Fashion designers produce a wide variety of clothing items and accessories, including clothes, footwear, handbags, scarves, belts, halts, jewelry, and many other items. A successful fashion designer needs to be able to have a terrific sense of what items will be in demand in the future, as it usually takes between a year and a half and two years for a design to go from a sketch to a final product. Therefore, a fashion designer must be able to research trends in order to create a successful design.

Companies hiring fashion designers usually look for candidates with at least and Associate of Bachelors degree in fashion design. Basic coursework that qualified candidates should have studied include textiles, pattern making, sewing and tailoring, color, fashion history, and computer-aided design. Many fashion design students also obtain degrees in business, fashion merchandising, or marketing, which make them even more attractive candidates to potential employers.

Organizations looking for designers will also want to know how much experience the candidate has in the field. Many aspiring designers receive this experience through internships with manufacturing or design firms. These arrangements provide valuable learning experiences for the individual, as they are able to see what exactly fashion designers do when they are on the job. Others may work in retail stores, provide custom tailoring, or work as personal stylists. These positions also help the designer to gain valuable connections in the industry, which may help them during their job search. All of these experiences will help to set the individual apart when they apply for a position as a fashion designer.

Most people that work in fashion do not usually start out as fashion designers. It may be necessary for them to start at a lower position, like a sketching assistant or a pattern maker, and work their way up from there. Designers with a lot of experience can also work their way up to higher-level positions, such as a design department head or a chief designer.