When most people think of a fashion career, they think of a jet-setting life: frenzied runway shows, hordes of paparazzi, and constant pressure. Whether or not that's the lifestyle you want, fashion school can help you find a lucrative, satisfying career in fashion design or fashion merchandising. Here are a few career paths that may appeal to you.
Clothing Design
If you're creative and understand color, cut, and the personality of various fabrics, you may find your bliss designing clothing--either under your own name or for a high-profile fashion designer. Attention to detail and the ability to predict what the public will buy are two important traits of clothing designers.
Accessory Design
Even the most brilliantly designed suit or dress needs perfect accessories to make it "pop." If your passion is designing shoes, purses, or scarves, there's a place for you in the fashion industry. In fact, many famous fashion designers have expanded their lines to include perfume, cosmetics, jewelry, luggage, household items, and even home furnishings and automobile interiors.
Textile Design
Without fabric there would be no fashion. Textile designers create the multitude of fabrics, weaves, and prints used for high-fashion clothing and accessories. This career requires a strong background in art as well as the ability to work with both fashion designers and manufacturers.
Pattern Making
Commercial production requires patterns that can help the manufacturer capture the designer's creativity. Modern pattern makers work with computer-aided design programs and serve as the liaison between fashion designers and the manufacturers who make their fashions available to the public.
Buying
Fashion buyers usually work for retail or wholesale distributors, and are responsible for buying and pricing the fashion items that the store will offer for sale. Buyers need great communication skills in order to learn what's selling and what isn't. They also need strong analytical skills to help them predict from past sales and current trends which items may be big sellers in the future.
Fashion Retail
If you enjoy dealing with customers and staff, you may want to consider owning or managing a retail fashion store. You'll be surrounded every day by the beautiful fashion designs you love. Fashion school can help you learn effective business management, including fashion merchandising and marketing, accounting, and human resource management.
Fashion Display
There's an art and a science to displaying merchandise in ways that will attract customers. Creating effective window exhibits and arranging items in a creative manner are critical to retail store success. Those who are well versed in fashion display understand human buying patterns and know the types of product arrangements that stimulate consumer traffic.
Fashion Media
Talented writers--as well as photographers and illustrators--are in high demand in the fields of fashion advertising, marketing, and public relations. If you have an analytical mind and a nose for news, you might find your calling as a fashion critic or reporter.
Whether you enjoy being in the public eye or prefer a more private life, whether your talent lies in designing, writing, or selling, fashion school can put you to work in the exciting and rewarding fashion industry.
