The fashion portfolio examples below have verifiably landed paying work – either a new freelance client or a fashion design job.

12 Fashion Design Portfolio Examples

1. Circular Denim Fashion Design Portfolio

This portfolio is by Jacqueline Schumann, a freelance fashion designer specializing in circular denim design.

Here’s why Jacqueline’s portfolio works so well:

• Strong Niche: Her focus on circular denim design is clear, making it easy for like-minded brands to connect with her work.
• Design Studies: These scans provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse into her creative process, illustrating the journey from initial concept to final design.
• Use of Denim Swatches: By incorporating denim swatches, her portfolio has a tactile, textured quality that makes her work feel more hands-on.

You can view more of Jacqueline’s work on her website.

2. Kidswear Fashion & Textile Design Portfolio

This portfolio is by Andressa Iop, a freelance kidswear apparel and textile designer.

Here’s why Andressa’s portfolio works so well:

• Short, Impactful Bio: Her cover page includes a quick bio that highlights her experience and niche, making her expertise clear in just one sentence. Bonus points for featuring Vogue press coverage that adds instant credibility!
• Process Portfolio: She shows a process portfolio, from initial inspiration through tech packs and line sheets.
• Strong, Cohesive Style: Her portfolio has a consistent format and each project reflects her vibrant design style and personality.

You can view Andressa’s full portfolio here.

3. Technical Design Portfolio

This portfolio is by Bhanushree Chogale, a freelance fashion designer and developer.

Here’s why Bhanushree’s portfolio works so well:

• Process Portfolio: She includes a full process portfolio, even for simpler projects that started from reference photos (happens more often than you think in fashion!).
• Market Validation: Showing the finished product proves her designs have gone to market (not required, but definitely a bonus!).
• Brand Credibility: Lists brands she’s worked with, making it easier for potential clients to see if she’s a good fit, especially if she’s collaborated with similar names.

You can view Bhanushree’s full portfolio here.

4. Collegiate Fashion Design Portfolio

This is another project from Bhanushree Chogale‘s portfolio, a freelance fashion designer and developer.

Here’s why Bhanushree’s portfolio works so well:

• Process Portfolio: She shows a process portfolio, even with just 2 steps: moodboard and design.
• Cohesive Design: There’s a clear connection between the inspiration and the collection design, even down to font choice.

For more tips on creating your portfolio, check out my free Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Fashion Design Portfolio (in a weekend).

5. Handbag Fashion Design Portfolio

This portfolio is by Aleksandra Laurenzo, a freelance handbag designer.

Here’s why Aleksandra’s portfolio works so well:

• Technical Design Skills: Within just a few screenshots of her tech pack, it’s clear she knows how to design and spec a handbag.
• Process Portfolio: She shows a process portfolio, from initial inspiration through tech packs and line sheets.
• Illustrator Previews: She included a screenshot of her Illustrator files to show how detailed and organized she is, and what exactly the client will get when working with her. LOVE this!

You can view Aleksandra’s full portfolio here.

6. Activewear Fashion Design Portfolio

This portfolio is by Jennifer Saylor, a fashion designer for lifestyle and training product.

Here’s why Jennifer’s portfolio works so well:

• Process Portfolio: She clearly lays out her design process – from mood boards to illustrations and detailed technical sketches.
• Hand Sketches: She includes hand-drawn sketches to convey the fit and function of her designs. While not required, these sketches are a great addition to make your portfolio feel more hands-on.
• Technical Skills: Her technical flats are thorough and show multiple views. This demonstrates her ability to spec and think through every aspect of a design.

You can view more of Jennifer’s work on her website.

7. Fashion Flat & Tech Pack Portfolio

This portfolio is by Soidée Romero, a technical fashion designer.

Here’s why Soidée’s portfolio works so well:

• Photo to Flat Interpretation: She shows how she interprets a photo reference (or hand sketch) into a professional fashion flat.
• Clear Garment Specs: Her detailed sketches with POMs show she knows how to spec a garment.
• Tech Pack Overview: Even though her tech pack pages are shown as a small collage, it’s immediately clear that she knows how to create a comprehensive tech pack. Since full tech packs are often restricted by brand confidentiality, it’s understandable that not every detail is fully visible.

You can view Soidée’s full portfolio here.

8. Activewear Fashion Design Portfolio

This portfolio is by Sasha Souki, an activewear fashion designer.

Here’s why Sasha’s portfolio works so well:

• Full Collection Process: She showcases everything from tech packs and line sheets to finished products – demonstrating her ability to take designs from concept to reality.
• Strong Technical Expertise: Her detailed technical flats, including multiple views, prove she can spec and consider every aspect of a design.
• Industry Validation: She includes campaigns featuring her work for notable brands like Champion – while not necessary, this adds credibility if you have similar experience.

You can view more of Sasha’s work on her website.

9. Handbag Fashion Design Portfolio

This portfolio is by Erin Scott, an accessories designer and merchandiser.

Here’s why Erin’s portfolio works so well:

• Process Portfolio: She shows a process portfolio in a really simple way: finished product, some fashion flats, and tech sketches.
• Technical Design Skills: Her detailed technical sketches show very quickly that she knows how to spec a design.
• Brand Credibility: She is validated by a big brand name, Guess (not required, but helpful if you have it!).

You can view Erin’s full portfolio on Behance.

10. Baby & Kids Textile Design Portfolio

This portfolio is by Lucia Sanguinetti-Jonescheit, a freelance baby and kidswear designer .

Here’s why Lucia’s portfolio works so well:

• Complete Design Flow: Showcases her workflow from moodboards to prints and flats.
• Cohesive Design Style: Her unique aesthetic is consistent throughout her work, making her portfolio look well put-together.
• Creative Mock-ups: While she might no have actual finished product photos, she created a mock-up with her prints for quick visualization.

Here’s a link to Lucia’s full portfolio – plus, you can learn more about her work in our podcast episode on Fashion Designers Get Paid.

11. Knitwear Fashion Design Portfolio

This portfolio is by Hillary Glenn, an apparel designer specializing in knitwear, lifestyle, activewear and custom print design.

Here’s why Hillary’s portfolio works so well:

• Concise Portfolio: She shows a streamlined portfolio with just a few key images, illustrations, flats, and finished products (proof that you don’t need a lot to make an impact!).
• Cohesive Aesthetic: She has a specific design aesthetic and her work is cohesive.

View more of Hillary’s work on her website. I also have an interview with her in my Fashion Designers Get Paid Podcast.

12. Freelance Lifestyle Fashion Design Portfolio

This portfolio is by me! During my 10+ year freelance career, I earned over $100k+/year doing lifestyle, corporate and activewear design. My portfolio was very simple, and I hardly ever updated it (that’s because most of my clients, like most freelancers, came from word of mouth and referrals).

Here’s why my portfolio worked so well:

• Clear Process Portfolio: I showed a clear process portfolio, from inspiration to flats to finished products, showing how I develop designs from start to finish.
• Timeless Projects: While these projects are old, they are classic and timeless; they don’t look dated and I didn’t have to update my portfolio often.
• Relevant Work for the Right Clients: I only showcased projects that aligned with the brands I wanted to attract. By curating relevant work, my portfolio naturally stood out to those brands and made managing it much easier.

Top 5 Fashion Design Portfolio Tips

Here are key takeaways from the portfolios I featured in this guide:

1. Create a Process Portfolio.

A strong portfolio should tell the story of how you create and not just the final results. Include things like mood boards, sketches, tech packs, and finished products (or mock-ups) to help clients see your creative thought process.

2. Keep It Niche.

Tailor your portfolio to the brands you’re pitching. Brands will glance for 5 seconds; catch their attention fast with relevant work.

3. Keep It Short and Strong.

A few well-chosen pieces (2-3 projects is enough) that highlight your skills are better than overwhelming your clients with a huge collection of everything you’ve done.

4. Add Creative Touches.

Little extras like fabric swatches, hand sketches, or mock-ups can give your portfolio a hands-on feel and show your process more clearly. These extras help better communicate your ideas, even if you don’t have finished product photos.

5. Bonus: Use a PDF.

A PDF works just fine – you do not need a full website! Share your portfolio via a Dropbox or Google Drive link instead of attaching huge files. This way, you can just easily swap out the file in the future.

Again, I go way more into depth on all of this in my Ultimate Guide to Fashion Portfolios, but those are the high level tips to keep in mind.

If you follow all my tips, your portfolio should take you a weekend (or a week at most)!

More Portfolio Examples & Free Resources

For more portfolio examples that resulted in paid work (like every single example on this page!) plus step-by-step tips, check out my free Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Fashion Portfolio (in a weekend).

If you’re interested in freelancing in fashion, the best place to start is with my free Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Freelance Fashion Designer. I share specific tips about freelance portfolios there.