Becoming a fashion designer is a dream for many, but the path to success in this competitive industry is challenging. It requires not only creativity and passion but also technical skills, business acumen, and perseverance.
In this article, we’re joined by Natalie Gilmore, Vice President of Design and Product Development for SOIA & KYO. Natalie’s advice and experience will guide aspiring designers through the key steps to break into fashion design, from education and getting your foot in the door to networking and staying ahead of industry trends. We’ll also explore the common challenges designers face and offer strategies to overcome them, helping you navigate your way to a successful, fulfilling career in fashion design.
What Does a Fashion Designer Do on a Typical Day?
What exactly does a fashion designer’s job description entail? A typical day for a fashion designer involves a mix of creative work, technical tasks, and collaboration. From sketching new designs and selecting fabrics to overseeing production and coordinating with team members, a fashion designer’s job duties balance creativity with practical duties.
Understanding these daily tasks will help aspiring designers gain a realistic perspective on what it takes to succeed as a designer.
Natalie shares what a typical workday looks like for her:
I like to find time every day to do research and see what’s going on in the world. I try to fit 30 minutes of exploration into the beginning of my day. This is something I adopted early on. Looking for creative inspiration is the fun part, and with all the other tasks, it can be hard to fit in. Over my career, I’ve realized how important it is to stay on top of current events through a creative lens and have my own perspective.
Then the rest of my work depends on where we’re at in the season. Right now, we’re deep into sketching and have a collection review at the end of the week, making that my main focus.
Another large part of my day is reviewing with my team, which differs depending on what point we’re at in the season. For example, if we’re looking at new fabrications, trims, or branding ideas, I’m connecting with them on that. I review their work throughout sketching, launching styles, and in fits. Fittings are one of my favorite things. Making this a part of our weekly schedule is a must, as new prototypes are arriving every week.
Then there’s the business management side of things for instance calendar management, leadership presentations, budgeting, and the list goes on.
Getting Started as a Designer, From Lululemon and Beyond
The road to becoming a fashion designer is both challenging and rewarding. Natalie shares her journey to entering the design world and working her way up in the industry, from pursuing formal education to gaining industry experience and finding the right fit for her career.
Like many designers, I started sewing with my mom when I was four or five years old. It was a way for me to escape and be creative. I taught myself how to make patterns by taking clothes, putting them on top of a piece of paper, and drawing them out. I didn’t really see it as a career path for someone coming out of Vancouver.
I received a degree in Fine Arts. In my last year, unsure what to do next, I consulted my photography teacher and he said, “Natalie, you are in your 20s—do whatever you want to do, and if it doesn’t work out, pivot in your 30s.” With appreciation, I often think about how that teacher helped shape my creative journey. I had always wanted to be a designer! My plan was to do a one-year design program in Vancouver as well as find a job in retail where I could get my foot in the door and understand the industry.
I set my sights on Lululemon and walked into the West 4th store to apply. I got a job and from the very get-go, I was pretty adamant with them that I wanted to be in design. I continued to share that goal when I had people come into the store from head office.
I enjoyed my time in retail, and that was a surprise for me as I focused on becoming a designer. What I realized in the store at Lululemon—which was the very early stages of the brand—is that I love the business and strategy side of this industry as well as the opportunity to lead. Lululemon gave me the opportunity to grow my own business within the company. It was a skill I didn’t realize I had or a muscle I didn’t realize I wanted to exercise.
Eventually, I earned my first role in design as a design room assistant for Lululemon. My job was to book meetings, get lunches, or whatever was needed. If someone needed help with the tech pack or needed a print created, I would just jump at the idea. This gave me the opportunity to try a lot of different things out within the design team. We were a small group at that time and it gave me a better understanding of all the roles and responsibilities of a design team.
From there, I joined the studio line, designing some styles that are still number one styles for Lululemon—that was a special part of my career. Now I had this creative side and what was missing for me was growth in leadership and business.
By that time, Lululemon had started a girl’s line focused on dance. I knew girls did so much more than dance, and so I saw an opportunity to grow the concept. We grew the brand from a couple of stores to 80, created categories, and innovated in technologies such as seamless for girls. I learned about innovative ways of weaving and knitting, building categories, as well as growing a brand and a team.
A fellow past Lululemon designer had started a consulting company called Apparelmark, and after I left Lululemon, she reached out and asked me to partner with her. Apparelmark focuses on startups as well as larger corporations—we worked with Arc’teryx and Aritzia, for example. They offer support with all steps from concept through to production, depending on client needs.
In time, Canada Goose reached out regarding a design director role and I jumped at it. Being part of a company with such heritage was an incredible experience. I felt like I went to Outerwear University. Canada. Goose has a special story with much of the product being made in Canada. You are working alongside your sample makers and we even had a in the same building as the office. Production is accessible daily and I learned a lot from that.
Bringing me to today, APP Group reached out—they own Mackage and SOIA & KYO—and proposed an amazing opportunity. The founders of both companies had stepped down and they were looking for someone to lead SOIA & KYO into a new future. It’s big shoes to fill to take the spot of the founder in terms of design. I saw the strong foundation behind SOIA & KYO and the opportunity in front of it. We are a brand that values its client’s quality expectations, sustainability pillars as well as need for beautifully purposeful products.
Key Skills for Fashion Designers
Becoming a successful fashion designer requires a blend of creative and practical skills. Here are some of the key capabilities you need to develop:
• Creative Development: Designers must be able to generate fresh, innovative ideas and translate them into commercially viable, wearable pieces. This includes understanding color theory, fabric composition, and garment construction to bring creative visions to life.
• Technical Skills: A strong grasp of sewing, pattern-making, and draping is essential. Additionally, proficiency in design software like Adobe Illustrator or CAD is key in today’s digital design landscape.
• Attention to Detail: Fashion design requires meticulous attention to the smallest elements, such as stitching, seams, and fabric textures. Even minor details can affect the overall quality and wearability of a garment.
• Time Management: Designers often work under tight deadlines, especially in fast-paced environments. The ability to manage time effectively, prioritize tasks, and meet production schedules is crucial to staying on track with projects.
• Trend Awareness: Staying ahead of fashion trends and industry changes is essential. Designers need to continuously research new materials, styles, and consumer preferences to keep their work relevant.
• Communication and Collaboration: Working in fashion often means collaborating with pattern makers, manufacturers, stakeholders, and other teams. Strong communication skills are key to ensuring that everyone is aligned throughout the design process.
Natalie echoes many of these capabilities and shares the skills that are the most important in her career.
As a designer, perseverance is key and a value I hold dear. This industry is not easy, and you’re putting yourself out there. If you are doing things right it will hurt if your idea isn’t adopted and that is ok. It means you care and creatively you are on the right track. Being able to pick yourself back up again if something doesn’t work out or something isn’t liked is where you will find success.
Competently articulating your ideas and selling them, is crucial as well, because, regardless of what level you’re at or what position you’re at, you’re going to have to sell your product to somebody. Whether it’s your buyer, your merchandiser, or even your design lead. The presentation is as integral as the design itself.
Additionally, you need an understanding of how the product will be made. A drawing is not going to bring it to life. The craft, the form, and the details are proficiencies I look for from every designer that I work with. When presenting a design—I want to see not only the inspiration but also the sketch, trims, and fabrics even down to the level of understanding the stitch you plan to use on a seam. All of this will determine whether the design will come to life. And when you only have one to three prototype chances, you have to be thoughtful in the forefront.
Challenges of a Career in Fashion Design
Being a fashion designer is a demanding career, filled with challenges that test both creativity and resilience. From staying relevant in a competitive industry to managing tight production deadlines and budgets, designers must learn to deal with obstacles and stay agile to adapt to changes. Balancing creativity with commercial viability can also be difficult, as trends and consumer preferences shift rapidly.
In this section, Natalie explains some of the challenges she faces as a designer.
One of the hardest things is finding time for all the roles you have to carry out. You are generally working on two to three seasons at once. Make sure you are managing that time effectively in order to hit all your deadlines as well as make space to be creative.
For example, we have a collection review in three days, and various styles to finalize before reviewing the collection holistically. Getting down to drawing is probably one of the biggest challenges, especially as you move up in leadership and you have additional responsibilities.
I’ve learned to use tools to make space for myself. Ideally, I block out my Friday afternoon calendar for creative time and ask the team to do so as well. I find, when it comes to being creative, the uninterrupted time where I can put on music, feel it, research, and draw is a benefit.
Working in the fashion industry takes long hours and a ton of work and is far from the glamorous vision that many people have and Natalie is quick to confirm that being a designer is anything from glitzy.
Being a designer is not about the glamour, it’s about creation. A fashion designer falls into the category of artist, architect, and creator. That is what I live for. When you’re up against a deadline and you’re working late into the night—it’s crunch time. Hitting deadlines is integral to the products’ success. Design is the first part of the process and if this runs late you are trying to make up time later in the process which affects the work of all your partners downstream.
Yes, it can be long hours but as a leader, I pride myself in organization and time management so my team can have a life outside of work. Creativity doesn’t happen in a box. The best ideas come from people watching, living life, noticing what is not working, and thinking about how you can make it better for the end user.
Highlights of Working as a Designer
From the creative freedom to express your unique vision to the satisfaction of seeing your designs come to life on the runway or in stores, a career as a fashion designer offers many benefits. Here, Natalie tells us about the highlights of her job as a designer.
The best part of my job is getting to create—I have a great appreciation that this is my career. I can’t believe I get to work with like-minded individuals, talk about trends, travel the world, and ultimately design. I am constantly inspired by all the incredible people who are creating in all different walks of life.
It’s a special feeling when you stand on a street corner and there’s someone wearing something that you designed right beside you. I know they don’t know, but I know.
I love it when I wake up in the morning and I know I have a fitting that day. I can’t wait to see how our newest samples have come to life.
Finally, people. I love working with a team that I connect with, challenge me, and create together. When you find people who bring positive energy as well as great designs, it just gets better and better—collaboration is a big part of creating for me.
Advice for Aspiring Fashion Designers
Emerging fashion designers need more than creativity to succeed. From education to networking and retail work experience, Natalie gives us her advice on how up-and-coming designers can carve a path in fashion.
School is important. Design is competitive. The school you attend can give you the skills and build connections to support your career development later on.
Networking and reaching out to people is key, along with being persistent. You could reach out to 10 people, and only one person responds. I’m not going to say it’s easy—it’s hard on me. There will be people that do get back to you. I’ve found a support system in this industry of people I can lean on—people I can call on if I’m going to make a career move or mentors that I’ve come across along the way. Keeping those connections is valuable.
Retail experience can give you a different perspective. If you’re going to design school, work in a store as well, and understand that side of the business, it will give you a holistic view of the industry.
My experience in retail has made me the designer I am today. I think about the client and how they’re going to perceive this product, or how it’s going to work for them. I think about the end use. I learned that working retail, not in school. It’s putting the customer first, an invaluable perspective for a designer to have.
Retail looks good on a resume when you’re starting out. You are intimate with clothing when you’re working retail. You’re always folding it. You’re always touching it. You learn more about fabrics, how things fall, and how they fold, hang, or look on a person.
Success Strategies for Fashion Designers
As we’ve learned from Natalie, building a lasting career as a fashion designer requires more than just talent and creativity—strategic planning, discipline, and industry connections are also essential. These are some key success strategies for fashion designers:
• Time Management: Designers must balance creative projects with business responsibilities and often work under tight deadlines. Prioritize tasks, use project management tools, and set clear goals to stay organized. Break large projects into manageable steps and allocate time for each to ensure you meet production schedules without compromising quality.
• Networking: Building a strong network in the fashion industry is crucial for career growth. Attend fashion events, connect with other professionals, and stay active on platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram. Collaborating with influencers, stylists, and manufacturers can open doors to new opportunities, partnerships, and resources.
• Continuous Learning: Fashion is constantly evolving, so staying up-to-date on trends, technologies, and techniques is essential. Take design courses, follow fashion publications, and explore new materials and production methods to remain competitive. Natalie shares her own experience with the importance of continuous learning.
Stay current and always be learning, especially with technology. There are new 3D softwares that are rapidly changing. Understand them and make an educated decision on whether to use them or not.
With sketching, I was always a pencil sketcher, and my teammates were using Procreate. I saw the benefits and taught myself how to use it over the last six months.
Share new tools with your team and fellow designers. For example, one of my past teams taught me about an online whiteboarding space and I’ve now brought that tool to SOIA & KYO.
• Business Acumen: As a designer, developing a strong personal or business brand is key. Natalie can attest to how important strong business skills are for designers.
I spend close to 70 percent of my time on business and strategy. It’s significant to comprehend how a company runs and understand that you are working for a business. When you’re applying for a creative role, yes, you’ll meet with the creative leaders, but you may also meet with your cross-functional leaders who are tactical.
At the end of the day, you are designing for a brand, not for yourself. Having your own voice in design means understanding what the macro and micro trends are, infusing this with who your client is, and addressing the needs of the business. This is how you create core products—understanding what that brand ethos is, and who the client is and designing with this in mind.
The Importance of Networking in Fashion
Networking is a crucial aspect of building a successful career in fashion. In an industry driven by relationships and collaborations, having a strong professional network can open doors to new opportunities, from mentorships to partnerships with key industry players. For Natalie, networking continues to be a key component of her success as a designer.
Keep connected with people. Many of my roles after I left Lululemon are a result of relationships I have built in my career. Even if you haven’t spoken to someone in 10 years, connect if you’re thinking about them. And it doesn’t always have to be about yourself—I think it goes a long way to reach out, catch up, and keep connected. It shouldn’t be just when you want something.
When I needed support in my career and initially started contacting people I felt like, ‘Why would people want to help me?’ But people want to help more than you know. Of course, there’ll be people who don’t get back to you, I try not to take that the wrong way. I’ve approached contacts and haven’t heard back from them, and then I try again, and their response is, “Oh, my gosh! I’m so sorry I missed your message!” Try not to take it personally.
If I hear about a role and it’s not right for me, I look at my network for a person who would be a great fit and pass them on. I like to go about the creative industry in a positive and sharing way. It’s about paying it forward.
Another thing that people need is to be on LinkedIn—it’s not the one platform to take a break from. You don’t have to be active on it, but you just need to have an account, because I find so many HR departments don’t even look at people if they don’t have a LinkedIn profile. I definitely have run into people who just are like, “Oh, I’m not on LinkedIn right now.” And I need them to be because I can’t share them unless they are—no one will review their background.
It takes a village to build a career in design and I appreciate all those who have supported, believed, and listened to me along the way. There will be ups, there will be downs, and the reward of standing on that street corner with your design right beside you is just the best!
The Bottom Line
Working as a fashion designer offers a unique blend of creativity, innovation, and professional challenges. While the journey requires dedication, adaptability, and resilience, the rewards—such as creative fulfillment—make it a highly rewarding career for those passionate about fashion and design.
A special thank you to Natalie Gilmore for her valuable insights and for sharing her experience at SOIA & KYO!
Are you passionate about breaking into the fashion industry? Book a Career Meeting with Style Nine to Five’s Founder, Christie Lohr. She’ll review your experience and help you identify the next steps to take to propel your fashion career forward.
Jeanine Gordon is a freelance content marketer passionate about creating stellar strategies for global brands and small businesses alike, specializing in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.