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footwear designer
Like fashion designers, footwear designers can choose to work in one of three different areas: high fashion (known as ‘haute couture’), designer ready-to-wear and high-street fashion. Within these areas there is often the opportunity to specialise further, for example into women’s, children’s or sports footwear.
Footwear designers' work varies slightly, depending on their specialism. Designers working in high fashion will create 'one offs', while those working for a designer ready-to-wear label will often base their designs on a theme for the coming season.
Footwear designers may get their inspiration and ideas by doing research or they may be given a brief to follow by the head of the design department. If the company they work for is well known for a particular style of shoe, they may be asked to 'tweak' existing designs.
For most footwear designers, their job ends when a design has been approved by the head of design. However, some will go on to make and cut patterns and also liaise with manufacturers.
Hours and Environment
Footwear designers often work long hours and weekends in order to meet deadlines – for example, the launch of a new collection.
Opportunities to travel include research visits to art galleries, trade shows or to particular places or countries linked to a theme. For example, if the theme was ‘Bollywood’, a designer may go to India.
Skills and Interests
To be a footwear designer you need:
- an interest in fashion and trends
- the ability to work accurately
- an appreciation for detail, shape and proportion
- the ability to use computer-aided design (CAD) and accurate drawing skills
- the ability to visualize a design
- knowledge of fabric / leather types and their uses
- an ability to oversee the production of samples
- an understanding of the footwear production process.
Entry
To become a footwear designer you need to have a relevant degree. A degree that teaches both design and technical skills will give you the practical knowledge needed to work in the industry. The following colleges and universities specialise in footwear design degrees:
Because the industry is very competitive (more than 3,000 fashion and textiles students qualify from higher education each year), any work experience you gain will put you at an advantage when it comes to getting a job. Most graduates usually enter the industry as a design assistant before working up to be a designer.
It is also important to put together a portfolio of work that you can take along to interviews. This should include moodboards, designs and technical drawings.
To search for other colleges and universities offering fashion design and footwear-related courses and degrees, visit the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website.
For more information about this career, see the Can U Cut It website in Further Information.
Training
On-the-job learning is a crucial part of developing your skills - when you start work as a footwear designer you will develop your existing skills and learn a host of new ones.
You can also take short courses, with a number of organisations, dealing with specific technical aspects of footwear design. These include:
- SATRA Technology Centre which offers a wide range of testing, research, training and consultancy services to the footwear industry, including the SATRA Accredited Footwear Technologist award
- BLC Leather Technology Centre which offers technical services and training to companies in the leather supply chain, including those in the footwear industry.
Postgraduate diplomas in footwear are available if you already have a relevant first degree. These include:
- Cordwainers at the London College of Fashion - Masters Degree in Fashion Footwear
- De Montfort University - MPhil and PhD research opportunities in footwear design.
A number of institutions offer foundation degrees, designed for people already working in the footwear or fashion industry. These include Cordwainers, the University of Bolton and Leicester College.
The Textile Institute also covers the footwear industry and grants a range of professional qualifications, including its Fellowship, Associateship and Licentiateship awards.
Opportunities
As a footwear designer, you will normally work for a footwear manufacturer, a footwear brand, an importer or a footwear retailer. The job market for footwear designers is increasingly an international one, so the main employers in the UK tend to be medium-sized companies with international operations.
Once you are working as a footwear designer within a company you can progress to a number of positions, including senior designer, design director or head of department (such as head of women’s footwear).
Alternatively, you may decide to become a freelance designer - employed by a company to work on a specific project; or you may decide to become self-employed and launch your own collection.
Annual Income
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
Starting salaries for footwear designers are between £12,000 and £14,000 a year.
Experienced designers can earn upwards of £22,000.
Further information
Kings Park Road
Moulton Park
Northampton
NN3 6JD
Tel: 01604 679999
SATRA House
Rockingham Road
Kettering
Northamptonshire
NN16 9JH
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The information contained in our Career Profiles Database was correct at time of publishing, but since publication certain details may have changed so please use this section as a research tool and in some cases further research may be required.
Careers Database Information By Learn Direct Advice