Description:
Design clothing and accessories. Create original garments or design garments that follow well established fashion trends. May develop the line of color and kinds of materials.
Tasks
- Direct and coordinate workers involved in drawing and cutting patterns and constructing samples or finished garments.
- Examine sample garments on and off models; then modify 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 in order 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 magazines and manuals in order 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.
Knowledge
- Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
- English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
- Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Fine Arts
- Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
- Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Skills
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Abilities
- Oral Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension
- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Originality
- The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Fluency of Ideas
- The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
- Written Comprehension
- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Deductive Reasoning
- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Inductive Reasoning
- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Problem Sensitivity
- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Speech Recognition
- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Near Vision
- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, 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 Organization
- Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization 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
- Analyzing 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.
Work Context
- Contact With Others
- How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
- Structured versus Unstructured Work
- To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
- Electronic Mail
- How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
- Letters and Memos
- How often does the job require written letters and memos?
- Spend Time Sitting
- How much does this job require sitting?
- Time Pressure
- How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
- Work With Work Group or Team
- How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Interests
- Artistic
- Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
- Enterprising
- Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Realistic
- Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Social
- Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Investigative
- Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Conventional
- Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Style
- Attention to Detail
- Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Innovation
- Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
- Dependability
- Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Initiative
- Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Achievement/Effort
- Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Independence
- Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Stress Tolerance
- Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
- Leadership
- Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
- Cooperation
- Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Work Value
- Achievement
- Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Working Conditions
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
- Independence
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Recognition
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
- Relationships
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
- Support
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Related Occupations
- Landscape Architects
- Architectural Drafters
- Art Directors
- Commercial and Industrial Designers
- Floral Designers
- Interior Designers
- Costume Attendants
- Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers
Common Lay Titles
- Apparel Designer
- Apparel Fashion Designer
- Athletic Shoe Designer
- Clothes Designer
- Clothing Designer
- Copyist
- Costume Designer
- Costume Director
- Custom Furrier
- Dance Costume Designer
- Design Director
- Designer
- Dress Designer
- Fashion Adviser
- Fashion Consultant
- Fashion Designer
- Fashion Director
- Fashion Illustrator
- Fashion Supervisor
- Fur Designer
- Fur Finisher Tailor
- Fur Remodeler
- Fur Stylist
- Fur Tailor
- Furrier Designer
- Hat Designer
- Historic Clothing and Costume Maker
- Image Consultant
- Latex Fashions Designer
- Men's Designer
- Merchandising Director
- Pattern Designer
- Product Developer
- Shoe Designer
- Style Advisor
- Stylist
- Sweater Designer
- Uniform Designer
- Wardrobe Image Consultant