What is a Fashion Graphic Designer? (And How Do I Become One?)

There’s no doubt that graphic design is one of the most in demand design jobs out there.You’ll find an opening in just about every industry.

Now, there are nuances to working as a graphic designer in different industries – but what does it mean to be a graphic designer in fashion?

In this article, we’ll talk about the role of a fashion graphic designer – from their day to day work and responsibilities. And if you’re interested in becoming one, I’ll share a guide including the skills and qualifications needed, a sample job description, and explore the possibility of working freelance (and how much money you can make!).

Let’s start!

Why am I qualified to write about this stuff? In my 15 years of experience in the fashion industry, I’ve journeyed from being an in-house designer, starting my own brand (yep!), to growing my freelance career to $100,000+. Now, with all the knowledge I’ve learned along the way, I want to help fashion designers (and PDs, TDs, etc.) like you make it in the industry.

What Does a Fashion Graphic Designer Do?
- Graphic Designer vs Fashion Designer
How Do I Get a Job as a Fashion Graphic Designer?
Sample Job Description for a Fashion Graphic Designer
How Much Money Does a Fashion Graphic Designer Make?
Working Freelance as a Fashion Graphic Designer

What Does a Fashion Graphic Designer Do?

Fashion graphic designers create images and designs that you see on clothing, websites, social media, and advertisements. Fashion graphic designers work closely with the design team, including fashion designers and marketers to make sure everything looks on brand and appealing to customers.

A fashion graphic designer’s scope of work may differ depending on the brand they’re working for, but here are the key aspects of what a fashion graphic designer does:

Creating Visual Brand Identities: Fashion graphic designers develop visual elements that define a brand, including logo design, color schemes, and typography.
Designing Marketing Materials: Creating marketing materials such as banners, posters, brochures, and promotional materials. These materials may be used in both digital and print media to promote fashion collections, sales, and events.
Designing Apparel Graphics: Designing prints, patterns, and other fashion graphics for clothing and accessories. They may collaborate with fashion designers to create these patterns and prints to suit the overall design concept.
Designing Apparel Trims: Creating custom branded findings like buttons or zipper pulls, incorporating the brand’s logo or custom shapes and marks.
Digital Content Creation: Fashion graphic designers create digital content for websites and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, etc. This may include designing website layouts, social media posts, email newsletters, and online advertisements.
Product Packaging and Labeling: Design product packaging and labels that reflect the brand’s identity and meet the product’s technical specifications.
Trend Analysis and Research: Just like fashion apparel designers, fashion graphic designers need to stay updated with fashion trends and reflect this in their work.

It sounds like a lot! And it can be. Depending on the size of the brand, a fashion graphic designer’s role may be more specific or more broad. In a smaller brand, you’ll likely be doing alllll these things. But in a bigger brand, there could be multiple fashion graphic designers, each responsible for a smaller subset of more closely related tasks.

Graphic Designer vs Fashion Designer

It’s not uncommon to see a designer doing both jobs when working for a fashion brand or a freelance client – but in its essence, these two roles are entirely different.

Fashion graphic designers create visuals for fashion brands – which can include logos, website layouts, marketing materials, and garment prints. Their role is to make appealing and cohesive brand visuals that may be used online or printed on the garments themselves.

On the other hand, fashion designers design clothing and accessories focusing on style, silhouette, fabric, and functionality. They create garments that will be produced by manufacturers, ensuring they reflect the brand’s aesthetic and target customer’s preferences.

Fashion graphic designers and fashion designers work together closely. For example, while a fashion designer/fashion technical designer may create the garment specs for a t-shirt, a fashion graphic designer may create a logo or text print design for it.

You’ve probably found a garment with a silhouette you LOVED but then has a nasty print you would just never wear (and vice versa). This shows how important both fashion apparel designers and fashion graphic designers are in shaping the products that sell for a fashion brand.

Fashion graphic designers and fashion designers may also collaborate on other projects such as marketing materials, packaging, labels, and trims – making sure that the products reflect the visual identity of the brand and also meet the technical specifications needed.

How Do I Get a Job as a Fashion Graphic Designer?

I’ve met many graphic designers who are interested in entering the fashion industry. Now, getting your foot in the door isn’t always easy, but it’s definitely doable.

Getting a job as a fashion graphic designer involves a combination of education, skills, and networking within the fashion industry. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you pursue a career as a fashion graphic designer:

Gain Experience in Graphic Design

To become a fashion graphic designer, practical experience matters the most. While a degree provides a foundation, real-world opportunities like internships, freelancing, and even having some personal projects are essential. In this field, hands-on learning often beats formal education, so focus on building your skills through actual design work.

A lot of companies offer graphic design internships, but if it’s hard for you to find one, creating personal projects is always an option.

Master Graphic Design Software

Become proficient in graphic design software such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. Learning these tools is a must as they are industry standards and essential for fashion graphic designers.

Build a Graphic Design Portfolio

Develop a portfolio showcasing a variety of work – this may include logos, marketing materials, digital content, and garment prints. If possible, focus your coursework or projects on fashion-related design to build a portfolio specific to the industry.

You can also join websites like Behance or Dribbble to showcase your work and connect with potential clients or employers.

If you’re not sure what to put in your portfolio, then you can hop on over to my Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Fashion Portfolio. Although this is catered more towards fashion designers, you’ll surely pick up a thing or two in there.

Sample Job Description for a Fashion Graphic Designer

If you come across fashion graphic job descriptions online, this is what you’ll probably see:

Job Description:

We are seeking a creative and experienced Fashion Graphic Designer to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidate will have a passion for fashion and a strong background in graphic design. As a Fashion Graphic Designer, you will be responsible for creating visually appealing designs, including logos, marketing materials, digital content, and garment prints. You will collaborate closely with our fashion designers to ensure our brand’s visual identity is cohesive and stylish across all platforms.

Responsibilities:

Create compelling and on-brand designs for various fashion products, including clothing, accessories, and marketing materials.
Design eye-catching logos, labels, and packaging for fashion collections.
Develop placement prints, patterns, and graphics for garments, ensuring they align with current fashion trends, brand identity, and aesthetics.
Produce digital content for online platforms, including website layouts, social media posts, and email campaigns.
Collaborate with fashion designers to translate their concepts into visually appealing designs.
Stay updated with the latest fashion trends, design techniques, and industry best practices.
Participate in brainstorming sessions and contribute creative ideas for marketing campaigns and product launches.
Present design concepts and ideas to internal teams, incorporating feedback and revisions as necessary.
Ensure all designs meet high-quality standards and fashion branding guidelines.
Manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.

Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Fashion Design, or related field (or equivalent work experience).
Proven experience as a Fashion Graphic Designer in the fashion industry.
Proficiency in graphic design software, including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
Strong portfolio showcasing a diverse range of fashion-related design projects.
Knowledge of current fashion trends, textiles, and garment construction techniques.
Excellent artistic and creative abilities, including a keen eye for color, composition, and typography.
Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and communicate design concepts effectively.
Strong attention to detail and the ability to maintain brand consistency across all designs.
Experience with 3D rendering software and digital fashion design tools is a plus.
Prior experience working with fashion brands or in a similar job role is highly desirable.

How Much Money Does a Fashion Graphic Designer Make?

Now, let’s dive right into how much cash fashion graphic designers make.

According to Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter, fashion graphic designers working in the USA can earn around $40,000 to $66,000 annually (including cash bonuses) and charge an hourly rate of $27 on average. Of course, these figures can go up or down depending on the company, area, and also your skills and experience.

But there’s so much more opportunities (and earning potential) in fashion graphic design outside of corporate work.

If you’re curious to know more…

Working Freelance as a Fashion Graphic Designer

Even in freelancing, graphic design is still one of the most in-demand jobs in the design industry and this of course includes the fashion industry.

Working freelance means you can choose your projects, set your rates, and have control over your creative process (while working flexibly at home in your PJ’s!).

But of course, there are challenges too. Finding consistent work requires networking skills and self-promotion. Plus, dealing with client negotiations and managing finances is now part of your job description.

Here are a few tips to get you ahead in the world of fashion freelancing:

Find Your Niche

A rookie mistake (that almost everyone commits) when entering freelancing is offering too many services.

This is why my BEST tip for anyone wanting to succeed in freelancing is to carve out your niche – regardless if you’re a freelance fashion designer, pattern maker, etc. Find something that sets you apart from everyone else, so you don’t have to compete for spots with a thousand other freelancers offering the same services.

Sure, it might be hard to find a lot of opportunities quickly, but when it comes, your future employer doesn’t have to think twice about hiring someone who meets exactly what they’re looking for.

That’s exactly what Michelle Fifis did. Michelle works as a freelance textile designer and has partnered with renowned brands such as Columbia Sportswear, Lucy Activewear, Jantzen Swimwear, Perry Ellis, etc.

P.S. – I know these terminologies can get confusing, so if you want a little refresher, here’s my article explaining what a textile designer does (and fabric designer, print designer, etc.).

Set Your Rates

Working freelance offers more flexibility with earning potential. Some of my FAST grad fashion freelancers can make over $100 an hour while working at their own time.

And if you’re not convinced, here are actual invoices that my FAST grads freelancers have been earning.

Atara Himmel, a New York based graphic designer specializing in brand design (whom I’ve personally hired and RECOMMEND) landed a $1500 retainer just for a single client.

Grow Your Client Base

Arguably one of the biggest challenges of becoming a freelancer, finding clients may seem like a huge obstacle to overcome – but the truth is, there’s a bunch of ways to find clients remotely.

For starters – you can check freelancing websites such as Upwork, and LinkedIn, and do not underestimate the power of reaching out directly to clients.

If you want more insider insights, in this podcast ep with surface pattern designer and pattern maker Vanessa, we talk all about practical tips for freelancers who want to reach out to clients (and get responses) – along with other helpful practices on navigating freelancing platforms like Upwork.

Stay Consistent

Finding success as a freelance graphic designer is no easy feat. However, with the right strategies, you’ll make progress.

Keep showcasing your skills, reaching out to clients, and learning from every experience.

It’s these small, steady steps that build your freelance career.

If you want the full step-by-step process, get started with my free guide to freelancing in fashion.