Fashion Designer
Design garments and collections — research, sketch, pick fabrics, fit prototypes and follow them into production.
Save this career to see your personalized pathway in My Senda.
- Typical pay
- €21k–€58k
- Usual education
- Degree or portfolio
- Outlook
- Competitive; Spain, Italy and France concentrate the largest employers and their design studios.
A day in the life
Trend and fabric research, sketching, working with pattern makers on a toile, fittings on a model, and reviewing samples from the factory.
Ways in
- Fashion design degree
- FP in patronaje and moda
- Studio internship then assistant designer
What to study at 16
The subjects you choose for the final years of secondary school can shape which degrees, exams and careers are easiest to reach. This is about choosing courses, not choosing a school.
Spain
Bachillerato de Artes
Portugal
Línguas e Humanidades
France
Bac technologique
Italy
Liceo classico / scienze umane
Netherlands
Profiel Cultuur & Maatschappij
Belgium
KSO – Artistic secondary
Skills that matter
Best courses to take
The study routes that lead most directly into this career.
BA Fashion Design
Design, pattern cutting, textiles and collection development up to a final show.
Full design degree ending in a collection.
Helpful school subjects: Design studio, Pattern cutting, Textiles, Fashion history
Pattern Making and Fashion (Grado Superior)
Two-year vocational route into ateliers and garment production, with paid placement.
Fast, hands-on route into ateliers and production.
Helpful school subjects: Pattern making, Garment construction, CAD for fashion, Work placement
Places that hire for this
Inditex (Zara)
Design studios in Arteixo hire junior designers and pattern makers.
Kering
Assistant designer roles in Paris, Milan and Florence.
LPP
Polish fashion group with an in-house design team.
LVMH
Ateliers and design studios across the houses.
Mango
In-house collections team in Barcelona.
Prada Group
Technical and design apprenticeships in the workshops.
Zalando
Private-label design and product teams.