It takes a lot more than just having formal knowledge to nail the interview, and it is no doubt an opportunity to showcase your expertise. Being prepared for an interview displays to the interviewer and audience that you respect their time and taking the opportunity seriously. Therefore preparing yourself in advance is also a great opportunity to position your personal brand correctly. As a result, I have compiled a list of generic questions for fashion designers that the interviewer could ask:
- Define fashion?
- What do you aspire to be?
- Say something about your background?
- What sparked your interest in fashion?
- What inspired you to become a fashion designer?
- What is it you like best about being a fashion designer?
- When and how did it all begin?
- Who or what are your inspirations for creating your designs?
- Creative expression can take many forms, what made you decide to start your own fashion brand?
- Why did you decide to choose fashion designing as a career?
- Is there any person/designer that you consider to be your inspiration?
- In your opinion, what are the most critical aspects of the fashion industry?
- What according to you is a favourite part of being a fashion designer?
- Your collections are always quite influenced by the colours of the season. Why is this the way you design?
- How did you end up as a fashion designer?
- Can you describe what lessons you learned during your internship as a fashion designer?
- The designs you created are no doubt good enough, but who and which things were your inspiration while creating such designs?
- What is your best and worst fashion moment?
- What does fashion mean to you?
- What do you believe are the essential elements needed to be successful as a fashion designer?
- Are you comfortable working hands-on with models and other staff in the fashion industry?
- What are your favorite trends in fashion, past and present?
- What is your first fashion memory?
- Have you always dreamed of having your own label?
- What do women and their bodies represent to you?
- How is working in fashion different today than from when you started out?
- What skills according to you are necessary for a successful fashion designer?
- Do you think the ever-increasing amount of overseas brands coming to our shores is a threat to local designers?
- What ethics are important for people involved with fashion?
- What made you take fashion more seriously and make a career out of it?
- Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
- What is the qualification required for a fashion designer career?
- What is your favorite part about being a designer?
- How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
- As a fashion designer, how would you advise someone to dress for a job interview?
- How would you define your idea of fashion?
- How do you stay up to date regarding fashion?
- Who is your style icon and why?
- List some of your design influences, both past and present.
- Are there any types of clothing that you avoid wearing?
- What do you think about work ethics and what kind of ethics you believe in following while working with fashion?
- Do you prefer traditional illustrating styles or newer digital mediums?
- What do you consider the important facets of the fashion industry?
- What are you wearing today?
- Do you wear your own designs?
- When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career as a designer?
- What do you do to track trends and stay in touch with the current consumer?
- What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- How would you describe your brand aesthetics?
- How do you think your design styles have changed over your career?
- Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
- Where do you derive inspiration for the beautiful prints that we see in your range?
- What was your biggest fear when going out and starting your own line?
- What is your favourite part of the design process?
- How do you handle disagreements in design with co-workers?
- How would you describe your personal style?
- How do you handle disagreements in design with clients?
- What would you like to achieve before the end of the year?
- What fashion trends are you passionate about?
- We love the stunning photographic prints in your collections; tell us about the inspiration behind them and the design process.
- Being a fashion designer? What kind of clothes will you prefer wearing for the award show?
- What is the fun part of being a fashion designer?
- You’ve been designing for 14 years. Where will we see “ADD BRAND NAME” go to from here?
- What is the typical design process like for the “ADD BRAND NAME” team?
- You’ve commanded a sterling reputation in your time and developed a loyal brand of followers that worship the “ADD BRAND NAME” look and label. How does that feel?
- Are you passionate about something apart from fashion?
- If you were not a fashion designer, what would you want to be?
- Do you think Australian fashion has a particular look?
- Does your approach differ when designing menswear compared to womenswear?
- How is your work received internationally?
- What motivates you the most about having your own fashion business?
- What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
- What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your own label?
- What advice would you give to young designers?
- How do you choose your fabrics and where are they sourced from?
- What role do you think social media plays in fashion today?
- What made you want to expand your business from just designing clothing to furniture as well as various collaborations?
- How would you describe the current British fashion aesthetic?
- What is your design process? How do you work from concept to construction?
- How do you want women to feel when wearing your clothes?
- There’s so much pressure for designers to come out with their greatest collection season after season. What advice would you give to young designers just starting out and hoping to make it in the industry?
- Do you often attend art exhibitions, and what are some of your favourite artists/photographers?
- Do you travel a lot for work? What are some of your top fashion destinations?
- What is your greatest career achievement?
- Bold and active prints are akin with your women’s’ collections. From where do you find the inspiration for the prints?
- What advice would you give someone who wants to start their own fashion label?
- What will be the must-buy fashion item for next summer?
- What have been your weirdest and wildest sources of inspiration for your brand and design directions?
- Do you have any advice for aspiring menswear designers?
- 10 years from now, what do you hope to have achieved in the industry?
- Is it safe to say menswear is where your heart is? Why?
- As a designer, is it possible to create anything that you can imagine?
- Your focus is so heavy on fabrics and their quality, which is very notable in fashion design. What’s the importance of fabrication?
- Your ability to produce your collections in-house is something quite admirable in an Indian label as large as yours. Why is this benefit?
- As a fashion designer, how would you define your role in society?
- What aspects of the fashion industry would you like to change?
- What was the main inspiration behind the latest collection?
- What is the best lesson you have learned along the way?
- In your opinion what are the pros and cons of running a family business?
- What are some of your biggest dreams that you are yet to fulfil?