Careers in graphic design and illustration develop visual content for branding, marketing, and product design. These roles include creating everything from clothing prints and textile patterns to promotional materials like swing tags, catalogues, websites, and social media content. Designers and illustrators may work by hand or use digital tools such as Adobe Creative Suite to bring concepts to life.
The two areas are closely connected but also have individual identities. Graphic design in fashion focuses on creating visual assets like branding, packaging, and textile prints, while illustration is more about visually interpreting and expressing fashion ideas through hand-drawn or digital artwork, often used to communicate design concepts. Fashion Illustrators often sketch designs that help communicate ideas to teams or clients, blending creative flair with industry knowledge.
Professionals in this field are expected to stay up to date with fashion trends, have strong creative and technical skills, and collaborate closely with design and marketing teams. An understanding of typography, layout, digital illustration, and trend analysis is key, as is the ability to visually communicate a brand’s identity through design. As you gain experience you could advance to roles like in-house illustrator for a fashion brand or publication or establish your own illustration studio or brand.
Examples of roles within Graphic Design and Illustration:
- Fashion Illustrator
- Illustrator
- Web Designer
- Print Designer
- Concept Artist
- UX/UI Designer
- Junior/Midweight Graphic Designer
- Artworker
- Digital Designer
London College of Fashion courses relevant to careers in Graphic Design and Illustration:
- BA (Hons) Creative Direction for Fashion
- BA (Hons) Fashion Imaging and Illustration
- BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles: Print
This list is not exhaustive. It is only an indication of directly connected LCF Courses.