Fashion takes inspiration from both the past and the perceived future and those who work in the industry have the chance to make their mark on this ever-changing landscape. Today, many designers focus on creating garments from sustainable materials in order to help protect our fragile environment. Others in the fashion design industry want to be remembered for their work and will do anything to achieve recognition, fame and a notorious career. This summer, a new set of starry-eyed fashion designers and seasoned professions will hit our screens in the Lifetime show, Project Runway. The first episode of the latest season is set to air August 20 and the 16 designers will compete with one another for the prize of money to start their own fashion line. Contestants must impress judges including style guru Tim Gunn and top fashion designer Michael Kors with top model Heidi Klum, and risk being sent home for distasteful, uninspiring or just plain bad designs. For those who want to enter the fashion industry by a more conventional route, the Bureau of Labor Statistics presents some promising figures. The top 10% of industry professionals earned an average of around $100,000 per year in 2006.  |