Fashion Design – Career Paths
Clothing designers define the four seasons and animate the zeitgeist of an era in their never-ending drive to clothe humankind in beautiful and functional apparel, shoes and accessories. The inherent glamour of the industry makes it tough to get into as a career, but if you’re lucky, you could see your fashion vision become a reality by dressing people of all ages, wages and geographies.

Not counting the designers who cater to the very rich and very finicky, many fashion design jobs are in retail or working for large companies where a master designer oversees the work of many less-experienced designers such as patternmakers. Other careers in fashion design include self-employment, image consulting, sewing and tailoring.

Designers
These artistic professionals sketch articles of clothing and see their plans through to fruition. They have a built-in knack for identifying trends and may have been interested in making clothes from a very young age. The best designers love beauty and see clothes as a means of personal expression. They also favor balance and proportion, but are achingly detail-oriented and specific about their craft of clothing design.

Almost always, sketchers have a say in the fabrics that will be used in their clothing lines. They sometimes help with making patterns, stitching and adding details like trim and buttons. Others work largely in management, creating sketches with help from other employees and then delegating tasks like fabric and color selection to newer or less-qualified designers. To have a chance at breaking into the field, a two- or four-year degree is usually required, as is lots of experience. Providing a strong portfolio of your work or making an excellent impression at an academic fashion show will make you most likely to find rewarding and profitable work.

Patternmakers
These clothing designers bring concepts to life by transforming sketches into the precise cuts, seams and folds that make up attire. The age-old art of making patterns can be learned at vocational schools, which usually cover classic measuring tools and computer applications throughout the course of study. These artists work closely with designers and seamstresses and are proficient at free hand sketching and sewing.

Seamstresses
These men and women do the actual work of creating clothing – cutting, sewing and hand-stitching the material into garments. Usually, you do not need advanced education or training to become a seamstress but the more experience you have, the higher you will be paid. You can work in large factories, small boutiques, or sometimes even your own home. Careful attention to detail is a must, as is a working knowledge of industry terms and practices. Many workers in this trade are part of the Union of Needle trades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE).

Retailers
The men and women who make careers in selling attire to individual customers often have knowledge and experience in fashion design. They can work as purchasers for large department stores, clerks at trendy boutiques or clothing salespeople everywhere in between. To succeed in clothing retail, you will have to know which pieces of clothing make up great wardrobes and how to steer clients to well-fitting and flattering outfits. Approachability, a good physical appearance and first-rate listening skills are particularly important because one-on-one interactions are very common.

Stylists
Fashionistas who can’t avoid the allure of the catwalk may find stable and fulfilling work in preparing models and their hair, make-up and accessories for professional fashion shows. Stylists can also help clients put together outfits for special occasions. The job requires an eye for intrinsic beauty and creativity in showing it off. Stylists have the opportunity to travel extensively and meet many interesting people, so you will need good interpersonal skills and a flexible schedule to excel. You will also need to stay current on fashion trends by reading about the industry and watching it closely.

Tailors and Alterations Specialists
These professionals repair and alter already-finished clothing with a needle and thread, especially evening wear and men’s suits. You can get special accreditation at colleges of tailoring, where internships or apprenticeships are usually required. To succeed, you’ll need knowledge of sewing, pattern-making and design as well as creativity to solve unusual problems. The best tailors know that the finest clothing is made to fit each individual person and appreciate finesse and comfort.

Textile Designers
Fabric creation and design specialists are known as textile designers. In this career field, you could start work as a weaver or get the education necessary to manufacture fabrics. Fabric makers and wholesalers work closely with other professionals in the industry and need extensive knowledge of sewing, pattern-making and the way various fabrics work together in clothing. Fabric makers will not usually interact with extensively the public, but they will need skills in management and aesthetics along with creative talent in order to shine.