Skip to content
worldsalaries .com

Average Fashion Designer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A fashion designer in United Kingdom earns about 100,700 GBP a year. That's 44% above the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 50,500 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 156,200 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does a fashion designer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
100,700 GBP
8,391 GBP per month
Lowest reported
50,500 GBP
4,208 GBP per month
Highest reported
156,200 GBP
13,016 GBP per month

A typical fashion designer working in United Kingdom brings home around 8,391 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 50,500 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 156,200 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior fashion designer working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the fashion designer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How fashion designer pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all fashion designers in United Kingdom earn less than 102,700 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 68,100 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 132,000 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of fashion designers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 50,500 GBP. The highest stretch to 156,200 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

50,500
Low
102,700
Median
156,200
High
68,100
25th
132,000
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Fashion designer pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a fashion designer in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical fashion designer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    58,200 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +32% from previous
    77,000 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +37% from previous
    105,200 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +24% from previous
    130,500 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +7% from previous
    139,100 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    148,300 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 37%. That is the point at which a fashion designer typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Fashion designer pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving fashion designer pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average fashion designer salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • High School
    77,000 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +42% from previous
    109,000 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +38% from previous
    150,100 GBP

Fashion designer gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male fashion designers in United Kingdom earn an average of 100,200 GBP a year, while female fashion designers earn around 102,700 GBP. That works out to a 2% gap in favour of women, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Fashion Designer gender pay gap

2%

Men earn this much less than women on average in United Kingdom.

Women 102,700 GBP
Men 100,200 GBP

Pay raises for a fashion designer in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 12% every 17 months, which works out to roughly 8% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Fashion designer bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

59%

59% of fashion designers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a fashion designer a moderate-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6% of base salary. The remaining 41% of fashion designers reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Fashion designer: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Fashion designer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Fashion designer pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Birmingham
  • Glasgow
  • Liverpool
  • Leicester
  • Leeds
  • Kingston upon Hull
  • Belfast
  • Manchester
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion183,900 GBP184,700 GBP87,900-283,500 GBP
ScotlandRegion141,000 GBP130,400 GBP75,000-211,200 GBP
BirminghamCity116,400 GBP123,800 GBP53,300-184,700 GBP
GlasgowCity114,600 GBP115,600 GBP55,400-175,100 GBP
LiverpoolCity111,700 GBP109,700 GBP58,100-172,300 GBP
LeicesterCity109,700 GBP105,800 GBP58,100-166,600 GBP
LeedsCity109,000 GBP112,700 GBP51,300-169,700 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity109,000 GBP103,600 GBP57,100-163,500 GBP
BelfastCity109,000 GBP108,200 GBP54,300-168,700 GBP
ManchesterCity108,200 GBP108,200 GBP55,700-169,700 GBP
NottinghamCity108,200 GBP102,700 GBP56,600-166,600 GBP
SheffieldCity108,200 GBP112,700 GBP52,300-172,300 GBP
LondonCity107,700 GBP114,300 GBP50,500-171,300 GBP
BristolCity107,700 GBP109,700 GBP53,600-165,900 GBP
BrightonCity107,300 GBP98,800 GBP57,900-158,700 GBP
SomersetCity107,300 GBP105,200 GBP52,800-163,500 GBP
EdinburghCity105,800 GBP100,200 GBP54,900-158,700 GBP
CardiffCity105,200 GBP103,600 GBP51,100-160,700 GBP
BradfordCity105,200 GBP105,200 GBP50,100-160,600 GBP
SwanseaCity103,600 GBP92,200 GBP54,100-152,700 GBP
PeterboroughCity102,700 GBP100,200 GBP51,900-156,200 GBP
DerbyCity102,700 GBP100,700 GBP53,300-158,700 GBP
YorkCity102,700 GBP102,700 GBP51,800-158,700 GBP
DundeeCity101,100 GBP103,600 GBP48,500-157,600 GBP
CoventryCity100,700 GBP107,700 GBP48,600-160,700 GBP
WolverhamptonCity100,700 GBP109,700 GBP46,000-160,700 GBP
NewportCity100,400 GBP107,700 GBP44,200-156,200 GBP
PooleCity100,300 GBP96,400 GBP51,600-153,800 GBP
PlymouthCity99,700 GBP107,300 GBP47,600-158,900 GBP
AberdeenCity99,600 GBP89,400 GBP54,300-146,900 GBP
PortsmouthCity99,400 GBP105,800 GBP43,100-153,700 GBP
GloucesterCity97,400 GBP90,900 GBP51,800-146,900 GBP
SouthamptonCity97,400 GBP91,200 GBP51,800-148,300 GBP
NewcastleCity97,300 GBP90,600 GBP53,600-151,800 GBP
CambridgeCity97,200 GBP90,900 GBP50,000-147,900 GBP
WalesRegion97,200 GBP89,800 GBP50,100-146,700 GBP
ArmaghCity96,800 GBP89,200 GBP51,300-148,300 GBP
OxfordCity95,600 GBP100,700 GBP48,600-152,900 GBP
ExeterCity95,100 GBP95,100 GBP45,300-147,900 GBP
LisburnCity95,100 GBP95,400 GBP44,700-147,900 GBP
NorwichCity94,200 GBP95,400 GBP45,900-146,900 GBP
ChesterCity93,200 GBP86,800 GBP47,100-142,100 GBP
DurhamCity93,100 GBP103,600 GBP44,900-151,800 GBP
NewryCity93,100 GBP86,800 GBP48,600-141,000 GBP
LincolnCity92,900 GBP97,600 GBP45,200-148,300 GBP
DerryCity92,100 GBP86,600 GBP48,000-141,000 GBP
WinchesterCity91,700 GBP93,100 GBP48,600-142,300 GBP
HartlepoolCity91,700 GBP91,500 GBP45,000-140,200 GBP
AbingdonCity91,200 GBP97,600 GBP43,500-142,300 GBP
RiponCity89,800 GBP89,800 GBP45,000-138,700 GBP
StirlingCity88,000 GBP86,600 GBP46,400-137,100 GBP
BangorCity87,900 GBP95,000 GBP40,300-141,000 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion87,400 GBP89,200 GBP42,400-137,100 GBP
InvernessCity87,200 GBP83,700 GBP42,700-128,400 GBP
KirkwallCity87,000 GBP92,100 GBP42,000-137,100 GBP
SalisburyCity87,000 GBP79,600 GBP45,900-128,400 GBP
StrontianCity86,800 GBP86,800 GBP45,200-137,100 GBP
TruroCity86,100 GBP93,100 GBP42,700-139,100 GBP
WakefieldCity86,100 GBP84,900 GBP46,200-132,000 GBP
WellsCity84,800 GBP89,400 GBP41,300-134,700 GBP
CanterburyCity83,300 GBP90,000 GBP41,900-134,100 GBP
StromnessCity83,000 GBP92,200 GBP39,800-134,700 GBP
St DavidsCity82,300 GBP82,300 GBP38,900-127,700 GBP

Fashion Designer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a fashion designer make per month in United Kingdom?

    A fashion designer in United Kingdom earns about 8,391 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 100,700 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a fashion designer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level fashion designers in United Kingdom start near 50,500 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 156,200 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 68,100 and 132,000 GBP.

  • Is the median fashion designer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 102,700 GBP, higher than the average of 100,700 GBP. Half of fashion designers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for fashion designers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a fashion designer in United Kingdom earn around 2% less than women on average (100,200 vs 102,700 GBP a year).

  • Do fashion designers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 59% of fashion designers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6% of base salary.

  • Do fashion designers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a fashion designer about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do fashion designers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A fashion designer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 12% every 17 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.