Fashion Designer

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

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Apparel and Accessories Designer; Apparel Designer; Costume Designer; Designer; Fashion Design Contractor; Fashion Designer; Fashion Graphic Designer; Fashion Stylist; Handbag Designer; Product Developer

Tasks

• 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.
• Test fabrics or oversee testing so that garment care labels can be created.

Knowledge

• Design
• Computers and Electronics
• Sales and Marketing
• Production and Processing
• English Language

Skills

• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Active Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Monitoring
• Writing
• Learning Strategies

Abilities

• Originality
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Fluency of Ideas
• Oral Comprehension
• Visualization
• Near Vision
• Visual Color Discrimination
• Speech Recognition
• Written Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Category Flexibility
• Inductive Reasoning
• Speech Clarity
• Information Ordering
• Selective Attention
• Far Vision