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Useful experience for fashion designers includes:

• sewing, fabric cutting or patternmaking experience
• experience as a garment technician
• fashion buying experience
• clothing factory or workroom experience
• draughting or computer-aided design (CAD).

Fashion designers may do all or some of the following:

• create or update fashion designs
• prepare drawings of the designs
• adapt patterns to a new style or create new patterns
• select and buy fabrics or have fabrics developed
• estimate how much the work will cost
• inspect the quality of garments
• plan clothing production methods
• market garments.

Networking gives fashion designers a greater chance of finding work

Chances of fashion graduates finding work as designers are poor as competition for vacancies is strong. This is because there are more fashion graduates than jobs available. Most new positions aren't advertised, so its better to network with people in the industry and approach employers yourself.

Opportunities are better for experienced fashion designers, as fashion companies often have trouble finding skilled staff.

According to the Census, 934 fashion designers worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Fashion designers work their way up

Fashion designers often get into the industry by starting off as garment technicians or design assistants.

Another good way to get experience in the industry is through internships, which can lead to fashion design jobs.

Types of employers varied

Fashion designers may work for:

• small fashion houses
• large clothing manufacturers
• fashion retailers
• fashion buyers.

Many fashion designers are self-employed.

Competenz

0800 526 1800 - www.competenz.org.nz

Fashion designers may progress to set up their own design business or become design room managers or product developers. Product developers design a whole fashion range for a retailer or clothing manufacturer, or can design items such as paint ranges or car upholstery.

Fashion designers may specialise in a number of roles including:

CAD Operator

CAD (Computer Aided Design) operators or computer-aided designers create clothing using CAD software.

Costume Designer

Costume designers create clothing to be used in theatre, film and television productions.

Textile Designer

Textile designers use traditional and modern textile manufacturing and decoration processes to create textiles for clothing and furnishings.

Fashion designers need to be:

• creative and imaginative
• motivated and dedicated
• organised
• confident
• adaptable
• able to work well under pressure
• accurate, with an eye for detail.