5 ways to get into fashion design

You'll need talent and tenacity to break into the fashion world, as well as qualifications and experience. Discover five routes to becoming a fashion designer

'Being a fashion designer is not a one size fits all career,' explains Carlyn McGuire, senior lecturer in fashion design and fashion product, University of the Arts London (UAL). 'There are many ways to be a designer and it all depends on what you want or where you want to be in the fashion industry.'

1.Fashion design degrees

Undergraduate courses

If you have aspirations to become the next Chanel, Armani, Dior or Versace, a fashion design HND, foundation degree or Bachelors degree is the way to go.

'We don’t all possess every single skill or piece of knowledge that makes us fashion experts, but you can learn what is specific to your career aspirations and goals,' says Carlyn. 'Studying at any level helps you to learn the essential skills and knowledge to support a successful career.'

Employers and design houses prefer candidates with a related undergraduate qualification, in areas such as:

art and design
clothing technology
fashion
fashion buying and merchandising
knitwear
textiles.

University courses provide you with historical and contextual knowledge that other routes may not, and such programmes are usually well connected with industry, meaning they're a great way to network and build contacts.

The BA Fashion at University of the Arts London (UAL): Central Saint Martins (CSM) takes three years to complete full time (or four including a sandwich year).

Students can choose from five main design pathways:

communication
knit
menswear
print
womenswear.

After two years you'll get the chance to do a full-time work placement. You could work with a range of big-name sponsors, such as L'Oreal, Dior, Louis Vuitton and the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum.

Notable alumni of the CSM BA Fashion course include Stella McCartney and Matthew Williamson.

Entry onto the course requires one or more of the following Level 3 qualifications:

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (Levels 3 or 4) and an A-level pass at grade C or above
BTEC Extended Diploma
UAL Extended Diploma
Access to Higher Education Diploma.

You'll also need three passes at GCSE grade 4/C or above.

Discover what you can do with a degree in fashion.

Masters programmes

While a pre-entry postgraduate qualification isn't a requirement to become a fashion designer, an MA in fashion or textile design can improve opportunities, particularly for aspiring designers from other academic backgrounds.

Here are ten institutions that run postgraduate fashion design courses:

To find a relevant Masters degree, search for postgraduate courses in fashion design.

Becoming a fashion designer without a degree

It is possible to get into fashion design without a degree, but entry to the profession without any formal training or qualifications is rare due to its competitive nature.

To do so you’ll usually need a background in fashion and/or significant work experience, which can be backed up by an extensive portfolio.

To increase your chances of entry without a degree:

learn how to pattern cut, sew or knit
develop fashion knowledge and design and sketching skills through self-study e.g. short courses, webinars, workshops
network via social media and attend industry events
build your reputation by volunteering, gaining work experience and participating in regional or national fashion competitions.

2.Fashion apprenticeships

Studying at university isn't your only option when looking to enter the field of fashion design. Apprenticeships are an excellent way of opening doors to creative careers. They're perfect for those seeking an alternative way to gain the necessary qualifications - you'll learn on the job, while earning a wage.

Within the creative industries - especially fashion - networking is essential and fashion apprenticeships allow you to build up industry contacts while actually designing clothes.

Spanning intermediate (Level 2), advanced (Level 3) and higher (Levels 4 and 5) these fashion and textile apprenticeships are equivalent to GCSE, A-levels, and HND/foundation degrees.

You can specialise in:

apparel
footwear
leather goods
saddlery
textiles.

For instance, Fashion Enter, sister company to FashionCapital, provide a number of fashion apprenticeships:

Level 2 Sewing Machinist
Level 2 Textile Care Operative
Level 3 Diploma for Fashion Studio Assistant
Level 3 Pattern Cutter
Level 4 Product Technologist
Level 5 Bespoke Tailoring.

Fashion Retail Academy also offers these pathways.

In the future, there may be opportunities to study a Bachelors or Masters-level qualification while working and earning by completing a fashion design degree apprenticeship.

For more information on salaries and what to expect, see our essential guide to apprenticeships.

If you think this is the route for you, read up on how to apply for an apprenticeship.

3.Fashion internships

Internships are a great way to develop your skills and experience within the fashion industry. They're also a useful way to make contacts and network. Coupled with a degree or apprenticeship qualification, fashion internships will make you an attractive prospect to potential employers.

Take advantage of placement years while at university and any industry connections you make while studying.

Most fashion internships are short term, typically between three months to a year. They're advertised often and filled quickly. Voluntary placements typically last between one and three months.

For work experience and fashion internship opportunities, look to design houses and fashion retailers.

Opportunities at big design houses are often not unadvertised, so keep in touch with what’s happening in the industry by following organisations on social media. Competition for placements with these well-known designer brands is fierce. The speculative approach can be successful. Do some research into the design houses that you'd like to work for and put together a speculative application that outlines what you can do for them.

Fashion retailers also take on interns and work experience students, often in design departments. Look to:

ASOS
Boohoo
H&M
Jules B
Marks & Spencer
New Look
Tu Clothing.

Also consider enquiring about intern positions at fashion start-ups. It's not all about the big labels - new organisations rely on the help of interns and can often provide more learning and development opportunities.

Fashion Workie and Fashion United are great resources for uncovering internship and placement opportunities.

If you're struggling to find specific design experience, try widening the net as any fashion experience will impress on your CV. Consider contacting fashion magazines and blogs for fashion writing work experience.

It's also worth looking into less obvious areas of fashion for placement opportunities, such as the costume departments of film, television and theatre companies. Work experience of this nature is extremely sought after so aim to apply a good six months in advance.

Volunteering

Also, volunteering for fashion-related charities demonstrates your passion for the industry and enables you to gain valuable experience while giving back to the community. Take a look at:

Read more about work experience and internships.

4.Shows and competitions

Getting involved in fashion shows and competitions is another great way to display your designs and the quality of your work. Whether it's a university show or a regional or national event, you'll get the chance to put your clothes out there for the public to admire.

Such events give you the chance to meet like-minded people and get your designs spotted by industry professionals. See if your city hosts its own fashion week (for instance, Liverpool Fashion Week), get involved in London and Graduate Fashion Week and attend the Clothes Show and any other fashion-related exhibitions.

The Graduate Fashion Foundation runs The Young Talent of Tomorrow Design competition, which invites aspiring young fashion designers to create a garment that follows a specific theme with the chance for winners to attend Graduate Fashion Week 2025 and see their piece come to life in digital form.

Presenting your collections at shows and competitions can be stressful. These events require a lot of planning and preparation, and you may need to travel and transport your designs. However, fashion houses are often known to scout out new talent at student fashion shows and competitions, so your hard work and perseverance could pay off.

If there's nothing in your local area, don't be afraid to organise your own fashion show. Use your friends as models and keep your fashion blog and social media updated with all of your goings-on. Creating your own opportunities shows tenacity and drive.

5.Fashion blogs

Blogging and vlogging are popular platforms to showcase your creative talent. If you want to make it in the contemporary fashion world, the most important place to be is online.

Setting up a fashion blog to display your designs or vlogging your fashion journey on YouTube could be a smart career move. Through blogging networks you'll be able to follow other fashion bloggers or vloggers for inspiration and professional support and take part in meetups and events. However, to promote your fashion blog you'll need a wide social media presence.

Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn are useful tools not only when promoting your own work but also for keeping up to date with industry happenings.

Pinterest is also a useful resource for holding all of your creative ideas and inspirations, while fashion networking sites such as Fashion United and Fashion Mingle are great places to make contacts and uncover job opportunities.

'Don't wait for jobs to come up, or people to contact you,' advises Carlyn. 'Get active in searching out opportunities, network and stay connected with other creatives. Believe in yourself, not everyone's journey to a successful fashion career is the same, so try what works for you.'

Find out more

Explore the media and internet sector and discover 5 tips for getting media work experience.
Learn how to get into buying and merchandising.
See what the retail sector has to offer.