World famous American fashion designer, Ralph Lauren said,” I don’t design clothes, I design dream.” That same dream has captivated millions of consumers in the world of fashion. In 2007, the average American household spent around $1,604 yearly on clothing and apparel, according to the Consumer Expenditure Survey. The fashion industry is massive and generates over $20 billion dollars annually around the world.
Fashion designers spend their days designing clothing through sketches and CAD software (Computer Aided Design). They may also spend a great deal of time sewing their own designs (nearly one fourth of all fashion designers are self-employed.)
Fashion Design Career Outlook & Salary Potential
There is great potential to make excellent money in the field of fashion design. In 2010, there were over 15,000 fashion designers employed around the United States. The middle of the road salary for fashion designers is $31.02 per hour or $64,530 per year, (BLS.gov). The fashion design industry is very competitive and only expected to see one percent increase in job growth through 2018. Generally an associate’s degree (2 years) or bachelor’s degree (4 years) in fashion design with emphasis in business, marketing, or fashion merchandising is required to get hired and become successful in the fashion industry.
The Fashion Personality
The top personality traits for a fashion designer are creativity and the ability to complete tasks. In this industry, designers must not only visualize their designs but make them come to life through their own project management. Fashion designers also need to be strong and business savvy because many of them own their own design businesses. As a result, most designers have to sell and market their own designs. Fashion designers also need to be sensitive to trends in the clothing and apparel industry and be able to anticipate what their consumers will want before they even want it. Designers need to be resourceful, have an excellent eye for color, and be able to accept criticism.