The money is nothing to scoff at, either. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that fashion designers earn a median annual salary of $73,790, with the top 10% of earners raking in $149,010 or more per year.
Fashion Industry Career Options
If you are interested in fashion but don’t know what specific career you might want, check out this list of fashion job titles. These are only a few of the careers that make up the fashion industry, so use them as a guide to help you find others that might interest you. You can also use this list of fashion skills when writing your resumes and cover letters and at job interviews. Include some examples of them in your job materials to demonstrate that you have the skills it takes to succeed in the fashion industry. Here are some of the most common fashion industry jobs.
Art Director
An art director is responsible for the visual styling of a particular product. An art director in the fashion industry might work for a fashion magazine, a public relations firm, or a retailer. They have to be very creative and have a sense of what images will help sell a product. Salary: According to the BLS, art directors earn a median annual income of $94,220. Related Job Titles:
Commercial PhotographerCreative DirectorDisplay DesignerEditorial PhotographerGraphic ArtistGraphic DesignerGraphic Production ArtistStudio PhotographerWindow Stylist
Buyer/Purchasing Agent
Buyers and purchasing agents select clothing, shoes or accessories from clothing manufacturers and wholesalers to sell in retail stores. They work for retail fashion and department stores, selecting items they think will be attractive to customers. Buyers and purchasing agents typically have to travel a lot, visiting manufacturing sites and attending fashion shows. They often have degrees in fashion, marketing, or business. Salary: The BLS reports that purchasing managers, buyers and agents earn a median annual salary of $69,600. Related Job Titles:
Account ExecutiveApparel Production CoordinatorArea Brand CoordinatorAssistant BuyerAssistant MerchantFashion BuyerMerchandiserSales AssociateSales ManagerShowroom ManagerStore Manager
Fashion Designer
A fashion designer creates clothing, shoes and accessories. They work in a variety of industries that include manufacturing, clothing companies, theaters and design firms. Along with artistic skills, most designers need computer skills to use computer-aided design and graphics editing software. Salary: According to the BLS, fashion designers earn a median annual salary of $73,790. Related Job Titles:
Associate DesignerBedding DesignerFashion DirectorStyle SpecialistStylistTechnical DesignerTextile Fabric Colorist
Market Researcher
A fashion market researcher studies the fashion market to get a sense of what types of clothing, shoes and accessories people want. They need strong analytical skills—they have to read and understand large amounts of data and convey their findings to retailers, manufacturers and designers. Salary: BLS statistics show that market research and analyst jobs pay an average annual salary of $63,790. Related Job Titles:
Brand StrategistMarketing CoordinatorMarketing ManagerMedia PlannerSales Inventory AnalystTrend Forecaster
Model
A model poses for photographers or the public to help advertise clothing, shoes or accessories. They might also walk in a runway fashion show while wearing a designer’s clothing. Models work in a variety of conditions, from indoor studios to fashion shows. They often have unpredictable schedules and might have periods of unemployment. Salary: Per the BLS, models earn a median annual salary of $28,350. Related Job Titles:
Art Class ModelFashion CoordinatorFashion Model AgentFitness ModelModeling CoachShowroom Model
Top Fashion Skills
Attention to Detail
Whether you are sewing clothing or ordering products for your boutique, and attention to detail is critical in fashion. Clothing has to be meticulously made to impress buyers. Store owners need to keep careful track of their products and prices. Marketing researchers need to keep a close eye on changes in their data. Models need to make sure the products they are modeling are meticulously displayed. Related Skills:
Color senseFocusPattern gradingPhotogenicTime managementVisualization
Business Knowledge
Anyone with a hand in the fashion industry needs to understand the details of how the business works. This requires more than just knowing the latest fashion trends. Designers need to know the costs of materials and labor, and buyers and store owners need to keep an eye on the market when purchasing items. Without a sense of market and business trends, a talented designer can struggle financially. Related Skills:
AdvertisingFundraisingManagementManufacturingMarket researchMerchandisingProduct developmentPrototypingRetailingSales
Communication
Nearly every job in the fashion industry requires working with others. Designers need to constantly communicate with their team—to receive updates on everything from initial costs to display. Buyers need to communicate with others in their organization to decide on a budget. Art directors for magazines need to communicate with their editors to make sure they have a clear vision for their work. For all these reasons, people in the fashion industry need strong verbal and written communication skills. Related Skills:
Interpersonal Negotiation Nonverbal communication Promotion Verbal communication Written communication
Creativity
Almost every job in the fashion industry requires some creativity. Designers need to be able to visualize clothing that has not yet been created. Art directors must develop visual strategies for modeling products. Store owners have to think of creative ways to display and sell their products. An open mind and a clear vision for marketing, displaying and selling products are essential in the industry. Related Skills:
FlexibilityImaginationInitiativeSketchingStylingTextilesVersatility
Information Technology Skills
People in the design and fashion industry increasingly rely on information technology (IT). Designers might use computer-aided design and graphics editing programs to sketch out designs or share design ideas with clients. Marketing researchers work with various software to collect and manage data. When applying for a job in fashion, be sure to highlight any relevant IT knowledge. Related Skills:
Adobe IllustratorComputer-Aided Design (CAD)ECommerceInDesignMicrosoft Office SuitePhotoshopPrimaVisionQuarkWebPDM
