Fashion Design Jobs

Many people think that the phrase "fashion design" refers to a single career, but fashion design is actually a broad category of careers. There are many different types of jobs in this field. As you study fashion design and become familiar with all these positions, no doubt you'll be able to figure out which is best for you.

One important career in the world of fashion is pattern making. In order to make patterns you have to have a strong eye and a delicate touch. After all, you'll have to copy patterns without altering any details.

Costume makers are people who make costumes, as opposed to clothes worn in everyday life. Costume designers make the clothes you see in movies, in Broadway shows and other theatrical presentations, on television, and at Halloween parties. This is a job where you really have to exercise your creativity. For example, you might have to make clothes for a scene set in the distant future. It's also a great job for people who really like a certain era in history. For example, if you love the fashions of the Civil War, you could get a job making clothes for reenactments and historical films set in the 1860's.

If you have a strong talent for business as well as fashion, you could own and operate a fashion boutique, or start a business where you supply clothes to boutiques and other stores. Or you could work as a fashion marketer, where your job is to promote new styles to increase the marketplace for those styles.

Fashion designers can also work as stylists or fashion consultants. These kinds of positions require a designer to always stay abreast of the latest developments in the world of fashion so they can advise their clients as to what's new and trendy. And if you have writing skills in addition to an eye for fashion, you could work as a writer or reporter for a newspaper or magazine, or even a fashion-oriented website. You might even start your own fashion blog. If you manage to get enough readers on a regular basis, you could earn income by posting ads on your blog.

Fashion event planners coordinate all of the clothes that will be worn at a certain event, like a wedding or a fashion show. The kinds of events that employ fashion designers are often ritzy, so you could get to hobnob with some very wealthy people. And what about fashion education? You could teach the next generation of fashion designers, and you could steer your students towards the ideal jobs for their talents and interests.

Whatever fashion job you decide to pursue, be aware that competition will be intense. Unfortunately, economic forecasters are not predicting much job growth in the field of fashion anytime soon. So always work your hardest, and attain as much training, education and practical experience (not to mention references and networking connections) as you can.