75 Fashion Business Ideas

Fashionista: Want to make money with your fashion business? I can help you as a marketing consultant, proud FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) graduate, and fashion associate.

Get inspired by this list of creative and profitable fashion ideas, including new businesses; Fashion designer, clothing line launch, fashion styling, luxury consignment, media, retail, and online options!

Start your own fashion business.

List of fashion business ideas

Fashion Designer Women's Clothing: Use your creative fashionista style to design and sell your clothing line. A fashion business can be lucrative for designers of sportswear, separates, dresses, and women's suits.

Children's clothing designers: Opportunities in children's clothing design are abundant. The global market for children's apparel is worth over $300 billion, and high-end designer children's clothing is worth $6 billion.

Baby Clothing Designer: Little Babies Are Big Business! The worldwide children's clothing market generates more than $135 billion annually. Check out my list of business ideas for kids here.

Handmade Clothes: The handmade market is booming. The fashion entrepreneur produces handmade and sustainable clothing and sells it online on sites such as Etsy, Amazon Handmade, and Facebook Marketplace.

Bridal Wedding Dress Designer: Wedding dresses made over $59 billion last year. Take advantage of this opportunity by designing wedding gowns, veils, shoes, bridal wear, wedding favors, and jewelry. In addition, you can make wedding dresses for men and boys.

Designer Knitwear and Sweaters: The knitwear market is one of the fastest-growing markets in the fashion sector. So consider designing knitwear, sweaters, socks, leggings, and hosiery as a career.

Glasses and Sunglasses: Designer sunglasses are a lucrative and growing market.

Fashion Illustrator: Use your flair to create fashion illustrations for advertising, packaging, store signage, and websites.

Fashion Writer: If you have a writing talent, you can become a fashion writer who writes books that are biographies of famous designers and photographers.

Magazine Publisher: Combine fashion writing and photos into a print publication for distribution.

Fashion Blogger: Online fashion bloggers have an average monthly salary of $1,000, with some making millions! Fashionista Magazine details the top earners here.

Fashion Vlogger YouTube Channel: Create style tutorial videos, clothing brand reviews, and outfit tips.

Fashion Podcast: Love to talk about fashion? Explore starting a fashion podcast like this selection of the best fashion podcasters from Harper's Bazaar.

Fashion TV Shows: My guilty secret is fashion TV shows - especially Project Runway. Use new media like Instagram Lives to broadcast your fashion TV show. Get inspired by this list of the top fashion TV shows on Bustle.com.

Fashion Journalist: Become a fashion reporter and write for magazines, websites, and television. A degree in fashion media, communications, or journalism can be an advantage.

Pattern Maker: Create patterns for tailors from designer sketches of existing fabrics or garments. Alternatively, you can design and sell the pattern down the house's drain. It requires skill and patience.

Bespoke Clothing: Create couture clothing tailored to individual sizes.

Sewing Shop: Do money sewing by becoming a tutor, building websites, and selling sewing kits, books, and patterns.

Fashion Photography: Fashion photographers are among the highest-paid in the industry. Start your business by exploring local options, such as taking photos to post on the websites and social media of independent designers and boutique shops.

Designer sleepwear: Designer sleepwear is a lucrative market.

Lingerie & Bra Designer: Makes and sells lingerie apparel, including bras, shapewear, hosiery, and stockings.

Activewear Designer: Athleisure is a huge trend in the women's wear market. Casual clothes that look good aren't just for gym class anymore. Learn how to launch your sportswear brand in 5 steps at Syletica.com.

Fashion Event Producer: Stage fashion and trade shows to promote designer collections.

Fashion Business Coach: Help fashion companies with branding, advertising, and business operations, including financing and production advice.

Fashion Graphic Artist: You can specialize in fashion advertising and offer photo retouching for fashion images.

Photo Stylist: Style models and actors for photographs, videos, and films as a wardrobe consultant or costume designer.

Personal Stylist: Celebrities, politicians, and other professionals need fashion experts to dress them up for essential looks.

Image Consultants: Both men and women hire fashion professionals to advise them on the best silhouettes and styles for their skin tone and body type.

Personal Shopper & Wardrobe Consultant: Help busy people buy the right clothes for their wardrobe by becoming a personal shopper. Increase your profits by offering closet organization services.

Travel Wardrobe Expert: The frequent traveler has special clothing needs. Designs and sells travel clothing and packing guides.

Public Relations Representative: Use your creative writing and business marketing skills to become a PR agent for a fashion brand and promote its product line in the media.

Modeling Agency: Open an agency that teaches people to model and then offers their services to photographers.

Fashion Models: Today's fashion brands want to hire models of all ages, sizes, and races.

Apparel Import & Export: Facilitate the international buying and selling of apparel by distributing foreign brands and exporting your country's fashions.

Fitting Alterations and Repairs: Designer suits, wedding gowns, and suits cost much money to fit and repair properly.

Swimwear: Create stylish and unique swimwear (and cover-ups) for women, men, and children for the beach and poolside

Maternity Designer: Pregnant women need a unique wardrobe and different sizes during pregnancy. Satisfy their needs by designing and opening a retail or online boutique selling maternity clothes.

Sports Performance Apparel: Create performance-specific apparel for runners, hikers, and bikers.

Team Uniforms and Medical Scrubs: both professional and amateur sports teams want uniforms that look sharp. You can also design and sell medical scrubs for doctors and nurses.

Shoe Designer: Designing and selling shoes is a huge money earner constantly growing. Learn how to start a shoe line from the experts at an Italian shoe factory.

Designer Sneakers: One of the most popular shoe styles today is sneakers. Create your line or customize popular brands with straps and accessories. Because styles change quickly, consider opening a sneaker consignment shop – here's how.

Silk Scarves and Ties Designer for Men: Tap into your artistic flair and design a silk scarf or tie. You can create unique art pieces and sell them on handmade marketplaces like Etsy.

Leather Belts and Buckles: Design custom belts, buckles, and other leather goods to sell in your leather shop.

Handbags & Purses: Design and retail your creations of handbags, or resell designer – new or vintage ones. Here's how to start a handbag business from home from the experts at Crystal Clutch.

Luggage Designer: Retail your creations for suitcases, briefcases, and totes.

Vintage Designer Bag Restorer – As an appreciation for vintage designer handbags grows, so does the need for restoration services.

Jewelry Designer: Express your artistic side by designing fine jewelry (diamonds and gold) or dress fashion jewelry. Or sell a line of established direct selling companies - here's a list of work homemaker companies.

Watches & Clocks: Sell, resell, or design custom watches.

Perfumes and Cosmetics: Fragrances are part of fashion. This is my most profitable beauty business idea.

Hair Accessories: Selling hair combs, hair clips, and headbands. Get tips from successful hair bow entrepreneurs here.

Ethnic and Desi Wear: Create custom clothing in traditional style for dance performances and special events.

Window Display Merchandiser: Create attractive storefront displays and design store layouts

Web Designer Online Fashion Boutique: Design a fully functional online e-commerce store to sell fashion designer collections.

Western & Equestrian Apparel: Sells cowboy clothing, boots, and equestrian apparel and equipment.

Hats & Caps for Women: Start a hat or cap business. Get professional startup tips from the headwear experts at Acme.

Evening wear: Formal dresses, dresses, and tuxedos - design, make, sell, or hire.

Fashion Design School: Teach aspiring designers how to design clothes and start a career in fashion.

Custom Jeans: Custom denim clothing is in high demand. Start a Custom Blue Jeans Company Online - More info at Entrepreneur.

Promotional Apparel: Manufactures apparel (shirts, aprons, jackets) printed with company logos for business trade shows.

Fashion Boutique: Open a brick-and-mortar fashion boutique.

Lingerie Store: Open a retail or online lingerie business and offer custom bras and bra fittings. Get tips from lingerie designer Tracy Reed.

Menswear Shop: Custom Suits & Shirts

Children's clothing stores - brick and mortar, online, and consignment options.

Baby Shop: Open a store dedicated to baby clothes and home decor for babies. Here is a list of other business ideas aimed at kids.

Consignment Stores: brick and mortar or online. Check out a list of exciting thrift store name ideas here.

Retailers: Flea market vendors online at fashion sites like Poshmark and ThreadUp. We are selling import collections.

Vintage and thrift clothing: Physical or online.

Costume Shop: Makes and sells costumes for theatre and entertainment productions.

Plus Size Clothing Store: Fashion stocks for plus size women

Petite Women's Store: Many petite women find shopping challenging for clothing that fits their age.

Big and Tall Men's Stores: Sells oversized clothing, jackets, belts, and shoes for tall and big men.

Fashion Franchising and Direct Selling: Buy a franchise from FranchiseChatter's list of the best fashion franchises.

E-Commerce Stores: Online boutiques and drop shipping. Here are my tips and resources for finding wholesale products to sell online.

Learn from the professionals at Oberlo: an industry division of Shopify.

Print-on-Demand T-shirts: Graphic T-shirts are in high demand, and you can open an online store where the customer chooses a design and print one shirt for each order. I recommend Shopify's easy-to-use, affordable store design.

Custom Apparel: Designs and sells accessible clothing for the disabled, elderly, and seniors that are easy to put on and take off and comfortable to wear. Get inspired by this successful online tailored clothing retailer.