Fashion Design Degree Program and Career Information
Fashion design is the applied art of constructing clothing, garments and accessories. This field not only includes design, but also pattern making, sewing, material texture, color schemes and tailoring, among other concerns. Fashion design must walk a thin line between innovation and remaining sensitive to the desires of potential retail buyers and the practicality of their garments.
Fashion Design Education, Training and Degrees
While a formal degree is rarely a requirement for a career in fashion design, studying fashion can accelerate a career by providing strong background training in the basics and by providing internships in the fashion industry, introductions to industry trendsetters, and access to high-profile contests and competitions, as well as valuable feedback and marketing guidance. The majority of designers currently at work have studied design, often at an art school.
A few of the most popular degrees in this area include:Associate Degrees
Fashion Design
Bachelor's Degrees
Fashion Design & Marketing
Fashion Design Costume Design
Fashion Merchandising
Explore Career Opportunities in Fashion
The majority of opportunities in fashion design lie in fashion houses or companies, although a few designers work freelance or start their own companies and market their creations under their own name or label.
Below are a few of the most popular professional careers in fashion design. Below are more details concerning careers within this field.Fashion Designer
Fashion designers specialize in designing and constructing clothing, from haute couture to mass market garments. They must master pattern making, sewing, surface texture and design, color schemes and tailoring while remaining sensitive to the desires of potential retail buyers and to the practicality of their garments.
Fashion Marketer
Fashion marketers are responsible for bringing new fashion lines and designs to the marketplace. They predict fashion trends and analyze who will be most interested in a new line or apparel design. They work with advertisers to design ad campaigns that will expose their client's clothes to the target audience.
Fashion Merchandiser
The fashion merchandiser most often works for a retail establishment. The fashion merchandiser actually purchases lines of clothes that will be sold in the store, then promotes them directly to consumers by creating attractive and stylish displays. Like the fashion marketer, the fashion merchandiser must stay on top of trends, styles and consumer desires.
