Zaria Foster

FCS 160
Career Report
October 19, 2016
Career Report
1. What is the name of the position you have researched?
The name of the position I researched is Fashion Designer.
2. What are the educational and training requirements?
The educational and training requirements are most Fashion Designers have a bachelors
degree in fashion design or fashion merchandising. In these programs, they learn about
textiles and fabrics and how to use computer-aided design (CAD) technology. They work
on projects that can be added to their portfolio, which showcases their design. People
who study fashion design have opportunities to enter their designs in student or amateur
contests, helping them to develop portfolios. Fashion designers often gain their initial
experience in the fashion industry through internships or by working as an assistant
designer helping to build knowledge of textiles and colors and how the industry works
(College Grad).
3. What are the responsibilities of this position?
The responsibilities are studying fashion trends and anticipate designs that will appeal to
consumers. Decide on a theme for a collection. Use computer-aided design (CAD)
programs to create designs. Visit manufacturers or trade shows to get samples of fabric,
select fabrics, embellishments, colors, or a style for each garment or accessory. Work
with other designers or team members to create prototype designs. Present design ideas to
the creative director or showcase them in fashion or trade shows. Market designs to
clothing retailers or directly to consumers. Also, oversee the final production of their
designs (College Grad).
4. What is the nature of the work?
The nature of a Fashion designers work is that their first step in creating a new design is
researching current fashion and making predictions about future trends using trend
reports published by fashion industry trade groups. When they have an initial idea,
fashion designers try out various fabrics and produce a prototype, often with less
expensive material than will be used in the final product. They work with models to see
how the design will look and adjust the designs as needed (College Grad).
5. What personal qualities are necessary for success in this position?

The personal qualities as a Fashion Designer is to have artistic ability were they sketch
their initial design ideas, which are used to create prototypes and must be able to express
their vision through illustration. Communication skills where they work in teams
throughout the design process and must be effective communicating with their team
members. Computer skills by using technology to design and must be able to use
computer aided design and be familiar with graphics and editing software. Creativity by
working with a variety of fabrics, shapes, and colors and the ideas must be unique,
functional, and stylish. Decision marking skills when they work in teams they are
exposed to express new ideas and to decide which ideas to incorporate into their designs.
Lastly, detail oriented where they should have a good eye for small differences in color
and other details that can make a design successful (College Grad).
6. What other factors may need to be considered about this career?
There are other factors such as in general it takes six months from initial design concept
to final production, either in the fall or spring collection is released. Another factor is that
designers produce samples with the actual materials that will be used in manufacturing to
get good responses from editors or trade and fashion shows are then manufactured sold to
consumers. A big factor is working full time and working many hours to meet deadlines
or prepare for fashion shows (College Grad).
7. What is the outlook for job growth?
The job outlook for the employment of fashion designers is projected to grow 3 percent
from 2014 to 2024, slower than the average for all occupations (College Grad).
8. What is the earning potential?
The earning potential for a Fashion Designer is that the median annual wage is $72,930.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33,170 and the highest 10 percent earned more
than $125,270. The earning can vary widely with experience, the employer, and the
designers reputation. The starting salaries in fashion design tend to be low. Salaried
fashion designers usually earn higher and more stable incomes than self-employed,
freelance designers (College Grad).

Bibliography
"Fashion Designers. Career, Salary and Education Information. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.
Department of Labor, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2016.