Trendsetters Wanted: 7 Top Jobs For Fashion Lovers

If you’re a fan of fashion – wearing it, creating it, talking about it – but you think that a career in fashion will only ever be a dream, think again. There are plenty of jobs in the world of fashion, from modelling, to writing about the latest trends, or even designing them yourself.

Here are our top seven jobs for fashion lovers.

Fashion Buyer

On a basic level, a fashion buyer decides which fashion items to stock in a shop. However, there’s a lot more to the job than just that, for instance:

• staying up to date with fashion trends, the latest ranges, and the newest designers
• attending trade and fashion events
• communicating with fashion designers and stylists
• working with suppliers
• planning seasonal concepts with store managers

As a fashion buyer, you’ll have a keen eye for fashion trends and what the customers want.

While there are no set qualifications to work as a fashion buyer in the UK, having A levels and/or a degree in relevant topics like marketing, fashion design, or retail business management will be to your advantage. Alternatively, you could apply for an apprenticeship. The situation is similar in the US. Employers expect a minimum of a high school diploma but having a relevant degree will open up more opportunities to you.

The salary range in the UK for a fashion buyer starts at around £24,000 and can reach £80,000. In the US, a typical salary range is $30,000 to $100,000.

Visual Merchandise

A visual merchandiser plays a key role in a fashion store by creating window displays and shop layouts that appeal to customers and persuade them to buy. It’s both a big picture and eye-for-detail role, from envisioning how the entire store works as a customer experience, the transition from one display to the next, and deciding how each mannequin will be dressed.

Many visual merchandisers start as retail sales staff and work their way up to the role, perhaps gaining qualifications on the way. Relevant qualifications for this role include fashion design, fashion retail, and visual merchandising.

A typical salary range for a visual merchandiser in the UK is £19,000 to £45,000. In the US, the salary range is $30,000 to $80,000.

Fashion Designer

If you have an eye for trends, art and design skills, and an individual sense of style, the role of fashion designer may be an excellent fit. When you think of fashion designer brands, it’s probably the big names that come to mind, like Versace, Gucci, or Alexander McQueen, but fashion designers often work with high street fashion stores like Next, Marks and Spencer’s, and Asos. You might also work with individual clients.

To work as a fashion designer in the UK, you’ll generally need a degree or higher national diploma in relevant subjects like fashion design, fashion business, or textile design. In the US, most fashion designers have a relevant bachelor’s degree.

The UK salary range for a fashion designer is typically £20,000 to £45,000. In the US, a fashion designer can generally earn from $47,000 to $85,000.

Fashion Retail Worker

If you like to be around fashion items, and have great communication skills and sales experience, you’re well suited to the role of fashion retail worker. Your main duties will focus on delivering great customer service, but you’ll also be expected to restock shelves and make sure the shop is tidy. While a retail role may seem like an entry-level job, it’s a brilliant way to break into the fashion industry.

The necessary qualifications to work in fashion retail in the UK and US vary depending on the employer and the seniority of the job. Some businesses may only ask that you have good maths skills, while other employers may prefer relevant vocational training or degrees.

A typical salary range in the UK for a fashion retail worker is £22,000 to £43,000. In the US, that salary range is $25,000 to $48,000.

Stylist

If you enjoy putting together fashionable outfits, this may be the role for you. Stylists work with individuals, celebrities, models, and brands to create on-trend looks. They choose clothing, accessories, and hairstyles to express a client’s personality, promote a new fashion line, or create a particular aesthetic. You might find a stylist working behind the scenes at a fashion show, dressing a celebrity for a film premiere, or styling models for an e-commerce site.

While there are no set qualifications to work as a stylist in the UK and US, vocational courses and degrees in relevant subjects like fashion design, fashion merchandising, or fashion retail will always be to your advantage.

A typical UK salary range for a stylist is £18,000 to £40,000. In the US, that salary range is $28,000 to $80,000.

Model

If you’ve ever watched the Next Top Model TV programmes, you’ll already have an idea of what it takes to be a model. Fashion models are the faces of brands and designers. They showcase clothing, footwear, and accessories in photoshoots, runway shows, and advertisements. Many models have gone on to launch their own fashion and beauty brands.

There are no formal qualifications to work as a model in the UK or US, but you’ll generally need a portfolio of photographs.

A typical salary range for a model in the UK is £25,000 to £50,000. In the US, that salary range is $36,000 to $100,000.

You can find more information about modelling in the UK from BFMA or in the US from MAAI.

Fashion Journalist

If you want to combine reporting and writing skills with your love for fashion, how about working as a fashion journalist? Fashion journalists write about the latest trends, designers, and industry news. They work for magazines, websites, or news outlets, providing insights into what’s up and coming in the world of fashion, reviews of fashion ranges and shows, and interviews of fashion celebs, models, and designers.

To work as a fashion journalist in the UK, qualifications vary depending on the publications you write for. Generally, journalistic training and/or a relevant degree will be expected. In the US, you’ll usually need a relevant degree. One other option in the UK is a journalism apprenticeship.

The salary range for a UK fashion journalist is £18,000 to £54,000. In the US, that salary range is $26,000 to $88,000.

Wrapping it up

The fashion industry is immense. From the initial creative spark of designing clothes, styling those items on a model, to selling them to customers, there’s a multitude of roles to consider. If fashion is your passion, there’s sure to be a job that’s just right for you.