A fashion designer is someone who designs or creates fashion items such as clothes, dresses, shoes, bags and other accessories. .

A fashion designer creates conceptual illustrations, sourcing fabrics & materials and oversees the production of the designed items.

Fashion Designer - Job Description:
A fashion designer draws on their creative ability to design fashionable and functional items for men and/or women, things such as Daywear, Evening Dresses, Ball Gowns, Wedding Dress, Swimwear and other clothing items like shoes, hats and accessories.

Fashion design is a niche industry, with many fashion designers self employed struggling to produce and find buyers for their clothes. Many fashion designers are happy selling their designs at local markets or via a small number of butqieu fashion stores, while others have overcome the pitfalls to become household names designing very successful clothes and owning their own clothing label worn by people & celebrities around the world..

To pursue a career as a fashion designer, it helps to have an interest in Fashion, Drawing, Fabrics & Sewing.

Fashion Designer - Employment Start:
If you are wanting to be a fashion designer owning your own label, certianly the best way is to enrol in one of the reputable fashion design schools for more on this see Fashion Designer Education, below. Entry level positions as a fashion designer are rare, it really is an industry that you work your way up, or win your way to the top.

Another position in the fashion industry can sometimes be a way to becoming a fashion designer, job roles in the fashion industry, or 'rag trade' include: Pattern Maker, Seamstreess, Fashion Stylist, Merchandise Manager, Production Coordinator, Fashion Model, Makeup Artist, Hairstylist, Visual Merchandiser. 

Fashion Designer - Training & Education:
Studying at a leading fashion design school will give you the best chances of becoming a successful fashion designer. Fashion Design schools as well as Design Schools tap into industry professionals that you would otherwise find it difficult to reach, they also provide the resources that will enable you to create your concepts and parade them too. It is common that top students from top fashion design schools have either been offered jobs or been offered contracts to produce and sell their fashion.

When choosing a Fashion Design course, choose a reputable design school. A good Fashion Design course should give you a good grounding in fashion design, merchandising, styling, illustraiton, business, pattern making, sewing, handbag and shoe design as well as provide you an opportunity to publicaly parade your fashion creations at an end of year show or annual competition. 

A difficulty that you may expeirence, is that some fashion design schools are so popular that they require you to submit a portfolio or interview you before accepting you into their course. they are generally wanting to see that you have the necceary basic skils needed for their course. If this is the case try first doing several short courses perhaps in dress making, fashion illustration or sewing skills at a community college. These will help you gain later entry to a top fashion school.

Also consider subscribing to one of the many Fashion Magazines or Beuaty Magazines or websites as these will keep you up to date with changing fashion trends and will also help to inspire you when you need direction. Being kept informed and up to date will keep you on the cutting edge.

Fashion Designer - Employment Interview or Course Interview:
When going for a job in the fashion industry as a designer, prepare a portfolio of work that matches the job role you are applying for, with only very few other examples of other fashion design work. Preferably you should present your portfolio using a professional carry case or similar, choose a quality one with a zip lock, rather than a cheap loose leaf folder. When compiling your portfolio keep it to a maximum of about 12 pieces so it can be easily flicked through in the interview. Choose to include your absolute best work only, even if that means your portfolio only has five items. 

A good portfolio tip is to leave your potential employer with a simple sheet of paper with a miniature print out of various works from your portfolio, this should be kept to one page only. Staple to the top of it your Artist Business Card and leave it behind after the interview, or alternatively attach it with your resume when applying for an interview.

If the fashion design school you are applying to requires you to be interviewed, prepare a similar portfolio as above, however also include any certificates of completion for short courses that relate to fashion design or aspects of business; skills that a self employed fashion designer may find useful.