"Sew" Much to Choose From: Fashion Career Options

The fashion world is made up of hundreds of different jobs -- including designers, buyers, illustrators, pattern makers, models, seamstresses, consultants, journalists, and many more. Here we'll take a brief look at a few career options to give you a glimpse of the breadth and variety of jobs available in the fashion industry.

Fashion Designer

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In a nutshell, fashion designers create clothing and accessory designs, but their jobs are far more involved than merely sketching some new clothes. Among other tasks, designers draw and cut patterns to make sample garments, select fabric and trimmings, fit and modify the finished garment and, of course, keep up-to-date with the latest fashion trends (especially those of competitors!). Many designers specialize in a particular type of clothing or accessory, such as men's or women's clothing, children's clothing, lingerie, shoes, etc. Most design teams consist of a head designer and several assistants, whose jobs are to make first patterns and samples and assist the designer in his/her various tasks.

Fashion designers, to their job properly, really need a firm background in both the creative and business sides of the fashion industry. They need to know the design techniques, principles, tools and instruments involved in the production and use of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models. But they also need to analyze needs and product requirements, visit textile manufacturers to evaluate fabrics, and handle the arrangements for showings for buyers and the press.

Buyer

Fashion buyers are typically responsible for all the purchasing for a company, or particular department of a company, within a certain budget. Buyers develop the fashion themes and items for the season, search for the garments (sometimes traveling to do so) that best fit that theme, maintain contacts with suppliers and negotiate prices, and are sometimes even responsible for advertising and product placement in the store. To be successful, buyers must have both a sense of what is fashionable and an understanding of business, such as the target market, consumer trends, accounting and budget -- only then can they forecast trends and translate them into a profitable business plan for a specific company.

Fashion Illustrator

As the name suggests, fashion illustrators usually make drawings of clothes that have been designed by a fashion designer. Sometimes these illustrations are produced internally for a clothing company as a way of circulating the designs before they are produced. Fashion illustrators can also work at magazines and newspapers, drawing clothes for articles and advertisements. Illustrators need a solid background in drawing and art techniques and be able to work from different viewpoints and in different mediums. These days, being familiar and comfortable with computer illustration (on a program such as Adobe Illustrator) can be a big benefit.

Patternmaker

Pattern makers work closely with fashion designers to create master patterns for the desired design. Pattern makers translate the designer's sketches into actual patterns that will be used for production, so it's important that the pattern maker has good visualization skills and experience with fabric and body construction. The pattern maker must also ensure that design concepts are correctly interpreted and all production capabilities are considered ("hmm... I don't think we can produce these pants with a light-up zipper...").

Fashion School Degree Programs

Regardless of the fashion focus you choose, you'll need to be educated and trained in order to be competitive. When researching campus and online degree programs, be sure to ask if they offer classes specific to your interests.  Also inquire as to whether if they place students in internship opportunities with fashion professionals and ask for a list of past internship locations to see there are opportunities within your area of interest.

Featured Schools

Campus The Art Institutes The Art Institutes system of schools is a leading educator of students in the creative and applied arts, including design, media, fashion, and culinary programs. Every program of study offered to you is regularly reviewed by industry leaders, advisors, and employers for relevance in the marketplace. Changes are made, if necessary, to integrate subject matter into the curriculum so that our degree programs reflect the way things are done in the real world of work. Programs listed are not offered at all locations. See more facts about The Art Institutes Program Offer: Fashion Design (BFA) Fashion Design (AA) Fashion Design (AAA) And more... Campus Locations: Chicago Dallas Denver Fort Lauderdale Houston Indianapolis Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis New York North Hollywood Philadelphia Pittsburgh Portland San Antonio San Bernardino San Diego San Francisco Santa Ana Santa Monica Schaumburg Seattle Tucson Vancouver Campus American InterContinental University Get the design and business skills you need to succeed. American InterContinental University - Buckhead's mission is to provide students with the knowledge, skills and practical work experience they need for success. Whether you're interested in Internati See more facts about American InterContinental University Program Offer: Bachelor of Fine Arts Fashion Marketing Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Marketing and Design Campus Locations: Atlanta Fort Lauderdale Campus International Academy of Design and Tech Start planning for your future. No matter what you want to achieve in your career, the International Academy of Design & Technology in Chicago can help. The Academy offers diverse and comprehensive degree programs in numerous Design disciplines as wel See more facts about International Academy of Design and Tech Program Offer: Fashion Design and Merchandising Fashion Design Campus Locations: Chicago Henderson Nashville Orlando San Antonio Seattle Troy Campus Collins College Prepare yourself for the future. Collins College, located in Tempe, AZ, is your gateway to the world of design and technology. Get the education you need to start a new career in Visual Communication, Multimedia Production, Animation, Digital Video, or PC See more facts about Collins College Program Offer: Fashion Design and Merchandising Campus Locations: Phoenix Online Stratford Career Institute Earn Your Diploma from Home! Stratford Career Institute can help you earn your diploma from home in as little as six months, thanks to their proven study methods. See more facts about Stratford Career Institute Program Offer: Fashion Merchandising and Design Campus Visual College of Art and Design Follow your passion! For over 35 years, the Visual College of Art and Design (VCAD) has taught artists and imaginative people just like you. VCAD's Fine Arts diploma program is highly regarded for providing a well-rounded arts education in an environment that emphasizes creativity and individuality. Which program is right for you? Choose from Graphic Design, Marketing & Merchandising for Fashion, 3D Modelling Animation Art & Design, Fashion Design, and Interior Design. We know that employers want graduates who are knowledgeable about their field and possess the most up-to-date technical skills. That's why our students receive focused and specialized training on the tools, techniques, and technology used in their chosen career field.   See more facts about Visual College of Art and Design Program Offer: Fashion Design Campus Locations: Vancouver