Eileen Pang, Fashion Designer, Missguided

Job Fashion Designer
Employer Missguided
Education Bachelors of Arts in Fashion Design, Liverpool John Moores University

Starting out in the fashion industry

I’ve always loved fashion and enjoyed being creative. After completing my GCSE’s, I went to college to study art and design, so I could experience all the different areas of design. I enjoyed and excelled most in the fashion design aspect of my studies, so I chose to support my passion with a degree in fashion design at Liverpool John Moores University.

My degree was the foundation to my career as a fashion designer. I was able to learn key skills such as pattern cutting, sewing and how to use CAD (computer-aided design) during my studies. Not only that, but my degree helped me to get my foot in the door and secure two internships in the fashion industry.

My job

Working as a designer for Missguided, a UK based online fashion store, I spend a lot of my time looking out for the newest trends hitting the catwalk and reflected in the streets. I then look at how I can design the trends to fit the Missguided customer.

As a fashion designer, there are a number of technical skills that are crucial to the job role. I think a key skill you need is pattern cutting; even if you don’t need to pattern cut, it’s good to know how a garment is put together. Also a competency for the computer software CAD is very important for designers today, as you spend a lot of your time using CAD to draw garments. Finally, I think passion for designing is essential- I love that I love designing, it makes it feel like it’s not work!

My advice

Get an internship or placement, any experience you have will help you get the job you want and will put you ahead of others. There is so much you can’t learn at university and that can only come with experience, especially when it comes to examining how the industry works and what skills you need to succeed in it.

Don’t get too upset if you find yourself doing mundane jobs when you first start out. You don’t always get to design as soon as you start. Instead take the opportunity to watch what everyone is doing and absorb as much as you can to gain an understanding of how things work. And of course, it’s always important to research the company before you start.