What can I Expect to be Paid for a Starter Job in the Fashion Industry?

[young_princess]

question to people who are already in the fashion industry: is pay really that bad when you're just starting?

 

[knightley]

question to people who are already in the fashion industry: is pay really that bad when you're just starting?

The better question is what pay?

 

[young_princess]

The better question is what pay?

I mean I know if you are an intern you don't get paid but I'm sure they'd pay you once you work right? I'm an accounting major but have always wanted to work in the fashion industry. Maybe at a fashion house, fashion magazine, department store or even in a PR house. The accounting industry doesn't pay all that well but it would be enough to get me through living in NY, got a job offer this year that I turned down because of bad rep of the company. Anyway, I think I want to pursue being in this industry but I'm wondering if I would starve Is it really that bad? I mean how bad? like 30k a year bad?

 

[smartarse]

I mean I know if you are an intern you don't get paid but I'm sure they'd pay you once you work right? I'm an accounting major but have always wanted to work in the fashion industry. Maybe at a fashion house, fashion magazine, department store or even in a PR house. The accounting industry doesn't pay all that well but it would be enough to get me through living in NY, got a job offer this year that I turned down because of bad rep of the company. Anyway, I think I want to pursue being in this industry but I'm wondering if I would starve Is it really that bad? I mean how bad? like 30k a year bad?

i heard the highest paid retail company is Costco ...
good pay, great benefits, health insurance and all that jazz.
i know Costco is noted more for food items and such...
but ....
in terms of retail in fashion it pays the most. it's not chic and glamorous, though. but if money is what you want Costco is what you're going to get.

 

[young_princess]

um, no I'd rather stay in a boring accountant's job. I think my mom would be mortified if I told her I work for Costco. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just that my mom is kind of a glamour girl. So would you get at least a $40k then in the fashion industry? or would it depend on the job? if so, which jobs would pay on the higher side?

 

[smartarse]

question to people who are already in the fashion industry: is pay really that bad when you're just starting?

it depends on the line of work

 

[smartarse]

um, no I'd rather stay in a boring accountant's job. I think my mom would be mortified if I told her I work for Costco. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just that my mom is kind of a glamour girl. So would you get at least a $40k then in the fashion industry? or would it depend on the job? if so, which jobs would pay on the higher side?

...
i just go there for food, if that...

anyhoo..

accounting major gets you good starting salary in [fashion] publishing, luxury house, luxury retail like Bergdorf's, Saks, Bloomies.

 

[young_princess]

but you mean in the accounting department? not on the creative-side jobs?

 

[smartarse]

^ yes, in the accounting depts.

 

[Cicciolina]

Regarding pay - when you start, well, there are so many people interning (working for free, basically), full time, waiting until they get picked up for paid work. With the actual pay - it varies depending on what sort of job, can you be a bit more specific? Fashion is a very broad industry. I remember reading that Anna Wintour's assistants get US$40K p.a. In Australia, starting salaries for the lowest positions in well known, national magazines are around AU$25-30K.

For design, again in Australia, I've heard of design jobs for AU$30-40k for a mid-tier brand, ranging up to AU$80K (plus trips to trade shows, etc) for larger, well known brands as part of their core design team.

Of course you'll be earning more if you were say, Robert Duffy, Bernard Arnault, etc but those are far and few between.

You definitely don't go into fashion to get rich

 

[smartarse]

You definitely don't go into fashion to get rich

because you have to be rich to get into fashion...

 

[educo]

um, no I'd rather stay in a boring accountant's job. I think my mom would be mortified if I told her I work for Costco. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just that my mom is kind of a glamour girl. So would you get at least a $40k then in the fashion industry? or would it depend on the job? if so, which jobs would pay on the higher side?

GOOD LUCK!! A lot of jobs especially entry level are closer to 30K than 40K.
A lot of jobs barely pay enough to cover the rent. There really isn't any job that will pay more than another in the entry level circuit. They all start low.
This is definitely a work-your-way-up industry.

 

[marc jacobs addict]

I interned and later freelanced for a luxury fashion brand. Salaries were as follows:

Starting PR assistant: $32K
PR director (although she turned it in house $64K
VP: $90K
Production manager: $42K
Executive assistant (assistant to President $38K
Head designer: $46K

All of their salaries (aside from the starting PR assistant) are based on them being with the company for over a year... But most entry level positions will be between $30-$35K

 

[le go garçon 84]

I interned and later freelanced for a luxury fashion brand. Salaries were as follows:

Starting PR assistant: $32K
PR director (although she turned it in house $64K
VP: $90K
Production manager: $42K
Executive assistant (assistant to President $38K
Head designer: $46K

All of their salaries (aside from the starting PR assistant) are based on them being with the company for over a year... But most entry level positions will be between $30-$35K

maybe you can't tell exactly the name, but can you give in some clues? american? ny? thanks

 

[chip45]

Sorry for my ignorance but what is a VP?

 

[BetteT]

Vice President

 

[5-Hour man]

Seriously, I have a hard time understanding those salaries. The minimum wage in Denmark is about USD 40K - that's for a 37 hour work week cleaning the streets and stuff like that. I have fellow students in college who are 20-21 years old, working part time about 15 hours a week in fashion PR making USD 20K+ a year - that's without any education in that line of work what so ever ... I'm applying for a job in fashion PR and I'll be dissapointed with a salary below USD 25-30 / hour... my ex girl friend worked a some random shoe store here in Copenhagen. Her salary started at USD 50K for a 37 hour work week. I hope I'm not offending you, but I seriously can't understand it.

I interned and later freelanced for a luxury fashion brand. Salaries were as follows:

Starting PR assistant: $32K
PR director (although she turned it in house $64K
VP: $90K
Production manager: $42K
Executive assistant (assistant to President $38K
Head designer: $46K

All of their salaries (aside from the starting PR assistant) are based on them being with the company for over a year... But most entry level positions will be between $30-$35K

 

[yourbestfriend]

Honestly, those wages look about right. I don't work in fashion, but those are completely realistic in the US at least. It's possible that Denmark holds higher earning, as some countries average wages are alot higher.

I've been wondering though, what salary range do buyers generally hove around? I know it varies but does anyone know any general number?

 

[Mr-Dale]

Seriously, I have a hard time understanding those salaries. The minimum wage in Denmark is about USD 40K - that's for a 37 hour work week cleaning the streets and stuff like that. I have fellow students in college who are 20-21 years old, working part time about 15 hours a week in fashion PR making USD 20K+ a year - that's without any education in that line of work what so ever ... I'm applying for a job in fashion PR and I'll be dissapointed with a salary below USD 25-30 / hour... my ex girl friend worked a some random shoe store here in Copenhagen. Her salary started at USD 50K for a 37 hour work week. I hope I'm not offending you, but I seriously can't understand it.

Those are seriously high ammounts for such 'simple' (don't wanna offend anyone) jobs....If we're talking USD, here in Holland you earn about 25K a year doing those jobs. Perhaps even less. The ammounts that mja posted actually surprised me for being so high...

 

[knightley]

MJA's are high. PR does not pay 25-30USD an hour unless you're the head of the in-house pr. No. Way.