My favorite day in elementary school was “opposite day.” On that day we were supposed to wear clothes with as many different clashing patterns as possible. And while I’d like to think my horizontally stripped sweater and red and green plaid pants looked great together, it’s probably time that I admit I’m no Sarah Jessica Parker from Sex and The City. But if you love stylish high heels like her, have a great eye for color and detail, or simply have an interest in creating clothing, you should consider being a fashion designer. Apparel designers are responsible for conceptualizing and making garments.
Photo Credit: Flickr user nicasaurusrex
A fashion designer creates clothes, jewelry, shoes, and/or accessories that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. To do this they design garment combinations of line, proportion, color, and texture from a wide range of materials, colors, patterns and styles. They take into account many factors like who might wear the clothes and in what situation.
A typical day for a fashion designer might involve studying trends or finding target markets by attending a fashion show or reviewing trade magazines. Then they might design ideas with clients. Later they might sketch out some ideas for new garments on paper and writing specifications like color schemes, construction types, and materials. After that they test out some of the sketches by draping fabric on a dress form. Once they’re happy with the fit, they will work with a pattern maker to create a finished version of the pattern and then test the final design on a model.
A fashion designer typically makes between $30,000 and $98,000 per year, although beginners earn closer to $20,000 to $50,000 annually. After 20 years of experience, the median salary range increases to around $40,000 to $180,000. There is high salary potential in this field, but it might take awhile to get there. Common future jobs include chief fashion designer ($30,000-$195,000), technical designer, apparel designer ($32,000-$86,000), and product development manager ($45,000-$128,000).
The cities with the highest salaries for fashion designers now are:
Most fashion designers have an associates degree or a bachelor’s degree in fashion design. Important areas of training include color, textiles, fashion history and computer-aided design (CAD). Sewing and pattern-making skills, an eye for color and detail, and sketching ability are also important. It’s also a great idea to try to get a relevant internship.
If fashion design still sounds like your cup of tea, here are a few things you should do to get started.
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Physical Therapist - Home Health - (PT - HH) | San Jose, CA |
| Senior Technical Consultant - Java | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Pediatrics Physician - Permanent: Pediatrician for 95% Outpatient Clinic in the Heart of the Met... | Texas |
| VP Development | San Francisco, CA |
| Medical Support Assistant | Anchorage, AK |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Forecasting Analyst | Sandpoint, ID |
| Business Analyst | Sandpoint, ID |
| Regional HR Manager | California |
| Recruiter | Sandpoint, ID |
| Sr. Inventory Planner | Sandpoint, ID |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Help Desk Manager | Houston, TX |
| HRIS Manager | Houston, TX |
| Production Lead | Missouri City, TX |
| Production Associate or Clerk | Missouri City, TX |
| Technical Design Quality Specialist | Houston, TX |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Design Manager - Accessories & Footwear Job | Foothill Ranch, CA |
| Senior Product Designer - Footwear | Irvine, CA |
| Senior Designer | Stratham, NH |
| Director, Men\ | Maryland |
| Senior Product Manager - Running Apparel | Canton, MA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Account Executive | Georgetown, TX |
| Web Developer (front & back end) amazing at AJAX, DB's, & Responsive Design | San Francisco, CA |
| Senior Developer - San Francisco | San Francisco, CA |
| Dog Groomer | Chandler, AZ |
| Maggiano's Little Italy - Banquet Sales Manager - Atlanta, GA (Cumberland Mall) | Atlanta, GA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Men's Apparel Intern | San Francisco, CA |
| Flexible Fashion Consultant | Los Angeles, CA |
| Executive Assistant | Los Angeles, CA |
| Fun and Flexible Position | San Jose, CA |
| Engineer - Ruby on Rails | San Francisco, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Lead Back-End Developer | Los Angeles, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| PR & Content Intern | New York, NY |
| Management Assistant Intern | New York, NY |
| Business Development Intern | New York, NY |
| Creative Director | New York, NY |
| Art Director | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Electrical/Pneumatic Technicians Energy Solutions Technolog | Lafayette, LA |
| Security and Loss Prevention Officer | Lafayette, LA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Assistant Professor | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Office Manager | New York, NY |
| Part-Time Sales Associate - Portland | Portland, OR |
| Account Executive - Women's Wholesale | New York, NY |
| Formulations Scientist - Topical - Research Triangle Park, NC | Raleigh, NC |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Copywriter | Brooklyn, NY |
| Property Manager | Brooklyn, NY |
| Jr. Assistant 597 | Houston, TX |
| Staff Intern | Brooklyn, NY |
| Lease Administrator | Brooklyn, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Director of Product Development and Production | Los Angeles, CA |
| Lead Web Designer | San Francisco, CA |
| Customer Experience Associate | Los Angeles, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Operations Summer Associate | New York, NY |
| Junior Copy Writer | New York, NY |
| Digital Marketing Associate | New York, NY |
| Office Manager | New York, NY |
| Fulfillment Associate | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Account Manager | Marshfield, MA |
| Shipping Merchandise Processor | Arden, NC |
| Receiving Merchandise Processor | Arden, NC |
| Reserve PIE Merchandise Processor | Arden, NC |
| Processing Merchandise Processor | Arden, NC |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| UNIQLO Internship Program Summer 2013 | New York, NY |
| Marketing Intern | New York, NY |
| Executive Assistant | New York, NY |
| Public Relations Intern | New York, NY |
| Recruitment Researcher | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| ADIS Instructor | Everett, WA |
| Specialist, Social Media | San Francisco, CA |
| Automation Software Engineer | Mountain View, CA |
| Volunteer Mentor | Denver, CO |
| Physician Leader, Patient Centered Medical Home Transformation | Oakland, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Social Media / Community Manager | San Francisco, CA |
| Junior Stylist | San Francisco, CA |
| Acquisition Marketing Manager | San Francisco, CA |
| Retail Operations Associate at a Fun Start-Up! (swing shift) | San Francisco, CA |
| Customer Service Warehouse Associate | San Francisco, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Spring Intern | Beverly Hills, CA |
| Apparel Design Intern | Culver City, CA |
| Marketing and Business Development Internship | Beverly Hills, CA |
| Marketing and Business Development Intern | Beverly Hills, CA |
| Web Developer Needed. Exp. w/ Ruby (ROR, Spree, Javascript) | Culver City, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Dress Buyer | New York, NY |
| Social Media Coordinator | New York, NY |
| UX Designer | New York, NY |
| PR Manager/Senior PR Manager | New York, NY |
| Online Marketing Manager | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Copywriter | Santa Monica, CA |
| Client Services Representatives - Full time | Los Angeles, CA |
| Customer Marketing Manager & Analyst | Santa Monica, CA |
| Web Designer | Santa Monica, CA |
| Staff Accountant - Inventory | Santa Monica, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Visual Merchandiser | Anaheim, CA |
| Graphic Designer | Anaheim, CA |
| Photo Stylist Coordinator | Anaheim, CA |
| Manager of Visual Merchandising | Anaheim, CA |
| Associate Designer - Women's Bottoms (Denim) | Anaheim, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Tower Tech (Entry Level) | Carlisle, IA |
| Refuse Collector III-773 | Columbia, MO |
| Civil Crew Member | Carlisle, IA |
| Tower Tech (Entry Level) - Other | Carlisle, IA |
| Pipeline General Foreman ( Casper, WY ) | Casper, WY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Inside Sales Rock Star | North Kingstown, RI |
| Account Executive at Fast-Growing Startup | San Francisco, CA |
| SQL Server Database Administrator | Cranston, RI |
| Sales Associate, San Francisco CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Alex and Ani - Bloomingdales (Orlando) | Orlando, FL |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Sales & Account Management Intern | New York, NY |
| Buyer Relations Specialist | New York, NY |
| Dealer Support Representative | New York, NY |
| Manager/Sr. Manager, Marketplace Trust | New York, NY |
| Ecommerce Analyst | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Merchandising Artist | Manhattan, KS |
| Embellishment and Product Technical Applications Artist | Manhattan, KS |
| Graphic Artist | Manhattan, KS |
| Designer, Women’s Golf Apparel | United States |
| Vice President of Marketing | Manhattan, KS |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Marketing Intern | San Francisco, CA |
| Recruiter | New York, NY |
| Administrative Assistant, ADFGlobal Marketing | New York, NY |
| Talent Acquisition Assistant | New York, NY |
| Wholesale Ecommerce Assistant, RTW | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Buying Assistant | Middleburg Heights, OH |
| Web Developer | Cleveland, OH |
| Creative Coordinator | Middleburg Heights, OH |
| Catalog Director | Middleburg Heights, OH |
| Call Center Representatives | Middleburg Heights, OH |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Digital marketing content media Intern | New York, NY |
| Sr Marketing Manager - Public Relations | Saint Petersburg, FL |
| Graphic Designer - Presentations | Saint Petersburg, FL |
| Editor - Post Production | Saint Petersburg, FL |
| On Call Editor | Saint Petersburg, FL |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Marketing Intern | Los Angeles, CA |
| Consumer Insights Intern | New York, NY |
| Branded Entertainment Interns NY | New York, NY |
| Hearts and Foxes Editorial Internships – Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA |
| PureVolume Editorial Intern | Los Angeles, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Passionate and enthusiastic client services team member | Palo Alto, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Independent Fashion Sales Merchandiser, Chloe + Isabel | United States |
| Web Designer / Senior Graphic Designer | New York, NY |
| Visual Designer | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Campus Safety Officer, Part-time | Cheyenne, WY |
| Super, Clinical | Phoenix, AZ |
| Events Manager - 713946 | Hillsboro, OR |
| Outside Technical Sales/Engineer - CFPS Preferred | Kansas City, KS |
| Mental Health Professional (LPC, LMFT, LCSW) | Cerbat, AZ |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Director. Global Digital Marketing | Hoffman Estates, IL |
| Retail and Restaurant Openings | Saugus, MA |
| Director of Digital Marketing | Hoffman Estates, IL |
| Store Manager - Tacoma, WA | Tacoma, WA |
| Store Manager - Victor, New York | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Social Media Marketing Manager | Santa Monica, CA |
| Online Marketing Campaign Manager | Santa Monica, CA |
| Graphic Designer | New York, NY |
| Business Transformation Sr. Leader | Richmond, VA |
| Director, Business Development - Food Service | Charlotte, NC |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Business Intelligence Senior Developer | Sidney, NE |
| Market Analyst II / III | Wauwatosa, WI |
| Senior Account Executive | Minneapolis, MN |
| Merchandiser - Western Apparel | Union City, CA |
| Marketing Project Manager | Northvale, NJ |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Virtualization Consultant | Austin, TX |
| Production Intern | New York, NY |
| Communication Technician 2 | Wixom, MI |
| Intern | New York, NY |
| Senior Network Consultant | New Jersey |
Check out the latest job and internship postings in fashion.
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