Fashion Design

Design original clothing, accessories, or footwear. Fashion designers sketch their design ideas, spot clothing trends, and select styles, colors, and fabrics for a clothing collection. 

Study Abroad: Paris 

The study abroad program takes place for two weeks in June and focuses on the luxury fashion industry. For information, contact Marine.Aghekyan@csulb.edu.

Study Abroad: Italy 

The study abroad program takes place for two weeks in January and focuses on the manufacturing and retailing fashion in Italy. For information, contact Marine.Aghekyan@csulb.edu.

  • Apparel designer
  • Manufacturer’s representative
  • Pattern maker
  • Textiles testing & evaluation specialist
  • Fashion product developer
  • Costumer

  • Manufacturing companies
  • Textile companies
  • Theater and dance organizations
  • Design firms
  • Approximately 25% of people in the fashion industry are self-employed

Outlook

Employment of fashion designers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2023 to 2033, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Median annual wage

  • Fashion/Apparel Designer: $79,290 US
  • Pattern maker: $70,600 CA
  • Costume designer: $70,390 CA
  • Fashion illustrator: $114,000 CA
  • Fashion product developer: $94,000 CA

Other jobs:

  • Technical designer
  • Textile designer
  • Fashion stylist
  • Textiles testing & evaluation specialist
  • Fashion Entrepreneur
  • Manufacturer’s representative
  • Production manager

Fashion designers are passionate about fashion, highly creative, and require technical abilities to bring their visions to life. 

Artistic ability

Fashion designers illustrate their design concepts. They create designs that are unique, stylish, and functional for everyday life. 

Detail-oriented

Fashion designers should have an eye for what is aesthetically pleasing. They pay close attention to detail and can find subtle changes that improve the design. 

Communication skills

Fashion designers must be able to communicate their vision with a team of people. They must also be able to clearly give instructions on design construction. 

Computer skills

Fashion designers utilize technology to design. They must be comfortable using graphic editing software and computer-aided design (CAD) programs.