- Fashion designers study fashion trends, design garments and create prototypes of those garments. They may or may not be involved in the actual construction of finished clothing for sale.
- Designers work in a wide variety of capacities, from designing for large ready-wear or mass manufacturing clothing companies to making prototypes for a house of couture. Others create costumes for film, television or stage.
- Competition in the field of fashion design is keen, and many designers find themselves unprepared. The reality of the field is that the vast majority of work is in the area of mass manufacturing, and not haute couture, as many aspiring designers hope.
- Although many jobs in fashion design do not require a degree, it is highly recommended.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that job opportunities in the fashion design field are expected to remain constant, with no noticeable growth, for the foreseeable future, which means heavy competition for jobs.
