If you look on Pinterest or Instagram for fashion design portfolio examples, you can find a lot of stuff! But how do you know if the portfolio is any good. It may look good, but did it actually land work? I have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of portfolios over the years, and most of them are mediocre.
So, I decided it would be helpful to put together 13 fashion design portfolio examples that actually landed paying work – either a new freelance client or a fashion design job.
I’ve included some examples of my portfolios that I used during my 10+ year freelance career, as well as work from other fashion designers. These examples have come from my Freelance Accelerator: from Surviving to Thriving (FAST) students, as well as my LinkedIn followers. Every designer has confirmed that the portfolio they’ve shared resulted in paid work!
In some cases, I have included just one project from the portfolio (the entire thing was too big!) and linked through to the whole portfolio where possible. But every project I’ve chosen to include is strong enough to stand on its own.
Some of the fashion design portfolio examples here are pulled from my free Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Fashion Design Portfolio (in a weekend). That guide goes much more in depth and answers every question about portfolios, including what (and how much) to include, how to create a portfolio if you’re a fashion student, what brands expect to see, and a LOT more.
As you browse through the examples, keep a few things in mind:
- Keep your portfolio niche and only show relevant work to the brands you’re submitting to
- Projects should visually show why you’re a good match; 2-3 projects is enough
- Brands will glance for 5 seconds; catch their attention fast with relevant work
- Create a Process Portfolio that shows your process, not just the end result
- A PDF works just fine; you do not need a full website
- Share your portfolio via a Dropbox link instead of attaching huge files
If you follow all my tips, your portfolio should take you a weekend (or a week at most)!
Again, I go way more into depth on all of this in my Ultimate Guide to Fashion Portfolios, but those are the high level tips.
Handbag Fashion Design Portfolio Example
This portfolio is by Aleksandra Laurenzo, a freelance handbag designer. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows a Process Portfolio, from initial inspiration through tech packs and line sheet
- With just a few screenshots, it’s clear she knows how to design and spec a handbag
- She included a screenshot of her Illustrator files to show how detailed and organized she is. I LOVE THIS!
Kidswear Fashion & Textile Design Portfolio Example
This portfolio is by Andressa Iop, a freelance kidswear apparel and textile designer. Connect with her on Instagram.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows a Process Portfolio, from initial inspiration through tech packs
- It shows she understands how to design and merchandise a kidswear collection with prints
- Bonus points for her cover page, which includes noteworthy press coverage in vogue
Technical Design Portfolio Example
This portfolio is by Bhanushree Chogale, a freelance fashion designer and developer. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows a Process Portfolio, even on a simple project where the designs were created from reference photos
- Showing the finished product validates that she has designed garments that have gone to market (not required, but helpful)
Collegiate Fashion Design Portfolio Example
This is another project from Bhanushree Chogale’s portfolio, a freelance fashion designer and developer. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows a Process Portfolio, even with just 2 steps: moodboard and design
- There’s a clear connection between the inspiration and the collection design, even down to font choice
Handbag Fashion Design Portfolio Example
This portfolio is by Erin Scott, an accessories designer and merchandiser. Connect with her on LinkedIn and view more of her portfolio on Behance.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows a Process Portfolio in a really simple way: finished product, some fashion flats, and tech sketches
- Her detailed technical sketches show very quickly that she knows how to spec a design
- She is validated by a big brand name, Guess (not required, but helpful if you have it)
Conscious Denim Design Fashion Portfolio Example
This portfolio is by Jacqueline Schumann, a freelance fashion designer specializing in conscious denim. Connect with her and view more of her work on her website.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows a Process Portfolio from moodboards to illustration to fashion flats
- It’s very easy to see where her ideas come from, something brands are always interested in
- Her emphasis on conscious design and sustainability is clear throughout, making an instant connection with brands who value the same
Activewear Fashion Design Portfolio Example
This portfolio is by Jennifer Saylor, a fashion designer for lifestyle and training product. Connect with her and view more of her work on her website.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows a Process Portfolio from moodboards to illustration to tech sketches
- It’s clear she knows how to spec and consider the entirety of a design from her detailed technical flats with multiple views
Uniform Fashion Design Portfolio Example
This portfolio is by Monica Tanbrin, a fashion designer for lifestyle and training product. Connect with her on Instagram view more of her work on her website.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows a Process Portfolio from moodboards to flats to tech sketches to finished product
- It’s clear she knows how to spec and consider the entirety of a design from her detailed technical flats with multiple views
- She is validated by a big brand name, Amazon (not required, but helpful if you have it)
*I particularly love this uniform portfolio example because it’s not what we usually think about when it comes to “fashion.” But all apparel needs to be designed and spec’d and manufactured. A lot of that apparel is “non-glamourous” for what I call “middle America” brands. As a freelancer, there is a lot of opportunity for work in this category (I did a lot of corporate and uniform work in my freelance career). I talk more about what types of brands you can freelance for in my free Ultimate Guide to Becoming A Freelance Fashion Designer.
Active & Gymnastics Fashion Design Portfolio
This portfolio is by Sasha Souki, a fashion designer for gymnastics, activewear and dynamic garments designs for movement. Connect with her and view more of her work on her website.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows a Process Portfolio from moodboards to flats to tech sketches to finished product
- It’s clear she knows how to spec and consider the entirety of a design from her detailed technical flats with multiple views
- She is validated by a big brand name, Champion (not required, but helpful if you have it)
Fashion Flat & Tech Pack Portfolio Example
This portfolio is by Sasha Souki, a womenswear fashion designer focusing on flats and tech packs. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows how she interprets a photo (or hand sketch) into a professional fashion flat
- Her detailed sketches with POMs show she knows how to spec a garment
- Even though her tech pack pages are shown as a small collage, at a glance it’s clear she knows how to put together a thorough tech pack (not every detail needs to be legible)
Baby & Kids Textile + Fashion Design Portfolio Example
This portfolio is by Lucia Sanguinetti-Jonescheit, a freelance designer for baby and kidswear. Connect with her on Instagram. You can also hear Lucia’s interview on my podcast, Fashion Designers Get Paid.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows a Process Portfolio from moodboards to flats to prints to finished product
- She has a very specific design aesthetic and her work is very cohesive
- While she might no have actual finished product photos, she created a mockup with her prints for quick visualization
Knitwear & Lifestyle Fashion Design Portfolio Example
This portfolio is by Hillary Glenn, an apparel designer specializing in knitwear, lifestyle, activewear and custom print design. View more of her work and connect with her on her website. You can also hear Lucia’s interview on my podcast, Fashion Designers Get Paid.
Here are a few reasons her portfolio works so well:
- She shows a Process Portfolio with very little: a few images, illustrations, flats and finished products (you don’t need a ton!)
- She has a very specific design aesthetic and her work is very cohesive
- While these projects are old, they are classic and timeless; they don’t look dated
Freelance Lifestyle & Corporate Apparel Fashion Design Portfolio Example
This portfolio is by me! During my 10+ year freelance career, I earned over $100k+ doing lifestyle, corporate and activewear design. My portfolio was very simple, and I hardly ever updated it (that’s because most of my clients, like most freelancers, came from word of mouth and referrals).
Here are a few reasons my portfolio worked so well:
- I showed a Process Portfolio from inspiration to flats to finished product
- I worked with brands whose aesthetic resonated with this look, and only showed relevant projects
More Portfolio Examples & Free Resources
For more portfolio examples that resulted in paid work (like every single example on this page!) plus step-by-step tips, check out my free Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Fashion Portfolio (in a weekend).
If you’re interested in freelancing in fashion, the best place to start is with my free Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Freelance Fashion Designer. I share specific tips about freelance portfolios there.
