How to Get a Career in Fashion after Education

Are you entertaining the prospect of pursuing a career in fashion once you’ve completed your education? There are a many options available beyond the ones you may expect, such as your usual designers, models, etc. From a possible career in fashion-related finance all the way to discovering a role in something like communications, the opportunities are varied. To the discerning gentleman you might only really know them as your best source for your latest men’s white shirt, but CT Shirts digs really deep into the market their serve to better understand what the customer wants, in this particular instance with a look at what’s out there, with regards to some careers in fashion you might not have readily thought of:

Garment technologist

This role of a garment technologist is a very important one in fashion, largely entailing quality control and investigative work around the materials used to create fashion pieces.

You will be required to have an awareness of the textiles and manufacturing process as well as an interest in the creative work that goes into clothing production. You may be expected of some employers to have a degree in a related topic, like garment technology and production, or you can complete a module around this as part of what is a wider subject. You can also work your way up to this role through apprenticeship schemes and junior roles.

Pattern grader

A pattern grader focuses on the production of scaled-up and scaled-down versions of design patterns, enabling the manufacturers to produce the same patterned piece of clothing in the required different sizes.

You can take the apprenticeship path through college to become a pattern grader, studying subjects such as fashion or textiles, or you can work your way up from assistant or pattern cutter, to grader in a fashion company.

Fashion illustrator

A Fashion illustrator works closely with designers to conceptualise fashion drawings, diagrams and illustrations of fashion products. Additionally, they may produce advertising copy and images for promotional material for online and print media. Sometimes, people in this niche will buy IG followers to help boost their numbers at the start before natural growth comes into play, and knowing all the social media promotion tricks can really help this career.

Fashion illustrators typically have a degree in graphic design or a related subject before they can progress in this career. Requirements include GCSEs and potentially A-levels, or entry may be based on passing a foundation course.

Fashion journalist

A fashion reporter produces written content about the latest in clothing, trends and accessories for a selection of publications.

You can write about the latest news in the fashion sector and approach editors for freelance opportunities having started your own blog, otherwise there are also specialty degrees available, such as the Fashion Communications course which will help you gain more knowledge about the sector and increase your employability.

Fashion accountant

The fashion sector has a range of finance roles available, from retail accountants to accountants in textiles who make sure a budget is adhered to when sourcing materials. Roles like this afford you the opportunity to be involved with designers as well as the garment-making process, while keeping the finances under control.

To get into a finance role you will need to study a financial role at university, such as Economics or Accounting.