FONT SIZE: PRINT: OOH Home (PDF) Index OVERVIEW OF THE 200818 PROJECTIONS Management o Management o Business and

and Nature of the Work financial operations Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement Professional Employment o Computer and Job Outlook mathematical Projections o Architects, Earnings surveyors, and cartographers Wages o Engineers Related Occupations o Drafters and Sources of Additional Information engineering technicians o Life scientists o Physical scientists o Social scientists and related o Science technicians o Community and The highest numbers of fashion designers were employed in New York social services and California. o Legal Employers usually seek designers with a 2-year or 4-year degree who are o Education, training, knowledgeable about textiles, fabrics, ornamentation, and fashion trends. library, and museum Keen competition for jobs is expected as many applicants are attracted to o Art and design the creativity and glamour associated with the occupation. o Entertainers and performers, sports and related o Media and communicationrelated Fashion designers help create the billions of dresses, suits, shoes, and other o Health diagnosing clothing and accessories purchased every year by consumers. Designers study fashion trends, sketch designs of clothing and accessories, select colors and and treating o Health technologists 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 and technicians o Other professional wear, suits, sportswear, formalwear, outerwear, maternity, and intimate apparel. Footwear designers help create and produce different styles of shoes and boots. and related Accessory designers help create and produce items such as handbags, belts, occupations scarves, hats, hosiery, and eyewear, which add the finishing touches to an outfit. Service o Healthcare support (The work of jewelers and precious stone and metal workers is described o Protective service elsewhere in the Handbook.) Some fashion designers specialize in clothing, footwear, or accessory design, but others create designs in all three fashion o Food preparation and serving related categories. o Building and The design process from initial design concept to final production takes between grounds cleaning 18 and 24 months. The first step in creating a design is researching current and maintenance o Personal care and fashion and making predictions of future trends. Some designers conduct their own research, while others rely on trend reports published by fashion industry service trade groups. Trend reports indicate what styles, colors, and fabrics will be o Other service popular for a particular season in the future. Textile manufacturers use these trend occupations reports to begin designing fabrics and patterns while fashion designers begin to Sales

Fashion Designers

Significant Points

Nature of the Work About this section

Sales occupations Other sales and sketch preliminary designs. Designers then visit manufacturers or trade shows to related occupations procure samples of fabrics and decide which fabrics to use with which designs. Administrative o Financial clerks Once designs and fabrics are chosen, a prototype of the article using cheaper o Information and materials is created and then tried on a model to see what adjustments to the record clerks design need to be made. This also helps designers to narrow their choices of o Material recording, designs to offer for sale. After the final adjustments and selections have been scheduling, made, samples of the article using the actual materials are sewn and then dispatching and marketed to clothing retailers. Many designs are shown at fashion and trade distributing shows a few times a year. Retailers at the shows place orders for certain items, o Miscellaneous which are then manufactured and distributed to stores. office and administrative support occupations Computer-aided design (CAD) is increasingly being used in the fashion design industry. Although most designers initially sketch designs by hand, a growing o Other office and number also translate these hand sketches to the computer. CAD allows designers administrative to view designs of clothing on virtual models and in various colors and shapes, support thus saving time by requiring fewer adjustments of prototypes and samples later. Farming o Farming, fishing, Depending on the size of their design firm and their experience, fashion designers and forestry may have varying levels of involvement in different aspects of design and occupations production. In large design firms, fashion designers often are the lead designers o Other farming, fishing, and forestry 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 occupations responsible for creating the prototypes and patterns and work with the Construction manufacturers and suppliers during the production stages. Large design houses Installation also employ their own patternmakers, tailors, and sewers who create the master o Electrical and patterns for the design and sew the prototypes and samples. Designers working in electronic small firms, or those new to the job, usually perform most of the technical, equipment patternmaking, and sewing tasks, in addition to designing the clothing. (The work mechanics, of pattern makers, hand sewers, and tailors is covered in the statement on textile, installers and apparel, and furnishings occupations elsewhere in the Handbook.) repairers o Vehicle and mobile Fashion designers working for apparel wholesalers or manufacturers create equipment designs for the mass market. These designs are manufactured in various sizes and mechanics, colors. A small number of high-fashion (haute couture) designers are selfinstallers, and employed and create custom designs for individual clients, usually at very high repairers prices. Other high-fashion designers sell their designs in their own retail stores or o Miscellaneous cater to specialty stores or high-fashion department stores. These designers create installation, a mixture of original garments and those that follow established fashion trends. maintenance, and repair occupations o Other installation, Some fashion designers specialize in costume design for performing arts, motion maintenance, and picture, and television productions. The work of costume designers is similar to other fashion designers. Costume designers, however, perform extensive research repair on the styles worn during the period in which the performance takes place, or they Production work with directors to select and create appropriate attire. They make sketches of o Assemblers and designs, select fabric and other materials, and oversee the production of the fabricators costumes. They also must stay within the costume budget for the particular o Food processing o Metal workers and production item. plastic workers Work environment. Fashion designers employed by manufacturing o Printing o Textile, apparel, and establishments, wholesalers, or design firms generally work regular hours in welllighted and comfortable settings. Designers who freelance generally work on a furnishings contract, or by the job. They frequently adjust their workday to suit their clients' o Woodworkers schedules and deadlines, meeting with the clients during evenings or weekends o Plant and system when necessary. Freelance designers tend to work longer hours and in smaller, operators

o o

Miscellaneous more congested, environments, and are under pressure to please clients and to production find new ones in order to maintain a steady income. Regardless of their work occupations setting, all fashion designers occasionally work long hours to meet production o Other production deadlines or prepare for fashion shows. occupations Transportation The global nature of the fashion business requires constant communication with o Air transportation suppliers, manufacturers, and customers all over the United States and the world. o Motor vehicle Most fashion designers travel several times a year to trade and fashion shows to operators learn about the latest fashion trends. Designers also may travel frequently to meet o Rail transportation with fabric and materials suppliers and with manufacturers who produce the final o Water transportation apparel products. o Material moving occupations Armed Forces Special Features o Sources of Career Information o Finding and Applying for Jobs and Evaluating Offers o Occupational Information Included in the Handbook o Data for Occupations Not Covered in Detail o Assumptions and Methods Used in Preparing Employment Fashion designers study trends and design clothing and accessories for Projections consumers. o Occupational Information Network Coverage o Acknowledgements o Important Note o Additional Information About In fashion design, employers usually seek individuals with a 2-year or 4-year the 2008-18 degree who are knowledgeable about textiles, fabrics, ornamentation, and fashion Projections trends.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement About this section

SEARCH OOH

Education and training. Fashion designers typically need an associate or a bachelor's degree in fashion design. Some fashion designers also combine a RELATED LINKS: fashion design degree with a business, marketing, or fashion merchandising OOH REPRINTS degree, especially those who want to run their own business or retail store. Basic HOW TO ORDER A COPY coursework includes color, textiles, sewing and tailoring, pattern making, fashion TEACHER'S GUIDE history, computer-aided design (CAD), and design of different types of clothing OOH FAQS such as menswear or footwear. Coursework in human anatomy, mathematics, and psychology also is useful. ADDITIONAL LINKS: The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits approximately CAREER GUIDE TO 300 postsecondary institutions with programs in art and design. Most of these INDUSTRIES 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. Other qualifications. Designers must have a strong sense of the esthetican eye for color and detail, a sense of balance and proportion, and an appreciation for beauty. Fashion designers also need excellent communication and problemsolving skills. Despite the advancement of computer-aided design, sketching ability remains an important advantage in fashion design. A good portfolioa collection of a person's best workoften 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.

CAREER ARTICLES FROM THE OOQ EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS

Employment About this section

Fashion designers held about 22,700 jobs in 2008. About 31 percent of fashion designers worked for apparel, piece goods, and notions merchant wholesalers; and 13 percent worked for apparel manufacturers. Many others were self employed. Employment of fashion designers tends to be concentrated in regional fashion centers. In 2008, the highest numbers of fashion designers were employed in New York and California.

Job Outlook About this section

Little or no change in employment is projected. Competition for jobs is expected

to be keen as many applicants are attracted to the creativity and glamour associated with the occupation. Employment change. Employment of fashion designers is projected to grow by 1 percent between 2008 and 2018. Some new jobs will arise from an increasing population demanding more clothing, footwear, and accessories. Demand is increasing for stylish clothing that is affordable, especially among middle-income consumers which will increase the need for fashion designers among apparel wholesalers. However, job opportunities in cut and sew manufacturing will continue to decline as apparel is increasingly manufactured overseas. Employment of fashion designers in this industry will not decline as fast as other occupations because firms are more likely to keep design work in house. Job prospects. Job competition is expected be keen as many applicants are attracted to the creativity and glamour associated with the occupation. The best job opportunities will be in design firms that design mass-market clothing sold in department stores and retail chain stores, such as apparel wholesale firms. Few employment opportunities are expected in design firms that cater to high-end department stores and specialty boutiques as demand for expensive, high-fashion design declines relative to other luxury goods and services.

Projections Data About this section

Projections data from the National Employment Matrix Projected Change, Occupational SOC Employment, Detailed Employment, 2008-18 Title Code 2008 Statistics 2018 Number Percent Fashion 2722,700 22,900 200 1 [PDF] [XLS] designers 1022 NOTE: Data in this table are rounded. See the discussion of the employment projections table in the Handbook introductory chapter on Occupational Information Included in the Handbook.

Earnings About this section

Median annual wages for salaried fashion designers were $61,160 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $42,150 and $87,120. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,150, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $124,780. Median annual wages of salaried fashion designers in the largest industries that employed them in May 2008 were: Management of companies and enterprises Cut and sew apparel manufacturing Apparel, piece goods, and notions merchant wholesalers Specialized design services $72,560 66,000 61,600 59,560

Earnings in fashion design can vary widely based on the employer and years of experience. Starting salaries in fashion design tend to be very low until designers are established in this occupation. Salaried fashion designers usually earn higher and more stable incomes than self-employed or freelance designers. However, a few of the most successful self-employed fashion designers may earn many times

the salary of the highest paid salaried designers. Self-employed fashion designers must provide their own benefits and retirement.