Decorative Arts Graduate Degrees

Related occupations
Interior Designer

Interior designers plan and design the interiors of buildings. They work for interior design firms, architectural firms, retail stores, and the design departments of large industries or institutions. Some have their own businesses. Interior designers often specialize in homes, hospitals, hotels, or... see more banks. Some specialize in restaurants, stage sets, or the interiors of ships or airplanes. When they plan the interior of a new building or the structural remodeling of an old one, interior designers usually work with architects. The architects consult with the interior designers about traffic patterns and may ask them to plan the placement of stairways, windows, and doors, as well as cabinets and other built-in units. Interior designers give advice on color schemes, window treatments, and hardware and lighting fixtures. They also suggest finishes for walls, ceilings, floors, and cabinets. They choose accessories, such as plants or paintings, that will accent an interior

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Fashion Designer

Designers study trends in fashion, sketch original designs, select colors and fabrics, and oversee the production of their designs. This process generally takes between eighteen and twenty-four months. While some designers conduct their own research, others rely on research done by others, contained... see more in reports by industry trade groups. After initial ideas have been sketched, designers visit textile manufactures or trade shows to decide which fabrics will be used with which designs and to make fabric purchases. A prototype of each design is made and tried on a model so adjustments can be made. After the final adjustments, samples are made and used to market the new products to retailers. In smaller design firms, fashion designers are more intricately involved in all of these steps. In large firms, fashion designers are often responsible of the initial design concept and the selection of color and fabric. Then they oversee technical designers, pattern makers, tailors, and hand sewers who turn their designs into products.