Fashion Design

Job Summary:
Fashion designers design clothes and accessories for manufacture and sale to the public.Some high fashion designers are self-employed and design clothes for private clients. Others work for high fashion houses or specialty stores. These designers create original designs but also follow trends. Most designers work for apparel manufacturers. They adapt fashion designs for the mass market.

They make rough sketches of garments or accessories. The next step is to shape the pattern pieces that will result in the finished garment. They measure and draw pattern pieces to actual size on paper. Then they use these pieces to measure and cut pattern pieces in a sample fabric. Designers sew the pieces together and fit them on a model. They examine the sample garment and make changes until they get the effect they want. Some designers have assistants who cut and sew pattern pieces for them.

They usually work with head designers or heads of manufacturing firms. They arrange to show sample garments at sales meetings or fashion shows. When the designs are approved, they make final drawings. They also specify color scheme, sewing method, and type of fabric. In some companies, designers are also involved in each step of production.

Designers often use computer-assisted design (CAD) to create sketches and drawings. CAD is a program that prints a detailed design from a computer drawing. It can also store fashion styles and colors that can be accessed and easily changed.

Qualification:
To work as a fashion designer, you must complete a bachelor's degree in fashion design, have an eye for color and detail, have an appreciation for beauty, and be creative.

Salary Range:
Nationally, the median wage for fashion designers is $4,130 per month ($23.81 per hour). Half of all fashion designers earn between $2,820 and $6,220 per month ($16.26 and $35.87 per hour).

A few well-known fashion designers in top companies earn much more than the median wage. Designers who have their own lines of clothing can earn bonuses and shares in the company. Besides these few highly-paid fashion designers, wages vary by employer and area of the country. Wages also vary based on a designer's experience and success.

Prospects:
After gaining experience, beginning designers may advance to assistant technical designer, pattern designer, designer, and head designer positions. Sometimes fashion designers advance by moving to bigger firms. Some designers choose to move into positions in business or merchandising. After many years of work, top designers sometimes become partners in the firm. Others open their own clothing stores or design agencies.