Footwear designer

Footwear designers create new footwear designs or change existing ones. They need to keep up to date with fashion trends and the needs of buyers. Knowledge of the anatomy of the foot is important.

Also known as:

• Shoe designer

Work activities

Footwear designers design new shoe styles or change existing ones, usually for retail chains. They follow changes in colour and dress fashion to ensure that they offer up-to-date styles to the client. Footwear designers usually specialise in one area of the footwear market, such as high street fashion, sportswear, or high-end footwear.

Personal qualities and skills

As a footwear designer, you need:

• Creative and artistic skills.
• To pay attention to detail and make precise measurements.
• People skills.
• Knowledge of foot anatomy.
• An understanding of the materials, machines and processes used in production.
• To keep up to date with fashions and footwear trends.
• To work to deadlines and budgets.
• Knowledge of design-related software.
• Self-employed or freelance footwear designers will need business and marketing skills.

Pay and opportunities

Pay rates for footwear designers vary with employer and responsibilities. The pay rates given are approximate. Footwear designers earn in the range of £20,000 - £40,000 a year.

Employed footwear designers usually work a basic 40-42-hour week, Monday to Friday. Working hours for self-employed designers may be irregular, depending on the project they are working on. Late finishes and weekend work may be required from time to time, especially as deadlines approach.

Employers include footwear manufacturers, fashion houses, retailers, agents and design studios. Opportunities for footwear designers occur with employers in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Self-employment opportunities occur for footwear designers to work as self-employed, freelance designers in consultancy and fixed-term contract work. You can obtain this work through specialist recruitment agencies.

What’s happening in this work area?

The design sector operates in a very commercial global market, including strong economies, for example, India and China. However, the strong growth of the UK service industry has led to the opening up of new markets and helped the design sector to achieve a position of strength. Technology has helped to greatly speed up the design process, making it possible for designers to take on many more projects. However, fewer people are now required to complete tasks, resulting in a very competitive recruitment market. Competition to enter this area of work is strong, as there are often more applicants than vacancies.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in design industry magazines/journals such as Drapers or Footwear Today, on all the major job boards, and on the Government’s Find a Job service. It’s a good idea to build up a network of relevant contacts, as not all footwear design jobs are advertised. Making speculative job applications can also be effective.

Entry routes and training

A level 4 (higher) apprenticeship in the role of fashion and textiles product technologist is a great place to start.

Many footwear designers enter the industry after a degree or foundation degree in a subject such as footwear design. Some fashion design degree courses feature options in footwear design. A few colleges and universities offer degrees in footwear design (and manufacture). Some courses have been developed in partnership with industry. Some people get on to degree courses via a foundation course.

However you enter this profession, most of your training will be on-the-job.

Many designers become self-employed. With experience, some move into senior roles within an organisation.

Qualifications

If you wish to enter this career through an apprenticeship, you will two relevant A-levels and GCSEs in English and maths. 

The usual entry requirements for a relevant Foundation course are:

• One to two A-levels. You’ll need an A-level in art or in an art-based subject.
• GCSEs at grades 9-4 in four to five subjects. Some courses ask that you have a pass in English. A pass in design and technology (product design) will be useful.

Many other qualifications are also accepted so check prospectuses for more details.

To enter any course in art and design, you’ll need a portfolio of your work.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Skills gained as an assistant in a design studio or workshop, or in a design consultancy are valued. Commercial awareness and an understanding of the footwear industry are an advantage. To enter the work or relevant courses, you need to have a portfolio of work showing your creative ability.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course (e.g. Access to Art and Design) could be the way in. No formal qualifications are usually required, but you should check individual course details. They can lead to relevant degree/HND courses. It’s also possible to do a part-time Art Foundation course, which leads to a degree or HND course. Higher National Certificate (HNC) courses are also available part-time, often in the evenings and/or in the daytime. Universities and colleges of higher education (HE) will usually consider applications from candidates who don’t meet their usual entry requirements, especially those with experience in arts, crafts or design. You should check the admissions policy of individual universities and HE colleges.

Related careers

• Costume designer
• Designer
• Fashion designer
• Jewellery/silver designer
• Textile designer