How To Become An Accessories Designer

Accessories Designer Career Profile, Salary & Job Outlook

What does an Accessories Designer do?

Accessory Designers develop, create, and produce items such as handbags, suitcases, belts, scarves, hats, hosiery, eyewear, and jewelry. These pieces are meant to accompany and enhance clothing. Accessory Designers research and identify trend direction, perform competitive analysis, pull and review fabrics and design concepts. They may create standalone releases or part of a larger seasonal design category.

How much does an Accessories Designer make?

According to Glassdoor, Accessories Designers maintain a national annual salary of $66,854 an hourly wage of $32.14. Entry-level accessories designers start around $39,000 annually. Senior-level accessories designers make a yearly average of $115,000. The range in salary widely depends on factors including skill, location, and seniority level.

What is the job outlook for an Accessories Designer?

Forecasts show that global apparel revenue will grow to $2.25 trillion by 2025. However, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job opportunities for fashion designers (including Accessories Designers) are expected to show little to no change during the 2019-2029 decade.

How to kick-off your career:

• Work on hand sketching and digital designing.
• Narrow down what type of accessories you want to create; do you want to design bags, jewelry, or work across different areas?
• Explore the Parsons School of Design x Teen Vogue Fashion Industry Essentials online course.
• Download Yellowbrick’s Ultimate Fashion Career Guide.

Learn from:
Elaine Welteroth
Fashion Industry Essentials contributor, Journalist, Author, Project Runway Judge

Related Careers:

Creative Director | Fashion Illustrator | Apparel Designer | Fabric Researcher | Garment Technologist | Footwear Designer | Pattern Cutter/Grader | Director of Merchandising & Design | Trend Forecaster | Graphic Designer | Data Analyst | Textile Designer