• Bloomsbury Academic logo
  • Logo
  • FutureLearn logo

Careers in Fashion: Styling, Curatorship, and the Ancillary Businesses

Explore the many careers on the outskirts of the fashion industry, from digital media to styling and teaching.

A man poses dressed in a colorfully patterned suit with a large hat, sunglasses and bag.

Uncover the skills needed for digital media and fashion teaching roles

On this four-week course from Bloomsbury Academic, you’ll explore the ancillary businesses that promote, educate, house, and generally provide support to the producers, retailers, future employees, and consumers of fashion goods.

Discover the ever-growing digital media careers in fashion

Any number of fashion websites, bloggers, and live streaming from creators can take us backstage or to the runway of a fashion show; a clear example of the digital communication industries bringing us right to the front row.

From the digital media director to the fashion journalist and blogger, you’ll delve into the expanding world of digital communication in the fashion industry, the many careers within it, and how to approach a career path in the ever-changing digital landscape.

Explore styling and photography careers

If you have ever watched a visually opulent film, or been to a fashion show, you’ve seen the work of a costume designer, stylist, and even a photographer.

On this course, not only will you examine fashion styling, photography, and costume design careers from a company-employed perspective, but you’ll also look at the pros and cons of freelance positions and how to approach these roles.

Learn about fashion curatorship roles and teaching

Fashion is an intersection of art, history, and culture, which is why there are so many careers both deep within and on the outskirts of the fashion industry.

You’ll look at roles in museum and historical costume study, as well as teaching opportunities in secondary and post-secondary education. From the challenges to the qualifications needed, you’ll assess each aspect of planning a career in fashion.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    Digital communication

    • Course welcome

      In this activity, you will be introduced to the content that will be covered during this course. You will also get an overview of the topics covered during the first week of this course.

    • Fashion journalist

      What is a fashion journalist? First up we discuss the career path of a successful fashion writer who develops stories and materials for articles, advertisements, and product descriptions, for books, and magazines.

    • The fashion blogger

      What is a fashion blogger? Fashion bloggers are much like fashion writers, but with a definitive online presence, a distinct personality, and an informal writing style.

    • Week wrap up

      In this activity, you will have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight on what to expect in the new week.

  • Week 2

    Fashion styling, photography, and costume design

    • Weekly welcome

      Moving into the second week of this course, this activity will give you an overview of the topics that will be covered during this week.

    • Fashion show and event producer

      The fashion show and event producer manages fashion shows and special events for its clients. This step explores the role and opportunities of a fashion show and event producer.

    • Modeling and talent agency director

      What does a modeling and talent agency director do? And what qualifications are needed? This step takes a deeper dive into the career path of a modeling and talent agency director.

    • Fashion photographer

      How do you become a fashion photographer? What qualifications do you need? In this step we take zoom in on fashion photography.

    • Stylist

      How do you become a fashion stylist and what can you expect from this career path?

    • Costume designer

      A costume designer collaborates with film and video directors to design, consign, or construct apparel and accessories that fit with the mood, time frame, and image of the visual.

    • Week wrap up

      In this activity, you will have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight on what to expect in the new week.

  • Week 3

    Fashion curatorship and scholarship

    • Weekly welcome

      Moving into the third week of this course, this activity will give you an overview of the topics that will be covered during this week.

    • What is fashion curatorship and scholarship

      Before we explore the career path options let's take a close look at fashion curatorship and scholarship.

    • Museum director

      In large facilities, museum directors manage the general operations and staffing of the institution and coordinate the public service mission of the museum. But that is not all - lets explore what a museum director does.

    • Museum curator and collections manager

      What is the role of a museum curator and what about the role of a collections manager? In this next activity we explore more about these career paths.

    • Museum archivists and conservators

      What is the role and responsibilities of a museum archivist and a conservator? Museum conservators manage, care for, preserve, treat, and document works of art, artifacts, and specimens.

    • Fashion educator

      What is a fashion educator and what career challenges and qualifications are needed to become one? Let's find out!

    • Week wrap up

      In this activity, you will have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight on what to expect in the new week.

  • Week 4

    Visual merchandising and retail design

    • Weekly welcome

      Moving into the final week of this course, this activity will give you an overview of the topics that will be covered during this week.

    • Visual merchandising professionals

      What is visual merchandising? Often called the “silent salesperson,” visual merchandising refers to the design, development, procurement, and installation of the merchandise.

    • Store planning director

      What is the role and responsibilities of a store planning director? This step explores the day-to-day activities and qualifications needed to become a store planning director.

    • Mall management

      A mall manager is responsible for everything in the mall but what does that mean? And what about the assistant mall manager? In this activity, we explore the career path of a mall manager.

    • Course wrap up

      In this activity, you will have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight on what to expect in the new week.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explore the ever-growing career opportunities in fashion journalism and blogging
  • Explore the career path perspectives of the fashion show and event producer, modeling and talent agency director, fashion photographer, fashion stylist, and costume designer
  • Explore career opportunities in education, including museums, schools, and universities
  • Discuss opportunities in the fashion or historical costume division of a museum, including museum director, museum curator, collections manager, museum archivist, and museum conservator
  • Describe the primary career tracks in visual merchandising and retail design including visual merchandiser, store planning director, and mall manager

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone looking to start a career in the fashion industry, specifically in digital media, teaching, or fashion curatorship.

Who developed the course?

Bloomsbury Publishing

Bloomsbury Publishing is a leading independent publishing house, established in 1986, with authors who have won the Nobel, Pulitzer and Booker Prizes.and is the originating publisher and custodian of the Harry Potter series. Bloomsbury has offices in London, New York, New Delhi, Oxford and Sydney. Within Bloomsbury’s Academic division, it publishes under Bloomsbury, as well as under a number of prestigious and historic imprint names.

Fairchild Books

With a history stretching back over more than 100 years, Fairchild Books is a world-leading publisher in the fields of fashion and interior design.

FutureLearn

FutureLearn is a leading social learning platform and has been providing high quality online courses for learners around the world over the last ten years.

What's included?

This is a premium course. These courses are designed for professionals from specific industries looking to learn with a smaller group of like-minded individuals.

  • Unlimited access to this course
  • Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes
  • Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you're eligible
  • Download and print your Certificate of Achievement anytime

Still want to know more? Check out our FAQs

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...