What Is an Assistant Designer and How to Become One

Although there are assistant designers in many industries, such as graphic design and marketing, in the fashion industry, an assistant designer works under the direction of a lead designer. You create and design new products or improve/modify existing products. Typically, a fashion house’s creative director develops a theme or structure to a collection. These are then interpreted by the art director and designers who create the actual look of each piece for a collection. Your duties are to sketch and design individual pieces, create color boards, and prepare tech sheets, which have the design specifications for the manufacturer to follow during production.

An assistant designer is an entry-level position at a design company. The qualifications you need to become an assistant designer include a high school diploma and strong drafting and drawing skills. You also need an interest in tracking the latest trends in fashion. Some assistant designers attend a certificate program or associate degree course at a design or fashion college. Important skills for the job include excellent graphic and creative skills, familiarity with administrative responsibilities, strong verbal and written communication, and excellent interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills are crucial for when you are conducting fittings or discussing issues with vendors.

As an entry-level designer, you have many possible career paths in the fashion industry. If you want to remain in the design side of the industry, you can work your way up to lead designer and possibly to art director. With more experience, you can also start your own label. Some designers move over to the marketing world where they use their knowledge of fashion to create ad campaigns. Others work in production, implement new technology such as digital tagging systems, or become a liaison between designers and retailers.