Description
Design fur and faux-fur clothing and accessories, creating original styles or adapting trends while directing specialized fur construction and responsible sourcing.
- • Direct and coordinate furriers, patternmakers, and sample makers for pelting, blocking, and construction.
- • Fit and evaluate fur samples on forms and models, refining silhouette, drape, and pile direction.
- • Sketch designs and create tech packs detailing pelt types, pile length, nap direction, shearing, dyeing, linings, and trim.
- • Confer with clients, sales, and management to align design concepts with brand and market goals.
- • Define target customers and climates for fur products, considering luxury tiers and cultural preferences.
- • Attend fur and fashion shows and review trend reports to track consumer preferences.
- • Select ethically and legally sourced pelts or premium faux fur, linings, closures, and appropriate construction techniques.
- • Prepare sample pieces for sales reps and arrange showings at market appointments, trunk shows, or runways.
- • Translate couture fur concepts into scalable, cost-effective styles for broader markets.
- • Source pelts, faux fur, vintage furs for restyling, and complementary trims and hardware.
- • Visit auctions, dressers/tanneries, and fabric showrooms to review grades, finishes, and innovations.
- • Collaborate with accessory, knitwear, and outerwear teams to integrate fur garments and trims.
- • Design custom fur garments and accessories for private clients, retailers, and stage, TV, or film productions.
- • Build bills of materials and set costs and prices based on pelt grade, yield, labor, and finishing.
- • Draft patterns with fur allowances, map pelts for optimal yield using CAD, and supervise cutting and letting-out.
- • Develop seasonal fur capsules and market them through boutiques, ecommerce, and specialty retailers.
- • Read scripts and consult directors and stylists to develop fur design concepts for productions.
- • Oversee testing for shedding, colorfastness, durability, and care to produce accurate labels.
- • Create toiles in muslin or faux fur, then supervise sewing, taping, and finishing of final pieces.
- • Research historical fur styles, pelts, and techniques to ensure period accuracy when required.
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Arts, Entertainment, & Design
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
