What Jobs can you get with a Fashion Degree? – Job Description And Resume Examples

This post provides detailed information on some of the best jobs you can get with a fashion degree, including the duties they commonly perform.

Are you interested in the fashion industry and need an answer to the question, “What jobs can you get with a fashion degree?” so as to be able to take the right decision on whether to take the course or not?

If so, then this post is what you need.

You will discover the various career jobs and career options that you can get into after graduating with a fashion degree, as well as the salary to expect.

Read on…but first:

Why a Degree in Fashion?

Since time immemorial, man has always had an undefined obligation to stay dressed and to do so with style.

Clothing has gone from being mere covering against the weather to becoming items of adornment and objects of expressing personal style.

Outfits also serve as a mark of cultural, organizational, and social identity depicting membership of a particular group.

Fashion as the course towards which social inclinations gravitate has remained ever changing and dynamic yet consistent in reflecting personal, social, and professional standards.

From an individual’s outfit and general sense of dressing, you can make quick deductions as to the social status, profession, religion and even less obvious facts such as the activity and directional course of the wearer.

Fashion plays a vital role in providing man with items of personal satisfaction such that increases confidence and boosts self-esteem.

Such is the importance of fashion which is estimated to be worth as much as 2% of the world’s economy (above $1.3m USD).

Although some largely consider the fashion industry to be bereft of moral values and thus a prime factor contributing to social decay, it is pertinent to note that the world of fashion encompasses a myriad of career paths and is in its own right a job field.

The fashion industry consists of fashion designers, jewelry designers, fashion editors, photographers, models and costume designers to mention but a few.

The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates fashion designers to earn an average salary of $63,670 annually. Their job growth rate is pegged at 3% implying a highly competitive job market.

What can you do with a Fashion Associate Degree?

Obtaining an Associate’s degree in a fashion discipline such as fashion design can help set one on a path to a fashion career.

An Associate’s degree in fashion helps provide a general understanding of fashion designing.

Along with an interest in fashion and an eye for details, Associate’s degree fashion majors can secure jobs as:

Textile Designer: They specialize in the creation of patterns and designs during the production, weaving/printing of fabrics and textile materials. They identify the need of a client/market and then develop creative patterns and sketches which they incorporate in textile manufacture. They also select appropriate fabrics for a design and keep up with fashion trends.
Jewelry Designer: They specialize in the design and fabrication of decorative artifacts. They work on clients’ specification to sketch and produce prototypes for an ornament which can further be mass produced. They utilize precious stones in the forging of metallic jewelry. They can also engage in various crafting processes such as casting, polishing, electroplating etc.
Visual Merchandiser: Their duties involve the developing and implementation of product display strategies to promote brands in a store, online platforms or catalogs. They create a captivating exhibition of fashion items such as shoes, dresses, and watches in a way that entices a customer to make a purchase. They liaise with design teams to create a display concept, assemble/disassemble display frames in stores, as well as direct the layout and visual concepts of product.

What can you do with a Fashion Bachelor’s Degree?

Going for a Bachelor’s degree in fashion is not a strict requirement for a career in the fashion field but it goes a long way in providing better knowledge of necessary communication, designing and writing skills needed for the job.

With notable creative qualities and a baccalaureate in fashion, graduates are well on their way to securing job positions as:

Fashion Designer: They specialize in the creation and conceptualization of clothing designs. They create hand drawn or computer aided sketches/designs and then work with a design team to produce an outfit. They supervise production, make choice selection of fabric/embellishments and liaise with sales team to determine the price and target market for a product.
Magazine Journalist: Their duties involve carrying out interviews and research on fashion trends and creating a visual and written document that captures current happenings in the fashion industry. They ensure the accuracy and validity of a report, obtain images that boost readership and create an interesting content that promotes patronage of a fashion publication.
Public Relations Officer: They are responsible for the promotion of a brand through the use of media and advertisement channels. They work to increase sales of a product by painting a glamorous picture in the minds of the public employing effective advertisement strategy. They manage the image of an organization and its product to ensure that the public outlook of a product favors sales.
Retail Buyer: They specialize in sourcing new fashion items for sale in retail outlets. They procure commodities that satisfy the needs of the consumer. They can also promote the sales of a particular brand as well as maintain supplier and consumer relationship.
Costume Designer: Their duties involve managing the outfits and appearance of movie actors and music artistes during a video shoot. They are responsible for the visual outlook of popular figures thus they create clothing most appropriate for a scene and guide the style with which it is worn.

What can you do with a Fashion Master’s or Doctorate Degree?

The fashion industry is a very dynamic domain that requires lots of creative acumen and experience as opposed to advanced formal education in order to have a successful career.

Nevertheless, with a streak of creativity and an advanced degree (Master’s/Doctorate) in fashion, you are better positioned for jobs as:

Retail Manager: They oversee the daily operations in a fashion store by supervising employee activities, motivating sales team and analyzing sales statistics to take appropriate decision that ensure maximization of profits. See detailed retail store manager job description.
Fashion Editor: They supervise the writing and publishing of a fashion magazines, articles or catalogs. They guide the editorial and graphics team to ensure message projected has the right tone and effect.