Working conditions and places of employment for fashion designers vary.
Designers employed by manufacturing establishments or design firms generally
work regular hours in well-lit and comfortable settings. Self-employed designers
tend to work longer hours -- especially at first, when they are trying to
establish themselves and cannot afford to hire assistants or clerical help.
Designers frequently adjust their day to suit their clients' schedules.
There are no real physical requirements for a fashion designer, although
some limitations might not be tolerable, depending on working locations or
fashion shoots.
The four basic skills for fashion designers are imagination, drawing skills,
sewing skills, and an ability to create patterns. Experts say honing these
skills takes "practice, practice, practice."
The next step on the road to fashion design is to create a portfolio of
your designs and a number of sample garments. These are the things that show
a prospective client what you can do.
Once a new fashion designer feels ready to brave the industry, there are
a number of ways to get started. Many designers begin their careers by advertising
custom-made clothes in the classifieds. It's a good way to get your clothes
worn and get people familiar with your designs.
Another good way to get local exposure for your work is to offer your designs
for display in a small fashion boutique.
Some beginning designers volunteer their time with design houses. This
can lead to an entry-level position as an assistant designer or as a producer
in the workroom, where clothing is constructed.
Freelancing is also an option for new fashion designers. It may take a
lot of effort to get the manufacturers to look at your designs, but if they
like them it will really get your career rolling.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook says that in 1998, about 423,000 people
worked as designers, a field that includes furniture, office and industrial
designers.
Those working in the clothing industry can expect the demand for fashion
designers to remain strong through 2008, according to the OOH. This is because
consumers are infinitely interested in style.
Roger Clayden is the vice-president of Marian Clayden, Inc., a small, high-end
couture company whose designs have been worn by the likes of Bridget Fonda,
Meryl Streep, and Sigourney Weaver.
According to Clayden, it's tough to find work with small companies, such
as Marian Clayden, Inc. "We don't have a large employment base or a high turnover,"
says Clayden.
That is not to say, however, that there is little hope for a future in
fashion design. Clayden says that most young designers are so determined that
they simply don't stop trying until they find a way into the industry.
He witnesses this zest for fashion in some of the students that come to
work for Marian Clayden, Inc. "They just come and work. By the time they get
here, they've kind of made a commitment that this is there future," he says.
As well, some of the larger clothing companies, like Calvin Klein, hire
several designers every year. Though most designers dream of starting their
own company in which they have complete artistic freedom, a big company is
a good place to get some experience.
Clayden says, "If you just want a job in fashion, then you go to...somebody
that's moving a bunch of stuff. You wouldn't start in the business we're in."
The salaries of fashion designers can range widely. According to the OOH,
designers, in general, earned an average of $29,200 in 1998. The highest paid
earned $68,310, while the lowest paid earned $13,780.
Fashion design isn't a get-rich-quick career. Without any experience, you'll
probably start off doing elementary tasks for an established designer. Clayden
says, "We have students here. . . . We start them under $10."
Marian Clayden, Inc. employs only one designer and one designer's assistant.
With training and four or five years of experience under her belt, the assistant
earns roughly $35,000, says Clayden.
At the other end of the scale, well-known designers can earn millions of
dollars per year.
RegionAverage Annual EarningsAverage Hourly EarningsU.S. National65,170$31.33RegionOutlook2016 Workforce2016 to 2026 Growth RateU.S. NationalBelow Average23,8003%
A fine arts program in fashion design will offer you the design, sewing
and marketing skills you'll need.
Fashion designer Karen Pottle says it helps to have technical skills and
a design history before you go for training. "It's such an advantage...if
you have background behind you because you learn so much more. When I was
going to school, some people that were doing the course didn't seem to have
as much background as I had. They spent a lot of time catching up and I just
spent a lot of time creating," she says.
Graduating from one of the many fashion design programs in the U.S. could
help you land an entry-level position at a design house.
"Manufacturers and design houses sometimes recruit staff from the graduates
of fashion design schools," says designer Claudia Bishop. "Many students who
take fashion co-op programs also get hired on full time by the people they
worked for in co-op."
Formal education should be only part of your training. Visit textile factories,
go to fashion shows, and tour art galleries and museums.
People watching is a great way to check out the limits of what you can
do with fashion.
"There's often a big difference between what people are wearing and what's
actually out there for fashion. It's a good way to scope out what your buyers
will wear," says designer Liz Tompkins.
Here's just one example of a school offering related training:
Kent State University
School of Fashion Design and Merchandising
222-E Rockwell Hall
Kent
,
OH
44242-0001
USA
Internet
:
http://www.fashionschool.kent.edu/
Associations
International Association of Clothing Designers and Executives
Internet
:
http://www.iacde.net
American Apparel and Footwear Association
Internet
:
https://www.aafaglobal.org
Links
Occupational Employment Statistics
The OES maintains labor market data on this career, see: Fashion
Designers
Fashion Styles and Themes
Learn the different varieties of fashion
Fabric Glossary A-Z
Common terms and definitions used in the fabric industry