Many people with a passion for fashion decide against a career in the industry, thinking that it can be challenging to break into and pays next to nothing. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. So, what are the highest-paying jobs in the fashion industry?
The highest-paying jobs in the fashion industry include designers, curators at high-end fashion companies, and fashion influencers and bloggers that earn their wages through brand deals and creator schemes. You can even pursue a career as a runway model.
There’s no end to the opportunities in fashion if you’re passionate about your work. Whether you’re a recent fashion school graduate or have a keen interest, there’s something out there for you. In no particular order, this article will highlight the highest-paying jobs available in the fashion industry right now.
1. Fashion Designer
- Salary: $23 per hour.
- Workload: 100% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 13 fashion designer jobs are available on
Fashion designers are the most creative people in the fashion world. The vision starts with them. From sketching ideas to picking textiles and materials to work with, a designer is the heart and soul of the fashion industry.
Beginner designers may work for another designer to help form ideas, while the best will have their own fashion labels.
To be a designer, you should be creative and a visionary. Many people can design stunning clothing, so you must be willing to think outside the box and come up with ideas that nobody has thought of before. This will set you apart from the rest and get you into those high-paying fashion positions.
Requirements for a Career in Fashion Design
- A bachelor’s degree in fashion or art is helpful. However, it isn’t a requirement to break into the industry if you are talented.
- Artistic ability and creative vision. This job is for you if you sketch out dresses in your spare time and are fascinated with other designers’ work.
- An obsession with fashion is essential. You look at runways and think about what you would do differently. Or you dream of dressing a celebrity at the MET Gala.
2. Fashion Curator
- Average Salary: ranges from $14,860 to $396,665.
- Workload: 100% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 15 fashion curator jobs are available on
When you see a fashion collection, remember that it’s someone’s job to make that collection happen. This can range from collections on online websites to exhibitions at museums and galleries. Fashion is an art that needs to be curated just like any painting or sculpture. Therefore, curation can be gratifying for people fascinated by other people’s fashion.
To be a curator, you’ll need a keen eye for fashion. You should be able to see themes and links between designs that nobody else can and be able to tell a story with the garments.
Curation jobs will start with online retailers and categorization, with the highest-paying jobs for the world’s top fashion exhibits. If you work at an exhibition, you will be responsible for handling the garments on display.
Requirements for a Career in Curation
- People who work in museum curation have at least a bachelor’s Degree. History, archaeology, and art history degrees are beneficial when applying for a curator position.
- Online curators can be more flexible. Some brands will require a degree, but others will appreciate a sharp eye for fashion.
- You must have an enthusiasm for clothes. Whether responsible for a brand’s advertising or the maintenance of historical pieces, you need to care a lot for the garments.
3. Fashion Buyer
- Average Salary: $89,645 per year.
- Workload: 100% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 4 fashion buyer jobs are available on
You don’t hear much about buyers in the fashion industry, but the show wouldn’t run without them. Buyers are responsible for ordering new stock, which is more complicated than it sounds. You have to be on the ball with current trends and know what your customers will want, or you’ll be left with a lot of unsold stock.
This job can be exciting and well-paying if you land the proper position. Working with big department stores in your city can be fulfilling if you love studying fashion trends.
Careers in this industry may start as assistants to buyers or in retail positions. But if you work hard, you can become the boss and earn big.
Requirements for a Career in Buying
- A degree in a fashion or art subject is preferable. These can be in fashion design or fashion business. A regular business degree would also be beneficial.
- Hands-on experience in the fashion industry. You don’t need a degree if you can work your way to the top. Employers may prefer an impressive resume over a degree.
- An enthusiasm for trends and sales. This can be a high-stakes job, so patience and a positive attitude are essential.
4. Brand Manager
- Average Salary: $107,125 per year.
- Workload: 93% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 364 brand manager jobs are available on
Brand managing is the ultimate goal for anyone considering a career in fashion retail. The brand manager of a successful company is generally paid a lot, and for a good reason. A brand manager is the face of the company, and the buck stops with them.
It can be stressful but rewarding work. You’ll be responsible for a staff of people and have an important image to maintain.
As a brand manager, you’ll oversee the entire company. You have the final say on every decision and complete control over the company’s image.
You can work up to this position by moving up the company or starting your own company from scratch. Either way, it’s a lot of work with a hefty reward. If you think you have what it takes, this career is one of the most rewarding in the industry.
Requirements for a Career in Brand Managing
- A degree in business is preferred. Whether you’re hoping to be hired or run your own company, the more you know about finance, the better.
- Lots of experience in the field. The longer you have worked in the industry, the more expertise and authority you will gain.
- Excellent leadership skills are a must. You will be responsible for a team of people, so you need to be a confident leader.
5. Magazine Editor
- Average Salary: $67,452 per year.
- Workload: 100% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 10 magazine editor jobs are available on
You may prefer a career reporting on fashion instead of creating it. As a magazine editor, you get to assign people articles for your magazine, read and edit them, and curate a publication to go out regularly. This is an excellent job for people who are always eyeing the red carpet and love discussing the latest trends.
Jobs as an editor start small but can take you to unique places. Starter careers involve having your own fashion section to edit in a local paper or magazine.
The best-paying jobs will see you as the editor-in-chief of popular fashion magazines. Whatever path you take, editors have plenty of opportunities to be well-paid for doing the job they love.
Requirements for a Career in Magazine Editing
- A degree in journalism is preferable. It may not be required in more minor roles, but you’ll need the degree to get hired for the best positions.
- Lots of experience as a journalist or assistant for a similar publication. Alternatively, you can work your way to the top of one publication.
- An excellent grasp of your native language and great people skills. You’ll need to know how to direct people and spot their errors.
6. Fashion Journalist
- Average Salary: $56,588 per year.
- Workload: 100% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 5 fashion journalist jobs are available on
This job is similar to that of an editor, but you’ll write the articles. As a fashion journalist, you could write round-ups of the best new trends or interview celebrities on red carpets about their outfits. This career can take you as far as you want and is highly lucrative if you reach the top.
A career in fashion journalism will come easily to anyone with an obsession with fashion and a confident personality. You’ll always be looking for new trends to talk about and the latest in celebrity fashion. If you already find yourself discussing the latest trends with anyone that will listen, why not make a career out of it?
Requirements for a Career in Fashion Journalism
- A degree in journalism or language is advantageous. The level of education depends on the job description, but the best-paid jobs will come with a bachelor’s degree.
- Higher-paying jobs will require a few years of experience in journalism. If you’re good at what you do, you’ll work your way up in no time.
- You’ll need an excellent grasp of your native language. The best journalists are excellent writers and need little help from their editors.
7. Social Media Influencer
- Average Salary: you earn a commission when you promote sponsored content to your audience.
If school isn’t for you, don’t let it put you off a high-paying career in the fashion industry. Social media influencers get all the perks of the fashion reporter without needing a degree. All you need is to cultivate an engaging social media presence, and you’re set.
Social media influencers in the fashion industry might use their chosen platforms to discuss runway fashion or celebrity red carpets or work with more accessible brands to try their clothes and style them. You’ll earn money by partnering with brands and through creator schemes on your platform, so there’s no limit to where this could take you.
Requirements for a Career in Social Media
- An engaging social media presence. You should have at least a couple thousand followers, but what matters is how they engage, not the number.
- A passion for all things fashion. You’ll be talking about fashion 24/7 to keep your audience engaged, so you must love it.
- A bit of business savvy. Many people will want to work with you, and you’ll have to manage this alongside your platforms.
8. Fashion Blogger
- Average Salary: No guaranteed remuneration.
- Workload: 100% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 14 fashion blogger jobs are available on
Fashion bloggers are similar to social media influencers, but you’ll have your own website instead of using social media. It may seem like blogging isn’t trendy anymore, but thousands of people look to fashion websites for inspiration, which means you won’t be struggling for readers.
Blogging can make you money in several different ways. For example, you can become an influencer, where brands pay you to work with them and promote them on your site, which can be highly lucrative if you get a lot of pageviews.
You can also run ads on your site and use affiliate links to earn a commission. Additionally, you can start your own fashion line someday! The most successful fashion bloggers collaborate with brands to create their own products.
Requirements for a Career in Fashion Blogging
- You’ll need an engaging blog that is regularly updated. The key to blogging in the 2020s is to keep the same people coming back for more. Therefore, you’ll need a content strategy, good time management skills to stay consistent, and lots of patience.
- You’ll need promotion and SEO skills. You’ll need people to find your blog, so an understanding of SEO and marketing is necessary.
- An understanding of licensing and legal issues. Monetizing a blog can come with legal issues, so you must be up-to-date with any possible concerns.
9. Runway Model
- Average Salary: between $34,430 to $87,504 per year.
- Workload: 100% of positions are full-time.
- Low Demand: 8 runway model jobs are available on
Another excellent high-paying position for people who love fashion is modeling. Models get to wear the latest trends on the catwalk at fashion shows and often get access to the best fashion before it has launched. So, if you love being the center of attention almost as much as you love fashion, this could be the career for you.
In the past, you had to look a specific way to become a runway model, but thankfully this is no longer the case. The fashion world is constantly changing, and now anybody can become a model, regardless of their body shape, size, or ability.
A modeling career can start at a slow rate in mall fashion shows and other small events, but if you work your way to the top, it can be an extremely well-paying career choice.
Requirements for a Career in Runway Modelling
- Experience in the world of fashion. No formal education is required to become a model, but the best-paying jobs in the modeling industry will require a lot of experience in the field.
- You must be a very disciplined individual. Modeling can be more complicated than it looks, with extended hours and lots of travel. And you must be dedicated to your craft.
- You must be comfortable in front of a camera. Models spend a lot of time being photographed. Therefore, you must be comfortable, confident, and photogenic to succeed as a model.
Sources
- London College of Contemporary Arts UK: What Does a Fashion Buyer Do?
- Robert Geller NY: The Fashion Curator: A Guide to Careers in Fashion Museums and Galleries
- Career Explorer: What does a fashion designer do?
- Better Team: Brand Manager Job Description
- Better Team: Editor Job Description
- NCESC.com: Journalist Job Description
- College Grad: Models
- Style Craze: 15 Best Fashion Bloggers You Should Follow This Year