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

Footwear designers design new shoe styles or change existing ones. Designers follow changes in colour and dress fashion to ensure that they offer up-to-date styles to the client. They also need to know the anatomy of the foot.  
 
The designer helps to set heel height, colour, material and the last (model of the shoe's shape). They modify the line (or style) by adding or altering markings, punching, lacing and other details. For each line the designer produces about half a dosen possible versions. From these, the production manager and buyers select the ones they think will sell best.  
 
Experienced designers are given the freedom to develop new styles. Such opportunities are more likely to arise in firms producing fashion footwear rather than classic or purely practical footwear. All new designs have to be approved by the management and sales team. Once a design has been accepted, the designer produces sample pairs of shoes to show retail buyers.  
 
For both new versions of existing styles and completely new styles, the designer produces a pair or half-pair of shoes. Starting from a sketch, the designer makes a paper pattern using a last and masking tape. Increasingly, designers design directly onto a computer-aided design (CAD) system. Experienced operatives make up the shoe and after each stage the designer discusses any difficulties with operatives and craftspeople. Usually the designer completes the sample by adding details such as markings. Footwear designers must have a good understanding of the anatomy of the foot and lower leg.

The work may involve:

• working with other designers on styles and trends
• making rough design drawings by hand or using a computer
• researching ideas at fashion shows and events
• making sample shoes to present their ideas
• conducting quality checks and overseeing production.

Footwear designers normally work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Longer hours are likely when preparing samples for buyers or shows. Most designers work in a studio or small workshop. Travelling is often required.

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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

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

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.

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.

Footwear designers work for fashion houses, footwear brands supplying High Street stores, catalogue companies and specialist manufacturers of leisure and sportswear. Getting into footwear design is fiercely competitive and jobs with the major fashion houses are highly sought after. Most footwear designers start their career after gaining a degree or equivalent in fashion, art and design or a related subject. Some fashion degree courses have footwear design options.

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.

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. 

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

Professional Development 

Continuing Professional Development is important to maintain and update skills. A junior footwear designer may be able to progress to senior or head designer. In the retail environment, this increasingly means taking on wider responsibilities for fashion and accessories design. There may be further opportunities in retail buying, sales and marketing, and in footwear manufacturing. Some highly experienced designers may become freelance and work for different fashion houses.

Design & Crafts council Business & Guidance support 

Local Enterprise Offices Business mentoring 

Local Partnership Eneterprise Business development 

Design Skillnet Network CPD and support

Last Updated: November, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €17k - €100k

Salaries vary by project, budget, employer, duties, role, experience, and location

Data Source(s):
Payscale/ Prosperity/ Indeed/ DEASP

Last Updated: March, 2024

* 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).

The five-year annual average employment growth rate was below average for this occupation, although there was an increase of over 2,000 persons employed between 2021 and 2022. As the Census data indicates, there are a large number of roles within this group, with many employing fewer than 1,000 persons. Between 2016 and 2022, employment levels fell for many of these roles.

Despite the decline in employment evident in the Census data, the Skills for Growth data indicates issues with recruitment of upholsterers for both the industry and retail (repair) sectors; upholsterers also appeared in the DSP Jobs Ireland vacancy data (albeit in small numbers), along with spray painters (included in the other skilled trades n.e.c. category). Although demand for many of these trades have declined in recent years, an increased focus on the circular economy may see increased demand, or at least slow the decline for roles such as upholsterers and tailors.

Artistic & media Design 

mployment 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. CSO Census 2016 2022 Graphic designers 6,075 7,400 Actors, entertainers and presenters 5,239 4,772 Authors, writers and translators 2,808 3,944 Photographers, audio-visual, broadcasting equipment operators 3,843 3,885 Artists 2,814 3,546 Arts officers, producers and directors 3,128 3,485 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

• Institute of Designers in Ireland

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

• European Confederation of the Footwear Industry

  • CEC, Rue F.Bossaerts 53, 1030 Brussels, Belgium
  • +32 (0)2 808 4452
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• London College of Fashion

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