Source: Occupational Information Network (O*Net Online)

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

• Attend fashion shows and review garment magazines and manuals in order to gather information about fashion trends and consumer preferences.
• Design custom clothing and accessories for individuals, retailers, or theatrical, television, or film productions.
• Draw patterns for articles designed; then cut patterns, and cut material according to patterns, using measuring instruments and scissors.
• Examine sample garments on and off models; then modify designs to achieve desired effects.
• Select materials and production techniques to be used for products.
• Sketch rough and detailed drawings of apparel or accessories, and write specifications such as color schemes, construction, material types, and accessory requirements.
• Adapt other designers' ideas for the mass market.
• Collaborate with other designers to coordinate special products and designs.
• Confer with sales and management executives or with clients in order to discuss design ideas.
• Determine prices for styles.

Knowledge

• Design — Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Fine Arts — Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• 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.

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Skills

• Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Operations Analysis — Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
• Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• 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.
• Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Systems Evaluation — Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
• Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Systems Analysis — Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Abilities

• 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).
• 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.
• Visual Color Discrimination — The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
• Visualization — The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
• Wrist-Finger Speed — The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Work Activities

• Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• 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.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and
• Equipment — Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or
• Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

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.

Work Values

• 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.
• Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Related Occupations

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Architectural Drafters
Art Directors
Floral Designers
Interior Designers
Set Designers
Exhibit Designers
Costume Attendants
Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers

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