Fashion Design Jobs: Pick the One Best for You

By Sarah Clark
Career Colleges Columnist

Designer isn't the only job in fashion. There are many others to choose from. If you have a passion for fashion, there's a fashion design-related job that will fit your skills, talents, and interests.

Lot's of people are interested in fashion, but not everyone has the ability, or the inclination, to be a designer. What is more, there just aren't enough fashion design jobs to go around as it is—it's a very competitive field. Fortunately, there are many other opportunities in the fashion world. Here are a few of them.

Fashion Editor
If you love fashion, writing, and the publishing industry, fashion editor may be the right fashion design job for you. Fashion editors work at magazines like Elle, Vogue, and Town and Country, developing fashion content. They might oversee a fashion spread, choosing its themes, colors, and trends. They work for fashion photographers, models, and fashion marketing managers. They know how to write and put together a compelling fashion feature designed to inspire readers to buy their featured designs.

Fashion Photographer
We mentioned that fashion photographers work with editors—that's a big part of their job. Their photos appear mostly in fashion magazines, either as advertising or content. They work with brand companies, models, editors, and a slew of other fashion industry people as they take pictures of models in designer clothes.

Fashion Merchandiser/Marketer
This is one career in the fashion industry that might not be as cut-throat competitive as fashion editor and photography jobs. Fashion merchandisers usually work for a company that produces clothing. They help market the clothing by developing a branding strategy. For example, they might strictly oversee the distribution of the brand to ensure its brand integrity remains intact. They might also create themes for window dressings and influence the design and layout of stores. Fashion merchandisers might attend fashion design school or a university marketing program.

As you can see, some fashion design jobs require degrees from fashion design schools while others don't. Fashion editors, for example, are more likely to have a background in publishing than in fashion design school. Many designers, of course, attend fashion school. Fashion photographers have training in fine arts or photography, rather than a degree from a fashion design school.

The bottom line is that there are all types of opportunities in fashion, and just as many educational programs to choose from. Find out today which one is right for you.

About the Author
Sarah Clark is a freelance writer specializing in career development and postsecondary education.

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