What does it mean to study Fashion?
If you decide to study for a fashion career, you'll learn to design clothing and accessories or the fabrics and materials they're made of.
What kind of person does well in Fashion careers?
If you've watched Heidi Klum's reality show "Project Runway," you've had a glimpse of the many kinds of designers who pursue careers in fashion. No one personality has the edge in the creative, public, fast-paced, ever-changing world of style. You'll need to have a great eye for line and color, and you'll need to be able to convey your designs to you clients--verbally and visually. If you buy fashion magazines and keep up with trends, you've already been studying for your fashion career.
Studies that lead to a Fashion career
Though self-taught designers exist, and though a few designers have begun their careers as unschooled apprentices, your best route to a fashion career is a bachelor's degree from an accredited fashion design school. There, you'll learn sketching, computer-aided design, and business skills. You'll develop your portfolio of examples of your unique designs for potential employers.
Where do Fashion studies take you?
You might get hired by a specialty or department store; you might design for the mass market; you might freelance or work for yourself. If your goal is to one day have your own line, be inspired by Tommy Hilfiger, who insists that "with some talent and great marketing, you can literally build a fashion empire." Most fashion designers earn from $35,000-$75,000 annually.
What's it like to have a career in fashion?
The highest salaries go to designers with good business sense and the ability to deliver on deadline. Design can involve long hours and lots of travel, especially when preparing for shows. Still, if you've watched reality design shows, you know that nothing beats the thrill of seeing your designs on the runway.
Sources
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Exploring Careers. JIST Publishing, Inc. 2003.
| 
Home
Request Information Now
Career Information