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Fashion design assistants help designers to create new materials, styles, colours and patterns for fashion brands and labels.
You could work: evenings / weekends; flexibly
There will be
0.5% more Fashion design assistant jobs in 2027.
In your local area
You could:
You could work in a creative studio or in a workshop.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a foundation degree or higher national diploma in fashion design or fashion and textiles.
You'll usually need:
You could take a college course to learn skills in pattern cutting, computer-aided cutting techniques and design software. Courses include:
A course that teaches both design and technical skills will give you the practical knowledge that employers look for.
You'll usually need:
You could do a fashion studio assistant or garment maker advanced apprenticeship.
You'll usually need:
You can start as a general assistant with a fashion company or retailer and work your way up, taking training and getting qualifications along the way.
There is strong competition for jobs in the fashion industry, so any contacts and experience you can get will help when looking for work. You could get this through internships, work placements or volunteering.
The British Fashion Industry supports initiatives like the National Saturday Club for young people from 13 to 16 looking to get an insight into fashion careers.
You'll need to put together a portfolio of your work to take to course and job interviews. This should include mood boards, designs, drawings and a couple of examples of finished items of clothing you have made.
You can find more details about working in fashion from:the British Fashion Council; the UK Fashion and Textiles Association (UKFT); Discover Creative Careers
With experience you could become a fashion designer, then senior designer or design director. As a design director you could create your own range and manage a design team.
You could also move into freelance design, working on individual projects, or self-employment, creating your own collections.