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

[educo]

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

I don't know who you worked for but some of those figures are correct.

A production manager would never accept a job at 42K.

A head designer?? At 46K?? That would never happen. 46K is more appropriate for a junior level designer. Granted, I worked for a major brand and maybe they were more generous, but a head designer would make close to 80K than 46K.

 

[Cicciolina]

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 very high salaries - but I suppose it's because of different countries.

In Australia as a sales assistant full time (38 hours a week) you'll be earning AU$35K, which is about AU$30K, and from what I've heard Australian salaries are far more generous than in the US (min wage there is under US$6 per hour, whereas in Australia depending on the industry, it's about AU$15-20 I believe - about US$12-18). On the whole I think also the USA has a lower cost of living.

 

[BetteT]

Well, I've heard that Denmark enjoys the highest standard of living in the world ... which is probably helped by these higher salaries. But then you have to factor in taxes and other expenses ... like rent, food, etc. to determine if those figures in Denmark are that high, in comparison.

 

[5-Hour man]

Well, I've heard that Denmark enjoys the highest standard of living in the world ... which is probably helped by these higher salaries. But then you have to factor in taxes and other expenses ... like rent, food, etc. to determine if those figures in Denmark are that high, in comparison.

I guess so. Our taxes on income are insane, but then again - we don't have to pay for health care/insurance, education and stuff like that - so for someone with an average income, it pretty much evens out the high taxes. But that's another topic all together. I'm still surprised though. What's the average income for a lawyer or an engineer?

EDIT: Oh, and by the way. Does MJA's wages include 'prepaid' health insurance and stuff like that?

 

[BetteT]

They are based in the US ... so yes ... you can be sure that full time employees get benefits ... health insurance, dental insurance, paid vacation days, possibly retirement plans and other benefits . They figure that it costs the employer about 25% to 33% in addition to the wage to provide these things for their employees. Since the goverment does not provide ... the employer must.

 

[yourbestfriend]

I guess so. Our taxes on income are insane, but then again - we don't have to pay for health care/insurance, education and stuff like that - so for someone with an average income, it pretty much evens out the high taxes. But that's another topic all together. I'm still surprised though. What's the average income for a lawyer or an engineer?

EDIT: Oh, and by the way. Does MJA's wages include 'prepaid' health insurance and stuff like that?

For a lawyer coming out of a top 14 school, ie Harvard, NYU, Columbia etc, i've seen averages that run around 90-130, 000 depending on the job for the first year. Though it depends on the job and firm you work for.

 

[5-Hour man]

@ BetteT/yourbestfriend.

If those salaries include all those benefits, then they make way more sense to me. But I'm still surprised that a lawyer makes so much more. Oh well...

 

[nikousha]

Fashion Assistant Salary

Salut!
Does anybody knows how much (mostly in Paris) fashion assistant earn a month?

 

[mode]

not much! i'm assuming they make like $25,000-$30,000 a year? i'm pulling that figure out of my butt so i am not positive but i know they aren't making a lot.

 

[nikousha]

^^

$25,000-$30,000 a year?

OMG are u sure?
for 30,000 $ a year, i won't even pay for apartment rent in Paris
I've heard that they won't pay for 1-2 months at the beginnig, but if they'll like your designs they'll pay about 5000-7000 $ per month. ( i guess it was wrong info )

 

[mode]

no i could be wrong too! i just went by anna wintour's assistant who apparently makes either $30,000 or $40,000 i just know it is barely enough to cover rent...

 

[nikousha]

thanks Mode..

i just know it is barely enough to cover rent...

hope so..

Is here anybody who works in Paris as assistant ?

 

[homeboy]

not much! i'm assuming they make like $25,000-$30,000 a year? i'm pulling that figure out of my butt so i am not positive but i know they aren't making a lot.

That's right. A direct assistant working with a editor in chief or designer get paid very generously. An assist in Paris would be making €25 000-30 000 a year, which is pretty typical for an inner city assistant. That is off course very hard earned money since assisting someone at the top of the ladder can be a very challenging and stressful job.

 

[nikousha]

^

That is off course very hard earned money since assisting someone at the top of the ladder can be a very challenging and stressful job.

Exactly! That's why i wonder....30,000 a year is too low for this job.

 

[mteb123]

Does anyone in London know how much an assistant gets paid, l cant think its much, but would love someone to confirm this!!

 

[homeboy]

^^
Visit totaljobs.com, search the desired job and you shall find the answer.

^

Exactly! That's why i wonder....30,000 a year is too low for this job.

Depends on from what angle you look at it. Unlike a traditional profession higher education is rarely a prerequisite for becoming an assistant.

Although important all an assist tend to do is juggle many small tasks at the simultaneously like maintaining diaries, rescheduling meetings, photocopying, booking flight tickets and other things taking the load of their boss who can then focus on doing their job rather than maintaining it.

 

[nikousha]

^^
I've finished a Academy of Arts with bachelors degree, i had few shoes collections, now i'm moving to Paris..to get more practice in fashion studios, but ofcourse i should work to get some cash cause Paris is quite expensive city..

How many assistants are working for one fashion house?And how many hours per day?

 

[homeboy]

^^
I've finished a Academy of Arts with bachelors degree, i had few shoes collections, now i'm moving to Paris..to get more practice in fashion studios, but ofcourse i should work to get some cash cause Paris is quite expensive city..

How many assistants are working for one fashion house?And how many hours per day?

Oh, my bad. I forgot that we're talking about fashion assistants here and not personal assistant. Either way there's no way to tell how many assistants there are in one fashion house. Assistants are hired when someone feels that their work load is too heavy for one person to handle. Every design house has an arsenal of assistant for each department. The main goal of becoming an assistant is usually to fill in the slot when you're boss leaves his/hers position.

How much you get paid tend to depend on the size of the company and the level of importance your position have. An assistant chief designer obviously gets a significantly higher salary than an assistant in the textile/fabric department. Experience weigh a lot when it comes to salary.

 

[nikousha]

^^
Thanks anyway..

How much you get paid tend to depend on the size of the company and the level of importance your position have. An assistant chief designer obviously gets a significantly higher salary than an assistant in the textile/fabric department. Experience weigh a lot when it comes to salary.

Yeah and about experience, as i said i had few shoes collections, so I'm good in shoes construction also i know clothes construction too but not as well as shoes.

 

[rangerrick14]

Here's a good question. How does anyone who works in the entry level fashion industry jobs survive in NY. As most people have said, the salary barely covers rent. So how do pay for other things like food and clothing? Is everyone drowning in debt?