International fashion designer jobs are on the rise. Over the past six months we’ve seen an increase in luxury fashion brands looking for international candidates. Why? Because they know fashion designers who’ve had the opportunity to experience different environments, cultures and skills can bring a lot to the table!
So, if you’re a fashion designer considering working abroad, we say “Go for it”. Accepting an international fashion job might require you to jump a few hurdles, but the positive benefits it can have on your career will be extremely rewarding.
As specialists in placing candidates in international luxury brand vacancies, we’re here to tell you everything you need to know about finding your dream job abroad.
How to become an international fashion designer.
Most fashion designers today need a higher education qualification, such as a foundation degree, HND or BA Hons degree in fashion design – or something similar that teaches you the skills you need to work in the industry. To be a designer in an office abroad is no different. Employers across Europe, US, Asia and the rest of the world, will expect you to have some form of qualification in the field. You will also be required to speak in the language of the country you relocate to and be confident with trading in their currency.
What are the best countries for fashion designer jobs?
The best country to be a fashion designer all depends on the type of job you want. The United States is a great country to have a career in if you’re a fast-fashion designer or curious about exploring entrepreneurship within the industry. Whereas, countries such as Italy or France are known as the places to be for luxury fashion. Based on our experience in the industry, here’s our top list of countries to have a fashion design career in:
China is the third best place to fulfil a fashion career. Photo credit: Unsplash
How to prepare for working abroad
Working abroad can bring its challenges, but if you start by putting the right preparations in place you can make the entire process smoother and much more rewarding.
Our biggest piece of advice is to find an employer who will help you navigate the moving-abroad-for-work challenges. These employers will have a lot of experience with on-boarding international candidates and therefore have the answers to your questions and solutions for visa-hurdles you might have to jump.
We recommend narrowing down your ideal-country-to-work-in. This allows you to be targeted in your job search and prevents feeling overwhelmed by the opportunities available. Ideally you’ll base your country of choice on a place where you can speak the language. If you can’t, we advise getting lessons to at least understand the basic lingo.
Every designer has their own style. So, once you’ve narrowed your ‘countries to work in’ bucket-list, do some research on fashion businesses based there. You’ll soon discover the brands you’d like to work for. Either contact the businesses directly yourself or get an experienced fashion recruitment agency to do the leg work for you.
Before you commit to any role, get to know the company culture. Working hours and employer cultures vary from country to country – and from business to business. Make sure you understand what will be expected from you each day and what your work life balance will be like ahead of signing on the dotted line.
You may have a vision of what working in Paris will look like, but make sure you’ve experienced the country and the area your new role will be based before you make the move. It’s important you have an understanding about the vibe of the area you’ll be living in. You don’t want to realise it doesn’t suit your lifestyle-desires or personality after your relocation.
Most countries will require you to have a working visa. Make sure you’ve checked out the requirements before applying for a job. It’s crucial you’re confident you can obtain a visa, as without this you won’t be able to fulfil the role. Want to work in Europe? Here’s more information about working in the EU after Brexit.
You still have to file your taxes with the country you’ve moved from, as well as the country you move to work in. You shouldn’t have to pay two lots of taxes, but you will need to fill in some paperwork to make yourself exempt from taxes in your previous location.
It can be tricky getting credit, whether that’s for mortgages, a car or credit cards, when you move abroad. Because of this, it’s recommended to have good finances behind you, as you may need to fund yourself for a few months while you settle in.
Find out what town some of your colleagues live in and start your vacancy living in this area. You don’t have to socialise with them, but it does mean they’ll be able to give you tips and information to help you settle in. It’ll also give you something in common to talk to your new colleagues about at the beginning. Once you’re more settled and know the area better, you can always then move to a location of your choice.
International salary expectations
Some countries will pay better than others. But, you do find salaries are in context with the country’s living costs. For example, Luxembourg is known for having the highest average salary with citizens earning an average of £3,500 a month. In comparison, the average salary in Thailand is just £419 a month.
The average pay for a Fashion Designer in the UK is between £42,000 and £73,000 a year. Whereas, the average pay for a Fashion Designer in Italy is between £30,000 and £55,000.
What are the benefits of working abroad?
Working abroad brings many career benefits such as exposure to new cultures, a better living environment, making worldwide connections, and learning a wide variety of new skills. Your native language can also be a strong asset for many international employers, and because of this you’ll become a valuable member of the team.
We recently interviewed Chandra Recchi, , who advocates experiencing the fashion industry from as many different international perspectives as possible. As a born American, Chandra landed her first role in the industry after moving to Umbria. She was approached by the owner of Brand & Melville because they liked her style and she spoke fluent English.
After spending several years as a ‘Cool Hunter’ for Brand & Melville, Chandra went on to further her career in Europe. Bringing her energetic American roots, she soon found her feet in a community-working-culture in Italy. Chandra credits the cultures and international experiences she’s had in her career for helping her become the successful Vice President of Product & Design she is today!
VP of Product & Design, Chandra Recchi, says her international experiences have been great for her career
Fashion design jobs abroad
We at Beyond Talent Recruitment always have international fashion job vacancies that need to be filled. Here are a few of the latest roles.
Please note roles may have closed at the time of reading the article.
Searching for a strong Head of Sales, German speaking candidate, who has solid experience working in outdoor categories (RTW predominately), as well as an entrepreneurial and strategic growth mindset. The ideal candidate will be part of a well-known established company. Interested? Email your CV to contact@gobeyondtalent.com.
Design Director Menswear role for a lifestyle company. This is a great opportunity to join an incredible international brand! The role requires a relocation to China. Email your CV to contact@gobeyondtalent.com to find out more.
This prestigious brand is looking to hire a senior Head of Production to be in charge of its ladieswear department. The role requires a relocation to Sweden. Email your CV to contact@gobeyondtalent.com to apply for the role.
Looking for a Product strategist that will be in charge of initiatives across the entire product lifecycle of this global retailer. Experience coming from the lifestyle RTW market is mandatory. Very competitive salary and package. Please send your CV to contact@gobeyondtalent.com.
More frequently asked questions about working abroad:
Before our article comes to an end, here’s answers to a few more questions you may have about finding your dream job abroad.
Do I need to speak another language to work abroad?
Yes, speaking the native language of the country you’re looking to relocate to is often essential. Even if you’re being hired to speak or translate communications in your own native language, you’ll need to be able to converse with your colleagues outside of your immediate role.
If you’re not bilingual it might be worth seeking a job abroad in a country that speaks the same language as you.
Can I move abroad for work in the pandemic?
Yes, you can move abroad for work during the pandemic. You’ll just need to take a few things into consideration such as quarantine, travel and vaccination rules. Make sure you do your research beforehand so you’re not caught out and your move is as smooth as possible.
Do all countries offer annual leave?
Yes, more or less all countries offer their employees a minimum annual leave allowance. The amount of annual leave varies from country to country. Cambodia gives the highest amount of annual leave across the world with employees getting 28 days. Japan currently gives the least annual leave of 13 days.
How do I find international fashion designer jobs?
The best way to find your perfect international fashion designer job is to approach a recruiter who specialises in the industry andplacing candidates abroad. Beyond Talent Recruitment has years of experience within the luxury industry filling roles across Europe, US, Australia and Asia.
Read on for more tips to land your next fashion job:
How to stand out to fashion recruiters on LinkedIn
Fashion job interview tips
Fashion designer portfolio tips
CV tips for your next fashion job
Use our expertise as a top fashion recruitment agencyto find your next role or candidate beyond your expectations!
Paris is home to highest number of top-class fashion designers in the world. Paris, the fashion capital of France, is thus, the best city for a fashion aspirant to broaden their network in fashion industry.
Most fashion designers today need a higher education qualification, such as a foundation degree, HND or BA Hons degree in fashion design – or something similar that teaches you the skills you need to work in the industry. To be a designer in an office abroad is no different.
If you're looking to increase your paycheck you may want to consider working in the USA or Spain as both countries made the top of the list for pay by country.
Often, the desire to travel comes from a drive to learn more about ourselves. Many people choose to work abroad not only to travel, but also to try out different jobs and new roles. In particular, working holiday visas are a great opportunity to dip your feet into a few new industries.
France is synonymous with fashion and haute couture is practically a national raison d'être. Paris Fashion Week is the highlight of the fashion world's calendar, and the city's fashion institutions are some of the most renowned. Fashion isn't limited to the French capital either.
Employment of fashion designers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2021 to 2031, slower than the average for all occupations. Despitelimitedemployment...
Which country is the cheapest to study for fashion designing? Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Belgium are the top countries with the best yet most affordable fashion designing courses for international students.
The salaries for fashion designers vary with the location of the position. Most positions for fashion designers are in states like New York and California. Fashion designers may have to move to these states to improve their career prospects.
The higher paying positions at Vogue include owner/operator, head of marketing, art director, and digital producer. A worker with the title owner/operator salary at Vogue can earn an average yearly salary of $171,539.
This shows adaptability, motivation and determination – three skills that employers and recruiters greatly value. In addition, having international experience will put you at an immediate advantage over other candidates who have never worked abroad.
Is it hard to get a job abroad? It's more difficult to find work abroad than at home for a few reasons: language barriers, lack of contacts, awareness of vacancies and even not knowing which companies are in the area can make the process of searching for a job feel a million times more difficult.
The largest clothing company in the world is LVMH, with a market cap of $479.09 billion. As of 2022, the global apparel industry has a market size of $1.53 trillion U.S. dollars. The global fashion industry produces between 80 billion and 150 billion garments each year.
Breaking into the industry will be hard but not extremely so. The key is to get your first fashion designer job and continue building experience. If you do that, your salary will rise and you'll almost certainly make way more than you spent on your fashion degree.
Switzerland. Switzerland, officially called the Swiss Confederation, is a small country in Central Europe made up of 16,000 square miles of glacier-carved Alps, lakes and valleys.
Fashion designers typically work 40 hours a week, though self-employed fashion designers may work more hours than that to manage the various roles they have to perform as independent designers.
A designer's day includes reading current fashion magazines, newspapers, and other media that reflect current trends and tastes. He or she looks at materials, attends fashion shows, and works with other designers on projects.
Whether you want to study diploma courses in fashion designing in USA or a master's in fashion design in USA, there are plenty of colleges and universities to choose from. ... School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Both New York and Los Angeles are popular destinations for professionals seeking work in the fashion industry. New York City has long been considered the fashion capital of the United States.
According to the ranking of the most valuable clothing and apparel brands in the world, Nike ranked first in both 2021 and 2022. In 2022, the American company's brand value amounted to approximately 10 billion U.S. dollars more than second-placed Luis Vuitton.
If you are a student or a fresh graduate with little or no experience, you need to look for internships at Vogue. Vogue is part of the Condè Nast group (which also owns Glamour, GQ, L'Uomo Vogue, etc). So the official way to find internships is on the Condè Nast careers page or on the Condè Nast LinkedIn profile.
How much does a Vogue Model make? As of May 12, 2023, the average annual pay for a Vogue Model in the United States is $56,791 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $27.30 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,092/week or $4,732/month.
The average salary for a Fashion Designer is $53,377 per year in United States, which is 29% lower than the average American Vogue salary of $75,309 per year for this job.
Most fashion designers make a living by either working as employees for larger entities in the fashion industry or by starting their own fashion businesses. Here, we'll touch on both types of career paths—and the education, networking, and business smarts required to pursue them successfully.
Beginners may work as cutting assistants or assistant designers. From these entry-level positions, the fashion designer's career path may lead to positions as an assistant technical designer, pattern company designer, designer, head designer, design department head, and creative director.
Average Louis Vuitton Fashion Designer yearly pay in the United States is approximately $64,241, which is 26% above the national average. Salary information comes from 1 data point collected directly from employees, users, and past and present job advertisem*nts on ....
How much does Louis Vuitton pay per year? The average Louis Vuitton salary ranges from approximately ₹7.7 Lakhs per year for a Client Advisor to ₹500.8 Lakhs per year for a Senior Fashion Designer.
To answer this question, we should evaluate in a generous view and as a graphic designer, you can definitely gain a million dollars. Many do. But it's challenging. Yes, you can.
No matter what your reason is, living abroad is worth it; if not for the numerous benefits –– like making life-long international friends and having better career prospects –– then at least for unearthing what you don't like and what you're capable of doing on your own.
Expats have to adjust to working in an unfamiliar culture. The cultural differences and norms in the workplace are as significant as the changes in language, food, and dress around the world. They require respect and some extra work to adapt to the workplace.
Finally, working abroad can improve your future prospects. For example, finding a job that you enjoy could lead to a permanent position or career. You'll have the opportunity to learn new skills, gain valuable experience, and build relationships with people worldwide.
Moving abroad is hard, mainly because there are so many things that you need to get sorted. Housing, career, studying, banking, visas, language classes, currency, transportation are to name but a few.
A new study has ranked Malta as the hardest working country in the world with a staggering 91% of workers logging 49 or more hours per week, the highest out of all countries studied.
What Country Has the Hardest Workers? Mexico has the world's hardest workers, clocking in at 2,127.8 hours per year on average. That means that the average Mexican worker works for 40.9 hours a week, about 5.7% more than the average worker in the United States.
Both New York and Los Angeles are popular destinations for professionals seeking work in the fashion industry. New York City has long been considered the fashion capital of the United States.
Breaking into the industry will be hard but not extremely so. The key is to get your first fashion designer job and continue building experience. If you do that, your salary will rise and you'll almost certainly make way more than you spent on your fashion degree.
If you enjoy sketching garments and working with fabrics and trimmings, a fashion design career could be right for you. When considering a career in fashion, you should assess your ability to draw and cut patterns to prepare garments as this skill is essential for a career in fashion.
Not only is New York City one of the most fashionable cities in the country, it is also a top contender in the world. Home to the best fashion design schools, FIT, Parsons, and Pratt Institute, New York is producing the brightest new talent.
New York City, and to a lesser extent Los Angeles, are the centers of America's fashion industry. They are considered leading fashion capitals. New York City is considered to be one of the "big four" global fashion capitals, along with Paris, Milan, and London.
The best places to study fashion design abroad are by far France and Italy, but there are excellent opportunities to study fashion abroad in England, the Netherlands, and Spain too.
Introduction: My name is Melvina Ondricka, I am a helpful, fancy, friendly, innocent, outstanding, courageous, thoughtful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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