The greatest number of apparel designers is hired by manufacturers who mass produce clothing in the lower price ranges. Designers in these volume houses seldom originate fashion; instead they tend to adapt fashionable styles to meet the price range of their customers. The medium-sized manufacturer often sells clothing in a moderate price range. One or more designers may be employed, each having an assistant or a group of design room helpers. Haute couture houses, on the other hand, cater to a very high-priced market. The number of these firms is limited, and the opportunities to enter them are for only the most gifted.
The competition is extremely high for positions in which designers have the luxury of creating garments with very few restrictions. It is a glamorous world, but the chances of succeeding in it are considerably less than those of the designer who is eager to succeed in the medium-priced or volume end of the industry. Here it is a real challenge for a skilled designer to create fashionable garments at a low or moderate price. Of course, the size of design room staffs will vary from firm to firm. A typical workroom situation would probably include a head designer, who works closely with an assistant designer, and one or two sample hands or sample makers. Many design jobs are full-time assignments, but it also is possible for experienced designers to work on a freelance basis, or for a lucky few to be self-employed in their own businesses.
The designer is a talented artist with a strong sense of color and shape. The designer must be knowledgeable about fabrics and trimmings and be familiar with the pattern making, fitting, draping, sewing, costing, and production process for each garment. In this way, the designer can supervise the many details that go into the completion of each garment.
Ideas are researched in art galleries, museums, libraries, and fashion centers in this country and abroad. Many designers get their inspiration from seeing swatches of fabrics, and they use textile houses as an important resource. Designers also need to be aware of world events that may strongly influence clothing trends. Music, movies, or museum shows may be a source of inspiration to a designer.
Many rough sketches are drawn to show the details of a new style. They are worked on until a series of drawings, or a collection, is completed. These final designs are then approved by the manufacturer or owner of the company. Once approved, a paper pattern is made of the sketch. Or the sketched design may take its earliest form in a material called muslin, which is draped on a dressmaker's form to the specific style the designer had in mind. Once it is cut and sewn, the garment is checked carefully by the designer for any alterations or changes in design that must be made. It is now ready to be made in a fabric version to be shown to the manufacturer. Often merchandisers or salespeople will have a chance to view and comment on the designer's samples. If the sample garment is approved, it will become part of the manufacturer's line and then be shown to buyers.
The apparel designer's duties and style of work may vary greatly. In some firms, designers may only design and supervise the workroom staff. In other cases, they may be involved in every aspect of production, from creating the original design to supervising the final alterations on the finished garment. Some designers prefer not to work out their ideas with paper and pencil in sketch form. They may experiment by draping muslin or fabric on a dressmaker's form, or they may use both methods in creating their garments.
Designers are generally expected to create four lines or collections of clothing each year. There is usually one new line for each season and some firms produce a special line for the holidays. There may be as many as 40-75 new items in each line.
Designers must also supervise and plan the work for their assistants, select fabrics and trims, help with the pricing of the garments they design, work with marketing and production workers, and attend meetings to present ideas and styles to salespeople and clients. They must work long hours to be fully aware of current and future trends. Workdays are often busy and hectic, particularly when a collection is being completed for a showing. In some small firms, designers may work without the help of an assistant designer. In medium and large-sized firms, one or more assistant designers may aid the designer at each step of the design process.
To master all of this, fashion designers need to be imaginative and have an unusual flair for clothing and fabrics. In addition, a two-year or four-year fashion design program gives men and women the specialized knowledge of the industry that they need. These programs generally include courses in drawing, patternmaking, draping, sewing, fabrics and trimmings, principles of color and design, and the production and pricing of garments.
Designers need to be able to work comfortably with many other persons. They deal with buyers, salespeople, their own design room staff, and with management, production, and publicity teams. In this industry, it is essential to work well with others and be easy to get along with. Flexibility and cooperation are extremely important, particularly in a crowded and busy design room. But flexibility and congeniality are not to be confused with indecisiveness, for designers must be able to think on their feet and believe firmly in their own creativity, since they often must sell themselves as well as their design ideas.
ASSISTANT DESIGNER
Recent graduates of two or four-year specialized fashion design programs often enter the apparel industry as assistant designers. An assistant learns a great deal on the job but must also be very productive, as he or she may be working right alongside the designer, helping at every stage. Generally, an assistant is responsible for following through on the designer's ideas by draping in muslin from the design sketch or by creating a paper pattern. The next step is to supervise the production of the sample garment by working closely with or supervising the sample makers. Assistant designers may be asked to do their own sewing of the sample garment if there are no sample makers in the workroom. Clerical duties often involve keeping records of fabric and trim purchases as well as style numbers and details of each garment that is produced. There also are appointments to be made, telephones to be answered, correspondence to be faxed or telexed overseas, and loads of pins to be picked up from the floor.
Assistants soon may find themselves helping the designer select fabric and trimmings or visiting retail stores and attending fashion shows to keep abreast of new fashion trends. After the assistant is thoroughly familiar with design room procedures, he or she may begin to consult with the designer about new designs and offer some original ideas.
When applying for the position of assistant designer, it is important to have a portfolio of ideas that displays your sense of design, color, and fabric to present to the potential employer.
SKETCHING ASSISTANT
Every designer needs to have an accurately sketched record of the items that were put into production each season. Beginners who do not wish to handle the more technical skills needed in a design room and who can draw precise sketches of finished garments may enter the industry as sketching assistants.
The fabric and trimmings used in each garment are attached or swatched to the sketch. Details on the construction of each item are noted on a specification sheet that is filled out by the sketching assistant. The job may involve other related clerical duties as well. It does not allow for much creativity, but can satisfy the artist who enjoys drawing precise and accurate sketches. When applying for this position, it is important to have a portfolio of detailed sketches to show to the employer.
SKETCHER
These positions are very competitive, few in number, and require outstanding illustration skills and an extremely high level of fashion sense. Expensive couture houses may require the talents of an outstanding artist who can draw freehand sketches of the designer's ideas. There also may be the opportunity for the sketcher to start offering original design ideas at some point. Sketchers can be asked to meet customers, assist with presentations of new collections, and deal with buyers. Long and irregular hours are often a part of this job. The reward is the pleasure of a behind-the-scenes look at a prestige design house and the satisfaction of having a role in its operation. When applying for this position, a portfolio of artwork must be presented to the employer. Candidates must look fashionable and be extremely well groomed and poised.
SKETCHER/STYLIST
Small new companies with limited budgets often are unable to hire a full design staff. A sketcher/stylist can be valuable by providing the owners of the firm with information about design trends and new ideas for their line. A good deal of the sketcher/stylist's time is spent in retail stores evaluating the markets and visiting fabric resources. This employee may be hired to do the more technical work that is needed, but must be available to work closely with a patternmaker or sewing contractor. The sketcher/stylist chooses fabrics and trimmings, coordinates the line, makes presentations to buyers in the showroom, and often gets involved in the promotion of the line as well. When applying for this position, a portfolio of design ideas with coordinated fabrics must be shown to the employer.
Consider the wide range of specializations that exists in the apparel industry. In the women's wear area alone, there are firms that design bridal wear, evening and cocktail wear, dresses, lingerie, loungewear, leather and suede clothing, millinery, coats, sportswear, handbags, swimwear, furs, sweater knits, maternity clothes, suits, shoes, gloves, rainwear, active sportswear, and uniforms. Firms specializing in home accessories, children's wear, and men's wear also offer a host of other possibilities.
"BE SUCCESSFUL AT SOMETHING!"
Here's how Leo, a talented and motivated designer, is moving ahead with his career in the apparel industry.
Growing up in a New York suburb, Leo remembers the emphasis placed on planning for a career, not merely earning a living. The message was, "Be successful at something!" His parents, a doctor and a lawyer, were really eager to have him follow in their professions. But Leo was simply not interested. He found himself spending most of his free time in his school's art room, painting and experimenting with color.
Although he recalls learning about many of the more traditional creative careers during his school years, he never received any information about careers in the fashion industry. While in high school, he made many trips into New York City to visit museums and art galleries, shops and boutiques. He wanted to familiarize himself with all the exciting facets of the big city. He even enrolled in an advertising design course while still in his senior year, just to explore that field of work.
Leo had heard about the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. He liked the idea that he could get specialized technical training combined with liberal arts courses at FIT. The well-rounded program appealed to him and also satisfied his parents, who wanted their son to earn a college degree. He put together some of his best samples of artwork for his interview at the college. He had continued to paint throughout his school years and had a fine collection of watercolor sketches to present as an indication of his artistic ability. He was open to considering either an advertising design or fashion design program, and decided to choose fashion design.
Leo worked hard to complete the comprehensive two-year program. With help from the college's placement department, he was hired as an assistant designer for a manufacturer of children's clothing. He recalls telling the employer during the interview that he was very willing and eager to do everything, and that he was certainly open to learning as much as possible on the new job. Leo is convinced that his willingness to work plus his comprehensive training helped get him his first job. He was hired and worked there for two years.
The firm was a small one, and Leo was able to work very closely with the designer and learn many aspects of the business. He was always ready to try something just a little bit different or to learn a new procedure or technique. After those two satisfying years as an assistant designer, Leo wanted to follow up on his earlier interest in the advertising field. He took the bold step of opening his own advertising business. He handled fashion accounts, record albums, and book jackets and ran his business for five years. But the apparel industry still appealed to him, particularly when he ran into his friends from his college days who were happy with their design jobs. He knew he was ready to re-enter the fashion industry and try again.
Leo had kept in touch with many of his contacts from his days as an assistant designer, and he had a good sense of the current state of the industry. He also was realistic about what he could offer an employer. With his experience in the children's wear field, he decided to aim for a design job in that area of the industry. He worked on putting together an attractive portfolio and landed a design position with a major manufacturer of children's wear. He built up a fine work record with that firm and after three years, moved to a design job in the boy's wear field.
Having gained a reputation as a skilled designer, he moved on to another boy's wear firm, where his exciting line of clothing was shown at a trade show for the boy's and men's wear industry. It was at this show that a manufacturer of men's wear noticed Leo's work and convinced him to consider a job designing men's knit shirts.
Leo decided that it was important for him to broaden his experience, and he accepted the job offer. He likes the idea that he is now a skilled men's wear designer as well as a designer of boy's wear. He still believes in going further. He dreams of designing for the women's wear market someday-better dresses or sportswear or perhaps evening wear.
He has just begun a part-time job teaching boy's wear design. Leo enjoys sharing his own knowledge and work experience with his students and wants to assist them with their career choices. He's also accepting freelance design assignments. That's a real challenge for him, as it keeps him very busy and the pressures are great. However, Leo realizes that he can handle a very responsible full-time job, along with teaching and his freelance work, because he is well-organized and disciplined. His school preparation and years of exposure in the industry have given him the necessary skills and techniques. He's realistic enough to know that the industry has its drawbacks as well as its appeal, and that it requires hard work, long hours, lots of dedication, and strong belief in your abilities. But Leo is still eager to have many different experiences in the various phases of the industry. His drive and talent virtually ensure his success. Of course, it's impossible to know where the future will take Leo, but he's convinced he has a great deal to offer the fashion world, and that there is a great deal in it for him.
