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How to Start Your Fashion Design Career
by Reena NadlerDo you spend your free time doodling fashion ideas? Do you love putting clothing and accessories together in new ways? Fashion design could be the career for you. Fashion designers work on every phase of designing, showing, and producing clothing and accessories. A college degree in fashion design can give you the training to succeed in this glamorous career.
Fashion designers combine fashion savvy with creativity and technical skills. Their daily activities can include reading fashion magazines, attending fashion shows, sketching designs, looking at materials, and working with other designers.
Degree in Fashion Design
With a fashion degree, you can develop the skills you need to become a top-notch fashion designer. Typical coursework can include:
- Introduction to the fashion industry
- Design principles
- Textiles
- Menswear
Fashion school graduates can qualify for many exciting jobs at the heart of the fashion world, from technical designers to design merchandisers to professional buyers and fashion coordinators. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual earnings of fashion designers are $58,840 and top designers can make much more. Job competition is keen, but candidates with two- or four-year degrees have the best opportunities, according to the BLS.
Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Fashion Designers"
California Occupational Guide, "Fashion Designers"
Featured Fashion School
Established in 1929, Academy of Art University is the largest private art & design university in the nation offering accredited online AA, BFA and MFA degrees, classes and certificates. The Fashion curriculum refines and focuses the student's individual vision and aesthetics. Intensive studio and academic courses culminate in the production of a professional fashion collection or portfolio. Courses include:
- Fashion Journalism
- Knitwear
- Menswear
- Textiles
- Visual Merchandising & Store Design
Academy of Art University is accredited by the national Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
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