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{{Short description|Art of applying design and aesthetics to clothing and accessories}}
{{tone|date=March 2026}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-N0409-0320, VEB Bekleidungswerk "Steppke" Görlitz, Gestaltung Kinderkonfektion (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|230px|Fashion designers in 1974 in Dresden.]]
'''Fashion design''' is the [[Art (skill)|art]] of [[applied arts|applying]] [[design]], [[aesthetics]], clothing construction, and natural beauty to [[clothing]] and its [[Fashion accessory|accessories]]. It is influenced by diverse cultures and different trends and has varied over time and place. "A fashion designer creates clothing, including dresses, suits, pants, skirts, and accessories like shoes and handbags, for consumers. They can specialize in clothing, accessory, or [[Jewellery|jewelry]] design, or may work in more than one of these areas."<ref>{{Cite web|last=McKay|first=Dawn Rosenberg|title=What Does a Fashion Designer Do?|url=https://www.thebalancecareers.com/fashion-designer-526016#:~:text=A%20fashion%20designer%20creates%20clothing%2C%20including%20dresses%2C%20suits%2C,work%20in%20more%20than%20one%20of%20these%20areas.|website=the balance careers|access-date=2021-05-10|archive-date=2022-07-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704083712/https://www.thebalancecareers.com/fashion-designer-526016#:~:text=A%20fashion%20designer%20creates%20clothing%2C%20including%20dresses%2C%20suits%2C,work%20in%20more%20than%20one%20of%20these%20areas.|url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Fashion Runway.jpg|thumb|Fashion designers typically use a runway of models to showcase their work.]]

==Fashion designers==
'''Fashion designers''' work in a variety of ways when designing their pieces and accessories such as rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings and clothes. Due to the time required to put a garment out on the market, designers must [[Fashion forecasting|anticipate changes to consumer desires]]. Fashion designers are responsible for creating looks for individual garments, involving shape, color, fabric, trimming, and more.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|last=Sterlacci|first=Francesca|title=What Is a Fashion Designer?|url=http://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com|website=Love to Know}}</ref>

Fashion designers attempt to design clothes that are functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. They consider who is likely to wear a garment and the situations in which it will be worn, and they work with a wide range of materials, colors, [[pattern]]s, and styles. Though most clothing worn for everyday wear falls within a narrow range of conventional styles, unusual garments are usually sought for special occasions such as [[formal wear|evening wear]] or party [[dress]]es.

Some clothes are made specifically for an individual, as in the case of [[haute couture]] or [[bespoke tailoring]]. Today, most clothing is designed for the [[mass market]], especially casual and everyday wear, which are commonly known as [[ready to wear]] or [[fast fashion]].

=== Structure<!--'Fashion house' redirects here-->===
There are different lines of work for designers in the fashion industry. Fashion designers who work full-time for a '''fashion house'''<!--boldface per WP:R#PLA-->, as in-house designers, create designs owned by the company and may either work independently or as a part of a design team.  Freelance designers who work for themselves sell their designs to fashion houses, directly to shops, or to clothing manufacturers. There are quite a few fashion designers who choose to set up their labels, which offers them full control over their designs. Others are self-employed and design for individual clients. Other [[high-end]] fashion designers cater to specialty stores or high-end fashion department stores. These designers create original garments, as well as those that follow established fashion trends. Most fashion designers, however, work for apparel manufacturers, creating designs of men's, women's, and children's fashions for the mass market. Large designer brands that have a 'name' as their brand such as [[Abercrombie & Fitch]], [[Justice (store)|Justice]], or [[Juicy Couture|Juicy]] are likely to be designed by a team of individual designers under the direction of a design director.

=== Designing a garment ===
Garment design includes components of "color, texture, space, lines, pattern, silhouette, shape, proportion, balance, emphasis, rhythm, and harmony".<ref>{{Citation |last=Fan |first=J. |title=Psychological comfort of fabrics and garments |date=2009 |work=Engineering Apparel Fabrics and Garments |pages=251–260 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1533/9781845696443.251 |access-date=2024-10-24 |publisher=Elsevier |doi=10.1533/9781845696443.251 |isbn=978-1-84569-134-9|url-access=subscription }}</ref> All of these elements come together to design a garment to create visual interest for consumers.

Fashion designers work in various ways, some start with a vision in their head and later move into drawing it on paper or on a computer, while others go directly into draping fabric onto a dress form, also known as a mannequin. The design process is unique to the designer and it is rather intriguing to see the various steps that go into the process. Designing a garment starts with [[Pattern (sewing)|patternmaking]]. The process begins with creating a sloper or base pattern. The sloper will fit the size of the model a designer is working with or a base can be made by utilizing standard size charting.

Three major manipulations within patternmaking include dart manipulation, contouring, and added fullness.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=McKinney |first1=Ellen Carol |last2=Bye |first2=Elizabeth |last3=LaBat |first3=Karen |date=November 2012 |title=Building patternmaking theory: a case study of published patternmaking practices for pants |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17543266.2012.666269 |journal=International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education |volume=5 |issue=3 |pages=153–167 |doi=10.1080/17543266.2012.666269 |issn=1754-3266|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Dart manipulation allows for a dart to be moved on a garment in various places but does not change the overall fit of the garment. Contouring allows for areas of a garment to fit closer to areas of the torso such as the bust or shoulders. Added fullness increases the length or width of a pattern to change the frame as well as fit of the garment. The fullness can be added on one side, unequal, or equally to the pattern.

A designer may choose to work with certain apps that can help connect all their ideas together and expand their thoughts to create a cohesive design. When a designer is completely satisfied with the fit of the ''toile'' (or muslin), they will consult a professional pattern maker who will then create the finished, working version of the pattern out of paper or using a computer program. Finally, a sample garment is made up and tested on a model to make sure it is an operational outfit. Fashion design is expressive, the designers create art that may be functional or non-functional.

== Technology within fashion ==
Over the years, there has been an increase in the use of technology within fashion design. [[Iris van Herpen]], a Dutch designer, incorporated [[3D printing]] in her Crystallization collection.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Latest Technology Trends Shaping the Fashion Industry |url=https://computools.com/fashion-technology-trends/ |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=Computools |date=8 March 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Software can aid designers in the product development stage. Designers can use [[artificial intelligence]] and [[virtual reality]] to prototype clothing.<ref name=":1" /> [[3D modeling]] within software allows for initial sampling and development stages for partnerships with suppliers before the garments are produced.<ref name="fashionvalues.org">{{Cite web |title=Introduction: Fashion, Nature and Technology |url=https://fashionvalues.org/methods/introduction-fashion-nature-and-technology/ |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=fashionvalues.org |language=en}}</ref> Product managers can use [[product lifecycle]] management software to develop multiple items to multiple product lines to assist in planning, assigning, and tracking tasks from concept to completion.

==History==
[[File:Chéruit Salon Paris.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Louise Chéruit|Chéruit]] salon on [[Place Vendôme]] in Paris, 1910]]
{{main|History of fashion design}}
Modern Western fashion design is often considered to have started in the 19th century with [[Charles Frederick Worth]] who was the first designer to have his [[label]] sewn into the garments that he created, although tailors had sewn in labels with their name since at least 1828. Before the former [[draper]] set up his ''maison couture'' (fashion house) in [[Paris]], clothing design and creation of the garments were handled largely by anonymous seamstresses. At the time high fashion descended from what was popularly worn at royal courts. Worth's success was such that he was able to dictate to his customers what they should wear, instead of following their lead as earlier dressmakers had done. The term ''couturier'' was in fact first created in order to describe him. While all articles of clothing from any time period are studied by academics as [[costume design]], only clothing created after 1858 is considered fashion design.<ref>{{Cite web|title=fashion industry {{!}} Design, Fashion Shows, Marketing, & Facts|url=https://www.britannica.com/art/fashion-industry|access-date=2020-10-14|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref>

It was during this period that many design houses began to hire artists to sketch or paint designs for garments. Rather than going straight into manufacturing, the images were shown to clients to gain approval, which saved time and money for the designer. If the client liked their design, the patrons commissioned the garment from the designer, and it was produced for the client in the fashion house. This designer-patron construct launched designers sketching their work rather than putting the completed designs on models.

==Types of fashion==
Garments produced by clothing manufacturers fall into three main categories, although these may be split up into additional, different types.

===Haute couture===
{{Main|Haute couture}}
Until the 1950s, fashion clothing was predominately designed and manufactured on a [[made-to-measure]] or [[haute couture]] basis, with each garment being created for a specific client. A couture garment is made to order for an individual customer, and is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric, sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques. Look and fit take priority over the time and cost of production.<ref>{{cite web|title=What is Haute Couture?|url=http://www.hautecouturenews.com/what-is-haute-couture/|work=Haute Couture Hot|publisher=HauteCoutureNews.com|access-date=13 May 2012|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612162836/http://www.hautecouturenews.com/what-is-haute-couture/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Haute Couture Fashion History|url=http://fashion-era.com/haute_couture.htm|work=Fashion-Era.com|access-date=13 May 2012|author=Pauline Weston Thomas|format=Article}}</ref> Due to the high cost of each garment, haute couture makes little direct profit for the fashion houses, but is important for prestige and publicity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG7883236/Haute-couture-Making-a-loss-is-the-height-of-fashion.html|title=Haute couture: Making a loss is the height of fashion|work=telegraph.co.uk}}</ref>

===Ready-to-wear (prêt-à-porter)===
{{Main|Ready-to-wear}}
Ready-to-wear, or prêt-à-porter, clothes are a cross between haute couture and mass market. They are not made for individual customers, but great care is taken in the choice and cut of the fabric. Clothes are made in small quantities to guarantee exclusivity, so they are rather expensive. Ready-to-wear collections are usually presented by fashion houses each season during a period known as [[fashion week]] or fashion month. This takes place on a citywide basis and occurs twice a year. The main seasons of Fashion Week include spring/summer, fall/winter, resort, swim, and bridal.

Half-way garments are an alternative to ready-to-wear, "off-the-peg", or prêt-à-porter fashion.  Half-way garments are intentionally unfinished pieces of clothing that encourage co-design between the "primary designer" of the garment, and what would usually be considered, the passive "consumer".<ref name="HirNim">Hirscher and Niinimaki. Fashion Activism through Participatory Design. 10th European Academy of Design Conference, Crafting the Future, April 2013, Helsinki, Finland. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304354045_Fashion_Activism_through_Participatory_Design
</ref> This differs from ready-to-wear fashion, as the consumer is able to participate in the process of making and co-designing their clothing.  During the Make{able} workshop, Hirscher and Niinimaki found that personal involvement in the garment-making process created a meaningful "narrative" for the user, which established a person-product attachment and increased the sentimental value of the final product.<ref name="HirNim"/>

Otto von Busch also explores half-way garments and fashion co-design in his thesis, "Fashion-able, Hacktivism and engaged Fashion Design".<ref>von Busch, O. Fashion-able, Hacktivism and engaged Fashion Design, Ph.D. Thesis, School of Design and Crafts (HDK), Gothenburg. 2008, https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/17941/3/gupea_2077_17941_3.pdf.</ref>

===Mass market===
{{Main|Mass market}}

Currently, the [[fashion industry]] relies more on mass-market sales. The mass market caters for a wide range of customers, producing ready-to-wear garments using trends set by the famous names in fashion. They often wait around a season to make sure a style is going to catch on before producing their versions of the original look. To save money and time, they use cheaper fabrics and simpler production techniques which can easily be done by machines. The end product can, therefore, be sold much more cheaply.<ref>{{cite web|title=Designers Flock to Mass-Market Retailers|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=87177&page=1#.T68WL9kZHIU|work=ABC News|access-date=13 May 2012|author=Catherine Valenti|format=Article|date=1 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Out from Underground|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/10/31/out-from-underground.html|work=The Daily Beast|publisher=Newsweek Magazine|access-date=13 May 2012|author=Sameer Reddy|format=Article|date=31 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mass market broached by high-end fashion |url=http://www.utepprospector.com/news/mass-market-broached-by-high-end-fashion-1.1494091#.T68YgNkZHIU |work=The Prospector |publisher=College Media Network |access-date=13 May 2012 |author=Stephania Lara |format=Article |date=22 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102205229/http://www.utepprospector.com/news/mass-market-broached-by-high-end-fashion-1.1494091 |archive-date=2 November 2013 }}</ref>

There is a type of design called "kutch" originated from the German word ''kitschig'', meaning "trashy" or "not aesthetically pleasing".  ''Kitsch'' can also refer to "wearing or displaying something that is therefore no longer in fashion".<ref>{{cite news|title=Kitsch pickings|url=https://www.ft.com/content/3e2b1f30-7f3a-11e1-b3d4-00144feab49a|work=Financial Times Online: Style|publisher=The Financial Times Ltd|access-date=13 May 2012|author=Bethan Cole|format=Article|date=2 May 2012}}</ref>

== Income ==
The median annual wages for salaried fashion designers was $79,290 in May 2023, approximately $38.12 per hour. The middle 50 percent earned an average of $76,700. The lowest 10 percent earned $37,090 and the highest 10 percent earned $160,850.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Fashion Designers |url=https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/fashion-designers.htm |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=Bureau of Labor Statistics |language=en-us}}</ref> The highest number of employment lies within [[Apparel]], [[Piece goods|Piece Goods]], and Notions Merchant [[Wholesalers]] with a percentage of 5.4. The average is 7,820 based on employment. The lowest employment is within Apparel [[Knitting]] Mills at .46% of the industry employed, which averages to 30 workers within the specific specialty.<ref name=":2" /> In 2016, 23,800 people were counted as fashion designers in the United States.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://work.chron.com/starting-salary-range-fashion-designer-9391.html| title= The Starting Salary Range for a Fashion Designer &#124; Chron.com| access-date= 2018-09-10| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180910204008/https://work.chron.com/starting-salary-range-fashion-designer-9391.html| archive-date= 2018-09-10| url-status= dead}}</ref>

Geographically, the largest employment state of Fashion designers is New York with an employment of 7,930.<ref name=":2" />

==Fashion industry==
[[File:Garment District NYWTS crop.jpg|thumb|upright|Men pulling carts of women's clothing in [[Garment District, Manhattan|Garment District]], New York, 1955]]

Fashion today is a global industry, and most major countries have a fashion industry. Seven countries have established an international reputation in fashion: the [[Fashion in the United States|United States]], [[French fashion|France]], [[Italian fashion|Italy]], [[United Kingdom]], [[Japanese Fashion|Japan]], [[German fashion|Germany]] and [[Belgium]]. The "big four" [[fashion capital]]s of the fashion industry are [[New York Fashion Week|New York City]], [[Paris]], [[Milan]], and [[London]].

===United States===
{{Main|Fashion in the United States}}
[[File:"Elements" Fashion Show at College of DuPage 2015 30 (17334518498).jpg|thumb|upright|Fashion show at a fashion designing college, US, 2015]]

The United States is home to the largest, wealthiest, and most multi-faceted fashion industry. Most fashion houses in the [[United States]] are based in [[New York City]], with a high concentration centered in the [[Garment District, New York City|Garment District]] neighborhood. On the US west coast, there is also to a lesser extent a significant number of fashion houses in [[Los Angeles]], where a substantial percentage of high fashion clothing manufactured in the United States is actually made. [[Miami]] has also emerged as a new fashion hub, especially in regards to [[swimwear]] and other beach-oriented fashion. A semi-annual event held every February and September, [[New York Fashion Week]] is the oldest of the four major [[fashion week]]s held throughout the world. [[Parsons The New School for Design]], located in the [[Greenwich Village]] neighborhood of [[Lower Manhattan]] in New York City, is considered one of the top fashion schools in the world. There are numerous fashion magazines published in the United States and distributed to a global readership. Examples include [[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]], [[Harper's Bazaar]], and [[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]].

American fashion design is highly diverse, reflecting the enormous ethnic diversity of the population, but is largely dominated by a clean-cut, urban, hip aesthetic, and often favors a more casual style, reflecting the [[athlete|athletic]], health-conscious lifestyles of the suburban and urban middle classes. The annual [[Met Gala]] ceremony in [[Manhattan]] is widely regarded as the world's most prestigious [[haute couture]] fashion event and is a venue where fashion designers and their creations are celebrated. [[Social media]] is also a place where fashion is presented most often. Some influencers are paid huge amounts of money to promote a product or clothing item, where the business hopes many viewers will buy the product off the back of the advertisement. Instagram is the most popular platform for advertising, but Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and other platforms are also used.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Wetzler|first=Tiahn|date=2020|title=Social media influencer marketing|journal=Adjust}}</ref> In New York, the [[List of LGBT people from New York City#Fashion|LGBT fashion design community]] contributes very significantly to promulgating fashion trends, and [[List of LGBT people from New York City#Drag|drag celebrities]] have developed a profound influence upon [[New York Fashion Week]].<ref name=DragQueensNewYorkFashionWeek>{{cite web|url=https://www.thecut.com/2022/09/nyfw-spring-2023-drag-queens-symone-aquaria-ct-hedden-fashion.html|title=Drag Queens Are the New VIPs of Fashion Week|author=Tyler McCall|publisher=The CUT, [[New York magazine]]|date=September 15, 2022|accessdate=September 19, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Claire |first1=Marie |title=The Black Designers Who Shaped Fashion History |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/the-black-designers-who-shaped-fashion-history/ss-AA1g9dA4?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=86982ef145164e36889f588f85728b47&ei=30#image=5 |access-date=1 December 2023 |agency=MSN.com |date=2023}}</ref>

Prominent American brands and designers include [[Calvin Klein (company)|Calvin Klein]], [[Ralph Lauren Corporation|Ralph Lauren]], [[Coach New York|Coach]], [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]], [[Vans]], [[Marc Jacobs]], [[Tommy Hilfiger Corporation|Tommy Hilfiger]], [[Donna Karan New York|DKNY]], [[Tom Ford]], [[Caswell-Massey]], [[Michael Kors]], [[Levi Strauss and Co.]], [[Estée Lauder (businesswoman)|Estée Lauder]], [[Revlon]], [[Kate Spade]], [[Alexander Wang (designer)|Alexander Wang]], [[Vera Wang]], [[Victoria's Secret]], [[Tiffany and Co.]], [[Converse (shoe company)|Converse]], [[Oscar de la Renta]], [[John Varvatos]], [[Anna Sui]], [[Prabal Gurung]], [[Bill Blass]], [[Halston]], [[Carhartt]], [[Brooks Brothers]], [[Stuart Weitzman]], [[Diane von Furstenberg]], [[J. Crew]], [[American Eagle Outfitters]], [[Steve Madden (company)|Steve Madden]], [[Abercrombie and Fitch]], [[Juicy Couture]], [[Thom Browne]], [[Guess (clothing)|Guess]], [[Supreme (clothing)|Supreme]], and [[The Timberland Company]].

===Belgium===
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, [[Belgium|Belgian]] fashion designers brought a new fashion image that mixed East and West, and brought a highly individualised, personal vision on fashion. Well known Belgian designers are the [[Antwerp Six]]: [[Ann Demeulemeester]], [[Dries Van Noten]], [[Dirk Bikkembergs]], [[Dirk Van Saene]], [[Walter Van Beirendonck]] and Marina Yee, as well as [[Martin Margiela]], [[Raf Simons]], [[Kris Van Assche]], [[Bruno Pieters]], [[Anthony Vaccarello]].<ref>Holgate, Mark, ′How Anthony Vaccarello Is Making Saint Laurent His Own′, (Feb. 13, 2018), Vogue March 2018, https://www.vogue.com/article/anthony-vaccarello-interview-vogue-march-2018-issue, Retrieved 3 March 2018.</ref>

===United Kingdom===
{{Main|British fashion}}
British fashion draws on the diverse cultural traditions, craftsmanship, and materials of [[England]], [[Scotland]], [[Wales]], and [[Northern Ireland]], and is celebrated for its diversity, creativity, and historical depth. It has played a significant role in shaping global trends; from the formal tailoring of [[Savile Row]] to the rebellious subcultures of [[Mod subculture|mod]] and [[Punk subculture|punk]].

In the late-18th and 19th centuries [[London]] became a hub for refined tailoring and is now recognized as the UK's fashion capital. Modern priorities such as [[sustainability]], [[gender fluidity]], [[inclusivity]], and [[slow fashion]] have shaped new expressions of British style; often blending heritage with innovation.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rindfuss |first=Bryan |url=http://www.sacurrent.com/arts/story.asp?id=70804 |title=Arts: What ought to wear |publisher=San Antionio Current |date=30 December 2009 |access-date=30 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=  |first=  |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/article/20211208-how-the-beauty-of-fluidity-went-mainstream-in-fashion |title=How the 'beauty of fluidity' went mainstream in fashion|publisher=BBC |date= |access-date=6 July 2025}}</ref> Some traditional brands, like [[Lyle & Scott]], have refocused their appeal towards youth and urban markets, paving the way for a new generation of designers and labels such as [[A-COLD-WALL*]], who quickly gained international recognition, have established London's reputation as a centre for [[streetwear]].<ref>{{cite web|last=  |first=  |url=https://pausemag.co.uk/2024/05/pause-highlights-the-evolution-of-londons-streetwear-scene-from-mods-to-modernity/|title=The Evolution of London's Streetwear Scene – From Mods to Modernity|publisher=Pause|date= 16 May 2024|access-date=6 July 2025}}</ref> [[London Fashion Week]] is a major global event, showcasing both established names and emerging designers from the UK’s influential art and fashion schools.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bradford|first1=Julie|title=Fashion Journalism|publisher=Routledge|year=2014| page=129|isbn=9781136475368| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H2xeBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA129}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Susan|last=Dillon|title=The Fundamentals of Fashion Management|publisher= A&C Black|year=2011|page=115|isbn=9782940411580|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3XFMAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA115}}</ref>

Well-known British designers include [[Thomas Burberry]], [[Alfred Dunhill]], [[Paul Smith (fashion designer)|Paul Smith]], [[Vivienne Westwood]], [[Stella McCartney]], [[Jimmy Choo (fashion house)|Jimmy Choo]], [[John Galliano]], [[John Richmond (fashion designer)|John Richmond]], [[Alexander McQueen]], [[Matthew Williamson]], [[Gareth Pugh]], [[Hussein Chalayan]] and [[Neil Barrett (fashion designer)|Neil Barrett]].

===France===
{{Main|French fashion}}[[File:Chanel Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2011.jpg|thumb|right|[[Chanel]] [[Haute Couture]] Fall-Winter 2011–2012 Fashion Show]]
Most French fashion houses are in [[Paris]], which is the capital of [[French fashion]]. Traditionally, French fashion is [[Chic (style)|chic]] and stylish, defined by its sophistication, cut, and smart accessories. French fashion is internationally acclaimed.

===Spain===
[[Madrid]] and [[Barcelona]] are the main fashion centers in Spain. Spanish fashion is often more conservative and traditional but also more 'timeless' than other fashion cultures. Spaniards are known not to take great risks when dressing.<ref>{{cite book |last=Castiglione |first=Baldassare |author-link= |date=1903 |title=The Book of the Courtier |url=https://resources.warburg.sas.ac.uk/pdf/enh660b2449259.pdf |location=New York |publisher=Charles Scribner's Sons |page=103 |isbn=}}</ref><ref name="GQ">{{cite web| url=https://www.revistagq.com/moda/fashion-news/articulos/por-que-en-espana-se-viste-mal/32026?amp| title=En España se viste muy bien| date= December 3, 2018| work= GQ Magazine | access-date=2020-01-23}}</ref> Nonetheless, many of the fashion brands and designers coming from Spain.

===Germany===
{{Main|German fashion}}
[[Berlin]] is the centre of fashion in Germany (prominently displayed at [[Berlin Fashion Week]]), while [[Düsseldorf]] holds Europe's largest fashion trade fairs with ''Igedo''. Other important centres of the scene are [[Munich]], [[Hamburg]], and [[Cologne]]. [[German fashion]] is known for its elegant lines as well as unconventional young designs and the great variety of styles.

===India===
Most of the Indian fashion houses are in Mumbai, [[Lakme Fashion Week]] is considered one of the premier fashion events in the country.<ref name="Lakmé Fashion Week">{{Cite web |title=Lakmé Fashion Week |url=https://www.fashionabc.org/wiki/lakme-fashion-week/ |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=fashionabc |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Lakmé Fashion Week|Lakme Fashion Week]] in India takes place twice a year and is held in the populous city of Mumbai. The first show occurs during April featuring summer collections. The second show takes place in August to showcase the winter collection. [[Lakmé Cosmetics|Lakme]], a cosmetic brand for Indian women, hosts the event. This fashion week started in 1999 and originally partnered with the [[Fashion Design Council of India|FDCI]], Fashion Design Council of India then later  switched to a sponsorship with Lakme.<ref name="Lakmé Fashion Week"/>

===Italy===
[[File:Gabriel Garko and Laura Torrisi - nicogenin - 66ème Festival de Venise (Mostra) - The Road (3).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Red carpet fashion]]: Italian actors [[Gabriel Garko]] and [[Laura Torrisi]] wearing designer [[formal wear]] at [[Venice Film Festival]], 2009]]

{{Main|Italian fashion}}
[[Milan]] is Italy's fashion capital. Most of the older Italian couturiers are in [[Rome]]. However, Milan and [[Florence]] are the [[Italian fashion]] capitals, and it is the exhibition venue for their collections. Italian fashion features casual and glamorous elegance. In Italy, Milan Fashion Week takes place twice a year in February and September. Milan Fashion week puts fashion in the spotlight and celebrates it in the heart of Milan with fashion lovers, buyers and media.

===Japan===
Most [[Culture of Japan|Japanese]] fashion houses are in [[Tokyo]] which is home to [[Tokyo Fashion Week]], Asia's largest fashion week. The Japanese look is loose and unstructured (often resulting from complicated cutting), colors tend to the sombre and subtle, and richly textured fabrics. Famous Japanese designers include [[Kenzo Takada]], [[Issey Miyake]], [[Yohji Yamamoto]] and [[Rei Kawakubo]].

===China===
Chinese clothing has historically been associated with lower quality both inside and outside China, leading to a stigma on Chinese brands. Due to government censorship, Chinese citizens were only able to access fashion magazines in the 1990s.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Kurata |first=Yoshiko |date=2019-01-02 |title=The Dawn of a New History: SHUSHU/TONG |url=https://www.ssense.com/en-us/editorial/fashion/the-dawn-of-a-new-history-shushutong |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=ssense |language=en}}</ref> However, as more and more Chinese designers matriculate from the world's top fashion schools, Chinese designers such as [[Shushu/Tong]] and [[Rui Zhou]] have made their way into the world's top fashion weeks, and Shanghai has become a fashion hub in China.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Nan |first=Lisa |date=2021-07-07 |title=Can Shushu/Tong Go Global? |url=https://jingdaily.com/posts/shushu-tong-chinese-designer-brand-global |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=Jing Daily |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6" /> In the early 2020s, [[Gen z|Gen Z]] shoppers pioneered the ''guochao'' ({{Lang-zh|c=国潮|p=Guó cháo}}'')'' movement'','' a trend of preferring homegrown designers which incorporate aspects of Chinese history and culture.<ref name=":0" /> [[Hong Kong]] clothing brand [[Shanghai Tang]]'s design concept is inspired by Chinese clothing and set out to rejuvenate Chinese fashion of the 1920s and 30s, with a modern twist of the 21st century and its usage of bright colours.<ref>{{cite news |last=Broun |first=Samantha |date=6 April 2006 |title=Designing a global brand |url=http://articles.cnn.com/2006-03-15/world/eyeonchina.brands_1_shanghai-tang-foreign-retailers-chinese-label?_s=PM:WORLD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026005413/http://articles.cnn.com/2006-03-15/world/eyeonchina.brands_1_shanghai-tang-foreign-retailers-chinese-label?_s=PM%3AWORLD |archive-date=26 October 2012 |access-date=2 June 2012 |newspaper=CNN World}}</ref> Additionally, a [[Hanfu Movement|revival in interest in traditional Han clothing]] has led to interest in ''haute couture'' clothing with historical Chinese details, particularly around [[Chinese New Year]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lam |first=Linzy |date=2024-03-20 |title=How brands can tap the booming Chinese 'old money style' |url=https://jingdaily.com/posts/how-brands-can-tap-the-booming-chinese-old-money-style |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=Jing Daily |language=en}}</ref>

===Soviet Union===
{{Main|Fashion in the Soviet Union}}
Fashion in the [[Soviet Union]] largely followed general trends of the Western world. However, the state's [[Socialism|socialist ideology]] consistently moderated and influenced these trends. In addition, shortages of [[Consumer goods in the Soviet Union|consumer goods]] meant that the general public did not have ready access to pre-made fashion.

===Switzerland===
Most of the Swiss fashion houses are in [[Zürich]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Zurich labels|url=http://www.zuerich.com/files/?id=40184|work=Zurich labels: Media Information|publisher=Zurich Tourism|access-date=13 May 2012|date=January 2012}}</ref>

=== Mexico ===
In the development of Mexican indigenous dress, the fabrication was determined by the materials and resources that are available in specific regions, impacting the "fabric, shape and construction of a people's clothing".<ref name="worldwidehistory00anaw">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/worldwidehistory00anaw|title=The worldwide history of dress: with over 1000 illustrations, 900 in color|last=Anawalt |first= Patricia Rieff |date=2007|publisher=Thames & Hudson|isbn=978-0-500-51363-7|oclc=864489266|url-access=registration}}</ref> Textiles were created from plant fibers including cotton and agave. Class status differentiated what fabric was worn. Mexican dress was influenced by geometric shapes to create the silhouettes. Huipil a blouse characterized by a "loose, sleeveless tunic made of two or three joined webs of cloth sewn lengthwise"<ref name="worldwidehistory00anaw"/> is an important historical garment, often seen today. After the Spanish Conquest, traditional Mexican clothing shifted to take a Spanish resemblance.

Mexican indigenous groups rely on specific embroidery and colors to differentiate themselves from each other.<ref name="Valdiosera, Ramón 2013, pp. 60">Valdiosera, Ramón. “Rosa Mexicano: Moda y Marca.” Artes De México, no. 111, 2013, pp. 60–65.</ref>

[[Mexican pink|Mexican Pink]] is a significant color to the identity of Mexican art and design and general spirit. The term "Rosa Mexicano" as described by Ramón Valdiosera was established by prominent figures such as Dolores del Río and designer Ramón Val in New York.<ref name="Valdiosera, Ramón 2013, pp. 60"/>

When newspapers and magazines such as El Imparcial and El Mundo Ilustrado circulated in Mexico, became a significant movement, as it informed the large cities, such as Mexico City, of European fashions. This encouraged the founding of department stores, changing the existent pace of fashion.<ref>Chassen-López, Francie. "The Traje de Tehuana as National Icon: Gender, Ethnicity, and Fashion in Mexico." The Americas, vol. 71 no. 2, 2014, p. 281-314. Project MUSE, {{doi|10.1353/tam.2014.0134}}</ref> With access to European fashion and dress, those with high social status relied on adopting those elements to distinguish themselves from the rest. Juana Catarina Romero was a successful entrepreneur and pioneer in this movement.

==Fashion design terms==
* A fashion designer conceives garment combinations of line, proportion, color, and texture. While sewing and pattern-making skills are beneficial, they are not a pre-requisite of successful fashion design. Most fashion designers are formally trained or apprenticed.
* A technical designer works with the design team and the factories overseas to ensure correct garment construction, appropriate fabric choices and a good fit. The technical designer fits the garment samples on a fit model, and decides which fit and construction changes to make before mass-producing the garment.
* A [[Pattern (sewing)|pattern maker]] (''also referred as pattern master or'' ''pattern cutter'') drafts the shapes and sizes of a garment's pieces. This may be done manually with paper and measuring tools or by using a CAD computer software program. Another method is to drape fabric directly onto a dress form. The resulting pattern pieces can be constructed to produce the intended design of the garment and required size. Formal training is usually required for working as a pattern marker.
* A [[tailor]] makes custom designed garments made to the client's measure; especially suits (coat and trousers, jacket and skirt, et cetera). Tailors usually undergo an apprenticeship or other formal training.
* A [[Textiles|textile designer]] designs fabric weaves and prints for clothes and furnishings. Most textile designers are formally trained as apprentices and in school.
* A [[Wardrobe stylist|stylist]] co-ordinates the clothes, jewelry, and accessories used in fashion photography and catwalk presentations. A stylist may also work with an individual client to design a coordinated wardrobe of garments. Many stylists are trained in fashion design, the history of fashion, and historical costume, and have a high level of expertise in the current fashion market and future market trends. However, some simply have a strong aesthetic sense for pulling great looks together.
* A [[fashion buyer]] selects and buys the mix of clothing available in retail shops, department stores, and chain stores. Most fashion buyers are trained in business and/or fashion studies.
* A [[seamstress]] sews ready-to-wear or mass-produced clothing by hand or with a sewing machine, either in a garment shop or as a sewing machine operator in a factory. She (or he) may not have the skills to make (design and cut) the garments, or to fit them on a model.
* A [[dressmaker]] specializes in custom-made women's clothes: day, cocktail, and evening dresses, business clothes and suits, trousseaus, sports clothes, and lingerie.
* A [[fashion forecasting|fashion forecaster]] predicts what [[Color|colours]], styles and shapes will be popular ("on-trend") before the garments are on sale in stores.
* A [[Fashion model|model]] wears and displays clothes at fashion shows and in photographs.
* A [[fit model]] aids the fashion designer by wearing and commenting on the fit of clothes during their design and pre-manufacture. Fit models need to be a particular size for this purpose.
* A [[Fashion journalism|fashion journalist]] writes fashion articles describing the garments presented or fashion trends, for magazines or newspapers.
* A fashion photographer produces photographs about garments and other fashion items along with models and stylists for magazines or advertising agencies.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Aspers |first=Patrik |date=2001 |title=A MARKET IN VOGUE Fashion photography in Sweden |journal=European Societies |language=en |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=1–22 |doi=10.1080/14616690120046923 |s2cid=144948226 |issn=1461-6696|doi-access=free }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Fashion}}
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Fashion]]
* [[Fashion design copyright]]
* [[History of western fashion]]
* [[List of fashion designers]]
* [[List of fashion education programs]]
* [[List of fashion topics]]
* [[Met Gala]]
* [[List of individual dresses]]
* [[Runway (fashion)]]
* [[Deconstruction (fashion)]]
* [[Sustainable fashion]]
* [[Textile design]]
* [[Time 100]]
* [[Western dress codes]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Breward, Christopher, ''The culture of fashion: a new history of fashionable dress'', Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2003, {{ISBN|978-0-7190-4125-9}}
* Hollander, Anne, ''Seeing through clothes'', Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993, {{ISBN|978-0-520-08231-1}}
* Hollander, Anne, ''Sex and suits: the evolution of modern dress'', New York: Knopf, 1994, {{ISBN|978-0-679-43096-4}}
* Hollander, Anne, ''Feeding the eye: essays'', New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1999, {{ISBN|978-0-374-28201-1}}
* Hollander, Anne, ''Fabric of vision: dress and drapery in painting'', London: National Gallery, 2002, {{ISBN|978-0-300-09419-0}}
* Kawamura, Yuniya, ''Fashion-ology: an introduction to Fashion Studies'', Oxford and New York: Berg, 2005, {{ISBN|1-85973-814-1}}
* Lipovetsky, Gilles (translated by Catherine Porter), ''The empire of fashion: dressing modern democracy'', Woodstock: Princeton University Press, 2002, {{ISBN|978-0-691-10262-7}}
* McDermott, Kathleen, ''Style for all: why fashion, invented by kings, now belongs to all of us (An illustrated history)'', 2010, {{ISBN|978-0-557-51917-0}} — Many hand-drawn color illustrations, extensive annotated bibliography and reading guide
*Mckay Rosenberg, Dawn, Fashion designer job description: Salary, skills, & more. Retrieved May 10, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.thebalancecareers.com/fashion-designer-526016</nowiki>
* Perrot, Philippe (translated by Richard Bienvenu), ''Fashioning the bourgeoisie: a history of clothing in the nineteenth century'', Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 1994, {{ISBN|978-0-691-00081-7}}
* Steele, Valerie, ''Paris fashion: a cultural history'', (2. ed., rev. and updated), Oxford: Berg, 1998, {{ISBN|978-1-85973-973-0}}
* Steele, Valerie, ''Fifty years of fashion: new look to now'', New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000, {{ISBN|978-0-300-08738-3}}
* Steele, Valerie, ''Encyclopedia of clothing and fashion'', Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2005
*Strijbos, Bram. (2021, May 10). All the news about Milan Fashion week on FashionUnited. Retrieved May 10, 2021, from <nowiki>https://fashionweekweb.com/milan-fashion-week</nowiki>
*Sterlacci, Francesca. (n.d.). What is a fashion designer? Retrieved May 10, 2021, from <nowiki>https://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/fashion-clothing-industry/what-is-fashion-designer</nowiki>

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{{Wikiversity|Fashion Design}}

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[[Category:Fashion design| ]]
[[Category:Design occupations]]
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