Fashion designers sketch the next big fashion designs, conceptualize new styles, and put together some

of the most desired accessories in the world. The life of a fashion designer is riddled with all-night design
parties to meet strict deadlines, trend-spotting to stay on top of the game, and intuitively predicting
what the hottest styles of the season will be – well before the season even gets here.

Many types of fashion designers are doing well in their industry, but what sets them apart from the
competition may be less about college and more about getting into the right sector of their industry.
How many types of fashion designers are there? It depends on how you categorize the work.

Sticking to the basics of fashion, there are three types of fashion designers: shoes, apparel (which
includes costumes), and accessories. However, step inside of those categories and we see a world where
we find many possibilities.

Apparel Fashion Designers

Apparel designers focus their energy on creating styles for every part of the world’s population – from
main street workers to starlets in Hollywood. Costume designers and mass market experts work within
the title of “apparel designer”. When it comes to the apparel category, three types of fashion designers
exist: Haute couture, prêt-a-porter, and mass market. (Note: There is a fourth type of apparel fashion
design – kitsch. Kitsch is out of date fashion worn to ‘make a statement’. However, the market is
extremely limited for kitsch designs.)

Haute Couture Fashion Designer

Haute couture designers are those that stick to the old rules of design for wealthy clients. These are
fashion designers who specialize in creating custom apparel for an individual customer. One person at a
time, haute couture fashion designers make custom garments based on the exact measurements of
their client.