• fashion
• 10 August 2022

Career areas for fashion design specializations

Because there are so many specializations, there are also many ways to apply them to a career. Fashion designers who focus on a combination of apparel areas may have more options for applying their skills. Here's a list of potential areas of fashion design:

Mass market fashion

This is the area of fashion design for apparel that's available to the public. After designing these pieces in a variety of sizes, they're typically produced in factories and openly marketed to a wide-ranging audience of consumers. Fashion designers in this area might work with a broader market than those who work in more exclusive mediums.

Athletic wear

Fashion designers who work primarily in athletics may collaborate with sports teams or individual athletes. They can create shoes and apparel for players to wear during games or during interviews and events. Materials for athletic outfits may need to be more durable to withstand strenuous activities, comfortable for players to wear and easily washable. Designers might also work closely with advertisers to make brand logos match team colours and draw viewers' attention.

Eco-fashion

Some socially conscious people want clothes that are sustainable, cost-friendly and visually appealing. Designers who create these pieces may work with manufacturers that sell conscientiously produced materials and stores whose values include environmental sustainability. To specialize in this area, it may be helpful to follow environmental movements and news.

Fashion technology

Professionals in this area work with computers to conduct market research, gather information on materials and analyze fashion market trends. Using computers, they can print, market and sell their designs. Examples of specific jobs in this area include illustrators, digital designers and executives. Because of automation, industries like boutiques, jewellers and textile mills have a high demand for fashion designers who specialize in technology.

High-end fashion

Otherwise known as haute couture, this is a more exclusive area of fashion designing for affluent or prominent clients. These clients may prefer handmade, custom pieces that are tailored specifically for them, so designers in this specialization often keep a shortlist of clients whose style preferences, measurements and event schedules they can learn.

Pret-a-porter fashion

"Pret-a-porter" is French for " ready-to-wear," named so because designers of this apparel make it in standardized sizes so that groups of people can wear their designs. Similar to haute couture, pret-a-porter is high quality and fairly exclusive, but it's available to more than just one person. These collections are typically available twice a year at special events.