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How to build a career in fashion
This career guide is designed to help University of Portsmouth students and recent graduates explore job options, key employers, and entry routes into the the Fashion and Textiles industry.
In this guide
Potential Job Roles
Prospects has a useful list of job profiles, each containing relevant information about key responsibilities, skill requirements, starting salaries, entry requirements, career prospects with links to major employers and current graduate vacancies. Some roles include:
Building a Portfolio
A fashion portfolio is a curated collection of creative and technical work that gives visual evidence of a professional's style, design process, and industry capabilities.
Our Portfolio guide gives an overview of how to create and structure a portfolio. Prospects also have a useful guide for Putting together a creative portfolio.
The below resources contain advice for Fashion specific portfolios;
- How to Build a Fashion Design Portfolio for Employment - The British Academy of Fashion Design
- How to Create a Fashion Portfolio - LCCA
- How to Curate a Fashion Portfolio for Your Next Job - London College of Style
Creating an online presence
A social media presence can function in a similar manner to a portfolio, offering employers an insight into your work. Platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and even Facebook can be powerful tools.
- Use hashtags to increase reach
- Network with professionals
- Maintain a professional tone
Please make sure that your Instagram portfolio is different from your personal portfolio. Also, remember that not all employers will have an Instagram account so they might not be able to view your work. Try looking at similar accounts to see what they are using to boost their engagement.
For those looking to work on a freelance basis or found their own fashion brand, having a strong social media presence can help expose you to potential clients and customers.
Gaining Experience
Types of opportunities
Internships are short-term work placements (usually a fixed period between three months to a year). They are generally unpaid, and give you hands-on experience for future employment and applications.
Research your favourite designers for fashion internships. Other areas of fashion design may offer placement opportunities to give you industry experience, such as the costume departments of film, television and theatre companies.
Search for fashion internships at:
Placements are a great way to gain substantial experience, help you to build contacts and gain an understanding of fashion companies.
To learn more about completing a placement, you can contact the Placements team in the Careers and Employability Service.
Search for opportunities through the below sites:
A Self-Employed Placement allows you to work for yourself during your placement year and receive support from the University's Student Startup Team. You will have access to funding opportunities, networking events and workshops.
Our Volunteering Bank provides local opportunities to undertake alongside your studies.
Learn more about our Volunteering Team
Check out the Students' Union and see what relevant volunteering opportunities they have.
Work shadowing is an introduction to many areas of the fashion industry, here you spend time with an experienced professional, learning about what they do.
Use the speculative approach by finding a contact email address or number to call and introduce yourself to a company employee to enquire about work shadowing opportunities.
TargetJobs has a page dedicated to gaining work experience in the fashion industry.
Work experience weeks are a good way to get a feel for how a particular role works and a helpful to find out more about an area of industry you may want to pursue.
FashionWorkie and Fashion United are a great platforms for finding short term work experience.
Where to find work experience opportunities
Some key online platforms include:
Speculative applications
Speculative applications involve sending a CV and cover letter to an employer to ask if they have any vacancies, even if the company is not currently advertising for a role. They're a great way to access "hidden jobs" that go unadvertised.
Submitting a speculative application shows your interest in a specific company and your willingness to go above and beyond to develop your skills and understanding of the industry.
Directly approach designers, fashion magazines and retailers. Alongside the major fashion houses, also consider contacting small companies as they often have a need to recruit flexible and enthusiastic assistants to work on short term projects.
Directories that will help you locate companies to target as part of a speculative approach in the fashion industry include:
For opportunities within Fashion journalism, contact specific fashion magazine publishing houses such as Hearst magazines UK; Condé Nast; EMAP; Haymarket Publishing Ltd; Time Inc. UK to enquire about work experience. Also consider contacting local magazines and lifestyle publications, either independently owned or overseen by larger companies such as NewsQuest as well as the free, consumer sector of magazines that are available.
Finding a Graduate Job
Employers that recruit in the fashion sector
- High street retail outlets
- Supermarket clothing labels
- Couture designers
- Film/TV costume designers
- Magazines (fashion journalism)
- Fashion houses
- Online Retailers & E-commerce
Are you looking for a role in Hampshire? Our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy can help!
If you're in the final year of your degree, you can register for support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy. They work with over 3,000 employers in the local area to place our students into fantastic graduate careers.
Working for yourself
Got an idea you'd like to turn into something bigger?
Whether you're planning a business, side hustle or freelance career, our Student StartUp team can help you build your confidence and develop your plans. Access expert guidance, funding opportunities, workshops and workspace designed to help you move your idea forward.
Keeping up to date
Fashion United
Covers all the latest fashion news and daily headlines offering a comprehensive industry overview. Search the dedicated fashion jobs career centre, for current job postings.
Fashionista
Offers latest Fashion Industry news, Designers, runway shows, and style advice website could help you identify companies who are currently working on new projects and therefore may be looking to recruit additional staff. You could send a speculative enquiry about possible forthcoming opportunities.
Fashion Capital
Comprehensive fashion portal providing the latest fashion industry news, includes daily reviews, designer interviews and trend reports for the UK. Also contains job profiles and advice on start-ups.
Drapers
Provides the latest fashion and retail news and trends. Website offers careers advice which includes employer profiles ‘How I got here’ the early careers of the fashion industry giants.
Explore more from Careers & Employability
Portfolio guide
Our advice on creating a strong portfolio that will help you stand out from the crowd.
Creative and alternative CVs
Learn how to use alternative CV formats to help you stand out from the crowd in creative industries.
Building work experience
Get hands-on industry experience and showcase your knowledge before you graduate!
Graduate job search guide
Learn about the types of roles you will encounter, and how to search for roles.
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