Costume Designers

The U.S. Department of Labor categorizes the occupation of costume designer under the larger career field of fashion design. It predicts that employment of fashion designers will grow by 5 percent from 2023 to 2033, or as fast as the average for all careers. Job opportunities for those who work in the motion picture and video industries are expected to be good in the coming years. An increase in the number of TV shows and movies, as well as the growth of online and streaming streaming platforms, will create greater demand for costumer design.

Competition for designer jobs is stiff and will remain so through 2033. The number of qualified costume designers far exceeds the number of jobs available. This is especially true in smaller cities and regions, where there are fewer theaters.

The health of the entertainment business, especially theater, is very dependent on the overall economy and public attitudes. Post pandemic, the entertainment industry is still in recovery mode. Theater budgets and government support for the arts in general have come under pressure in recent years and have limited employment prospects for costume designers in some settings. Many theaters, especially small and nonprofit theaters, are cutting their budgets or doing smaller shows that require fewer costumes. Additionally, people are less willing to spend money on tickets or go to theaters during economic downturns or times of crisis.