Fashion Designers
Overview
Introduction
Fashion designers create or adapt original designs for clothing for men, women, and children. Most specialize in one particular type of clothing, such as womens dresses or mens suits. Most designers work for textile, apparel, and pattern manufacturers. Some designers are self-employed and develop a clientele of individual customers or manufacturers. Others work for fashion salons, high-fashion department stores, and specialty shops. A few work in the entertainment industry, designing costumes. Fashion designers are also known as
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Fashion designers earned average annual salaries of $72,720 in May 2018, according to the U.S Department of Labor. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,420; the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $155,470. A few highly skilled and well-known designers at top firms earn annual incomes of more than $175,000. Top fashion designers who have successful lines of clothing can earn bon...
Work Environment
Fashion design is competitive and stressful, but often exciting and glamorous. Many designers work in cluttered and noisy surroundings. Their work environment may consist of a large room with long tables for cutting out patterns or garments. There may be only one or two other people working in the room, or there may be several other workers. Many designers travel a great deal for showings and c...
Outlook
Designers are key people in the garment industry, yet relatively few of them are needed to make employment possible for thousands of people in other apparel occupations. There are approximately 25,800 fashion designers in the United States, which represents a tiny percentage of the garment industry. Some designers work only for the high-priced custom trade, some for the mass market, and some on...