Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Scheduling Work and Activities Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organisation Communicating with people outside the organisation, representing the organisation to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Selling or Influencing Others Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

The Work

Haute couture Fashion Designers create designs for clothing and/or fashion accessories, that suit, or often predict trends and market demands. They design garments for individual clients and produce seasonal collections that influence the rest of the fashion industry. Some of these designers have their own fashion houses and work with a small team of selected individuals.  
 
Designer ready-to-wear ranges are collections of ready made quality garments that are sold through selected 'up market' shops. They often follow the haute couture trend or create their own styling.  
 
Fashion designers who work in wholesale manufacturing produce designs that are suitable for mass market production. They usually have to incorporate a particular house style or image into their designs. These designs are those seen in most high street shops and mail order catalogues.  
 
Fashion designers work closely with textile designers as they need to be aware of different fabrics. A knowledge of garment structure, pattern cutting and technical processes is also needed, even if the designer is not directly involved in some of these activities.

There are numerous job roles in the fashion industyr including:

• Design
• Trend Forecasting
• Pattern making and garment assembly
• Colour forecasting 
• Costume design

Many fashion designers are self-employed developing unique ranges of fashion items for niche markets.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Direct and coordinate workers involved in drawing and cutting patterns and constructing samples or finished garments.
• Examine sample garments on and off models, modifying designs to achieve desired effects.
• Sketch rough and detailed drawings of apparel or accessories, and write specifications such as color schemes, construction, material types, and accessory requirements.
• Confer with sales and management executives or with clients to discuss design ideas.
• Identify target markets for designs, looking at factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status.
• Attend fashion shows and review garment magasines and manuals to gather information about fashion trends and consumer preferences.
• Select materials and production techniques to be used for products.
• Provide sample garments to agents and sales representatives, and arrange for showings of sample garments at sales meetings or fashion shows.
• Adapt other designers' ideas for the mass market.
• Purchase new or used clothing and accessory items as needed to complete designs.

Further Information

• Fashion Designer - from: N.C.S. [UK]
• Fashion Designer - from: N.C.S. [UK]
• Fashion Designer - from: GradIreland

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Realist

Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

Most fashion designers enter the industry after a degree or diploma in Fashion Design. Most design courses give students the chance to specialise in a selected fashion area, such as menswear or leisurewear.    

3rd level courses are typically 3-4 years. Alternative entry routes are possible for very talented individuals, whether by producing and selling your own work or pursuing an entry level position at a fashion house, such as an apprenticeship, but you will be competing with graduates of Fashion Design courses for these positions.

There are many entry routes into Textile craft design. However, most take formal training courses up to diploma or degree level. 

Training & Development 

FET Centre Traineeship: Customer service, Manufacturing quality, Management, start your own business in centres around Ireland NFQ Level 5-6 Search our FET Coursefinder

FET Centre PLC: Art Portfolio prep Craft, Fashion, Textile Design, Art, creative textiles, NFQ levels 5-6  search our FET PLC coursefinder 

Higher Education CAO Entry:  Applied Art, Design in fashion, Creative fabrics & Interior, Textile design at NFQ levels 7-8 Search our CAO coursefinder 

Applicants for craft and design courses are usually required to submit a portfolio of work via CAO. 

Professional Development & Associations

Developing your craft business increasingly involves skills in Digital media marketing. Building your brand and showcasing your work are key: 

Design & Crafts council Business & Guidance support 

Local Enterprise Offices Business mentoring 

Local Partnership Eneterprise Business development 

Design Skillnet Network CPD and support

Last Updated: July, 2022

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €17k - €41k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
Payscale.com / Indeed.ie / Glassdoor.ie / DEASP

Last Updated: April, 2022

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment grew strongly between 2021 and 2022, with an additional 7,300 persons employed. As illustrated in the CSO Census data below, employment is spread across a number of roles; since 2016, the strongest growth, in absolute terms, was for graphic designers and authors, writers and translators.

New employment permits issued for this occupation in 2022 were primarily for film/TV and animation/visual effects (VFX) roles but also for linguistics experts in the ICT sector. There was also a high volume of recent job hires in line with the recent employment increase. The data does not point to overall issues with recruitment for these roles.

Textile Craft 

This occupation had a negative growth rate, with little change in employment over the five-year period. The share of non-Irish nationals employed in this occupation grew from 17% to 30% between quarter 4 2019 and quarter 4 2020. Most employment was based in industry across a wide range of occupations. Vacancies occurred for spray painters (including aircraft), cabinet makers and upholsterers. The wide range of jobs in this occupational group, the relatively small employment size, combined with little sign of employment growth, means that the outlook is difficult to ascertain.

• Design & Craft Council of Ireland

  • Castle Yard, Kilkenny
  • (056) 77 61804
  • Click Here

• Institute of Designers in Ireland

  • The Digital Hub, Roe Lane, Thomas St., Dublin 8
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• London College of Fashion

  • 20 John Prince's St. London, WIG OBJ
  • +44 (0)20 7514 6000
  • Click Here

• Fashion Design Academy of Ireland

  • [email protected]
  • Click Here