Description: Fashion designers design apparel, accessories and footwear. They sketch designs, select fabrics, create patterns, and give instructions on how they are designed.

Knowledge Required: Fashion designers need to have an understanding of computer-aided design programs, fashion trends, business and marketing tactics, fabric and fiber information, and various manufacturing processes.

Skills: Attention to detail, communication, observation and problem solving, creativity, artistic ability, and computer skills.

Career Path: Most fashion designers have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in various fields, such as fashion design or fashion merchandising. Employers seek creative designers as well as technical trained individuals in the production process for clothing, accessories, or footwear. Designers develop a portfolio that showcases a collection of their styles and abilities to execute products. This is an important platform for employers to gauge talent and creativity. Fashion designers gain initial experience in the industry through internships.

Best Cities for this Job:  California and New York.

Median Annual Income: National: $62,860 CA: $47,794.

Future Growth: A 3 percent decline of employment of fashion designers is expected to occur from 2012 to 2022 due to international production of apparel and footwear.

From the Field: "I think that being on Project Runway definitely taught me to trust my instricts." - Melissa Fleis

Did You Know:  More than 2 billion t-shirts are sold each year.