Fashion Design

Graduating students will most likely set to work creating apparel or accessories for the consumer, but there are many other opportunities available in this industry.

Individuals who are creative and find themselves conscious (or even obsessed) with fashion can make their passion a career by participating in two, three, or four year fashion design programs. Fashion designers are the ones responsible for creating the shirts, slacks, dresses, suits, shoes, and other types of clothing that we all wear each and every day. These graduates of fashion design schools start with a concept or mental image, and through their work, produce fashions in a variety of styles -- and that's just one of the exciting and rewarding career opportunities available in the field.

Fashion Design Description
Before an aspiring professional can launch his or her career, however, he or she must complete studies at one of the accredited traditional or online fashion design schools out there. According to the 2010-11 Occupational Outlook Handbook, most employers prefer that candidates have at least an associate's degree in fashion design or a related field. A bachelor's degree is preferred. Furthermore, the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that it could be advantageous to combine work in fashion design programs with either fashion merchandising or related business degrees.
Fashion design programs painstakingly prepare pupils for their profession. Individuals pursuing degrees in this disciple will learn about different types of textiles and fabrics, and the best way to work with each. They will be trained in the use of cutting tables, dress forms, and various types of industrial machines and equipment. They will learn from and work closely with experienced fashion design professionals. They will learn how to create patterns and sew garments. They will learn about fashion history, marketing and merchandising. They will receive instruction on computer-aided design, drawing, and even things like fashion journalism, fashion history, human anatomy, and psychology. As you can clearly see, fashion design schools grant graduates all of the tools they need for success.

Fashion Design Careers
Students, upon graduating from their respective fashion design schools, will most likely set to work creating apparel or accessories for the consumer. By studying trends and understanding customer opinion, they will begin the one and one-half to two year process of bringing casual wear, formalwear, coats, jackets, suits, shoes, boots, handbags, belts, hats, and so on, from concept to reality. Some will work exclusively in the mass market and some will create "haute couture" or high fashion clothing. Some will work exclusively on one type of apparel, such as men's or children's clothing. A select few will have the opportunity to dabble in all of the above during their careers.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that the job outlook for this highly competitive career should hold steady for the near future, and that the typical annual salary for employees is in the $42,000 to $87,000 range. However, those who complete fashion design programs also have other career options available to them. Other options include working as a fashion marketer, fashion merchandiser, pattern maker, product manager, textile designer, nightwear designer, or even pursuing a career in the cosmetics, fragrance, management, or fashion journalism fields.