There it is, on the television or on the internet everyday – people working in the fashion industry giving the public live updates on what’s up for the year’s designer Fall Collections, which colors are popular for the month, whose gown drew the most praise at The Oscars, what kind of shoes are in for the coming spring and so on. The big, glitzy world of fashion may always spotlight the fashion designers, models and celebrities who make and wear what the rest of the world follows, but it’s actually a much bigger arena with thousands of people working in the fashion industry behind the scenes to make sure each show goes smoothly or that each clothing line sells.
Job Outlook
Working in the fashion industry may seem like all fun and glamor, but in reality, like all professions, it takes hard work to make it. If you’re an aspiring fashion designer who wants to jump headfirst into the field, be wise and check out what you’re getting into first. Fashion is a thriving industry, no doubt. There is always a need for new talent and for skilled professionals, but the competition is fierce as well. For anyone to enter the doors, you should have the proper educational background, excellent artistic abilities, training and skills.
Salaries vary according to the career you’re in while working in the fashion industry, but according to statistics, the median annual salary for fashion designers is something like $35,000-$75,000. Merchandise displayers start at $15,000 up to $40,000 a year while set designers may get from $18,000-$63,000. The better your educational background and qualifications, the more experience you garner, the higher your pay grade gets and the more likely you are to climb the ladder of success.
Career Opportunities
Not everyone desires to be a fashion designer, but still wants to work in fashion. As such, there are numerous career opportunities to be found. Fashion Design Production is where clothing designs are recreated and reproduced for the market and where the actual creation of a fashion line takes place. These are the pattern makers, designers, textile experts, showroom salespeople and product managers. Fashion Marketing and Merchandising is the area that deals with fashion trends, consumer behavior, advertising and marketing campaigns and strategies, retail and wholesale selling. In short, this is where the actual selling of clothes takes place and where you will find fashion coordinators and directors, retail and visual merchandisers. Fashion Media and Promotions is where fashion photographers, illustrators, writers, fashion magazine staff, stylists, online fashion teams, and public relations people will find themselves.
Other areas in fashion are in costume design, runway, print or commercial modelling, buyers and personal shoppers, interior design, set design, retail shop owners, fashion forecasting and critiquing. With so many niches you could possibly fit yourself in, there’s no lack of knowledge and skills that you can further acquire while you are working in the fashion industry that will help you do your job better and aid you in getting a higher-paying job or a better position!
