Making it in the fashion industry can be hard work. It’s a competitive and cutthroat world and the highest paying jobs often require you to have a college degree and work your way up. They’re also not always the jobs that the average person thinks of when they first think of fashion. Let’s take a look at these jobs, how they work, and what you need to do to get them.
The top 5 highest paying jobs in the fashion industry are:
• Design Director: Average $136,000 a year
• Creative Director: Average $109,000 a year
• Product Manager: Average $106,000 a year
• Sourcing Manager: Average $94,000 a year
• Art Director: Average $74,000 a year
Design Director
Design directors are the leaders of the fashion industry, even if they don’t make the covers of the fashion magazine. Every major fashion line starts off on the desk of the design director. And every major fashion line is led by the design director from start to finish. A design director runs the photoshoots, and marketing campaigns, and creates the design plans.
While many average people can ignore or be only passively aware of fashion trends, design directors don’t have that luxury. If you want to be a design director, you’ll have to actively keep up to date on fashion trends and market demands. This can be hard because the fashion world is changing constantly.
You also need leadership skills. Part of being a design director is directing people. You need people willing to follow you and take your orders as well as the ability to take criticism. A design director who can’t handle criticism is one that won’t get far.
Design directors also need to have creativity and adaptability. Since design directors are the ones who start the process of designing fashion lines, they need a lot of creative skills to design new clothes from scratch. And sometimes, they have to change plans for their designs if trends change or something happens (like a supplier falling through). You also need to be able to design for both adults and kids. After all, kids and teens make up a substantial portion of the market.
While you can get the job with a high school diploma, a bachelor’s degree in fashion or art is preferred. You’ll also need to have some experience in the fashion industry. On average, you’ll make around $136,000 a year.
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Creative Director
The creative director of a fashion house has had their responsibilities change. Before, they were just in charge of designing collections. Now, they often become the face of the brand in addition to designing clothes. It can require a lot of communication and public relations skills. Creative directors need to understand the brand they’re working for. They have to be able to use their creativity to elevate the brand. They need to stay on message while keeping the brand relevant at the same time. You’ll have to do things like organizing photo shoots and working with publications to get the best photos for your line.
You need to be able to be a team player and team leader. Creative directors aren’t one-man shows. Directors have to take input from creative people under them, each with their own ideas and visions. You need the leadership skills to balance all these voices. Sometimes, you will have to say no to the people working under you. Maybe their ideas clash with the focus of the brand or maybe they can’t be implemented for some other reason. You have to be able to let them down gently without alienating them. You will also need the ability to manage clashing personalities. While fashion reality shows can exaggerate the drama, there can still be some drama in the design room when people get their ideas shot down in favor of someone else’s. Fashion attracts a lot of passionate people who want to make their marks and move up in the industry too. While managing.
Creative directors need skills with computer programs, particularly ones that deal with graphic design. You’ll have to do a lot of work with these programs before you start cutting fabric and making the clothes themselves. After all, some fabrics, particularly for high-end brands, are expensive. To cut down on expenses, these design programs help you get your ideas and designs down before the clothes start being made and advertised.
A creative director doesn’t necessarily need a degree in fashion. It can help but what may help more is having experience in the fashion industry. Most creative directors work their way up. Some may work within the company they started in and others will take their experience to other companies. On average, a creative director can expect to make around $109,000 a year.
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Product Manager
A product manager is a person who works with both the creative and business sides of the fashion industry. While the creatives design the fashion lines, a product manager manages the products to make sure they sell.
They run things like quality assurance to make sure the customers get the best product possible. As a product manager, you have to make sure the clothes you’re managing are made of good materials and that they’re in line with current fashion trends. They work closely with everyone involved to make sure the brand is improved by a product rather than harmed by it,
Product managers have to keep up with trends in not just fashion but marketing too. Remember that some classic commercials and ads don’t have the same impact as they once did. They also need to know where to advertise a product. A woman’s footwear ad wouldn’t work too well if advertised during a show aimed at men, for example. Product managers also need to make sure that the marketing team is marketing the product in a way that is appealing to the general public. Many products, clothing or otherwise, get doomed by bad marketing or publicity stunts that backfire. As a product manager, you have to sign off on advertisements submitted by the marketing department and you have to submit your own ideas too.
Product managing can be competitive. You need experience in both fashion and marketing. A degree in marketing can be helpful but many of the big brands will want experience in the fashion industry.
On average, a product manager can make around $106,000 a year.
Sourcing Manager
In order to make a clothing line, you need materials. A sourcing manager’s job is to get the materials. A sourcing manager needs to be a shrewd negotiator. Sourcing managers have to negotiate with suppliers and the people at your company will expect to make a profit from their products so they need you to get good deals. They’ll also need quality materials so you have to make sure you’re getting the best product. Some brands may have certain standards they want to uphold as part of their pitch (such as being anti-child labor for example). As a sourcing manager, you have to make sure your material sources are to your company’s standards.
Sourcing managers also need some expertise in legal agreements. You don’t need a legal degree, but you do need the ability to read and understand a contract’s fine print so you don’t sign something that will harm your employer.
This job may involve some travel. Given how globalized the fashion industry supply chain is, you may have to travel to places the materials are made to inspect the factories and farms your materials are sourced from. Some may see that as a benefit but if you’re not a fan of travel, this job may not be for you.
On average, a sourcing manager can expect to make around $94,000 a year.
Art Director
The art director of a fashion line is a key member of the marketing team. Art directors help design the marketing for a fashion line. Every photoshoot, clothing commercial, and even fashion show has an art director involved in making sure that the product is presented in the best light possible.
Art directors are often responsible for designing layouts for magazines. Often you’ll be working for fashion magazines. You’ll need the ability to work with graphic design and layout programs. Art directors need the ability to work in chaotic and loud environments, Photoshoots can be hectic and directors work on tight deadlines.
Art directors have to work with graphic designers, photographers, and other staff so they need leadership and communication skills. Art directors have a huge amount of responsibility They have to sign off on all these things and the buck often stops with them. So if you want to be an art director, you need to be able to work under pressure and have good judgment.
A degree in fashion or graphic design will be helpful in obtaining this job. On average, you can expect to make around $74,000.
Related Questions
What other degrees can help me get into the fashion industry?
Sometimes, it depends on the job. A business or marketing degree can help get into the fashion world. However, sometimes having a degree in something unrelated can help. If you’re in the trades, for example, you may benefit if you want to design clothes for people in the trades.
What other skills will I need?
A lot of soft skills like communication are necessary for the fashion industry. Perseverance is also a skill you’ll need. The fashion industry is tough and you need to be ready to fight for your position.
Source: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/highest-paying-fashion-jobs
Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.
Meet Shawn Chun: Entrepreneur and Fashion Business Fan.
I’m a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a designer or boutique owner at a craft fair, farmers market, retail location or anywhere else I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to retain clients, find good employees and keep the business growing all while trying to stay competitive.
That’s why I created Fashion Business Boss: I want to help fashion business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.