Careers

A dressmaker is a person who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gowns. They have to do alterations, sew hems, fix tears, mend zippers and apply buttons.

Fashion journalists write about clothing and accessories for newspapers, magazines and websites. They may attend fashion shows and study designer and celebrity fashion to pinpoint trends. They also may be required to get information by conducting interviews with designers or researching the industry. Their duties and responsibilities include liaising with the newsdesk on assignments for the day and advising the newsdesk and photographers of possible photo opportunities. They submit ideas for features and stories and write them. Fashion journalists also deal with members of the public daily, interviewing them and maintaining positive connections with contacts. They also have to ensure that articles are written up before deadlines.

A career as a jewellery designer enables you to combine your creative talent and business skills with hands-on crafting ability. You could either produce designs for mass production, make jewellery in small numbers or create bespoke pieces commissioned by a client.

A costume designer is someone who designs and tailor the product from the start until the end for a client.

Wig Making is currently a major growth area for the hairdressing sector. Wigmakers typically work in either the theatrical or cosmetic field. Work in the theatrical industry may include making wigs for actors and actresses performing in plays, films or television. Cosmetic wig making can involve making hairpieces for private individuals, hair salons, hair loss treatment centres or other distributors.

A nail technician is a beauty specialist who is responsible for the grooming and appearance of a client's fingernails and toenails. He or she provides manicures, pedicures, nail shaping, cuticle grooming, callus removal, synthetic nail treatments, and the application of nail polish for their clients.

Image consultants help people cultivate a professional or updated appearance. They may work with businesses and/ or individual clients to make changes to their looks, communication skills and behavior. Many consultants specialize in a certain area, such as clothing, social etiquette or public speaking.

Fashion designers understand that clothes are much more than protection from the elements. Clothes can make people feel confident or powerful, they can be comforting, or be an artistic expression - a projection of the image people want the world to see.

Fashion technicians work with a variety of materials including man-made and natural textiles, leather, fur, plastics and metals. they may be responsible for developing fabrics for furnishings, clothing, household items, medical supplies, or textiles for use within the automotive industry.

A beautician is a person whose job is to give people beauty treatment by focusing on their hair-style, makeup, and manicure techniques. Beauticians can choose a specialty or mix-and-match skills from all three areas of cosmetology.

Fashion technicians liaise with design and production staff to create products in response to the designer's brief and specification, which will include sizing, costing and manufacturing processes. this requires specialist knowledge of industrial sowing techniques and machinery, as well as pattern cutting and associated processes. they typically work with clothing and textile manufacturing companies to produce samples, amend designs, dying and printing textiles.

Fashion buyers work for retail fashion and department stores. they visit clothing, shoe and accessory manufacturers and attend trade shows to buy products. Fashion buyers are responsible for bulk orders of the clothes and merchandise in shops. you need to have an eye for what looks good and be good with people as this job involves lots of meetings with suppliers. Fashion buyers generally get to travel a lot and have the advantage of knowing what is going to be big next season, before anyone else gets to know.