The world/life of a fashion designer can be closed-off and mysterious. Ever protective of their seemingly luxurious livelihood, fashion designers don’t readily share the details of their careers (how to get started, how to build a solid portfolio, etc.), much less about salaries in the field.
Salary transparency continues to be an ongoing issue. There’s a lot of secrecy around actual dollar amounts; but, to decide if it’s a worthwhile career, salary transparency should be mandatory.
When I first ventured into the industry as an intern at one of the largest retailers in the US, I was curious about the salary designers made. I decided to be direct about my inquiry, asking one of the designers there how much she earned. Apparently, this was a taboo topic; her discomfort was visible (picture blushed cheeks and an attempt to side-step the question). But she answered – and that answer was what I needed to
(i) help decide if the industry was worth it for me (it was!);
(ii) put me in a better position to negotiate with the HR Department, and
(iii) helped to ensure that the offer I received was fair and in line with others doing similar tasks. No dream is big enough to permanently sacrifice a decent livelihood.
The entry-level salary she mentioned was $40,000 per year in 2009. I should note that I targeted this company because they were known to offer a higher starting salary than other more prestigious, higher-end companies in the fashion/apparel industry. With that in mind, a higher-end company in a bigger city might offer about $5,000-$8,000 less (and with a higher cost of living). Since I was completing a Master’s Degree, I was able to negotiate for $4,000 above that entry-level benchmark (a horrible ROI considering my Master’s Degree cost about $100K).
The mid-level of a fashion design career is wide; and so is the salary range. At this level, you’re looking at anything above the entry level salary to about $80,000 or there about. Senior level can easily command $100k+. And Managerial, Director and C-Suite Levels can easily be in the multi-six-figure range.
Of course, the caveat to this is the size of the company you work for. Larger companies typically pay higher salaries; with smaller companies potentially offering 25% or so less. And, of course, the location of the company will also play a role in determining salaries. Bigger cities with a higher cost of living typically command higher salaries. But your smaller salary could go further in a smaller city with a lower cost of living.
Ultimately, we’re here to shed some light on this mysterious fashion industry. The more you know, the more you can determine if this industry is truly the right fit for you. And, if it is, how you will go about getting your foot (better yet, feet) in the door.
