Fresh Profile: Fashion Designer Jobs

Published on 2008-07-21

Whether you dream of starting your own clothing label or would like to manage a design team at a major clothing company, becoming a fashion designer requires both creativity and highly developed skill in the technical and business aspects of the fashion industry.
Fashion designer jobs involve the design and manufacturing of clothing, footwear, and accessories. Designers create and sketch their own ideas, select the colors and fabrics, and oversee the final production of their designs. A designer also studies fashion trends in order to understand the market and stay abreast of the most popular and innovative styles. Fashion designers need to know technical skills like sewing and pattern making, even if they don't perform these duties themselves. Fashion careers require strong communication skills and can involve frequent traveling; designers are regularly in contact with suppliers, manufacturers, and buyers around the world.
A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree or an associate degree in fashion design is generally required for fashion design jobs. Formal education provides hands-on experience as well as exposure to design theory and history. Basic course work includes drawing, color composition and form, pattern making, draping and cutting techniques, computer-aided design, and fashion history. Students get the opportunity to gain internships and participate in fashion shows.
In the U.S., New York and California contain the greatest concentration of fashion jobs. Both New York City and Los Angeles are global fashion capitals. Fashion jobs in Los Angeles can be found at dressmaking firms, manufacturers, custom dress shops, department stores, and pattern houses. Similarly, New York City is home to many prominent fashion houses, including Calvin Klein and Vera Wang.
Fashion industry jobs require varying levels of involvement within the design and production sectors. A lead designer creates the designs, chooses the colors and fabrics, and manages the technical designers. For the most part, beginning fashion designers start out as pattern makers or sketching assistants. Other positions include assistant designers, cutters, pattern graders, exhibit designers, trend researchers, and specialty designers.
Fashion career opportunities are found within apparel wholesaler businesses, manufacturing establishments, and design firms. In addition, almost one-fourth of all fashion designers are self-employed, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. In general, most fashion designers work long hours to meet production deadlines or deadlines for fashion shows.
Whether you are looking for fashion jobs in New York or a senior designer position in Los Angeles, Fresho.com offers an extensive job database to match your goal.