Fashion Designers

What the job really is

Design clothing and accessories. Create original designs or adapt fashion trends.

At a glance

• Sector: Arts, Design & Media
• O*NET-SOC code: 27-1022
• O*NET job zone: 3 — medium preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Sketch rough and detailed drawings of apparel or accessories, and write specifications such as color schemes, construction, material types, and accessory requirements.
• Examine sample garments on and off models, modifying designs to achieve desired effects.
• Confer with sales and management executives or with clients to discuss design ideas.
• Select materials and production techniques to be used for products.
• Provide sample garments to agents and sales representatives, and arrange for showings of sample garments at sales meetings or fashion shows.
• Direct and coordinate workers involved in drawing and cutting patterns and constructing samples or finished garments.
• Identify target markets for designs, looking at factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status.
• Collaborate with other designers to coordinate special products and designs.
• Attend fashion shows and review garment magazines and manuals to gather information about fashion trends and consumer preferences.
• Purchase new or used clothing and accessory items as needed to complete designs.
• Visit textile showrooms to keep up-to-date on the latest fabrics.
• Adapt other designers' ideas for the mass market.

Tools and technology

Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk Revit, JavaScript, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers
• Commercial and Industrial Designers
• Craft Artists
• Graphic Designers
• Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
• Costume Attendants
• Interior Designers
• Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 3 (medium preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Fashion Designers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.