Hiring a fashion designer? Need to know how and where to find the best candidates? Here is a comprehensive guide to finding the best fashion designers. Read on!
How to hire a fashion designer?
Most people think that anyone with an eye for fashion can become a fashion designer. But, this is not the actual truth. If you are thinking about hiring fashion designers, it is important to take care of different points.
Fashion designers are not of a single type. While some designers are associated with the task of creating textiles, others have the task of creating beautiful dresses and accessories out of those textiles.
Thus, it is important for an employer to know about their requirement before they post advertisements like “fashion designer wanted”. This article is written with an aim to help employers as well as designers to choose suitable positions.
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Hiring market for Fashion Designer
The present situation with regards to the job market for fashion designers at work may seem gloomy but the fashion design jobs are expected to grow by 22%. The employment for fashion designers is expected to grow by 3% only in the next year, which is much less than the average growth in different sectors from 2016-2026.
But, growth in other areas related to fashion designing is expected to grow by 4% per annum on an average in the upcoming ten years. When it comes to freelance fashion designers, the competition is quite hard because of the presence of many candidates as compared to the present job opportunities.
But, formal education, an excellent portfolio, and experience and expertise in the area can improve the employment opportunities for fashion designer freelancers. Many companies hire a clothing designer to work on their in-house projects. In addition to this, wholesalers and manufacturers also sell lines of apparel and accessories curated by professional fashion designers.
These days, companies are also looking for freelance fashion design as they don’t have to worry about the training and other aspects of the job. Fashion designer for hire should try to improve their skills and expertise in the field to improve their chances of getting better employment opportunities.
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Top 15 recent job titles for Fashion Designer
If you want to know where to find fashion designers, it is important to know about different titles associated with fashion design services. Following are the recent job titles for fashion designers.
1. Fashion Designer
If you need fashion designer, you can check recent job postings. Fashion designers use their creativity to design new styles of clothing and accessories for their customers. Depending upon the genres different fashion designers can be chosen. The average salary demanded by a fashion designer is $16.12 per hour.
2. Textile Designer
You can also look for freelance apparel designers, who are also called textile designers. Textile designers use CAD software to create designs that can be printed or woven on the fabric. The average salary that textile designers may demand is $23.45 for an hour.
3. Graphic Designer
Most people believe that graphic designers belong to the technical domain. But, this is not the real truth. You can also hire a fashion designer freelance, who can work as a graphic designer. The main work of a graphic designer is to combine hand drawing and CAD technology to create images that can be printed on dresses and garments. The minimum wage demanded by a graphic designer is $17.50 per hour.
4. Creative Director
The creative director has the task of determining the theme, color palette, as well as styling of apparel as per the need of a season. The minimum per annum salary demanded by a creative director is $76,572.
5. Sales Associate
You can also hire a clothes designer who can work as a sales associate. Sales associates need to have fashion sense as they help customers to find the right product as per their taste and preference. The average salary demanded by a sales associate is $10.86 per hour.
6. Merchandiser
You can also hire a clothes designer to work as a merchandiser. The main job of a merchandiser is to ensure that the right products are available in the right stores. You have to pay a minimum wage of $12.67 per hour to a merchandiser.
7. Stylist
Hiring clothing designer can also help you get the benefit of having a stylist. Stylists are responsible for creating outfits and advising various ways for people to wear clothes. You need to offer a minimum wage of $13.43 per hour to hire a stylist.
8. Public Relation Specialist
Good fashion designers can also work as public relation specialist. They work for apparel brands to create a positive public image of the brand. The minimum salary that you need to pay to a public relations specialist is $54,111 per year.
9. Inventory Planner
With the growing trends of online shopping, you can also choose creative fashion designers to work as an inventory planner. The inventory planner has the job of allocating and distributing merchandise to warehouses and stores across the country. The average salary demanded by an inventory planner in the USA is $59,744 per annum.
10. Retail Buyers
Retail buyers are the brain behind which the garments and textiles are sourced and stocked before the upcoming season. Purchasing decision of a company is based on the taste as well as the preference of customers and the task of a retail buyer is to make purchase decisions easier for companies. The average salary demanded by a retail buyer is $82,146 per annum.
11. Fashion Illustrator
Designer labels on purses and logos on shirts are both examples of work done by a fashion illustrator. They work with designers to create conceptual sketches and illustrations of fashion products. The average annual salary demanded by an illustrator in the USA is $61,500 per annum.
12. Personal Stylist
If you own a modelling agency, you can also hire clothing designers who can work as a fashion stylist. The role of a personal stylist appeals to a fashionista and the role requires the candidate to have excellent communication skills and service skills.
13. Garment Technologist
Garment technologist is one of the most innovative job profiles in the fashion world. They have the main task of working on the design and development of new garments. The average wage expected by a garment technologist in the United States is $145,909 per annum.
14. Fashion Writer
Apparel designer can also work as a fashion writer if they have proper writing skills. They can write blogs and articles to influence audiences. The average salary demanded by a fashion writer is $62,000 per annum.
15. Shoe Designer
Shoes are an important accessory. Many fashion designing freelancing people also work as a shoe designer. You need to pay an average salary of $82468 to a shoe designer.
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Qualifications to look for in Fashion Designer
It is not important to get an idea about the fashion designer experience by checking the educational qualification of the candidate. While too many formal education degrees are not needed, try to choose a candidate who has an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree in fashion designing and related fields.
It is also important for the candidate to take classes in tailoring, coloring, sewing, and pattern making. All these skills will enable the candidate to perform his/her designing tasks appropriately. An internship can add a feather to the cap of the candidate.
Fashion designers looking for work should definitely try to complete internships from reputed organizations to get better job opportunities. If you are looking for a clothing designer wanted, try to choose candidates who have completed their fashion designing degree from any of these institutions.
| Colleges/Universities | Location |
| Parsons, The new school for design | New York |
| Fashion Institute of Technology | New York |
| PRATT | Brooklyn |
| Kent State University | Kent, Ohio |
| Academy of Art University | San Francisco |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah |
| Rhode Island School of Design | Providence |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia |
| Otis College of Art and Design | Los Angeles |
| Columbus College of Art and Design | Columbus |
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Skills to look for in Fashion Designer
Fashion designers are nothing without skills. Thus, it is important to sign a fashion designer contact only if you know that the designer is skilled enough to perform the task. Following are some of the major skills that you need to look for in a fashion designer,
- Computer literacy – It is important to choose a candidate who is competent in using software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Microsoft Office.
- Creativity – Fashion designing is a creative task. Before you sign a fashion designer contract, make sure to check if the candidate has traces of creativity or not.
- Artistic ability – A fashion designer needs to have the ability to transform a design from an ideal illustration to a real object. Thus, try to check the artistic ability of a fashion designer before signing any fashion designer contracts.
- Communication skills – Designers have to work within a team. Thus, it is important to check the listening, speaking, and interpersonal skills of the candidate.
- Attention to detail – This trait in a fashion designer enables him/her to understand differences in fabrics and textures.
- Flexibility – A fashion designer should be flexible in their thinking and approach so that they don’t have to face any difficulty in understanding the changing trends in fashion.
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Certifications to look for in Fashion Designer
Before you finalize the freelance fashion designer rates, make sure to check if the candidate has the following certifications or not.
Fashion Illustration certificate by Udemy
Through this course, students will learn,
- To create advanced textures
- Rendering
- Shading
3D Printing for fashion designers by FIT State university
This certification enables students to learn functional prototypes within 6-weeks. The course offers some of the basics like CAD modeling, overcoming design constraints, and understanding design fabrication principles.
Vogue fashion certificate by Conde Nast College
This is a 10-week full-time certification that helps students to get unique insights into the fashion industry. The course is divided into three major segments that include fashion media, fashion marketing, and visual communication related to fashion.
Fashion and textile certification by the Manchester college
For students who want to work in the dynamic and creative world of fashion, and who have an eye for designs, the fashion and textile certification can be a great option to choose from.
Fashion styling fundamentals certificate program
This certification will enable you to learn the fundamentals of fashion within a period of 10-weeks. Students will learn different genres of fashion styling and skills needed for all hands-on-project in the real world.
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Rate per hour of Fashion Designer
It is also important for employers to know freelance fashion designer rates. The median average salary of fashion designers is $73,790 per annum. The lowest 10 percent earns less than $37,260 and the highest 10% earn more than 149,010 per annum.
Fashion designers work more than 50 hours per week to meet production deadlines and prepare fashion shows. Fashion designers who work as freelancers work under a contract and they tend to work for longer hours to meet the deadline given by the client.
The average hourly rate per hour for fashion designers in the USA can vary between $25 to $31 per hour. When it comes to the rate per hour demanded by fashion designers in Europe, they demand an hourly charge of €29 per hour.
If you are thinking about hiring professional fashion designers from Asian regions, you have to pay an average salary of $15 per hour. The salary expected by professional fashion designers can depend on various factors like the education qualification, experience, and expertise of the candidate.
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Top 10 job boards to find best Fashion Designer
If you are worried about how to choose the best fashion designers, you can check the following job boards to get in touch with the best fashion designers.
- Sortfolio – The best part about this job board is that it offers you an opportunity to look for fashion designers as per your choice and budget.
- unremot.com – This is a new platform that can help you in choosing creative and innovative fashion designers with maximum ease.
- Authentic jobs – This job will help you in hiring candidates with a good profile and experience for fashion designing tasks.
- Linkedin – Linkedin is a platform where you can connect with the best candidates for freelance and full-time fashion designing work without paying a single penny.
- Elance – This is a highly active platform where you can find the best candidates in case you need candidates quickly for a project.
- Guru – Guru is a large marketplace that connects employers with people looking for jobs.
- SitePoint Marketplace – This is an active community of buyers and sellers. You can get pre-made fashion designs on this platform by getting in touch with designers.
- Behance – Behance is another platform that offers a meeting place for creative people. You can also check the Behance portfolio of the candidate before hiring them.
- Krop – Krop is a platform that offers opportunities to recruiters as well as people looking for jobs.
- Monster – Monster is the real monster when it comes to the recruitment of fashion designers.
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Top 10 companies hiring Fashion Designer and salaries offered
Following are the list of companies that are hiring fashion designers. You can also get details about the salaries offered by these platforms.
| Company | Salary Offered |
| Daniel J.Edelman Holdings | $160K |
| VF | $138K |
| Ralph Lauren | $137K |
| Estee Lauder | $133K |
| Kraton | $99K |
| J.Crew | $95K |
| Lord & Taylor | $94K |
| GAP | $84K |
| Art Com | $79K |
| Armani Exchange | $83K |
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Top 10 interview questions for Fashion Designer
Following are the top 10 questions that you can ask a fashion designer when you are hiring him/her for a position in your organization.
1. Why did you choose a career in fashion designing?
Rationale: This question helps recruiters to know if the candidate has the passion and zeal for the work he is doing or not.
Sample Answer: My mother was a fashion designer and she introduced me to this field. The vibrant colors and innovative tasks attracted me towards a career in fashion designing.
2. In which area of fashion designing you specialize?
Rationale: This question will enable you to know the area of specialization of the candidate and you can be sure if the candidate is suitable for the job or not.
Sample Answer: I have a specialization in textile designing. I am sure my area of specialization will bring valuable inputs to your organization.
3. How do you handle stress and pressure?
Rationale: Since fashion designing is a stressful task as different deadlines are involved, it is important to know if the candidate is capable enough to handle the stress or not.
Sample Answer: I try to meditate every day. Meditation helps me to handle stress, It also helps me to stay calm so that I can work towards the creative aspect of my job.
4. What motivates you as a fashion designer?
Rationale: This question will enable you to know if the candidate is passionate about the job he/she is looking for or not.
Sample Answer: The way trends change every day and the way people perceive fashion motivates me to work as a fashion designer.
5. Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
Rationale: This question will enable you to know if the candidate can be relied on for the role you are providing.
Sample Answer: I see myself in a senior position in this job. I also want to improve my skills and designing aspect in the upcoming 10 years.
6. What according to you is the best part about being a fashion designer?
Rationale: This question can be directed to get an understanding of the communication and interpersonal skills of a candidate.
Sample Answer: The best part about being a fashion designer is that you get lots of freedom to innovate and experiment with fashion trends.
7. What according to you is the real meaning of fashion?
Rationale: This question can be asked to a beginner level fashion designer who has no prior experience.
Sample Answer: According to my, fashion is all about being comfortable in what you wear, how you look, and how you perceive yourself.
8. What according to you are some of the best skills that are important for fashion designers?
Rationale: This question can help recruiters to know if the candidate is well-equipped with skills or not.
Sample Answer: Some of the major skills that every fashion designer must have include creativity, innovation, handling of software, communication skills, and an eye for detail.
9. How do you state up-to-date about the latest trends?
Rationale: This question will help you to know if the candidate can work as per the demands of the fashion industry.
Sample Answer: I try to watch lots of videos by international fashion houses and I also attend seminars and webinars to keep myself updated about the trends.
10. What is your greatest weakness?
Rationale: This is a behavioral question that can help a recruiter to get details about the personality of the candidate.
Sample Answer: I believe in achieving perfection at every task I do. These delays work sometimes. I think trying to get perfection in everything I do is my greatest weakness.
11. What do you mean by cultural fashion?
Rationale: This is a fashion-industry specific question aimed towards knowing the in-depth knowledge in a candidate.
Sample Answer: Fashion and culture go hand in hand. Thus, cultural fashion is a stream of fashion designing that gets inspiration from cultures and practices all around the world.
12. What is a fashion profile?
Rationale: This is a beginner level question that you can ask an executive-level fashion designer. Answers to this question will help you know if the candidate is well aware of fashion-related terminologies or not.
Sample Answer: A fashion profile is a collection of ideas and samples put together by a fashion designer to show off his/her skills.
13. What requirements do you think are necessary to make a collection successful?
Rationale: This question can be targeted towards fashion designing candidates that you are hiring for senior positions.
Sample Answer: According to me, a proper sense of fashion, trends, and excellent business skills are some of the major requirements to create a successful collection.
15. What computer program do you use in your fashion designing work?
Rationale: This question will enable you to get an idea about the tools and technology used by the candidate to carry out the designing work.
Sample Answer: I use two major tools for designing. These tools include Adobe Illustrator, which is a vector graphics tool. In addition to this, I also use CAD, which is the Computer-Aided Design to create beautiful designs.
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