Fashion design, statistics and nature of the work - Part III
June 10, 2010
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Referring to the work environment, it may be very varied. According to their ideas, likes, dislikes or passions, fashion designers have a good number of different possibilities. They may choose from many career paths.
They can opt to work for established fashion houses, or join mass-market apparel manufacturers, or start their own business and imprint their distinctive fashion style from concept to manufacturing and distribution.
Each type of work has its particularity: Fashion designers who obtain fashion jobs employed by manufacturing establishments, design firms or wholesalers, generally work regular hours in comfortable and well-lighted environments. Fashion designers who freelance generally work on a contract, or by the job. They often have to adjust their workday to suit their clients' schedules and deadlines. When necessary, and frequently it is so, they meet the clients during evenings or weekends. Freelance fashion designers tend to work longer hours and in smaller, more congested, environments. Besides that this type of fashion jobs usually put these freelance fashion designers under pressure to please clients and to find new ones in order to maintain a steady income.
As a matter of fact allfashion designers occasionally work long hours to prepare for fashion shows, or to meet production deadlines, regardless of their work setting.
Today the fashion business is a global activity; due to its nature it implies the exigency of constant communication with suppliers, manufacturers, and customers all over the country and probably the world. So then you must prepare yourself to travel several times a year to trade and fashion shows and to learn about the latest fashion trends. And also you may travel frequently to meet with fabric and materials suppliers and with manufacturers who produce the final apparel products.
Let' analyze the possible earnings a fashion designer can expect. This is a very important aspect to have in consideration to take the final decision of following this career.
Earnings in fashion design have a wide rank of variation depending on many things. The talent, the years of experience, whether they are working for a big firm or self employed are the main indicators. However starting salaries in fashion design tend to be very low until designers are established in this occupation.
After a good time of experience salaried fashion designers usually earn higher and more stable incomes in their fashion jobs than self-employed or freelance fashion designers. But truly the challenge here is that a few of the most successful self-employed fashion designers may earn many times the salary of the highest paid salaried ones. There may be no limit.
Universities, private fashion institutes ,design schools, fashion schools, and/or arts colleges frequently offer bachelor's of fine arts and associate college degrees programs in fashion design.
Some fashion designers conclude that it is good for them to combine a fashion design degree with a business, marketing, or fashion merchandising degree, especially those who want to run their own business or fashion retail store. In addition to this it is also useful a coursework in human anatomy, mathematics, and psychology.
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