The fashion design industry is broad and varied with opportunities to work in many different areas, but it is also very competitive and over-subscribed, so entrants should seek to gain as many skills and as much experience in their chosen area as possible.
Designers often specialise in a particular market segment, such as haut-couture, design for high-street outlets or production at a craft level as fashion designer-makers. There are many such designer makers running small but self-sustaining businesses rather than being employed by a big industry name. It is also possible to focus on apparel for a particular audience, such as womenswear, menswear or childrenswear, or to specialise in a product type, such as footwear, sportswear, accessories, hats and so on.
Qualifications
Most employers will expect a candidate to hold a degree or foundation degree in a relevant fashion design subject. They will also ask to see a portfolio of actual designs, ideas, mood boards and technical drawings which demonstrate the designer’s skills.
There is a very large number of fashion design courses at universities and colleges throughout the country, offering qualification levels from certificates of higher education and higher national diplomas (HND) up to foundation degrees and full degrees. Some institutions offer specific pathways through a course, allowing students to focus on womenswear, menswear, knitwear, marketing, technology, business and so on, alongside the core design training. More specialised qualification are also available at postgraduate level.
Many courses combine technical aspects with creative development and an understanding of garment technologies can be very useful when entering the industry, so look closely at the components of a course before signing up.
There is a high level of competition for jobs from both UK and overseas graduates, so industry-based work experience can be extremely valuable. It is therefore worth considering a sandwich degree, where students spend up to a year in a work placement. Only some institutions offer the sandwich option, so check the UCAS website, where all foundation degree, HND and degree courses are listed, along with entry requirements and course descriptions.
For more general information on how the different levels and types of qualifications work see the Educational & Learning section of Directgov.
Whether you enter the fashion industry as design assistant at a large brand company or as a craft-based designer maker, experience of business and retailing can also be very valuable.
Susannah Dowse is a co-founder of Brighton-based partnership Ridley and Dowse and former head of design at TRAID (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development), where she launched the recycled label, TRAIDRemade. As a fashion and print designer Dowse’s clients have included Boxfresh, Topman, Sari and Wayne Hemmingway. But Dowse says that her route into fashion was not traditional – she studied a Fine Art degree. Instead she first learnt how to retail her designs by creating products for her own boutique in Brighton, before joining TRAID.
‘There aren’t a million jobs out there, so the more information about industry that you have the better,’ she says. ‘Get as many different perspectives as you can. There are lots of things you can do with your creative training, other than becoming a straight fashion designer. Some courses are more tuned in to the bigger picture than others and some offer elements in particular areas, such as sustainability and eco-design, so make sure you choose a college or university based on what you want to do at the end.’
Related roles
Textile design is closely related to fashion design and is covered in its own section on this site. The following areas of study are also relevant to aspects of fashion design and many have their own dedicated courses:
- Costume design
- Accessories design
- Garment technology
- Pattern cutter
- Textile/fabric designer
- Weaver
- Footwear designer
- Fashion marketing/promotion
- Fashion merchandising
- Fashion (retail or product) management
- Fashion product innovation
Work, skills and salaries
As a rough guideline, expect starting salaries for a fashion designer to be around £14,000 per year, rising to around £22,000 with some experience, and potentially rising to £60,000 and beyond for established and successful designers. The average (median) gross annual pay for design and related roles is £26,000, according to Skillset, the sector skills council for the fashion and textile industries.
Some international travel is likely in a fashion design career, as designers often liaise with overseas manufacturers, as well as conduct trends research in other markets.
A job in fashion design is likely to include some or all of the following tasks and functions:
- analysing and predicting trends
- developing and presenting pattern and garment ideas as sketches, mood boards, samples, and computer-generated visuals
- finding and liaising with suppliers and manufacturers
- calculating costs for materials and manufacture
- checking manufacturers meet design specifications
- working with garment technologists and machinists
The kinds of skills needed by fashion designers include:
- 2D design skills (drawing)
- creative flair using colour, texture and shape
- knowledge of how to identify and develop trends
- an understanding of the properties of fabrics
- an ability to use computer design packages
- technical skills, such as pattern cutting and sewing
- an understanding of production processes
- commercial awareness
- team working ability
- an ability to work to deadlines
Further training
There are numerous postgraduate degrees and diplomas that allow further specialisation in areas of fashion design, usually building on the knowledge gained at undergraduate level. To search for post graduate courses use UCAS’ dedicated postgraduate site UKPASS.
Ongoing professional training can also be beneficial in many areas of design activity and organisations such as D&AD, the Design Business Association (DBA) and the Chartered Society of Designers provide professional training courses, as do many universities and colleges. For more general information about continuous professional development and skills see the Training for Designers section of this website.
Further links
Can You Cut It In Fashion?
www.canucutit.co.uk
Help and advice on securing a career in the fashion industry.
Skillset
www.skillfast-uk.org
The sector skills council which includes the fashion and textile industries.
British Fashion Council
www.britishfashioncouncil.com
Promotes leading British fashion designers in a global market.
Crafts Council
www.craftscouncil.org.uk
The national development agency for the contemporary crafts in the UK.
Textile Institute
www.textileinstitute.org
The Chartered Institute for Textiles, Clothing and Footwear.
Chartered Society of Designers
www.csd.org.uk
The professional body for designers with a royal charter to support professional design practice.
Creative Choices
www.creative-choices.co.uk
An online service providing tools and information for individuals and businesses to develop in the creative industries and cultural sector.