If you have a knack for design and a passion for fashion, then you’ve likely thought about getting a fashion degree – which is a good move. A fashion degree is a comprehensive grounding in this ever-changing industry, but it opens you up to so much more than just fashion design. Here’s a look at the many career opportunities you could pursue in the fashion industry.
Here are a few careers you can consider on completion of your fashion degree:
17 Fashion Degree Careers
1. Fashion Trend Forecaster
If you research trends, analyse influences, and compare statistics then you could have a career as a trend forecaster. In fashion, this will see you analysing consumer behaviour, cultural influences, social media activity, runway shows, and just basic on-the-street style to determine what the incoming trends are. As a trend forecaster, you’ll work closely with designers, retailers, and marketers to guide on fashion choices.
2. Fashion Retail Buyer / Merchandiser
This will incorporate fashion trend forecasting while working with big or boutique retailers. You will also draw on your sense of style, while analysing incoming trends, and determining what’s going to be big next season. Fashion buyers and merchandisers work for retail companies or fashion brands, selecting and buying the clothing and accessories that will be stocked in the store. You will need to negotiate with suppliers and manage inventory to maximise the store’s sales and profitability.
Read more: Types of Fashion Degrees
3. Pattern Engineer
If you’re much more interested in what happens behind the scenes than on the runway, you should consider a career as a pattern engineer. You would also be looking at fashion trends and working closely with fashion designers to create the blueprint or pattern pieces which are used to manufacture a particular clothing design.
4. Fashion Stylist
Setting up sets and creating a vibrant aesthetic is what’s called for in the world of a fashion stylist. You will work closely with fashion directors, fashion photographers, celebrities, and brands to create the ideal image for a fashion photoshoot for an advertising campaign, music video, or special event. Fashion stylists select the clothing, accessories, and props to communicate an aesthetic.
5. Fashion Illustrator
Strong drawing skills and an eye for fashion combine into the role of a fashion illustrator. You will create either hand-drawn or digital illustrations of the clothing designs, fashion accessories, or fashion concepts that will be used in advertisements, publications, or presentations.
6. Textile Designer
The textile designer is the person behind the fabrics! This is an important job in the textile industry which involves creating designs for woven, knitted, printed fabrics, or surface-ornamented fabrics. Once crafted, the textile designs are used to create two-dimensional designs for the production of knit, weave, and printed fabrics or textile products.
7. Costume Designer
Making clothes is a vital part of fashion, but if you’re not interested in the latest season’s trends, you could consider costume design for advertisements, television, or theatre. You would be responsible for everything that is worn by the actors, including clothes, shoes, hats, purses, jewellery, wigs, hoops, corsets, and more. You are tasked with bringing a whole world to life through costume design.
8. Fashion Merchandise Planner
If your fashion interest is coupled with a keen financial insight, then you might be ideal for the role of fashion merchandise planner. Here you would be tasked with maximising the return on investment by analysing sales and inventory. You would be involved in research, employee training, and store management.
9. Fashion Brand Manager
The fashion brand manager develops the branding strategy that allows the brand to gain visibility and maximise results. This is ideal if you’re a brand-conscious individual who enjoys analysing consumer-buying habits, instigating marketing techniques, and pushing sales. You would require significant business management knowledge and skills for this role.
10. Fashion Product Manager / Developer
This is a comprehensive role that includes everything from overseeing the production of clothing to organising details for a fashion show. The product developer works with fashion brands and manufacturers to bring new clothing and accessories to market. There is a lot of collaboration with designers, suppliers, and production teams with the role involving material sourcing, prototype creation, and the management of the production process.
11. Fashion Retail Management
If you’re a people person with a love for fashion, then retail management might be the way to go. The fashion retail manager oversees the daily operations of the clothing store, monitoring the sales performance, and ensuring a good customer experience.
12. Fashion Technology
In the fashion industry, there is a lot of space for technologically minded individuals. When you get a fashion degree, you can enter the world of fashion technology which includes fashion e-commerce, digital marketing, wearable technology, and fashion tech startups. The roles within this sub-sector include website development, digital analytics, or product innovation.
13. Accessory Designer
Clothing is a major focus in the world of fashion, but a fashion degree also covers the interesting world of accessory design. Accessory designers develop, create, and produce items such as handbags, suitcases, belts, scarves, hats, hosiery, eyewear, and jewellery.
14. Fashion Journalist
Your fashion degree will also empower you in the world of fashion media. There are so many roles in this industry, with social media expanding the opportunities even more. You could consider a career in fashion blog writing, magazine editorial, fashion photography, TV fashion reporting, fashion reviews, influencers, and more.
15. Fashion Make-up Artist
The make-up artist profession is a great one for entrepreneurs and works very well in the fashion industry. A fashion degree is a great way to enter this world, allowing you to start your own business or work for theatrical companies, magazines, production companies, advertising agencies, and more.
16. Fashion Marketing or Public Relations
Every industry needs great marketing and public relations, and the fashion industry is one such example. This is a high-intensity industry that relies on strong networking, positive engagement, and innovative marketing techniques. You would be tasked with promoting fashion brands, products, or events through advertising campaigns, social media, press releases, and other marketing strategies to drive sales.
17. Fashion Education
After completing your fashion degree, and with some additional training, you could pursue a career in fashion education yourself. This could see you working as a teacher, instructor, or lecturer at a fashion school, college, or university. There is also ample opportunity for working in the online teaching space.
If any of these sound like potential careers for you, then sign up with Villioti Fashion Institute, an accredited tertiary institution that takes pride in making the ordinary extraordinary. Led by Spero Villioti, who has run a successful fashion brand for more than 30 years, Villioti Fashion Institute prides itself on being ‘extraordinary in the details’, setting its students apart to secure a top profession in fashion.
