Creativity and Innovation

• Creativity is a vital skill for someone going into the world of fashion design. Fashion changes rapidly; a designer needs original ideas for new styles and the ability to draw inspiration from past trends. Without original and creative designs, a fashion designer cannot be successful. Designers also must know fashion history and be familiar with current trends, as well as have some ability to forecast what might be popular in the future.
  
  

Artistic Ability

• Most fashion professionals have an educational background in art and design, according to the 2010 Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A design starts with an idea, but the vision has to be put to paper in a sketch and then transformed into fabric. Designers need a sense of the aesthetic as well as technical drawing skill. Colors, details, proportions and balance are all important in designing clothing. Skillful sketches and samples allow a designer to build a portfolio that will aid in finding employment.
  
  

Sewing and Pattern-Making

• For a bachelor's of fine arts in fashion design, for example, the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York requires coursework in pattern design, sewing techniques, draping and construction. While a professional fashion designer may not need to do her own pattern-making and sewing, she has to have basic knowledge of these skills to design clothing that is beautiful but still practical. Knowing how garments are put together is necessary, particularly for anyone starting out in the field; designers often break into the industry with entry-level positions in pattern-making, sketching and construction.
  
  

Sales and Marketing

• Fashion is a competitive industry, and designers must be businesspeople as well as artists. Freelance designers need sales and presentation skills to attract clients and persuade fashion buyers to purchase their designs. Some designers have their own clothing boutiques. Teamwork and communication skills are also necessary, as designers must work with pattern-makers, suppliers, manufacturers and buyers.