Fashion designer

Creates clothing and accessory designs for high-street fashion, ready-to- wear outlets and specialist markets such as haute couture.

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Fashion design is the creation of design concepts which are then translated into manufactured garments for every occasion. The fashion industry is a worldwide industry which constantly requires a supply of designers and design concepts to feed a voracious consumer demand for clothes and accessories.

Fashion designers conceptualise and produce creative ranges of clothing and accessories either as in-house or as consultant designers. They analyse fashion trends and working closely with production, marketing and sales departments they design, produce and promote a finished, ready-to-wear product for clothing manufacturers, specialty and retail stores, and individual clients. Designers usually specialise in a specific line of clothing such as women, men, kids, maternity, bridal, sportswear, shoes or accessories. In larger fashion houses, designers may work in very specialised areas, such as t-shirts, evening dresses, maternity clothes, baby outfits or denims.

Fashion designers also make careers in a wide range of associated fashion and clothing areas that support the main fashion industry.

Read about Eileen Pang's experience working as a Fashion Designer with Missguided here .

Work activities

  • Researching fashion trends and staying current on contemporary styles
  • Attending runway or fashion shows to acquire new fashion ideas
  • Developing mood boards to illustrate themes
  • Creating sketches and prototypes
  • Choosing materials
  • Performing business administration tasks
  • Marketing products
  • Supervising or working with design team members.

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