Fashion designers held about 23,100 jobs in 2014. The industries that employed the most fashion designers were as follows:
Apparel, piece goods, and notions merchant wholesalers
32%
Apparel manufacturing
13
Management of companies and enterprises
10
Specialized design services
6
More fashion designers work for wholesalers or manufacturers than in any other industries. These wholesalers and manufacturers sell lines of apparel and accessories to retailers or other marketers for distribution to individual stores, catalog companies, or online retailers. Many establishments employ in-house designers. Although the brands may be familiar to many consumers, the individual designers are largely unknown.
About 1 in 4 fashion designers were self-employed in 2014. They typically design high-fashion garments and one-of-a-kind apparel on an individualized or custom basis. Self-employed fashion designers who are able to set up their own independent clothing lines often already have experience and a strong understanding of the industry. In some cases, a self-employed fashion designer may have a clothing line that bears his or her name.
Most designers travel several times a year to trade and fashion shows to learn about the latest fashion trends. Designers also sometimes travel to other countries to meet suppliers of materials and manufacturers who produce the final products.
Most fashion designers work in New York and California.
Work Schedules
Most fashion designers work full time. Occasionally, fashion designers work many hours to meet production deadlines or prepare for fashion shows. Designers who freelance generally work under a contract and tend to work longer hours and adjust their workday to their clients' schedules and deadlines.