What Makes a Person Suited to Be a Fashion Designer?
Fashion designers conceptualize designs for dresses, suits, shoes and other accessories. They study fashion trends, create color palettes and select fabrics, sketch drawings of clothing and accessories and oversee the production of their designs. Designers fall into three categories: clothing designers, footwear designers and accessory designers. Clothing designers develop apparel designs for men, women and children. Footwear designers create and produce designs for shoes and boots. Accessory designers conceive designs for handbags, belts, hats and other fashion accessories.
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Personality Traits
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A career in fashion design is best for creative, innovative and imaginative people with the ability to conceptualize their designs on paper. Designers also need patience, as it can sometimes take years for designs to come to fruition. Fashion designers spend a considerable amount of time marketing their vision; they must have business savvy and knowledge about advertising, sales and marketing techniques. A keen eye for detail combined with a perceptive and observant nature helps keep fashion designers aware of current trends and consumer preferences.
Education
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A bachelor's degree in fashion design is a standard way of obtaining the knowledge required for a career in the design industry. Coursework in textiles, sewing and tailoring, colors, pattern making, fashion history, computer-aided design and ornamentation prepare a person with the basic knowledge required for entry-level fashion design jobs. Individuals may emphasize their professional competency with an additional degree in business, marketing or fashion merchandising. Some aspiring designers may find additional coursework in human anatomy, mathematics and psychology especially advantageous in this highly competitive industry.
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An Eye and Hand for Design
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Fashion designers must have a sharp eye for aesthetics, an appreciation for color, detail and beauty, and a good sense of balance and proportion. Despite the availability of technology-aided design programs, talented designers rely on their sketching ability to put their designs on paper. Sketching ability and a solid body of work give aspiring designers a distinct advantage in the fashion design industry.
Other Qualifications
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Successful fashion designers are knowledgeable about sewing and pattern making. Designers who are familiar with the textile industry can give proper instructions on how to transform their sketches into actual garments. Successful designers have excellent presentation skills and can convey their vision clearly and concisely. They are effective at giving sales pitches and able to persuade others to purchase their designs. They also demonstrate leadership and team-building skills, which are useful in their business dealings with suppliers, manufacturers and buyers.
Gaining Industry Experience
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Individuals can prepare for a career in fashion design by gaining industry experience. Aspiring fashion designers can apply for internships with design or manufacturing firms. Some people may opt for pattern-making jobs for entry into the market, while others with sketching ability may work as a sketching assistant for an experienced designer. The pay at entry-level fashion design jobs is not usually significant; however, the experience gained is invaluable in terms of successful, progressive careers in fashion design.
Potential Earnings
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PayScale indicates fashion designers in the United States average a base salary range of $43,661 to $70,719, with a bonus potential range of $992 to $5,090. Fashion designers employed by companies offering profit-sharing programs can expect additional wages ranging from $203 to $3,931. Commission-based earnings range from $51 to $5,857. The estimated total compensation for fashion designers in the United States, inclusive of salary, bonus, profit sharing and commission, ranges from $42,709 to $72,169, as of June 2010.
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References
- Photo Credit Designer image by Mykola Velychko from Fotolia.com
