Fashion Design Career Paths: Find Your Niche
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Customize Your Fashion Career
Many people don't realize that fashion design requires a whole cast of characters. The head designer may be the lead, but there are many other players. A fashion design education should prepare you for a fashion career, even if you find yourself working in a supporting role as you start out in the business.
Fashion Careers:
Artists and Sketchers - sketch new designs.
Assistant Designers - work to support lead designers in various design tasks.
Cutters - cut out patterns or fabrics either by hand or using computerized machines.
Head Designers / Design Directors - make creative decisions and supervise support staff.
Pattern Graders - take patterns and adjust them for different sizes of clothing.
Pattern Makers - make the patterns used to produce fashions.
Set and Exhibit Designers - create sets or exhibits for fashion shows or trade shows.
Sewers - do production work, either by hand or with a sewing machine.
Spec and Fit Technicians - produce samples with special attention to fit.
Specialty Designers - design and work on items that require special production techniques.
Trend Researchers - gather data about the fashion market to help designers plan their collections.
Fashion Design Specialties:
School Spotlight
AIU offers highly marketable associate's, bachelor's and master's degree programs in career paths that are technically-oriented and in demand. Attend an AIU campus with fashion design programs near you.
You can further customize your fashion career by choosing to focus on a particular style or kind of garment. Here are some examples of fashion design specialties to choose from:
- Accessory design
- Children's clothing design
- Costume design
- Footwear design
- Lingerie design
- Men's wear design
- Sportswear design
- Swimwear design
- Uniform design
- Women's wear design
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